The Australian currency was little changed on Thursday rising for a fourth straight day after a report showed that retail sales in the country advanced by 1.3% in February recording its biggest gain in a three-year period. The so-called Aussie increased 0.5% against the U.S. Dollar in last four session and was traded at $1.0454 at 4:13 p.m. Sydney time
Japanese government bonds increased on Thursday pushing the benchmark 10-yer yield down close to its record low reached in 2003 after the Bank of Japan's new Governor Haruhiko Kuroda kept his promised and unveiled aggressive monetary stimulus measures. 10-year yields dropped 0.07 percentage points to 0.48% after it was at 0.55% yesterday.
Japan's national bank decided to end a 15-year-deflation period in the country, when the Bank of Japan's new Governor Haruhiko Kuroda unveiled monetary stimulus measures as he promised on Thursday. The new plan says the BoJ will stick with purchases of the Japanese Government Bonds of an amount of 7 trillion yen per month and it will keep the interest
Building approvals in Australia beat a forecast in the month February, when they increased by a seasonally adjusted 3.1% compared to projections of a 2.5% gain on the month, a report released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics unveiled on Thursday. Year-on-year, building permits rose 12.8% in February and the total number of building approvals recorded 13,371.
Retails sales in Australia advanced above economists' expectation in the month of February, when they rose by 1.3% to A$21.949 billion, a data released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics showed on Thursday. The report also said that retail sales gained the most in clothing, foot wear and personal accessory industry increasing 0.8%, while household goods retail sales gained 0.7%
The Thailand Bath dropped by 0.2% it 29.42 per U.S. Dollar in the morning of Bangkok trading session on Thursday. The currency reached the weakest level since 19th of March, as the market was concerned about the central bank actions in order to curb gains of the Bath. Investors are driven by speculation that intervention might occur, since the appreciating
The Japanese Yen appreciated by 0.2% to 92.88 per U.S. Dollar by a midday trading session in Tokyo on Thursday. The currency continued to gain after a 0.4% advancement yesterday and was close to the strongest level at 92.57 since 1st of March. Investors trade on speculation that additional monetary easing measures from today's BOJ meeting have been already priced
Rural commodities except for sugar advanced on Wednesday as cold weather in the US may impact winter crops and slow early planting. Meanwhile, worries over spreading coffee leaf rust in Central America supported coffee futures. Wheat rallied as freezing conditions in the top growing areas of the US may damage winter crop and delay spring planting. Supporting prices, Informa Economics estimated
Energy futures declined on Wednesday after the EIA report showed US inventories rose more-than-estimated last week. Negative headlines from the US coupled with disappointing PMI data from China also weighed on energy prices. Crude and Brent oil led losses as US oil inventories jumped to a 22-year high last week. The EIA reported crude oil stockpiles soared 2.7 million barrels last
Industrial metals apart from zinc were bearish on Wednesday on dismal US numbers. Recent manufacturing PMI releases that came worse-than-expected coupled with elevated LME inventories also continued to put pressure on base metals. Aluminum extended previous losses amid increasing global production and rising stocks at exchange warehouses. Inventories at LME remained near a record high of 5.14 million tonnes on
Precious metals plunged on Wednesday as market participants locked in profits after the last week's rally. Moreover, signs of weak investment demand added pressure on the commodity group. However, weakness in the US Dollar and robust car sales in the US were supportive for precious metals. Gold slid amid soft investment demand. Holdings in ETPs reached 2,437.38 metric tonnes on Wednesday,
Service sector in U.S. expanded for the thirty ninth successive month in March, however, the growth was slower than projected, the data revealed by the Institute for Supply Management showed on Wednesday. The ISM's non-manufacturing index slipped from a level of 56 recorded in February to 54.4 the following month compared to forecast saying the reading would stay flat at
Employment of the U.S. private sector improved at a slower pace than forecast in March raising concerns about a report set to be released on Friday by the Labor Department, the Automatic Data Processing, Inc. reported on Wednesday. ADP's report said that employment added 158,000 job positions in March compared to expectation of an increase to 205,000.
The consumer prices in the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development's area accelerated in February as an increase in energy prices overshadowed a slow-down in food prices. Year-on-year, the consumer price index advanced 1.8% in February following a 1.7% gain recorded the month before, while in December it climbed 1.9%.
The 17-nation bloc's inflation slowed down by less than economists expected in the month of March as a stronger growth in service costs was offset by notable decrease in energy prices, the data unveiled by the Eurostat showed on Wednesday. The Eurozone's harmonized index of consumer prices (HICP) fell from 1.8% to 1.7% in February, while it was estimated to
Construction sector in the U.K. continued to shrink for the fifth successive month in March, however the pace of contraction was lower than recorded in February, the data released by the Markit Economics showed on Wednesday. The construction sector Markit/CIPS purchasing managers' index rebounded from a 40-month low at 46.8 in February to 47.2 in March.
Emerging-market shares decreased for the third successive session on Wednesday led by stocks of materials producers dragged down by declining prices of commodities as tension between South and North Korea escalated. The MSCI Emerging Markets Index fell 0.4% to 1,024.78 earlier on Wednesday New York session and the S&P GSCI Index of 24 commodities dropped for a fourth day in
European equities decreased on Wednesday after they recorded their biggest gain in four weeks yesterday as manufacturing sector activity in the U.S. decreased by more than expected in March and unemployment in the world's largest economy expanded below forecast last month. The Stoxx Europe 600 Index dropped 0.8% on Wednesday after it rose 1.3% yesterday.
The British Pound appreciated on Wednesday rebounding from its weakest level in two weeks amid speculation that the Bank of England will decide not to boost the economy with further stimulus measures usually weakening the currency. The Sterling increased 0.2% to $1.5141 following a drop to its lowest level since March 20 at $1.5076 and it was 84.84 pence per
Natural gas traded in New York decreased for the fourth straight day on Wednesday amid forecasts showing that weather in the Maryland's area will be higher than average reducing demand for the heating fuel. May Natural gas futures declined by 0.3% to $3.957 per million British thermal units earlier on NYMEX today and it has advanced 18% so far in
Silver futures declined on Wednesday falling to the weakest level in eight months amid speculations that industrial consumption will fall and as employment in the world's largest consumer of silver, U.S., expanded at slower-than-forecast rate in March. Silver with May delivery fell 0.6% to $27.08 an ounce after touching its 8-month low at $26.85 earlier on Wednesday.
Corn futures decreased on Wednesday joining soybeans and wheat, which have fallen more than 20% from the beginning of 2013 after a drought hit the U.S., pushing the global crop prices down. Corn traded in Chicago lost 13% since March 28, when the inventories were bigger than forecast, but it was up 0.2% at $6.42 a bushel today, while soybeans
The U.S. Treasuries advanced on Wednesday pushing the benchmark 10-year yields close to its lowest level in a two-month period, after a report showed that employment in the U.S. increased at slowest rate than initially forecast in March signing stalling labour market. 10-year yields dropped 0.03 percentage points to 1.83% after it touched 1.824% earlier on Wednesday.
The Japanese currency appreciated against most of its major counterparts on Wednesday on speculations that the Bank of Japan's inflation target of 2% may not be achieved using the bank's monetary stimulus program. The Yen advanced by 0.5% to 93.02 per U.S. dollar earlier on Wednesday New York session after dropping 0.2% yesterday, while it was traded at 119.54 per