German CPI
Lots of Data and an FOMC Meeting to Digest
April 29, 2020
Even with Japanese markets shut for the first of several “Golden Week” holidays, today is a very active day. Euroland economic sentiment, U.S. GDP, and several price statistics head a long list of data releases. Also, the FOMC will announce the conclusions of a scheduled review of monetary policy, which will be followed by a […] More
New Week Brings More Covid-19 Deaths and More Risk Aversion
March 30, 2020
There have now been almost three quarters of a million identified Covid-19 cases around the world, resulting in 35k deaths. About a fifth of the cases have occurred in the United States. In the past 24 hours, Spain reported 537 more deaths to the illness. A ban on U.S. social gatherings has been extended to […] More
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
Financial Markets Comparatively Steady after Signing of Phase I U.S.-China Trade Deal
January 16, 2020
The dollar rose 0.1% overnight against the yen but slipped by 0.3% versus sterling and the Australian dollar, 0.2% relative to the Chinese Renminbi and Swiss franc, and 0.1% versus the euro and loonie. Share prices in the Pacific Rim advanced 0.7% in Australia, New Zealand and Singapore, 0.8% in South Korea, 0.1% in Japan, […] More
Central Banks, Economic Data Surprises, and British Voters in the News This Thursday
December 12, 2019
Polls in Britain’s parliamentary election today will close at 22:00 GMT 17:00 EST. The fate of Brexit is at stake. U.S. producer prices stayed unchanged in November, defying expectations of an increase and leaving the 12-month increase at 1.1%. An even bigger surprise was a leap in new jobless insurance claims last week to 252k, […] More
An Active Friday in the Market Caused by Breaking Geopolitical News
October 11, 2019
An Iranian oil tanker in the Red Sea was the object of rocket attacks and is spilling oil. The missiles are believed to have been fired by Saudi Arabia. WTI crude oil rose 1.6% in response. British Prime Minister Johnson and Irish PM Varadkar after bilateral talks said they could see a pathway to a […] More
Stronger Dollar, Flat U.S. Share Prices and Lower Commodity Prices
April 11, 2019
Compared to Wednesday’s closing, the dollar has strengthened 0.6% against the Aussie dollar, 0.5% versus the kiwi, 0.4% relative to the yen and loonie, 0.2% vis-a-vis sterling and 0.1% against the euro and yuan. Share prices overnight fell in China, Hong Kong and Australia but rose in Europe. The DOW initially rose but now shows […] More
Central Bankers Less Confident about What To Do
February 21, 2019
FOMC minutes from the late January policy review clarified that the Committee’s new buzz word “patience” reflects uncertainty as to what outlook the latest economic data and other factors may be implying. “In light of the range of uncertainties associated with global economic and financial developments, the Committee decided that it was not useful at […] More
Brexit Mess, An FOMC Announcement, and Some Weak Data Reports
January 30, 2019
Last night’s British parliamentary votes produced an ill-advised win for Prime Minister May, rejecting a no-deal option or a second referendum in favor of authorization for the prime minister to attempt a renegotiation of parts of her agreement with the rest of the EU. Those governments have repeatedly ruled out renegotiation, so a no-deal Brexit […] More
Persistent Volatility as 2018 Winds Down
December 28, 2018
U.S. equities whip-sawed wildly in Thursday’s session, closing high. The upward direction carried into early Friday, with markets gaining 0.9% in Taiwan, 0.8% in India, 1.0% in Australia, 0.6% in South Korean, 0.4% in China and Hong Kong but dipping 0.3% in Japan. Markets in Europe are up so far 2.4% in Switzerland and between […] More
