Manufacturing sector activity in the U.K. continued to shrink in March, but the pace of contraction was lower than the month before, a survey revealed by the Markit Economics and CPIS showed on Tuesday. The report said the manufacturing sector purchasing managers' index advanced from its 4-month low at 47.9 recorded in February to 48.3 in March, the reading stayed
Unemployment in Italy decreased modestly in the month of February with the jobless rate falling on a sequential basis by 0.1% from 11.7% in January to 11.6% the month before, a report released by the statistical office Istat showed on Tuesday. The jobless rate among people between the age of 15 and 24 was 37.8% in February compared to 38.6%
Manufacturing activity in Germany shrank less than expected in the month of March, while the volume of new jobs declined for the first time this year and the level of output stayed flat in March, the Markit Economics reported on Tuesday. The Markit/BME Purchasing Managers' Index decreased from 50.3 in February to 49 in March, while it was forecast to
Copper declined to its weakest level since August 2012 after a report showed that manufacturing in the U.S. and China, the largest consumers, advance at the slower pace than expected, while aluminium fell to its lowest level since October. Copper for July delivery slid 1.3% to $7,440 a metric ton in London and it was traded at $7,493 in Tokyo,
Hong Kong shares rose on Monday, despite the contraction in U.S. manufacturing sector. The Hang Seng Index added 0.3%, or 68.19 points, to 22,367.82. 30 out of 50 companies included in the gauge registered advance in price of share, while 18 companies declined. Tingyi Cayman Islands Holding Corp jumped 2.5% to HKD20.75, recovering from the biggest decline since August. Wharf
West Texas Intermediate oil decreased for a second straight day on Tuesday amid concerns that inventories in the U.S. advanced by 2.3 million barrels last week to its highest level in more than 22 years. May WTI futures dropped by 45 cents to $96.62 a barrel on the NYMEX and were $96.81 at 3:23 p.m. in Singapore, following a yesterday's
U.S. Treasuries were little changed on Tuesday as the Federal Reserve's inflation projections decreased to its weakest level in one month before a report showed that job positions in the U.S. are increasing without driving hourly earnings higher. The benchmark 10-year yields were at 1.83% earlier on Tuesday and they may rise to 2.31% by the end of 2013, according
Government bonds of Germany advanced on Tuesday before meeting of the Cypriot government and representatives of the International Monetary Fund and the European Union in order to seek easier bailout terms for Cyprus. The benchmark 10-year yields dropped 0.02% to 1.27% earlier on Tuesday after they fell close to its lowest level in 8 months at 1.25% on March 28.
Japanese stocks fell on Monday, as the U.S. manufacturing index decreased more than estimated and the yen strengthened. The Nikkei 225 Index lost 1.1%, or 131.59 points, to 12,003.43. Only 49 out of 225 companies included in the gauge posted gains and 2 out of 10 sectors advanced. Tokyo Tatemono Co Ltd, a real-estate and financial company, surged the most,
The British Sterling was little changed versus the U.S. Dollar and the shared currency before a data that is expected to show that banks in the U.K. approved lower number of loans for homes in February and before report saying that manufacturing sector fell on the month. The Pound was traded at 84.49 pence per Euro earlier on Tuesday after
The Chinese currency reached the strongest level in nineteen years after the People's Bank of China increased its fixing by 0.14%, the highest since February 8, to 6.2586 per U.S. Dollar and as the purchasing managers' index climbed to its highest figure since April 2012. The Yuan advanced 0.1% to 6.2016 per U.S. Dollar earlier on Tuesday Shanghai session, its
The European currency depreciated to its weakest level in five weeks against the Yen ahead of a report that might show that the jobless rate in the 17-nation bloc recorded 12% in February, a record high level. The Euro decreased by 0.3% to 119.44 yen earlier on Monday London session after it dropped to 119.16 yen and it also rose
U.S. equities declined on Friday, as the American manufacturing index from ISM fell less than forecasted. The S&P 500 Index lost 0.45%, or 7.02 points, to 1,562.17, and traded slightly below its historical highest value. Humana Inc surged 8.6% to USD75.02, pushing the health care sector into the green zone, as the government announced an increase in a Medicare payment
Australian national bank decided to maintain its cash rate at the same level unchanged at 3% for the third successive time on Tuesday as the global economy is showing signs of recovery and consumption in the country is improving as well. The Reserve Bank of Australia is likely to keep the inflation target at a level of 2-3% providing a
House prices in Australia accelerated at the strongest pace in almost three years in the first three month of this year, a report unveiled by the property research company RP Data-Rismark showed on Tuesday. The report said that dwelling values grew by 2.8% in the Q1 taking the cumulative capital advance to 4.7% since May 2012, while house prices rose
U.S. blue chips decreased on Friday, as the Institute for Supply Management's manufacturing index fell to 51.3 in March, down from 54.2 in February. The Dow Jones Index lost 0.04%, or 5.69 points, to 14,572.85, close to its highest level since 1896. Health care and telecommunications sectors advanced the most, adding 1.1% and 0.7%, respectively. UnitedHealth Group surged 3.1% to
Labour cash earnings in Japan decreased by more than preliminary estimated in February mainly due to a 0.8% annual fall of contractual earnings during the month and a 0.6% annual drop of regular pay, the Ministry of Labour reported on Tuesday. Total cash earnings slipped by 0.7% on an annual basis in February, while they were expected to slide by
Australian manufacturing sector activity continued to shrink in the month of March with the Performance of the Manufacturing Index declining by 1.2% to a level of 44.4 points, a report unveiled by the Australian Industry Group showed on Tuesday. The report also said that the production sub-index fell 4.9 points to 41.7 and new orders edged lower by 2.4 points
European shares were little changed on Tuesday trading session before the Cypriot government met the International Monetary Fund and the European Union representatives in order to make a deal on a new bailout terms. The Euro Stoxx 50 Index futures with the expiration in June advanced less than 0.1% to 2,555 earlier on Tuesday, while the CAC-40 and Frankfurt's DAX
Economic performance of the Turkish economy continued to slow down in the last three month of 2012, according to the Turkish Statistical Institute report released on Monday. The report showed that the nation's gross domestic product rose on a monthly basis by 1.4% in the Q4 following a 1.6% advance in the Q3 and a 2.9% increase in the Q2.
Construction spending in the U.S. rebounded by more than economists expected in February after it recorded a notable decline in the month before, a data released by the Commerce Department showed on Monday. The data said that construction spending added 1.2% to $885.1 billion in February after it recorded a level of $874.8 billion in the prior month.
U.S. manufacturing sector activity increased at the slower pace than preliminary estimated in March, according to a survey released by the Institute for Supply Management on Monday, when the ISM purchasing managers index declined from 54.2 in February to 51.3 in March. The Index recorded the fourth successive month with reading above 50, but it was expected to grow to
Factory sector in China advanced at the faster rate in the month of March than the month before mainly due to a notable improvement in new orders and production, the CFLP and the National Bureau of Statistics reported on Monday. The report said the official purchasing managers' index rose from 50.1 in February to 50.9 in March, while it was
The European currency increased against the U.S. Dollar on Monday amid speculations that the Federal Reserve will take its time with easing the monetary stimulus program after data showed a lower-than-expected manufacturing output growth in the U.S. The 17-nation currency rose 0.3% to $1.2858 following a 0.4% drop earlier on Monday session.