Central Bank Watch
Central Bank of Brazil
May 31, 2017
Brazil’s monetary policy committee, known as Copom, just reduced its Selic interest rate by a full percentage point to 10.25%. This was the fourth cut of 2017 and matched the size of the prior reduction in mid-April. Cuts of 75 basis points each were made in January and February. Two cuts of 25 basis points […] More
New Overnight Developments Abroad - Daily Update
Last Day of May Chocked Full of News
May 31, 2017
There’s an official report today that President Trump has decided to pull the United States out of the Paris climate change accord. White House advisers had been split on this issue. With Britain’s election set for a week from tomorrow, polls reflect a continuing narrowing of the Conservative Party’s lead. A 2.8% overnight plunge in […] More
New Overnight Developments Abroad - Daily Update
Concerns from Several Places
May 30, 2017
Markets in China and Hong Kong remain shut for the Dragon Boat Festival, but British and U.S. markets reopened following 3-day holiday weekends. European political uncertainty is one theme in early Tuesday trading. The outcome of the British election on June 8 is not assured, since opinion polls show a narrowing lead for Prime Minister […] More
Central Bank Watch
Israeli Central Bank Interest Rate Kept at 0.1%
May 29, 2017
Bank of Israel policymakers last changed their interest rate in February 2015 when a 15-basis point reduction capped an easing cycle that included 75 basis points of cut in each of the previous four years. Officials released a statement today the observed somewhat higher actual inflation and short-term expected inflation as well as solid growth and […] More
New Overnight Developments Abroad - Daily Update
Little Market Leadership Due to Holiday Closures
May 29, 2017
Markets are closed Monday in the United States for Memorial Day, Great Britain for a late spring bank holiday, and both China and Taiwan for the Dragon Boat Festival. The dollar is down 0.3% against the peso, 0.2% versus sterling and 0.1% relative to the loonie, euro, Swiss franc and kiwi. The dollar has edged […] More
Foreign Exchange Insights and Next Week
G7 Leaders Summit and the Dollar
May 28, 2017
Three matters attracted keen attention at the two-day summit of Group of Seven leaders in Taormina, Sicily: international terrorism, trade, and climate change. The first priority enjoyed the most agreement going into the meeting, and a considerable portion of the six-page communique is devoted to coordinating efforts to defeating terrorism in Syria, Libya, Iraq, North […] More
Foreign Exchange Insights and Next Week
Next Week
May 26, 2017
Numerous Holidays: U.S. Memorial Day and late spring bank holiday in the U.K. on Monday. Dragon Boat Festival in China (May 28-30) and Hong Kong (Tuesday). Pancasila Day in Indonesia on Thursday and Italy’s Republic Day on Friday. Central Bank Action: Policy meetings in Israel and Brazil. Release of Federal Reserve Beige Book and Bank […] More
New Overnight Developments Abroad - Daily Update
Soft Tone in Sterling, Sovereign Debt Yields, Oil and Stocks
May 26, 2017
Sterling fell 0.7% against the dollar overnight in response to a new poll showing just a 5-point spread between Prime Minister May’s Conservatives and the Labor Party; the spread earlier had been over 20 points. Britain’s parliamentary election is scheduled for June 8. Sterling declined more sharply against several other currencies, as the dollar is […] More
Central Bank Watch
South African Reserve Bank Retains 7.0% Repo Rate
May 25, 2017
SARB’s repo rate had been raised in six steps to 7% from 5% between January 2014 and March 2016. The latest 5-1 voting decision not to change the 7% level has one dissenter, who as at the prior meeting favored cutting the rate to 6.75%. Although latest inflation readings were unexpectedly low, upside risks namely […] More
Central Bank Watch
Bank of Korea
May 25, 2017
South Korea’s central bank base rate was again left at 1.25%. It’s been at that level since a 25-basis point cut in June 2016. Previously a pair of such reductions were each implemented in 2014 and 2015. A released statement after the May monthly policy review projects sub-target total core inflation in the mid- to […] More
