Energy futures were mixed on Wednesday amid rising concerns over global economic recovery after the Word Bank cut its world's growth estimate from 3% to 2.4%. Uncertainty over US debt ceiling dispute also weighed on the market sentiment. Meanwhile, investors awaited the data from the US jobs and housing market due on Thursday.Crude oil rallied after the EIA report indicated
U.S stocks mostly edged lower after gaining yesterday, as the World Bank forecast the global economy to contract in 2013, offsetting an increase in the Apple's shares. The S&P 500 index added less than 0.1% to 1,472.63. All but three sectors declined. Telecommunications shares lost the most by dropping 1.16%, followed by basic materials that erased 0.76%. Northern Trust Corporation
Industrial metals were bearish on Wednesday amid lingering global economic concerns. Investors shunned riskier assets and turned to safe-havens after the World Bank lowered its global growth forecast from 3% to 2.4% for 2013, citing slower-than-expected recovery of the developed economies. Meanwhile, US Dollar rallied versus its major counterparts, putting heavy pressure on base metals.Aluminum dipped on worries that slower
Precocious metals rallied for the third consecutive session on Wednesday on hopes that the Fed will prolong its stimulus measures. In the recent speech, Ben Bernanke stated he is still unsatisfied with the pace of economic recovery. At the same time, the upward trend was limited by profit-taking and solid greenback. Gold lost momentum as worries over the global economic
Majority of Asian stocks fell after reaching the highest level in 17 months. The MSCI Asia Pacific Index was slightly changed at 131.5after gaining as much as 0.6% and declining 0.6%. The Nikkei 225 gained 0.1%, while China's Shanghai Composite Index lost 0.9% and Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index slid 0.2%. South Korea's Kospi Index slipped 0.2%, whereas Australia's S&P/ASX
Malaysia's Ringgit gained, snapping its tow-day loss, before a report that might show acceleration of China's economy growth, brightening the outlook for Asian export. GDP in China increased 7.8% in the last quarter of 2012 compared with 7.4% in the Q3. The Ringgit rose 0.2% to 3.0150 per U.S. Dollar, after touching 3.0125 earlier, close to the strongest level since
Japan's Yen declined, snapping its two-day advance, as investors awaited for fresh monetary easing stimulus by the nation's central bank next week. The Yen fell as much as 0.3% to 88.64 per U.S. Dollar, after rising 1.2% during the previous 2 days. It slid to 89.67 on January 14, the weakest level since June 2010. The Yen lost 0.3% to
The Australian Dollar fell against all of the 16 major peers as data showed unemployment rate rose, adding to concern the nation's economy is weakening. The Aussie declined 0.6% to $1.0513 and lost 0.3% to 93.19 yen. Meanwhile, the New Zealand Dollar dropped 0.2% to 83.96 U.S. cents after rising as much as 0.2% yesterday. The currency was little changed
German shares fluctuated between gains and losses and advanced by 15:54 GMT even though the nation's government forecast the Europe's largest economy to contract in 2013 and Jean-Claude Juncker, the Prime Minister of Luxembourg, said the strength of common currency might injure the Eurozone's economy. The German DAX index slightly increased by 0.18% to 7,688.77, rebounding from earlier losses.
U.K. stocks posted their biggest losses this year after the World Bank forecast that the Eurozone economy will shrink this year, pairing with Jean-Claude Juncker's statement that the strength of Euro currency threatens the growth of euro area. It was also forecast that the global economy will slowdown its pace of growth in 2013. The FTSE 100 index dropped
Business inventories and business sales increased in November, but the total business inventories/sales ratio stayed unchanged at 1.28, the Commerce Department reported on Tuesday. The report revealed that business sales rose notably, when it felt 0.3% in October, but recorded a 1.0% gain in November, while business inventories jumped in line with forecast 0.3% in the same month.
U.S. industrial production rose slightly above the economists estimates in December as an increase of manufacturing and mining output overshadowed a notable fall in utilities output, the Federal Reserve reported on Wednesday. The report revealed a 0.3% climb of industrial production in the last month of 2012 following a 1.0% gain in the month before.
