New Overnight Developments Abroad - Daily Update
Risk Preference Restored to Some Extent
February 19, 2020
EUR/USD is unchanged from yesterday’s closing level. The dollar is also flat against the yuan and kiwi, up most strongly versus the yen (0.8%) and then 0.3% relative to sterling. To the surprise of few, Prime Minister Boris Johnson is not proving to be as adept at governance as he was at running for election. […] More
New Overnight Developments Abroad - Daily Update
Dollar Draws Strength from Coronavirus and Lower Financial Market Confidence in Euroland Economic Outlook
February 18, 2020
Share prices fell today by 1.5% in Hong Kong and South Korea, 1.4% in Japan and 1.0% in Taiwan. Equity markets are down in Europe by 0.9% in the U.K., 0.7% in Germany, 0.5% in France and 0.4% in Switzerland. Risk aversion is also reflected in fixed income markets, where 10-year sovereign debt yields have […] More
Deeper Analysis
Japanese Sales Tax Hike Hammered Economic Growth Last Quarter
February 17, 2020
The Japanese economy again contracted sharply after a hike in the national sales tax. This is a phenomenon with lots of history. A 3% sales tax was introduced initially in April 1989. Back then, Japan was viewed like China is currently — an up-and-coming economic rival that could soon overtake the United States. The sales […] More
New Overnight Developments Abroad - Daily Update
A Dismal Japanese GDP Report, Coronavirus Concerns, and Holidays in the U.S. and Canada
February 17, 2020
The Japanese economy again contracted sharply after a hike in the national sales tax. This is a phenomenon with lots of history. A 3% sales tax was introduced initially in April 1989. Back then, Japan was viewed like China is currently — an up-and-coming economic rival that could soon overtake the United States. The sales […] More
Foreign Exchange Insights and Next Week
Next Week’s Menu: February 15 – 21, 2020
February 14, 2020
Central Banks: Interest rate policies will be reviewed in Turkey, Indonesia, and China. Minutes of the most recent monetary policy meetings to be published by the Fed, European Central Bank, and Reserve Bank of Australia. Brainard, Bostic, Barkin, Kashkari and Clarida are some of the Fed officials with scheduled public speaking events. Holidays and Special […] More
New Overnight Developments Abroad - Daily Update
European GDP, U.S. Retail Sales and Industrial Production, Continuing Coronavirus Spread, and Another Trump Dispute With Own Government People
February 14, 2020
From a news standpoint, Friday has been a very busy day, but financial market movements have been tempered. Mid-morning in NY finds the dollar up 0.2% against the Swiss franc and sterling and plus-or-minus 0.1% relative to other key currencies. Share prices fell 0.6% in Japan and 0.5% in India and New Zealand but up […] More
Central Bank Watch
Mexico’s Fifth Central Bank Rate Cut Since Last August
February 13, 2020
The Governing Board of the Mexico has just reduced its overnight interbank interest rate to a 3-year low of 7.0% from 7.25%. Four prior cuts in 2019 were made in August, September, November and December — each by 25 basis points as well. That reverses half of 250 basis points of tightening in 2017-2018. A […] More
New Overnight Developments Abroad - Daily Update
Coronavirus Takes Turn for the Worse, and British Cabinet Reshuffled Significantly
February 13, 2020
Thursday has been a difficult day in world financial markets, absorbing the news of an exponential increase in suspected coronavirus cases, as well as the unexpected quitting of British Chancellor of the Exchequer Javid and departure of several other members of Prime Minister Johnson’s cabinet. Share prices tumbled 1.6% in Great Britain, 1.2% in Spain, […] More
Foreign Exchange Insights and Next Week
A U.S. President’s Attitude Toward the Dollar Can Indeed Influence its Performance
February 12, 2020
As a candidate for president and since stepping into that job, Donald Trump has disparaged virtually every aspect of his predecessor’s record including how he handled the economy. And while touting his own record, the U.S. economic performance of the past three years has looked like an extension of the Obama stewardship in several respects. […] More
New Overnight Developments Abroad - Daily Update
Equity Markets Rise and Dollar Narrowly Mixed
February 12, 2020
Fed Chairman Powell will reprise yesterday’s upbeat Humphrey Hawkins testimony today before the Senate Banking Committee. He characterized the U.S. economy as “in a very good place” and said policy would react to the coronavirus impact only if such proves “persistent and material.” Recent remarks by other Fed officials such as Harker, Daly, and Bullard […] More
