The new year’s first week closed with a usual jobs report signaling solid annual wage growth of 4.7% but a disappointing figure of new jobs. Employment rose by just 199,000 in December, far less than expected. The economy created a record-breaking 6.4 million jobs in 2021, but that was after …
Read More »Bank of England’s February Rate Hike Still 50:50
Will the Bank of England hike interest rates again at the beginning of February? Market observers do believe the answer is yes. The monetary policy committee may wait until May, though February’s meeting is looking much more 50:50 than it did just a few weeks ago. Partially, that is because …
Read More »Eurozone Inflation Soars To Record 5 Percent,
Inflation in the Eurozone climbed to an annual rate of 5 percent in December, the second-consecutive record, according to the European Union statistics office’s initial estimate, which was released on Friday.The rate was slightly higher than the previous month’s increase of 4.9 percent. Inflation around the world has jumped as …
Read More »US Drillers Add Oil, Gas Rigs For Fourth Week
US energy companies kicked off the new year by continuing to add oil and natural gas rigs this week after increasing the rig count in 2021 after two years of declines.The oil and gas rig count, an early indicator of future output, rose two to 588 in the week to …
Read More »US Treasury Yields Surge On Wage Growth
The US 10-year note’s yield extended its climb, reaching the highest level in nearly two years, after December employment data showing strong wage growth fanned inflationary concerns and solidified March as the likely starting point for the first rate hike by the Federal Reserve.While the 199,000 new jobs fell short …
Read More »WTI Maneuvering Geopolitical Worries, Still Targeting Solid Weekly Gains
WTI slipped back under $79.00 on Friday but remains on course for substantial weekly gains. Supply as well as geopolitical issues have been key drivers of oil this week, with the broader macro-economic story taking a back seat. Oil prices have come under modest selling pressure on the final day …
Read More »Weaker USD Shields Gold From Surging Yields
Gold has been swinging either side of the $1790 level in recent trade in wake of the latest jobs report. XAU/USD is being shielded from higher yields by the weaker US dollar, and if this reverses, gold will be in trouble.Gold is nervously holding on to very modest on-the-day gains …
Read More »NFP Data Puts US Shares Under Pressure
The S&P 500 index is down by about 0.6% as yields rally, hurting the dominant tech sector. The latest US jobs report, though mixed, has been interpreted as endorsing the Fed’s monetary tightening plans for 2022.The S&P 500 is trading on the back foot as its heavyweight tech sector suffers …
Read More »Fed’s Daly: Inflation not temporary because Covid-19 isn’t either
San Francisco Federal Reserve Bank President Mary Daly said on Friday that inflation is not as temporary as the Fed policymakers once thought because Coivd-19 isn’t either. A wage-price spiral isn’t showing up in the data yet, she added, but is worth watching for. Key Quotes“Anchored longer-run inflation expectations also …
Read More »NFP To Encourage Tightening, Keep USD Strong
Nonfarm Payrolls relatively disappointed prior estimates, but the labor market indicators were stronger than expected. The employment data has had a modest impact on the forex market. In the light of the NFP data, the US Fed is very determined to move out of easing policy settings.The disappointment in payrolls …
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