August in Figures
August 30, 2014
Long-term interest rates fell substantially in August. Stock markets, with the notable exception of Japan, recorded gains, and the U.S. performance was the best in a half year. The dollar rose against the euro, Swissie, sterling, yen and kiwi but fell marginally against the loonie, yuan and Australian dollar. Short-term interest rates were narrowly mixed in the month. Deteriorating geopolitical conditions failed to move commodities sharply. Market concern intensified about economic prospects in the euro area and Japan, while perceived improvement in the United States fanned speculation that the Federal Reserve might start to raise interest rates sooner than mid-2015, or at least shift its rhetoric to encourage such beliefs.
| 10-Yr Yield | 07/31/14 | 08/29/14 | Chg vs End-July |
| U.S. | 2.55% | 2.35% | -20 Basis Points |
| Germany | 1.15% | 0.89% | -26 |
| Japan | 0.53% | 0.49% | -4 |
| U.K. | 2.60% | 2.37% | -23 |
| Canada | 2.09% | 2.00% | -9 |
| Switzerland | 0.52% | 0.41% | -11 |
| 3-month euros | Chg vs End-July | ||
| U.S. | 0.263% | 0.23% | -3 Basis Points |
| Euroland | 0.16% | 0.13% | -3 |
| Japan | 0.15% | 0.13% | -2 |
| U.K. | 0.52% | 0.56% | +4 |
| Swiss | 0.02% | 0.02% | 0 |
| FX | Pct Chg in USD | ||
| EUR/USD | 1.3389 | 1.3143 | +1.9% |
| USD/JPY | 102.80 | 104.07 | +1.2% |
| USD/CHF | 0.9089 | 0.9179 | +1.0% |
| GBP/USD | 1.6884 | 1.6603 | +1.7% |
| AUD/USD | 0.9295 | 0.9336 | -0.4% |
| NZD/USD | 0.8500 | 0.8360 | +1.7% |
| USD/CAD | 1.0904 | 1.0874 | -0.3% |
| USD/CNY | 6.1737 | 6.1440 | -0.5% |
| Equities | Chg vs End-July | ||
| S&P 500 | 1931 | 2003 | +3.7% |
| Nasdaq | 4370 | 4580 | +4.8% |
| Djia | 16563 | 17098 | +3.2% |
| Dax | 9407 | 9470 | +0.7% |
| Nikkei | 15621 | 15425 | -1.3% |
| Ftse | 6730 | 6820 | +1.3% |
| Canada TSE | 15331 | 15616 | +1.9% |
| Swiss SMI | 8410 | 8659 | +3.0% |
| Commodities | Chg vs End-July | ||
| Oil, $ per barrel | 98.17 | 95.96 | -2.3% |
| Gold, $ per ounce | 1281.30 | 1285.80 | +0.4% |
Copyright Larry Greenberg 2014. All rights reserved. No secondary distribution without express permission.
Tags: bonds, commodities, foreign exchange, stocks
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