Deeper Analysis
February in Figures
February 28, 2017
Equities were bid sharply higher in February, and the dollar appreciated mostly. Ten-year sovereign debt yields, which had risen during January, reversed course. Short-term interest rates were steady, and commodity prices climbed. 10-Yr Yield o2/28/17 01/31/17 Chg v End-Jan U.S. 2.38% 2.45% -7 Basis Points Germany 0.20% 0.43% -23 Japan 0.04% 0.07% -3 U.K. 1.15% […] More
Central Bank Watch
Magyar Nemzeti Bank Keeps Hungary’s Base Rate at 0.90%
February 28, 2017
Between August 2012 and May 2016, Hungary’s central bankers reduced their Base Rate from 7.0% to 0.90%. The last eight changes, five in 2015 and three last year, were each 15 basis points in size. CPI inflation remains below the 3% target and is not expected to reach that level until sometime in the first […] More
New Overnight Developments Abroad - Daily Update
Monthend Data But Little Market Change Ahead of Tonight’s Speech by President Trump
February 28, 2017
The dollar is unchanged against the euro, yuan and peso, down 0.4% against the yen, but up 0.4% relative to the Swiss franc. The greenback edged up 0.2% versus the loonie and sterling and 0.1% vis-a-vis the Australian dollar. Stocks in the Pacific Rim closed up 0.4% in China, 0.3% in South Korea and 0.1% […] More
Central Bank Watch
Israel’s Central Bank Interest Rate Left at 0.10%
February 27, 2017
Two full years have now passed since the last Israeli interest rate change, a 15-basis point cut to 0.1% from 0.25% undertaken in late February 2015. A released statement observed positive on-year CPI inflation last month for the first time since August 2014. At 0.1%, such is minuscule, however, and short-term inflation expectations are still […] More
New Overnight Developments Abroad - Daily Update
Brexit Worries Depress Sterling Against Euro
February 27, 2017
Sentiment toward Euroland was buoyed by French opinion polls and February economic sentiment data. Emmanuel Macron’s voter support in France improved. The final round of France’s presidential election is likely to pit the centrist Macron against the populist anti-EU National Front candidate, Le Pen. Economic sentiment in the euro zone edged 0.1 point higher to […] More
Foreign Exchange Insights and Next Week
Next Week
February 24, 2017
Central Bank Action: Interest rate policy meetings in Canada, Ukraine, Malaysia, Hungary and Israel. Publication of Federal Reserve Beige Book of regional conditions. Evans, Lacker, Yellen, Williams, Bullard, Kaplan, and Brainard are some of the Fed officials who’ll be speaking publicly. Holidays: Brazilian Mardi Gras and South Korea’s Independence Day. Purchasing Manager Indices: Being the […] More
New Overnight Developments Abroad - Daily Update
Stocks, Bond Yields and Dollar Down But Gold Strengthens Further
February 24, 2017
Investors turned cautious as the third full week of February wound down. The dollar has lost 0.4% against the Aussie dollar, 0.3% relative to the yen and euro and 0.2% vis-a-vis the Swiss franc. The yuan, loonie and sterling are unchanged against the greenback. Share prices fell 1.0% in Hong Kong, 0.7% in Singapore, 0.6% […] More
Central Bank Watch
Bank of Korea
February 23, 2017
South Korea’s central bank retained a 1.25% Base Rate as was expected. That’s been the level for the past eight months. A 25-basis point reduction in June 2016 broke a one-year-long period with no change. Four 25-bp reductions had been implemented in August and October of 2014 and then March and June of 2015. A […] More
New Overnight Developments Abroad - Daily Update
Sovereign Debt Yields Fall Further Despite FOMC Minutes
February 23, 2017
10-year sovereign debt yields are down 5 basis points in The Netherlands, 4 bps in France (helped by a Macron/Bayrou political agreement to support one another against the Far Right), 3 bps in Britain, and 2 bps in the U.S. and Germany. Minutes from the FOMC meeting of January 31/February 01 reveal a widely held […] More
Central Bank Watch
Another Brazilian Central Bank Rate Cut
February 22, 2017
Brazil’s monetary policy committee known as Copom has reduced its Selic interest rate by 75 basis points for the second time in six weeks, and as in January the decision today was made unanimously. In conjunction with 25-basis point reductions last October and November, the Selic rate of 12.25% now stands two whole percentage points […] More
