U.S. Treasury bonds increased on Thursday with the 30-year securities gaining for the second straight day as traders weighed on Fed's bond-purchase program before a confirmation hearing of the new Federal Reserve Chairman Janet Yellen. The benchmark 10-year government bonds yielded at 2.72%, while the 30-year yields fell one basis point to 3.81%.
Retail sales in the United Kingdom slumped 0.7% in October of this year on a monthly basis, rising annually 1.7%. Economists, in turn, predicted the retail sales to have no change in October with the annual gain of 3.1%. Food sales were down 0.1%, while fuel consumption dropped 2.1%. Experts point on bad weather conditions in the previous month that
Economic decline in Italy reached 0.1% in the July-September quarter of the current year, while the annual GDP contraction stood at 1.9%. The results were better than economists expected, as the waited for a 0.2% drop on a quarterly basis. Italian statistical office Istat said that farming and service sectors of country's economy decreased the output, while the manufacturing sector
Janet Yellen, the newly elected chairwoman of the Federal Reserve, said on Wednesday that the monetary policy makers are ready to stimulate the U.S. economy in the future, as she personally supports the assets-buying program. Yellen warned that despite the growth in construction, housing and manufacturing sectors, the unemployment rate in the country still remains at the very high level.
The European Stocks climbed, thus snapping their two-day losing streak after Janet Yallen said that the U.S. economy has to improve before cutting stimulus. The Stoxx Europe 600 Index advanced 0.8%, while the MSCI Asia Pacific Index surged 0.9%. Among the big gainers was Burberry Group Plc, the share increased by 1.8% after the announcement that their first-half sales exceeded
Federal budget deficit in the United States shrank to $92 billion in October of this year, while analysts expected the budget gap to reach $104 billion from $120 billion the last year. According to the data, budget revenues advanced 8% to $199 billion on higher taxes and austerity pushed spending lower by 5% to $291 billion, as the economy continues
Today the European stock futures advanced after Janet Yellen, appointed to be chairman of the Federal Reserve, announced that the U.S. economy has to grow before the monetary stimulus is trimmed. The futures of the Euo Stoxx 50 Index jumped 1%, while the Stoxx Europe 600 Index futures paired gains for fifth week, as the Fed Reserve continuous bond purchases.
BNP Paribas SA, the fourth largest bank in the world, is planning to buy the last 25% stake in its subdivision BNP Paribas Fortis SA that is currently owned by the Belgian government. According to the plan, the selling price of 3.25 billion euro could help the Belgian government to reduce the public debt. Today, BNP Paribas SA shares are
The German gross domestic product advanced 0.3% in third quarter, thus approving analysts forecasts, while France GDP unexpectedly contracted 0.1%. The Eurozone's largest economy which accounts for 27% of entire Euro block GDP performed better in previous quarter, when their GDP expanded 0.7%. Today the Economic Union's statistic office is going to announce entire growth of Euro area, while it
According to Japanese Ministry of Economy, growth in manufacturing production of the country was revised down to 1.3% in September of this year, while the prelim estimate showed a 1.5% advance. Economists did not expect any changes from the initial data. Among particular sectors of Japanese manufacturing, shipments rose 1.5% instead of 1.6%, while inventories declined 0.2%.
The European benchmark Brent crude advanced on Thursday before a government report showed that inventories in the world's largest oil consumer, U.S., increased by 800,000 barrels to 386.2 million. Brent for settlement in December expiring today climbed 16 cents to $107.28 a barrel on the London's ICE Futures Europe exchange.
The Japanese currency weakened versus the majority of its most-traded counterparts on Thursday as Asian shares advanced and a government report showed that the performance of Japan's economy eased in the Q3. Yen fell 0.4% to 99.59 per U.S. Dollar by 2:53 p.m. Tokyo time following a decline to the lowest level since September 12 at 99.80 this week.
Gold demand in India, the Middle East and China increased on an annual basis in September with the Chinese demand rising 30% compared to a decline in demand on the European continent signaling a shift in global gold market from west to east. Bullion for delivery in November traded at $1,284.29 an ounce as of 11:30 Singapore time and it
Japan's equities increased on Thursday pushing the local benchmark index towards the strongest closing price since May as the country's currency weakened on Finance Minister's remark that the nation must retain currency-market intervention option. The Nikkei 225 gained 2.1% to 14,876.41 Tokyo time, the most since May 22, while Topix Index jumped 1.2% to 1,218.55.
West Texas Intermediate crude swung between gains and losses on Thursday after it recorded the largest advanced in a week before today's report expected to show the inventories in the U.S. reached the strongest level since June. December WTI futures added 3 cents to $93.91 a barrel on the NYMEX as of 2:11 in Singapore after the prices rose to
Small business sentiment in the Asian second largest economy increased for the first time in a three-month period in November and it is forecast to rise until the beginning of 2014, a poll released by Reuters showed on Thursday. Confidence among manufacturers advanced by 2 points to a level of plus 14 in November and it is expected to gain
The performance of Japan's economy eased less than originally expected in the three months until September as consumers focused on spending now before next year's tax rise, a report revealed by the Cabinet Office published on Thursday. According to the report, the economy advanced 0.5% in the Q3 after it added 0.9% in the quarter before.
The U.S. Dollar fell on Thursday declining to the lowest level in a week after a remark of Janet Yellen, the Federal Reserve Chairman-elect, suggesting that the central bank's aggressive monetary stimulus program may not be close to its end. The U.S. Dollar Index measuring performance of the currency against its most-traded peers slipped to 80.740 following a gain to
Stocks on Wall Street increased on Wednesday reaching their new all-time highs led by customer discretionary shares as Macy's reported earnings and as the Federal Reserve Vice Chair Janet Yellen commented Fed's monetary program. The Dow Jones industrial average gained 0.45% to 15,821.63, the Standard & Poor's 500 Index added 0.81% to 1,782 and the Nasdaq Composite Index jumped 1.16%
Asia's equities increased on Thursday rebounding from the lowest level in six weeks as the Federal Reserve Vice Chair Janet Yellen claimed that the central bank's stimulus program may not be supporting economy for longer than needed. The MSCI broadest Asia-Pacific index outside Japan advanced 1.0% following a drop to the six week low yesterday.
The Canadian Dollar strengthened from the lowest level in two months after nation's finance ministry stated that its budget surplus will be bigger starting in year 2015. Canada's currency added 0.1% to C$1.0484 per U.S. Dollar as of 8:32 a.m. Toronto time. It reached C$1.0509 on Tuesday, the lowest level since September 5.
The British currency gained for the first day out of last four versus the Euro and the greenback after the Bank of England stated that interest rates might be raised if unemployment reaches a certain level. The Pound rose 0.4% to 84.22 pence per Euro as of 11:37 a.m. in London, after depreciating 0.8% on Tuesday, while it added 0.3%
Gold advanced form the lowest level in a month as its demand increased and that encouraged investors to close their positions on speculation that the Fed might soon start tapering its monetary stimulus programme. The Yellow metal for December deliver added 0.1% to $1,272.90 an ounce as of 7:21 a.m., while gold form immediate delivery rose 0.5% to $1,273.77 in
Non-performing bank loans in China advanced in the three months ended in September from the quarter before, a report published by the China Banking Regulatory Commission unveiled on Wednesday. According to the report, bank loans stood at CNY 563.6 billion in the Q3 after the figure recorded CBY 539.5 billion in the quarter ended in June.