Euroland CPI and current account
Central Banks and Inflation Data in the Forefront this Wednesday
June 18, 2025
The Federal Reserve’s interest rate announcement, updated forecasts and press conference due this afternoon are not the only central bank dog-and-pony shows for investors to absorb. They already have learned of unchanged interest rates in Indonesia, Chile and Georgia, as well as a 25-basis point rate reduction by officials at the Swedish Riksbank. The Federal […] More
Better-Than-Forecast Chinese Data, Another U.S. Tariff Initiative, and a Speech From Fed Chairman Powell Later Today
April 16, 2025
In overnight financial market action, the weighted DXY dollar index depreciated 0.6% and touched a 3-year low some 9.8% below its year-to-date high in mid-January. Dollar declines were pretty much across-the-board including losses of 0.9% against the Swissy, 0.7% versus the Korean won, 0.6% relative to the euro and 0.5% vis-a-vis the yen. Gold, up […] More
Investor Flight to Safety After Putin Threatens Use of Nuclear Weapons
November 19, 2024
Geopolitical risk took a turn for the worse today. Russian President Putin widened conditions under which nuclear weapons might be used not only against Ukraine but allies of Ukraine whose long-range missiles are used against Russian sites by Ukraine. The clear implication is a much feared broader European war with weapons of mass destruction. Putin’s […] More
Mixed Central Banking Signals
August 20, 2024
The Executive Board of the Swedish Riksbank cut their policy interest rate by 25 basis points for the second time since March and released a statement that points to somewhat greater easing over the rest of 2024. Officials proclaim in it that “the policy rate can be cut somewhat faster than was assessed in June. […] More
Softer Growth Into the Holidays
November 17, 2023
With the Thanksgiving holiday less than a week away, 2023 is moving into the home stretch with plenty of unanswered questions. Investors wonder how the twin wars in Ukraine and Gaza will resolve and whether the federal funds rate has in fact crested and, if so, how long it will stay at its peak. Will […] More
Stronger Dollar, Higher Long-Term Interest Rates, and Softer Equities
April 19, 2023
Equities in the United States are down over a half percent in futures trading as investors react to the latest batch of reported corporate earnings. European shares are only marginally lower. In Asia, stocks closed down 1.4% in Hong Kong, 0.7% in China, 0.3% in India and 0.2% in Japan. The Fed Beige Book of […] More
Dollar’s Value Erodes Gradually Further
August 19, 2020
Overnight the dollar lost another 0.5% against sterling and the kiwi, 0.3% relative to the Australian dollar, 0.2% relative to the peso and yuan, and 0.1% vis-a-vis the yen and loonie. But EUR/USD held steady, and the Swiss franc lost 0.3%. Ten-year sovereign debt yields have settled back three basis points in the U.K., two […] More
Better-than-Expected Batch of Chinese Data Lifts Renminbi
January 17, 2020
The dollar fell 0.3% against China’s renminbi but advanced 0.2% versus the euro, kiwi and Swiss franc and by 0.1% relative to the loonie. The dollar remained steady against the yen, sterling, and Australian dollar. The recent upturn in share prices was extended in the Pacific Basin and Europe, with gains of 0.6% in New […] More
Continuing Move Into Riskier Assets
April 17, 2019
Share prices in Europe and Asia mostly rose. So did 10-year sovereign debt yields and the price of oil. The dollar is unchanged on net against the yen and sterling. The greenback lost 0.5% against the Canadian dollar, 0.3% relative to the Australian dollar and yuan, 0.2% versus the euro and peso, and 0.1% against […] More
