The 17-nation shared currency declined 0.1% to $1.3424 after the release of disappointing French PMI, which showed further decline to 47.8 point in manufacturing area and 48.8 in services sector, while an optimistic German manufacturing activity figures helped the currency to avoid bigger losses. German manufacturing PMI improved 0.8 point to 52.5 in November, while service sector rose to 1.6
The Eurozone manufacturing PMI advanced 0.2 points to 51.5 in November from prior month, matching the analysts' expectations, while the figure is heading for almost 2.5-year high level. Despite the fact that euro area economy expanded for fifth straight month in November, on the quarterly basis there is a slight increase in GDP of only 0.2%. Meanwhile, it is most
The British Sterling swung between gains and losses on Thursday versus its U.S. counterpart and the 17-nation bloc currency before a report showed that the U.K. budget deficit narrowed in the month of October. The Pound increased to $1.6178, the most since October 28, and traded at $1.6097 by 7:48 a.m. in London, while it fell to 83.43 pence per
European benchmark Brent crude decreased on Thursday after a government report showed that inventories in the world's largest producer slipped last week by 345,000 barrels compared to an estimated level of 300,000. Brent for settlement in January slid 44 cents to $107.62 a barrel on the London's ICE Futures Europe Exchange.
West Texas Intermediate crude declined on Thursday falling for the second successive session as traders weighed a possible monetary easing scale back after the Fed signalled so in the last meeting's minutes released today and as inventories advanced for ninth straight week. WTI for delivery in January fell 45 cents to $93.40 a barrel on the NYMEX and it traded
U.S. Treasuries jumped on Thursday rising to the strongest level in more than a three-year period against the Group of Seven bonds after the Federal Reserve representatives signalled that the loose monetary policy may be tightened on one of the next meeting. The benchmark 10-year yields fluctuated at 2.79% by 7 a.m. London time.
European government bonds decreased on Thursday with the Spanish 10-year securities falling for the fifth successive session after fixed-assets demand damped as the Federal Reserve minutes showed tapering may begin sooner than expected. Spain's 10-year yields added 0.05% to 4.14%, while the Italy's 10-year bonds yielded at 4.12% following a 0.03% gain.
German government securities declined on Thursday after the Federal Reserve minutes showed that the U.S. central bank bond-purchasing program may begin taper off sooner than expected. German benchmark 10-year bund jumped five basis points to 1.76% as of 8:42 a.m. in London following a climb to 1.78%, the most since November 13.
Data released by the Bureau of Statistics revealed that unemployment rate in the Netherlands has decreased to 8.5% from 8.6% in October, thus reaching the lowest jobless rate in five-months. However, the Dutch household spending year-on-year basis has dropped 2.1% in September, while the spending on durables has plummeted 6.1%.
European stocks dropped after China's manufacturing data tumbled more than expected and the Federal Open Market Committee minutes signaled that Federal Reserve might reduce stimulus in next months. The Stoxx Europe 600 Index slipped 0.6%, as the computer-service giant Atos contracted 4.7%, after saying it has sold 8.9 million shares.
Trade balance of Switzerland came in surplus in the month of October staying at the same level as in September, the latest data published by the Federal Customs Administration revealed on Thursday. According to the data, Swiss trade surplus recorded CHF 2.6 billion, when the country's exports advanced 0.9% on an annual basis and imports dropped 0.2% in October.
Existing home sales in the world's largest economy declined in October falling for the second successive month, however the drop was slightly smaller than originally expected, the National Association of Realtors reported on Wednesday. The report showed that the U.S. existing home sales slid 3.2% year-on-year to 5.12 million units in October following a 1.9% fall to 5.29 million units
The U.S. Federal Reserve decided to maintain its easy-monetary policy of bond purchases totalling $85 billion per month on its last meeting, according to the minutes published from the central bank's last meeting on Thursday. The minutes also revealed that the Fed's officials debated whether to set a calendar date for the end of the stimulus.
Business inventories in the world's largest economy advanced at a faster rate than economists originally predicted in September, the latest data published by the Commerce Department revealed on Wednesday. The data showed that business inventories added 0.6% in September following a 0.4% gain in the month before, while it was predicted to rise 0.3%.
Wholesale price inflation in the Asian third largest economy is set to moderate to a level below 5% as fruit, vegetables, meat, eggs and mild prices are elevated and are pushing the inflation rate higher, the country' finance minister said on Thursday. India's inflation advanced 7% on a monthly basis in October from a level of 6.46% recorded in September.
The Bank of Japan's Governor Haruhiko Kuroda and the bank's officials maintained the loose monetary policy unchanged on Thursday's meeting mainly due to signs of moderate recovery as exports gathers momentum. Japan's central bank kept its monetary framework unchanged aiming at two percent inflation target in a two-year period by doubling the money base.
The performance of China's economy is predicted to increase by 7.5% this year, the weakest pace of growth in twenty-three years, while the country's PMI dropped to 50.4 in November, a survey released by the Markit Economics and HSBC showed on Thursday. According to the survey, China's growth was set lower despite recent economic reform weaning the economy towards domestic
The U.S. Dollar increased on Thursday rising to the highest level in four months against the Japanese Yen after the Federal Reserve minutes signaled possible scale back of the U.S. central bank's stimulus on one of the next meetings. The so-called Greenback advanced to 100.83 Yen, the most since July, while the Dollar Index measuring its performance versus its most-traded
U.S. shares closed lower on Wednesday falling after the Federal Reserve minutes from the last meeting were released signaling that the U.S. central bank may start tapering its bond-purchasing program on one of its next meetings. The Standard & Poor's 500 Index dropped 0.36% to 1,781.37, the Dow Jones industrial average fell 0.41% to 15,900.82 and the Nasdaq Composite Index
The Australian Dollar dropped 0.4% versus U.S. Dollar almost reaching the lowest level in two-months, after China's manufacturing contracted more than expected and the IMF said that the Australian Dollar looks overvalued by 10%. The Aussie tumbled 1.1% yesterday, the most in three moths, as the Fed signalled that the bond purchases might be soon reduced.
The Canada's currency advanced against most of its 16 major peers after the chairman of Federal Reserve Ben S. Bernanke announced that the U.S. central bank will keep the stimulus, thus supporting its trade partner Canada. The so-called loonie jumped 0.2% versus the U.S. Dollar - the biggest rally in a week.
The Japanese Yen dropped 0.7% against the U.S. Dollar, thus reaching the lowest level in four-months, after the Federal Open Market Committee minutes hinted that the bond purchase might be slowed in the coming month. The Japan's currency also slumped 0.6% versus the shared currency, while this year the Yen has depreciated 12% versus its nine major peers.
The gold almost reached the four month low, after the FOMC signaled sooner than expected tapering, thus reducing the investor activities. The gold for immediate delivery gained 0.2%, while the bullion for December delivery slumped 0.8%. The prices for gold tumbled 2.7% yesterday and 26% this year, thus coming closer to the first annual fall since year 2000.
Activity in manufacturing sector of France continued to decline in November of this, as the pace of decrease reached a six-month highest level. The PMI Index, which measures the activity level, contracted to 47.8 points. Moreover, the service sector of the country turned to retreat as well, as the PMI Index for this sector dropped to 48.8 points. The reading