Japanese PPI
Markets Wanting Peace but Bracing for Inflation
April 10, 2026
Shipping traffic through the Strait of Hormuz remains minimal, and Iran is insisting that Israel’s continuing assault on Lebanon must be part of the discussion as a condition of Iranian participating in resumed peace talks with a U.S. delegation to be headed by VP Vance in Islamabad, Pakistan beginning tomorrow. The behavior of world financial […] More
Narrowly Mixed Dollar as Investors Await U.S. CPI Data Tomorrow
February 12, 2026
There were 227k new U.S. jobless insurance claims last week, down a bit from the last week of January but more or less aligned with what had been expected. The net takeaway from yesterday’s January jobs figures was that, excluding other policy considerations, better employment growth than seen during much of 2025 probably delays the […] More
Markets Steady As Investors Await ECB Decision, U.S. August CPI Figures, and Fallout from Shooting of Charlie Kirk
September 11, 2025
Two and a half hours prior to U.S. released consumer price data, the weighted DXY dollar index was marginally above Wednesday closing levels. Gains ranged from 0.1% against the euro and Swiss franc to 0.3% relative to the yen and Canadian, New Zealand and Australian currencies. Ten-year sovereign debt yields had risen a basis point […] More
Choppy Trading Conditions
May 14, 2025
The pattern of frequent directional reversals in the dollar and stocks has continued, reflecting the ever-changing details on the tariff front. Monday’s jump in the dollar was followed by losses on Tuesday and Wednesday, including overnight declines in the U.S. currency of 1.4% against the Korean won, 1.0% relative to the Japanese yen, 0.5% against […] More
Investors Relieved after November U.S. CPI Data Arrive in Line With Expectations
December 11, 2024
Investors had expected U.S. consumer price inflation to edge up 0.1 percentage point last month due mainly to energy base effects but were braced for a biggest acceleration that could throw cold water on the likelihood of a further Federal Reserve interest rate cut next week. That possibility didn’t happen. The CPI increased 0.3% on […] More
Upcoming U.S. CPI Sharing Spotlight with Fed & ECB Meeting Minutes
October 10, 2024
U.S. consumer price data are due in less than three hours. Analysts project a slight further dip in inflation but worry about the risk of an upside surprise. FOMC minutes released yesterday afternoon revealed more members comfortable with a 25-basis point interest rate cut last month than realized when the majority opted instead for a […] More
25-Basis Point Interest Rate Cut By ECB; Coming Fed Rate Unlikely to Exceed That Increment
September 12, 2024
Like yesterday’s release of U.S. consumer prices, today’s producer price data pose no resistance to an initial 25-basis point cut of the federal funds rate but are unlikely to warrant a larger reduction by the Federal Open Market Committee next Wednesday. Overall producer prices went up 0.2% versus an expected 0.1%, but their level was […] More
Calm Before U.S. CPI Release
March 12, 2024
U.S. February consumer price data will be released within the half hour and are expected to reflect an unchanged year-on-year rate but lower underlying price pressure. In the meantime, the dollar has risen overnight by 0.3% against the yen and 0.2% versus sterling but is otherwise just marking time. Ten-year sovereign debt yields have dropped […] More
Interest Rate Concerns Drive Dollar Up and Equities Lower
January 16, 2024
Driven by hawkish central banker comments at the World Economic Forum in Davos, the dollar touched one-month highs overnight of 1.0873 per euro, 146.79 yen, 0.6595 per Aussie dollar, and 103.81 in the weighted DXY dollar index. Percentage appreciations from Monday closing levels amounted to 1.0% against the Mexican peso, 0.9% versus the Australian dollar, […] More
Potentially Momentous Week Starts Quietly
November 13, 2023
The dollar edged 0.2% higher overnight against the Japanese yen, Canadian dollar, Swiss franc, and both the Aussie and New Zealand currencies. The dollar firmed 0.1% against the euro but slid 0.1% relative to sterling. Share prices in the Pacific Rim closed mixed, with gains of 1.3% in Hong Kong and 0.9% in Taiwan but […] More
