Japanese tertiary industry activity index declined more than expected in December, reported METI. The country's tertiary index declined by 0.8% on a seasonally adjusted basis after growing by 0.6% in November. Experts projected the index to lose 0.4% last month.
The head of NBS warned China of ongoing price growth pressures in China and recommended the government to maintain its prudent monetary policy. The base for price stabilization is not firm enough, and there are possibilities for price rebound, he added. Increasing labour, resource and land costs all contribute to further price growth in long-run, he pointed out.
Natural gas futures faced a downward move on Monday, tumbling to 28-month low amid ongoing mild weather forecasts. Natural gas broke a psychologically crucial level of $3.00 per million British thermal units. Natural gas futures for delivery in February traded at USD2.547 per million British thermal units at the last US session, on the New York Mercantile Exchange, losing 4.49%
Silver and gold are likely to rocket in the next years, said John Embry, Chief Investment Strategist of Sprott Asset Management. He claimed silver will achieve all-times high of$100/oz in the next 12 to 24 months. Silver is likely to advance three or four times faster than the yellow metal even despite optimistic forecasts about gold in long run, he
Swiss PPI increased unexpectedly in December, increasing for the first time in the last eight months. The index advanced by 0.3% on a seasonally adjusted basis last month after decreasing by 0.8% in the preceding month, reported the Swiss Federal Statistical Office. Experts projected the PPI to decline by 0.3% last month. Considering yearly changes, the PPI dropped by 2.3%
China's security regulator may ease the control over Hong Kong and foreign listings of China's companies and plans to push for Yuan-nominated shares in the overseas Yuan market. Standards to float H-shares are exorbitantly high and the process of approval is time-consuming, said Yao Gang, Vice-Chairman at CSRC. This year securities regulatory commission will revise listing rules and procedures to
Asian markets rebounded on Tuesday as Chinese statistics reported higher-than-expected GDP growth in the 4th quarter of 2011. China's Shanghai Composite rocketed 4.2% while Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index jumped 2.5%. Australia's S&P/ASX 200 Index rose 1.7%, South Korea's Kospi advanced 1.8% and Japan's Nikkei Stock Average gained 1.1%.
Sumitomo Mitsui announced it has agreed to buy Royal Bank of Scotland's aviation unit. The deal is valued at around $7.3bn. Japanese second biggest lender in terms of market value will control a fleet consisting of 206 aircraft and will be committed to buy additional 87 planes by 2015. Sumitomo Mitsui won the bid of China Development Bank Corp. and Wells
Canadian Dollar appreciated on Monday on investor hopes country's economy will benefit from improving US economic outlook. Loonie extended its eight week advance against Euro, and climbed 0.5% against US Dollar to C$1.0179 in Toronto evening trade. Currently USD/CAD is trading at C$1.0141. Bank of Canada is preparing to set interest rates tomorrow. Analysts expect bank's officials to hold benchmark
New Zealand and Australian Dollar surged on Tuesday against the Greenback, reaching 2-month record high after China reported bigger-than-predicted increase in GDP. Investor sentiment improved on hopes growth will be sufficient to support Australia's and New Zealand's export demand. Aussie and Kiwi appreciated 0.6% against its US peer, reaching $1.0376 and $0.7980, respectively. AUD/USD currently is trading at $1.0394 while NZD/USD is trading at $0.7994.
European equity markets surged and closed higher after France faced a successful bond sale, as its 10-year borrowing costs dropped despite S&P downgrade. Stoxx Europe 600 gained 0.8% and finished at 251.12, while French CAC 40 index jumped 0.9 and finished at 3,225. UK FTSE 100 added 0.4%, closing at 5,657.44 and German DAX rallied 1.3% to 6,220.01.
Mario Draghi, ECB president, questioned the role of rating agencies, suggesting their moves may have too strong impact on markets. Draghi pointed out that investors should learn to anticipate changes, price them and evaluate creditworthiness without relying extensively on rating agencies.
