Last week’s main event was the publication of January’s FOMC meeting minutes. Even though the release was anxiously awaited, investors’ reaction was quite muted...
After the Bank of Japan cut its 2019 outlook for core inflation, the rate has improved, with the core gauge at 0.80% (prior: 0.70%) in January. Yet private consumption in the country declined in January, while a February manufacturing PMI of 48...
US-China trade discussions are making progress. Six memoranda of understanding are in draft that cover technology transfer and cyber theft, intellectual property rights, currency, agriculture and non-tariff barriers to trade. Expectations are that a 1 March tariff-hike will be avoided...
After Australia forbid Huawei Technologies from supplying a 5G mobile network on the grounds of national security risks in August 2018, Chinese authorities have lashed back. They banned Australian shipments of coal to Dalian and prolonged customs clearance in major ports...
Minutes of the US Federal Reserve Bank’s January meeting bumped equities across the globe slightly higher. On Thursday morning, futures on the S&P 500 rose to the highest level since 3 December, while European futures were also wearing green. The Eurostoxx 50 was up 0.25%, the German DAX 0...
The South African rand remains under heavy pressures, as investors are worried. Today’s budget announcement will be closely watched. Among the three major rating agencies, only Moody’s maintains the investment grade rating to government debt...
UK Prime Minister Theresa May is heading back to Brussels for what we see as a way to collect air-miles. There is zero evidence that anything has changed on either side of Brexit: concessions from the EU are highly unlikely...
Since trade talks have resumed at the end of January 2019, it seems that nothing much has advanced. Yet the new round of talks in Washington starting today should provide a clear breakthrough as the March 1 deadline nears, while investors remain highly optimistic on the matter...
After a disappointing end to 2018, Swiss external trade started the year on a solid footing with exports rising 1.1% m/m (nominal, seasonally adjusted) to CHF 18.9 billion, thanks to a bounce back in demand from Asian countries (+9.3% m/m). Imports increased 3.4% to CHF 17.5 billion...
This Wednesday should bring news of the US Federal Reserve’s normalization strategy. The Fed’s January meeting dropped its tightening bias. Yet with interest rates on hold for now, investors will watch balance sheet management...
Following mid-2018 talk between US President Donald Trump and European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker that avoided duties on EU car imports to the US, the story now resumes...
Ведущий оператор рынка валютной наличности FastMatch, Inc. и его основатель и бывший генеральный директор Дмитрий Галинов сообщили о достижении мирового соглашения по иску, поданному г-ном Галиновым против FastMatch и материнской компании Euronext US...
The rise in inventories continues, and attention is turning to OPEC+ members which have tightened supply, pushing Brent, WTI and Shanghai future up by 4.15%, 3.13% and 2.95%, their highest in 3 months...
December’s retail sales gave a stark reminder that the economy is not rosy anymore. They contracted 1.2% monthly in December versus +0.1% expected, and November’s figures were downwardly revised. This is the largest contraction since September 2009...
Brexit deadlock remains. Will Prime Minister Theresa May maintain political support and win concessions from the EU? We’ll see at the next vote, scheduled for 27 February. We expect GBP/USD to decline further as Brexit fatigue weighs on traders. Currently trading at 1...
Following January’s Bank of Canada’s (BoC) meeting, which decided to maintain its key rate at 1.75% for the second consecutive time, the loonie is holding up against the greenback...