Tag Archive: EU

FX Daily, December 6: Semblance of Stability Returns though Geopolitical Tensions Rise

2021-12-06

by

2021-12-06

EUR/CHF and USD/CHF, December 6
The absence of negative developments surrounding Omicron over the weekend appears to be helping markets stabilize today after the dramatic moves at the end of last week.  Asia Pacific equities traded heavily, and among the large markets, only South Korea and Australia escaped unscathed today. 

Read More »

Big Week Begins Slowly

2021-10-25

by

2021-10-25

Overview:  The global capital markets give little indication of the important economic and earnings data that lie ahead this week.  There is an eerie calm. Equities in Asia were mixed.  Japan and Hong Kong, and most small bourses were lower.  Last week, the MSCI Asia Pacific Index gained almost 0.9%. Europe's Stoxx 600 is little changed after rising about 0.5% last week. US futures are firm.  The S&P 500 and Dow Jones Industrials reached...

Read More »

Markets Turn Cautious

2021-10-21

by

2021-10-21

Overview: After a couple of sessions of taking on more risk, investors are taking a break today.  Equities are mostly lower today after the S&P 500's six-day advance took it almost to its record high, while the NASDAQ's streak was halted at five sessions.

Read More »

Market Economy Beats Planned Economy

2021-10-04

by

2021-10-04

Throughout the next weeks, we will regularly feature the keynote speeches held by our distinguished experts at this year’s digital Free Market Road Show.  The times we are living in – the pandemic – are times when our fundamental values are threatened maybe more than ever in modern times.

Read More »

How (Not) to Win Friends and Influence People

2021-09-13

by

2021-09-13

Overview:  There are two big themes in the capital markets today.  The first is the ongoing push of the Chinese state into what was the private sector.  Today's actions involve breaking Ant's lending arms into separate entities, with the state taking a stake.  This weighed on Chinese shares and Hong Kong, where many are lists. On the other hand, Japanese markets extended their recent gains.

Read More »

FX Daily, July 15: Strong Gains in US CPI and PPI Don’t Stop the Bond Market Rally

2021-07-15

by

2021-07-15

Strong inflation prints this week have not prevented the long-term US interest rates from tumbling. The 10-year yield is about 10 bp lower than where it closed on Tuesday after the lackluster 30-year auction. The 30-year yield itself is 11 bp lower.

Read More »

FX Daily, July 02: US Jobs and OPEC+ Day

2021-07-02

by

2021-07-02

The US jobs report and OPEC+ decision are awaited. The dollar remains bid.  Only the yen and Canadian dollar are showing a hint of resilience, though, on the week, the Scandis and dollar-bloc currencies are off between around 1-2%. The greenback is also firmer against the emerging market currency complex, and the JP Morgan index is off for the sixth consecutive session.

Read More »

FX Daily, June 25: Tokyo Escapes Deflation, Leaving the Greenback Trapped between Two Expiring Options against the Yen

2021-06-25

by

2021-06-25

New record highs in the S&P 500 and NASDAQ yesterday helped lift most Asia Pacific markets today. China and Hong Kong led the regional gains and were sufficient to lift the MSCI regional benchmark to halt a two-week drop.

Read More »

FX Daily, June 14: Dollar Becalmed as Markets Wait for US Leadership

2021-06-14

by

2021-06-14

The short squeeze that lifted the US dollar ahead of the weekend has seen limited follow-through buying, and instead a consolidative tone emerged. Europe is searching for direction and perhaps waiting for US leadership after a quiet Asia Pacific session, with several centers closed for holiday today (China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Australia).

Read More »

FX Daily, May 19: Now What Does Bitcoin say About the Dollar and the US?

2021-05-19

by

2021-05-19

A setback in commodities and technology are roiling equity markets today. The inability of US equities to sustain yesterday's rally provided an initial headwind to trading in the Asia Pacific region today. Hong Kong and South Korea markets were closed for holidays, but most of the bourses fell, led by Australia, where the market tumbled nearly 2%, the most in almost three months as the drop in mining and energy took a toll.