French bonds surged on Monday's debt sale as their yields dropped in the first country's first auction since S&P downgrade. Successful note auction helped to improve market sentiment across Euro Zone, said Orlando Green, Credit Agricole strategist. The borrowing costs on 10-year French bills dropped 4 b.p. or 0.04 p.p. reaching 3.04%. Analysts suggest, S&P move was not a surprise,
Standard and Poor's downgraded the EFSF from AAA to AA+. European Financial Stability Facility was created to bailout indebted countries such as Ireland, Portugal and Greece. EFSF AAA rating was based on ratings of its AAA rated sponsoring nations. Yesterday two of these sponsors, Austria and France lost their triple-A credit rating and thus reduced creditworthiness of whole bailout fund.
Chinese economy expanded slower in the 4th quarter of 2011 than in 10 previous quarters. Gross Domestic Product added annual 8.9% in the last quarter of 2011. GDP expansion fell below 9% first time since 2009, highlighting cooled export demand and effects of property curbs. Economists earlier predicted GDP to grow at 8.7%. The data is likely to urge PM
The link between DAX Index and EUR/USD currency pair weakened further, reaching 0.48 in afternoon trade. A rapid downward pattern was observed between German benchmark and Nasdaq Composite (CCMP) as coefficient dropped to 0.6 on Monday. German DAX index faced diminishing relationship with its European counterpart Stoxx Europe 600 Index (SXXP) in the last trading session as the correlation coefficient
German DAX Index closed 0.6% down at 6,143.08 on Friday, but managed to recover on Monday, led by car makers and consumer goods sector. BMW AG and Daimler AG surged 2.6% and 3.48% respectively, after Goldman Sachs upgraded both companies to buy status. On the downside were Heidelbergcement and Thyssenkrupp AG, declining 3.86% and 1.39% respectively. At the moment of
FTSE 100 (UKX) Index moved relative close with S&P 500 Index (SPX) and Stoxx Europe 600 Index (SXXP) in last trading sessions, as both correlation coefficients averaged 0.66 and 0.68 respectively. The link between UK benchmark index and gold (GOLDSH) remained steady at 0.4. Meanwhile the negative relationship between UK benchmark and USD/CAD currency pair weakened from minus 0.6 to
Crude oil's link with Brent oil and natural gas remained stable at 0.95 and 0.89, respectively. At the same time, correlation with natural strengthened over the weak attaining 0.63 on Friday as all energy commodities negatively responded to credit cuts of nine members of the Euro Zone and increasing US stock levels. Crude oil connection with Standard and Poor's SP500
After closing week 0.5% down at 5,636.64 on Friday, UK FTSE 100 Index extended loss on Monday, falling to 5,620.3 in morning trade. The index recovered later and was trading flat at 5,641.84. The financial sector posted main drops after S&P agency's downgrading with Barclays giving up 2.1% and Lloyds Banking Group declining 1.9%. Carnival PLC plunged 17% on Costa
Base metals faced losses after rally in the beginning of the week as Standard and Poor's credit ratings cuts in the Euro Zone increased fears over recession in the region. Aluminium was the top loser on Friday, tumbling 0.83% over the day. However, aluminum price may find support in expected metal's supply shortage. Industrial metals opened higher on Monday with
Aluminium continues to face strong correlation with zinc while interrelation with copper tumbled from 0.69 to 0.58 over the week as copper tended to generate stronger response to economic data from China. Meanwhile, alumimium correspondence to price moves of nickel remains almost unchanged at 0.68. Aluminium connection to Standard Poor's SP 500 (SPX) edged up to 0.64 on Friday as
Energy commodities continued to tumble on Friday with Dow Jones-UBS Energy Index falling by 0.56. Crude oil erased gains occurred in the beginning of the week and closed on Friday with 2.8% decrease. Crude oil mainly was impacted by easing tensions between Iran and Western economies, by raising US energy stock levels and by credits cuts in the Euro Zone.
Sugar faced sharp decline in the correlation with other agriculture commodities and the pair EUR/USD in the beginning of the year as sugar price was growing on China's plans to increase its sugar stockpiles. At the same time, link with wheat, coffee and corn improved this week after mass fall in the commodity group prices caused by the US crop