EU member states are divided over whether or not to implement a ban on Russia oil imports. Officials have added that Poland and other EU states are pushing for the ban and Germany is facing growing pressure. Oil had its biggest daily swing ever with Brent surging to near USD …
Read More »Putin Escalates Assault Despite Peace Talks
The risk-related sentiment is still the main market driver during the US trading session. Safe-haven assets surged higher at the weekly opening amid escalating war between Russia and Ukraine. The sentiment temporarily improved the early US session amid peace talks. However, such talks concluded no decisions. A new round of …
Read More »Stocks, Energy Markets Whipsaw After Russian Assault
Stocks in Europe were sharply lower, but the S&P 500 rebounded after an early decline. Energy markets swung wildly, and shares in Moscow collapsed. Oil prices and global stock markets swung wildly on Thursday after Russia launched an invasion of Ukraine, raising fears of a wider economic crisis that could …
Read More »Market Drivers – US Session – 22 Feb. 2022
Relatively short wave of optimism touched financial markets during London trading hours, as Ukrainian President V. Zelenskyy said that he believes there would not be war nor a wider escalation. Economic DataMarkit flash PMIs for the EU, and the US were generally encouraging, indicating economic expansion in February as the …
Read More »Biden Condemns Putin and Announces New Sanctions
Washington and its allies called the Kremlin’s recognition of two separatist regions a blunt defiance of international law that risks war. Western officials said Russian troops have entered eastern Ukraine.US President Biden on Tuesday announced harsh new sanctions aimed at punishing Russia for what he called “the beginning of a …
Read More »Germany: IFO Business Climate Improves to 98.9 in February
The headline German IFO Business Climate Index improved to 98.9 in February from 96 (revised from 95.7 in January). This reading came in higher than the market expectation of 96.5. The Current Assessment Index rose to 98.6 from 96.2 and the Expectations Index advanced to 99.2 from 95.8. Both of these …
Read More »Market Drivers – US Session – 21 Feb. 2022
Latest news says Russia has right to deploy military bases in eastern Ukraine under new agreement with separatist leaders.The news escalates the fears of a military invasion by Russia and weigh on the risk appetite, which in turn drag Antipodeans and propel the rush to risk-safety.Economic DataUS markets are still …
Read More »German ZEW Economic Sentiment Index Improves to 54.3 in February
The German ZEW headline numbers for November showed that the Economic Sentiment Index unexpectedly improved to 3 The German ZEW headline numbers for February showed that the Economic Sentiment Index jumped again, registering 54.3 from 51.7 previous while missing estimates of 55.0. Meanwhile, the Current Conditions sub-index slowed its pace …
Read More »German Preliminary GDP Contracts by 0.7% in Q4 vs. -0.3% Expected
The German economy shrunk by 0.7% inter-quarter in the fourth quarter of 2021 when compared to the expectations of -0.3% and 1.7% booked in Q3, the preliminary report published by Destatis showed on Friday. Meanwhile, the annualized GDP rate dropped to 1.4% in Q4 against the previous reading of 2.5% …
Read More »German government cuts 2022 Economic growth forecast to 3.6% from 4.1%
Germany’s economy ministry on Wednesday cut its growth forecast for this year to 3.6% from the October estimate of 4.1%. Still, it said that Europe’s biggest economy remains “robust” and will return to its pre-pandemic growth in 2022. According to preliminary official figures, GDP grew 2.7% last year, but the …
Read More »