Read More »

Vaccine diplomacy: Soft power lessons from China and Russia

2021-04-18

by

2021-04-18

As Covid-19 continues to rage throughout Europe, China and Russia seem to be giving the European Union lessons in soft power on its home ground. EU members and countries nearby are turning to Beijing and Moscow for additional supplies of Covid-19 vaccines, faced with rising discontent at the slow rollout of the EU’s own vaccination strategy, supply shortages, delivery bottlenecks, poor communication and concerns about vaccine safety.

Read More »

FX Daily, March 29: Markets Look for Direction after Large Block Trade and Before Key Data

2021-03-29

by

2021-03-29

The large block trade (~$20 bln) before the weekend, apparently from a family office, continued to have ripple effects today, but the MSCI Asia Pacific Index barely noticed.  It extended its pre-weekend rally of 1.3%, and only South Korea and Australia fell among the major markets.

Read More »

The end of central banking as we know it

2021-02-26

by

2021-02-26

The severest crisis the European Central Bank (ECB) ever faced coincided with the early days of a new Executive Board. Over the past year and a half, the board’s six members, including the ECB’s president and vice president, have all been replaced, either because they resigned, or because their eight-year mandate expired. 

Read More »

FX Daily, January 27: The Fed and Earnings on Tap

2021-01-27

by

2021-01-27

Overview:  Risk appetites seem subdued even if GameStop's surge draws attention. Asia Pacific equities mostly slipped lower, and profit-taking was seen in Hong Kong and Seoul, which are off to an incredibly strong start to the year. Small gains were reported in Tokyo, Beijing, and Taipei.

Read More »

FX Daily, December 17: Dollar Thumped

2020-12-17

by

2020-12-17

Overview: The prospects of a UK-EU deal and US stimulus continue to underwrite risk appetites and weigh on the dollar.  Equity markets are moving higher.  Led by Australia and China, the MSCI Asia Pacific Index rose to new record highs, while Dow Jones Stoxx 600 in Europe is at its best level since February.

Read More »

FX Daily, December 16: Greenback Slides Ahead of FOMC as Optimism Underpins Risk Appetites

2020-12-16

by

2020-12-16

Overview:  The S&P 500 snapped a four-day downdraft helped by optimism over the progress toward fiscal stimulus and some hope that a new trade deal can still be negotiated between the UK and EU.  Europe reported better than expected PMIs.  Equities are broadly higher, as are interest rates, while the dollar slumps. 

Read More »

FX Daily, November 19: Surging Virus Saps Risk Appetites

2020-11-19

by

2020-11-19

Overview: News that the New York City was closing the schools to contain the virus sent stocks reeling in late North American dealings yesterday and spurred some profit-taking in the Asia Pacific and Europe.  Equities in the Asia Pacific region were mostly lower, though China, South Korea, and Australia's advanced and Tokyo markets were mixed.

Read More »

FX Daily, November 17: Greenback Remains Under Pressure

2020-11-17

by

2020-11-17

Overview: Moderna's announcement did not spur nearly the magnitude of the disruption caused by Pfizer's similar announcement a week ago.  Still, in the US, the NASDAQ underperformed the other indices, and the US Dow Industrials saw record highs.

Read More »

FX Daily, November 13: Greenback Pares this Week’s Gains while the Turkish Lira Continues to Squeeze Higher

2020-11-13

by

2020-11-13

Overview: The largest bourses in the Asia Pacific region followed the US equity market lower, with the Nikkei posting its first loss in nine sessions. China, Hong Kong, and Australia moved lower as well. On the week, the MSCI Asia Pacific Index gained about 1% after rising 6.3% in the prior week.

Read More »

FX Daily, November 9: Markets are not Waiting for Official Closure in the US

2020-11-09

by

2020-11-09

The new week has begun with robust risk appetites, driving stocks and stocks higher and sending the dollar broadly lower.  Nearly all the equity markets in the Asia Pacific region gained more than 1%, except Malaysia and Indonesia. 

Read More »