commodities
January in Figures
January 31, 2014
Risk aversion reared its head again in January. Stocks fell. Bond prices rose, sending long-term yields downward. Commodity-sensitive and major European currencies declined, while the yen went up against the the euro as well as the dollar. Gold, in contrast to its 28.2% plunge in 2012, rose 3.2% in the first month of 2014. 10-Yr […] More
December, Fourth Quarter, and 2013 in Figures
January 1, 2014
Financial market trends in December for the most part conformed directionally with full-2013 results. 2013 was a banner year for share prices. Diverse movement in long-term interest rates had no notable influence over currency fluctuations aside from Japan, where the 10-year JGB yield closed below its end-2012 level and the yen depreciated across the board. […] More
November in Figures
December 3, 2013
Most sovereign debt yields went up last month, whereas commodities declined. The dollar advanced against the yen and commodity-sensitive currencies, declined against sterling, and held generally steady on balance against the euro, Swiss franc and yuan. Although share prices strengthened generally, the British Ftse’s 1.2% drop proved an exception. Short-term interest rates remained anchored at […] More
August in Figures
August 31, 2013
August was a difficult month for equities and for U.S. and European sovereign debt. Central bank leaders failed to convince markets that a change in quantitative monetary easing wouldn’t constitute a shift in overall monetary policy for the simple reason that it isn’t so. Dollar/yen experienced only a minuscule net change in August, and JGB […] More
June in Figures
June 28, 2013
It’s been quite a month and quite a quarter for world financial markets. Long-term interest rates rose sharply in the quarter, but note that Abenomics succeeded in preventing JGB yields from climbing further in June even as rates elsewhere continued their ascent. The Australian and New Zealand dollars were especially weak in both the quarter […] More
April in Figures
April 30, 2013
The yen weakened additionally in April, but the dollar failed to catapult above the key JPY 100 level. The dollar fell against European currencies, most commodity-sensitive currencies and the Chinese yuan. A more aggressive-than-anticipated Bank of Japan stimulus announced shortly after the start of the month was meant in large part to depress longer-term interest […] More
November in Figures
November 30, 2012
Ten-year yields fell in November, whereas short-term rates were steady. The dollar hardly changed on balance except in the case of the yen, which appreciated 3.3%. U.S. equities under-performed other stock markets. Japan’s Nikkei advanced 5.8%. West Texas Intermediate crude oil prices climbed 3.1%, while gold closed the month 0.4% lower on balance. 10-Yr Yield […] More
October in Figures
November 3, 2012
The 10-year minus 3-month yield curve flattened last month. Ahead of the election in early November, U.S. equities performed worse than stocks in other countries. The yen and Canadian dollar underperformed other major currencies, and the yuan strengthened for a second straight month. Oil and gold prices each declined in October. 10-Yr Yield 09/28/12 10/31/12 […] More
August in Figures
September 1, 2012
Commodity prices rose sharply, and equities advanced more moderately in August. The yield spread widened, while the dollar experienced mixed results, falling against key European currencies and the Canadian dollar, advancing versus the Aussie and New Zealand dollars, and hardly changing on net against the yen and yuan. With the notable exception of the loonie, […] More
April in Figures
April 30, 2011
April was a volatile month. The dollar plunged across the board. Most stocks markets improved, and G7 ten-year sovereign debt yields fell. A rise in three-month euribor deposit rates as the ECB entered a tightening cycle put added strain on the peripheral members of Euroland, and their bond yields rose. Commodities soared. Impressive gains of […] More
