Energy futures were mixed on Friday amid upbeat labour figures from the US and rising China's exports. However, worries over situation in Italy coupled with strong US Dollar and larger-than-expected increase in the US crude oil inventories put notable pressure on the commodity sector. Crude oil finished in green, being supported by hopes that recovery of the US economy will result
Industrial metals apart from nickel moved lower on Friday despite positive US numbers. The jobless rate in the US dropped to a five-year low of 7.7% in February. At the same time, high LME stocks and solid greenback weighed on the commodity group. Aluminum sagged 0.71% despite reports that China may have increased its buying for state stockpiles. Meanwhile, the lightweight
Precious metals ended Friday's session in the positive territory as investors considered that the pace of the US recovery is not fast enough for the Fed to halt its easing programme. However, broadly higher US Dollar as well as persistent inflationary pressure in China cut gains of the commodity complex. Gold was steady amid hopes the Fed will continue its bond-purchasing
West Texas Intermediate oil declined from its highest level in more than a one-week period on Monday after a data showed an improvement of Saudi Arabia output and as China's industrial production decreased. April WTI futures dropped 35 cents to $91.60 a barrel on New York Mercantile Exchange and were at $91.74 at 2.02 p.m. Singapore time.
The Australian Dollar slipped 0.2% to $1.0221 in the end of Sydney trading session on Monday and extended a 0.3% decline from the end of previous week. Investors traded with a negative sentiment, since China announced the slowest start of industrial output since 2009, dimming the outlook of South Pacific countries' commodity exports.
Core machinery orders in Japan unexpectedly fell by 13.1% on a monthly basis in the month of January; it was the first fall of core orders in more than a four-month period, the Cabinet Office reported on Monday. Year-on-year, core orders dropped 9.7% in January, while economists' expected a drop of 2.0% following a 2.8% increase in December 2012.
New Zealand‘s retail credit card sales surprisingly moved up by a seasonally adjusted 0.8% in February compared to a forecast of a 0.5% increase, a data released by the Statistics New Zealand showed on Monday. The reports said the core retail industries transactions added 0.7% in February and the total amount of electronic transaction gained 0.8%.
Friday's trading session was very volatile in USD/CHF, as the price jumped from the weekly S1 at 0.9427 to 0.9550 for a moment exceeding the Bollinger band by 40 pips and closed on a four-month high at 0.9513.
USD/JPY demonstrates significant bullish sentiments, as the pair reached the highest level in three and a half years.
The Cable remains under bearish pressure and depreciates towards the month S1 level at 1.4867.
After the U.S. non-farm employment data last Friday the major currency pair decreased heavily, making a new low at 1.2954.
The Dollar Index increased by 0.1% to 82.752 points in Asian session on Monday, after reaching 82.924 last week, the highest level since 8th of August. The U.S. Dollar gained 3% in last three months, as economic data signal about a strengthening recovery in the U.S. and stimulating demand for the domestic currency. Traders bet on an increase in retail sales,
Industrial production in Sweden slowed down at a faster rate than economists' projected in January mainly due to declines in machinery industry and the motor vehicle industry, the Statistics Sweden reported on Friday. Year-on-year, the industrial production slipped 7.8% in the first month of 2013 compared to a 4.8% drop preliminary forecast, on a monthly basis the industrial output fell
Greek consumer price inflation decreased for the fourth consecutive month in the month of February despite a notable 9% jump of housing costs and a 1.7% advance of clothing and footwear prices, the Hellenic Statistical Authority reported on Friday. On an annual basis the consumer price index slowed down to 0.1% in February.
Hungary's economic output decreased further in the last three months of 2012 keeping the economy in the recession mainly due to a decline of industrial and agricultural activity, the Central Statistical Office reported on Friday. Year-on-year, the country's gross domestic product dropped 2.7% in the Q4 and it recorded a 0.9% slip on a monthly basis, while for the year
Annual inflation in Latvia slowed down, hitting its historic low in the month of February, a report released by the Central Statistical Bureau showed on Friday. The report said the consumer price index advanced by 0.3% annually in February compared to a 0.6% growth a month before. On a monthly basis the index decreased 0.1% in February following a 0.2
U.S. wholesale inventories advanced notably above economists' forecast in January, partly pushed up by a 1.1% gain in inventories of durable goods, the Commerce Department reported on Friday, however, the report also showed a significant fall of wholesale sales. Wholesale inventories increased 1.2% in January, while the wholesale sales dropped 0.8% in the same month.
Japan's Topix Index rose 1.8% to 1,039.32 points and Nikkei 225 gained 0.4% to 12,333.30 in the end of Asian trading session on Monday. Investors in Japan were positive, as improving macro economic data in the U.S. rises confidence in the global economy and the Yen is the weakest in last three and a half year versus the U.S. Dollar, allowing domestic
Consumer price inflation in Brazil advanced more than economists initially forecast in February, the data released by the IBGE statistical office showed on Friday. Year-on-year the consumer price index gained from January's level of 6.15% to 6.31% recorded the following month, compared to an estimate of 6.2%, while on a monthly basis the index increased 0.6% in February after a
British construction sector output declined for the thirteenth successive month in January at a notably slower rate than the month before, the Office for National Statistics reported on Friday. On an annual basis, the construction production dropped 7.9% in January following a 14.5% slip the previous month, while on a monthly basis it decreased 6.3% in January after it contracted
U.S. employment accelerated notably above economists' predictions in February as the growth of new jobs pushed down the unemployment rate to its lowest level in four years, the Labor Department reported on Friday. After an improvement of non-farm payroll employment in January by 119,000 jobs, it continued to grow in February by 236,000 jobs compared to a forecast of 171,000
Canada's housing starts bounced back in the month of February amid a rebound of multi-family starts in Ontario and Quebec, suggesting that the housing market is continuing to moderate in 2013, a data released by the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation showed on Friday. The seasonally adjusted annualized rate of housing starts went up from 158,998 in January to February's
Industrial output in Germany stayed unchanged in the month of January as a notable improvement of production in the construction sector was compensated with a drop in the manufacturing and energy industries, the Economy Ministry reported on Friday. The report showed a 3% increase of the construction output in January, while manufacturing and energy declined 2.3% and 0.2%, respectively.
Hang Seng advanced on Friday on positive economic data from China and Japan. The index climbed 1.4%, or 320.51 points, to close at 23.091.95. All but one sector posted at least 0.9% rally, as 43 out of 50 blue chip companies composing the benchmark index edged higher. The best performing sectors were basic materials and consumer goods. Want Want China