Consumer prices in the U.S. remained stable in line with economists predictions in the last month of 2012 as food prices and energy costs increased, the Labor Department reported on Wednesday. Seasonally adjusted consumer price index recorded 0.3% in December, while costs rose 1.7% in 2012 following a 3% gain the year before. The core index excluding food and energy costs
Annual consumer price index in the 17-nation bloc remained unchanged at 2.2 % in December meeting the economists estimates, while the monthly inflation recorded 0.4% in the same month, the statistical office of the European Union reported on Wednesday. Inflation in all 27 states of the European Union was 2.3% following a 2.4% figure the prior month, while the monthly
Hong Kong stocks extended their losses on Wednesday, as investors closed their positions on stocks that outperformed the market such as China's financials prior to more data on the nation's economy at the end of this week. In addition, developers declined as the chief executive of the city announced the government might bound the real estate demand from overseas.
Japanese stocks fell sending the Nikkei 225 Stock Average to its lowest level since May 2012 after the yen appreciated the second straight day. The index slumped even though the Japanese machinery orders, capital spending indicator, rose almost 4% in November 2012. The Nikkei 225 dropped 2.6% to 10,600.44. All sectors in the gauge declined with technology shares losing
U.S. blue chips surged with the S&P 500 rebounding from earlier decline on improving retail and transportation companies. Retail sales climbed more than expected in December, showing Americans might be able to rise above Washington's budget ceiling to boost the economic growth. The Dow Jones Industrial average gained 0.2%, or 27.57 points, to 13,534.89. Five out of nine sectors in
The World Bank cut global growth outlook for 2013 as high unemployment, austerity measures and low business confidence put pressure on developed nations' economies. The bank forecast the global economy will grow at 2.4% compared to 3% projection in June after expanding 2.3% in 2012. It halved the forecast for Japan, lowered its outlook for the U.S. by 0.5 percentage
China's currency declined from the highest level in 19 years as the nation's central bank cut the reference rate 0.09%, the most since September 18 and concern increased that the world's economy fill face a setback. The Yuan lost 0.04% to 6.2162 per U.S. Dollar, having climbed 0.23% this month and touched 6.2124 on January 14, the highest level since
Australia's Dollar declined for a second successive day versus the Yen as consumer confidence was slightly changed from the lowest level in 2 months, adding to concern the South Pacific country's economy is slowing. The Aussie lost 1% to 92.86 yen and fell 0.2% to $1.0549, while the New Zealand Dollar bought 73.87 yen, 0.9% down, and was at 83.93
U.S. equities rallied on Tuesday, as an increase in retail and transportation firms offset rising concerns about raising the debt ceiling. The S&P 500 gained 0.1% to 1,472.34 after retreating 0.5% earlier in the session. Six out of ten groups in the benchmark gauge edged higher with consumer services jumping 0.55%, the most in the index. Dell Inc. capped
Energy futures apart from natural gas were bearish on Tuesday amid mixed US data and concerns over the US budgetary dispute. Broadly stronger US Dollar after better-than-expected US retail sales reading sent energy prices lower. Moreover, global growth concerns after the World Bank cut its global expansion estimate from 3% to 2.4% for this year weighted on the commodity group.
Industrial metals were mixed on Tuesday amid broadly stronger US Dollar and weak reading of the Empire State Manufacturing Index. Lingering concerns over the US debt ceiling debate also weighed on the market sentiment. At the same time, speculation that more pessimistic outlook on the global growth will stimulate easing measures by the world largest economies provided support for base
Precious metals prolonged their rally on Tuesday on hopes that central banks across the globe will provide more stimulus measures to boost economic expansion. The Word Bank lowered its global growth estimate from 3% to 2.4% for 2013, citing slower-than-expected recovery of the developed nations. However, gains were capped as upbeat US retail sales data sent the greenback higher.Gold climbed