Global Markets:
- Asian Stock Markets : Nikkei up 0.05%, Shanghai Composite down 0.34%, Hang Seng down 0.17%, ASX down 0.12%
- Commodities : Gold at $1215.90 (-0.34%), Silver at $15.31 (-0.49%), Brent Oil at $73.34 (-0.15%), WTI Oil at $68.95 (-0.01%)
- Rates : US 10-year yield at 2.988, UK 10-year yield at 1.381, Germany 10-year yield at 0.459
News & Data:
- (AUD) Retail Sales m/m 0.40% vs 0.30% expected
- (USD) Unemployment Claims 218K vs 220K expected
- (GBP) MPC Asset Purchase Facility Votes 0-0-9 vs 0-0-9 expected
- (GBP) Asset Purchase Facility 435B vs 435B expected
- (GBP) Official Bank Rate 0.75% vs 0.75% expected
- (GBP) MPC Official Bank Rate Votes 9-0-0 vs 7-0-2 expected
- (GBP) Construction PMI 55.8 vs 52.8 expected
- US Treasury Gears Up for a Borrowing Binge
- Japan Finance Minister Taro Aso: BoJ strengthened sustainability of monetary easing
- Mexico touts progress in NAFTA talks with U.S., but toughest issues remain
Markets Update:
Asian stock markets are lower on Friday as positive sentiment emanating from the tech-led gains on Wall Street after iPhone maker Apple topped the $1 trillion market cap were offset by worries about trade tensions between the U.S. and China. While they traded in the green early in the day, they were quick in giving up their gains. Investors also remain cautious ahead of the July U.S. jobs report due later today, which will give a reading on the health of the world’s largest economy and possible clues about the pace of Federal Reserve interest rate rises.
Japan's Nikkei 225 edged up by as much as 0.5 percent before trading flat, led by the transport equipment and automobile sectors, with Suzuki Motor up by as much as 8.5 percent after reporting strong earnings. Overall gains were capped by declines seen in utilities and financials. Australian stocks also tracked slightly lower, with the S&P/ASX 200 down 0.1 percent amid broad-based losses. However, a rebound in crude oil prices boosted oil stocks. The story wasn’t any different in Hong Kong as well as Shanghai.
In foreign exchange, the dollar index against a basket of six major currencies extended its overnight gains and rose to a two-week high of 95.211 before easing slightly to 95.131. Trade tensions were seen driving demand for the U.S. currency, with a slide by the pound providing an extra lift. Sterling dropped more than 0.8 percent on Thursday despite the Bank of England lifting interest rates, after Governor Mark Carney said monetary policy needed to “walk not run” and expressed concern about the risks of a cliff-edge Brexit. The euro was little changed at $1.1592 following a loss of 0.6 percent the previous day. Bubbling concerns over Italy weighed on the euro, with the country’s bond yields rising to two-month highs following media reports of a government meeting on the budget revived market concerns about tensions within the ruling coalition.
Upcoming Events:
- 09:30 AM GMT – (GBP) Services PMI
- 01:30 PM GMT – (CAD) Trade Balance
- 01:30 PM GMT – (USD) Average Hourly Earnings m/m
- 01:30 PM GMT – (USD) Non-Farm Employment Change
- 01:30 PM GMT – (USD) Unemployment Rate
- 03:00 PM GMT – (USD) ISM Non-Manufacturing PMI
