Tag Archive: U.K.

Johnson Resigns, but Still not Clear if He Controls the Timing

2022-07-07

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2022-07-07

Overview: The resignation of a UK prime minister makes for high political drama, but the markets hardly moved on it. Sterling, like most of the major currencies, are recovering against the dollar today.

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The Dollar Remains Bid, while Sterling Shrugs Off Johnson’s Political Woes

2022-07-06

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2022-07-06

Overview: The dollar jumped yesterday making new highs against most of the major currencies, including the euro, sterling, the dollar-bloc and the Scandis. The yen and Swiss franc held in better, but the greenback still closed firmly against the yen despite a six-basis point decline in the 10-year yield.

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No Turn Around Tuesday

2022-06-28

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2022-06-28

Overview: The global capital markets are calm today. Most of the large bourses in the Asia Pacific extended yesterday’s gain. Europe’s Stoxx 600 is advancing for the third consecutive session and is near two-and-a-half week highs.

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Risk Appetites Improve Ahead of the Weekend

2022-06-24

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2022-06-24

Overview: Equities are higher and bonds lower as the week's activity winds down. Asia Pacific markets rallied, paced by more than 2% gains in Hong Kong and South Korea.

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Risk Appetites are Fickle

2022-06-22

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2022-06-22

Overview: Yesterday’s strong US equity gains failed to carry over into today’s session. Japanese and Australian shares fared the best among the large Asia Pacific market, with the Nikkei off less than 0.4% and the ASX off less than 0.25%.

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Equities Jump, Dollar Slips, and European Yields Drop

2022-06-21

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2022-06-21

Stocks are rallying. Nearly all the large bourses in the Asia Pacific region rose with China being the noted exception.

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US Holiday Facilitates Consolidative Tone

2022-06-20

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2022-06-20

Overview: Most equity markets in the Asia Pacific region lost ground today. China’s Shenzhen, Hong Kong, and India were notable exceptions.

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Prospects of Aggressive Tightening Sends Shock Waves through the Capital Markets

2022-06-14

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2022-06-14

Overview: The markets' evolving expectations of a more aggressive monetary policy is not limited to the Federal Reserve, where the terminal rate is now straddling the 4% area, around 100 bp above late May levels.

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Dollar Jumps, Stocks and Bonds Slide

2022-06-13

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2022-06-13

The prospect of a more aggressive Federal Reserve policy has spurred a sharp sell-off in global equities and bonds and sent the dollar sharply higher. The large Asia Pacific bourses were off mostly 2%-4%.

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Reserve Bank of Australia Surprises, but Aussie Struggles

2022-06-07

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2022-06-07

Overview: The jump in US interest rates helped lift the greenback to new 20-year highs against the Japanese yen and pushed the euro back below $1.07. US equities saw initially strong gains pared and this set the tone for today’s activity.

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Macro and Prices: Sentiment Swings Between Inflation and Recession

2022-05-14

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2022-05-14

(On vacation for the rest of the month.  Going to Portugal.  Commentary will resume on June 1.   Good luck to us all.) The market is a fickle mistress. The major central banks were judged to be behind the inflation curve.

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Sentiment Remains Fragile, and the Euro and Sterling can barely Sustain even Modest Upticks

2022-05-13

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2022-05-13

Equities are recovering from dramatic losses.  Today, the Nikkei, Hang Seng, and Kospi surged by more than 2%. 

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Dollar and Yen Surge

2022-05-12

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2022-05-12

Overview: Global equities are bleeding lower. Several large markets in the Asia Pacific region, including Hong Kong, Taiwan, and India are off more than 2%. Japan and Australian bourses fell by more than 1.5%.

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RBA Surprises with a 25 bp Hike

2022-05-03

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2022-05-03

Overview: The large bourses in Asia Pacific except Hong Kong eased.  Japan and China's mainland markets are closed for the holiday.  Europe's Stoxx 600 is up about 0.6%.  It gapped lower yesterday and has not entered the gap today.  US futures are a little softer. 

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The Yen Bounces after 13-Day Slide and BOJ Defends Yield Cap

2022-04-20

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2022-04-20

Overview: The record-long yen slide has stalled just shy of JPY129.50, even though the Bank of Japan defended its Yield-Curve Control cap on the 10-year bond and will continue to do so for the next four sessions. The greenback fell to almost JPY128 before steadying.  China again defied expectations for lower rates (loan prime rate), the yuan's sell-off accelerated and slide to its lowest level since last October.

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Yen Blues

2022-04-19

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2022-04-19

Benchmark 10-year bonds yields in the US and Europe are at new highs for the year.  The US yield is approaching 2.90%, while European rates are mostly 5-8 bp higher.  The 10-year UK Gilt yield is up nine basis points to push near 1.98%. The higher yields are seeing the yen's losing streak extend, and the greenback has jumped 1% to around JPY128.45  The dollar is trading lower against the other major currencies but the Swiss franc.

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Short Covering in the US Treasury Market Extends the Yield Pullback

2022-04-14

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2022-04-14

Overview: What appears to be a powerful short-covering rally in the US debt market has helped steady equities and weighed on the dollar.  Singapore and South Korea joined New Zealand and Canada in tightening monetary policy.  Attention turns to the ECB now on the eve of a long-holiday weekend for many members.  The tech-sector led the US equity recovery yesterday, snapping a three-day decline.  Most of the major markets in Asia Pacific advanced but...

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New Day, Same as the Old Day

2022-04-12

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2022-04-12

Overview:  It is a new day, but with the continued rise in interest rates and weaker equities, it feels like yesterday.  Only China and Hong Kong among the major markets in Asia Pacific resisted the pull lower.  Europe's Stoxx 600 is off by more than 0.5% led by health care and real estate. It is the fourth loss in five sessions and brings the benchmark to its lowest level since March 18.  US futures are flattish. 

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RBA Drops “patience” to Send the Aussie Higher

2022-04-05

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2022-04-05

Overview: The Reserve Bank of Australia hinted that it was getting closer to a rate hike.  The Australian dollar was bid to its best level since the middle of last year.  Australian stocks advanced in a mixed regional session while China and Hong Kong markets were closed for the local holiday.  BOJ Kuroda called the yen's recent moves "rapid."  The yen is sidelined today as the dollar weakens against other major currencies, led by the...

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Calmer Markets: Hope Springs Eternal

2022-03-29

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2022-03-29

Overview:  Interest rates continue to rise, but equities are looking through it today and the dollar is drawing less succor.  Asia Pacific equities were mostly higher.  With half of Shanghai in lockdown, Chinese equities were unable to join the regional advance.  Europe's Stoxx 600, led by energy and consumer discretionary sectors, is rising for the third consecutive sessions. US futures have a small upward bias. 

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