U.S. shares rose for a second consecutive week, with the Standard & Poor's 500 Index trading within 5 points of a record high on better-than-expected retail sales and unemployment claims data that bolstered optimism on the world's largest economy. The S&P 500 Index climbed 0.6% to 1,560.70. Four out of ten groups in the index edged higher. CenterPoint Energy Inc.
The Taiwan Dollar dropped 2.4% against the U.S. Dollar this year, comparing with a 9.1% decline of the Yen and a 4.5% slide of the Won. Investors were speculating that the central bank will intervene to influence the exchange rate to protect local exporters. However, the Governor Perng Fai-nan said that the local currency is stable versus export counterparts and
The Euro Stoxx 50 Index futures dropped by 2.6% to 2,590 points in very early London trading session on Monday. European equity set on a slide as the Euro area made Cyprus to introduce a levy on bank deposits, what increased concern that European debt crisis will reignite. That makes traders to avoid any additional risk and consider investments in
The Nikkei 225 Index slumped by 2.7% to 12,220.63 points in Tokyo trading session on Monday. The main Japanese equity gauge was traded in the highest level since September, 2008, and that was the biggest drop since 18th of May, 2012. Japan's stocks depreciated leading by exporters, which edged lower on the appreciating Yen.
The Bank of Korea revealed on Monday that the country's producer prices inched up last month. Producer prices index added 0.7% in February, compared to a more modest increase of 0.2% in the preceding month. Year-over-year, producer prices experienced a decline of 1.6%, which was the same as in January.
The Indonesian Rupiah slipped by 0.2% to 9,723 per U.S. Dollar in the morning of Jakarta trading session on Monday. That was the biggest slide since 4th of March. The currency depreciated, as global investors were concerned about situation in Cyprus and its impact for European debt crisis, thus traders were willing to buy less risky assets than emerging market
Farm commodities were mixed on Friday amid worries over weak demand for US supplies and unfavorable weather in Argentina. Meanwhile, market players continued to monitor weather conditions in the key growing countries to gauge crops supply potential. Wheat dropped despite speculation that demand from livestock producers may climb. Sending wheat futures lower, Sovecon raised its Russia's wheat crop estimate to 85-89
Energy futures rose on Friday after upbeat US industrial production data added to hopes that the country's recovery is gaining momentum. Broadly weaker US Dollar also pushed the commodity complex higher. However, signs of rising global output as well as a recent jump in the US crude oil inventories capped gains. Crude oil jumped on hopes economic recovery in the US
Industrial metals were bearish on Friday amid elevated inventories at Shanghai Futures Exchange and an unexpected fall in the US consumer sentiment. However, losses were limited by upbeat reading of the US industrial production for February. Aluminum declined despite signs of improved demand in China. China bought 300,000 tonnes of the metal for government's stocks. At the same time, inventories
Precious metals were mixed on Friday amid broadly weaker US Dollar and expectations that the Fed will keep its bond buying programme in place. The recent data indicated US CPI rose to 2% year-on-year in February, while earlier the Fed said that it would continue its easing measures as long as inflation is not expected to exceed 2.5%. Gold drew
Palm oil decreased on Monday after a speculation that Malaysian stockpiles will hold close to its highest level as demand was reduced by 4.5% tax retained by the government and on concern that Europe might slid back into crisis after a levy on Cyprus's bank accounts. Palm oil for May delivery dropped 0.8% to 2,395 ringgit a metric ton on
The 17-nation bloc's currency depreciated versus the U.S. Dollar to the lowest level so far this year and it fell by the most in last three weeks against the Yen after finance ministers of the Eurozone decided to raise 5.8 billion Euros by taxing every bank account in Cyprus. The Euro dropped 1.4% to $1.2892 earlier on Monday London session
The MSCI Asia Pacific Index was lower by 1.7% to 134.34 points in the second part of Tokyo trading session on Monday. Asian stocks were ahead for the biggest drop in eight months, as Cyprus introduced an unprecedented levy on domestic bank deposits threatening to pull back Europe into a recession. Also, China increased down-payment requirements and interest rates for second mortgage, as
The South Korean Won depreciated by 0.5% to 1,116.01 per U.S. Dollar in morning Seoul trading session on Monday. Earlier the currency touched a 1,119.05 level, which was the highest since 27th of September. The won edged lower, as investors took away their assets from emerging markets after Cyprus announced about a levy on bank deposits, threatening to deteriorate Europe's
The Australian Dollar, also known as the Aussie, dropped by 0.5% to $1.0358 in the end of Sydney trading session on Monday. The Aussie erased two-day gains, as Cyprus increased concern that a new round of debt crisis in Europe will reduce demand for higher risk assets. Cypriot President ordered to take 5.8 billion Euros, a part of every bank
Labour costs per hour worked in the 17-nation bloc advanced by 1.3% on an annual basis in the last three months of 2012 mainly due to a slower pace of growth in wages, salaries and non-wage costs in the Q4, the Eurostat reported on Friday. Hourly wages and salaries increased 1.4% in the Q4, which was slower than a 2%
Cotton futures for May delivery were higher by 2.2% to 92.83 cents per pound in the morning on ICE Futures U.S. on Friday. Currently the price is at an 11-month high, which was reached as the U.S. Department of Agriculture improved estimations of China's consumption in 2013 to 36 billion bales or up by 1.4% higher than previous month.
U.S. consumer sentiment declined notably in the month of March with the consumer sentiment index decreasing to the lowest level in more than a year, the data released by Thomson Reuters and the University of Michigan showed on Friday. The report said the consumer sentiment index fell from a level of 77.6 points in February to 71.8 recorded in March,
The Swiss Market Index traded at 7,842.85 points and was unchanged by midday trading session on Friday. The index sets for a 1.3% weekly gain and is close to a five-year high. Investors wait for data from the U.S. The most traded companies were Novartis AG, as JPMorgan upgraded its rating, and Spruengli AG, the biggest premium chocolate producer, dropped
Industrial output in the U.S. improved by more than preliminary estimated in the month of February after manufacturing output bounced back, when it increased by 0.8% in February following a 0.3% fall the month before, the Federal Reserve showed in a report on Friday. The report said industrial production added 0.7% in February compared to a 0.5% gain originally forecast.
The S&P 500 Index slipped by 0.2% to 1,560.71 and the DJIA dropped by 31.37 points, or 0.2%, in the morning of New York trading session on Friday. The U.S. equity index snapped a 10-day rally gains, as consumer confidence index unexpectedly declined in March. The index decreased to 71.8 points from 77.6 in February.
Manufacturing conditions in New York continued to advance in the month of March, however, with the pace of improvement showing a surprising slowdown compared to the prior month, the Federal Reserve Bank of New York reported on Friday. General business condition index of the New York Fed dropped from 10.0 points in February to 9.2 points in March, with the
The Mexican Peso climbed 1.7% to 12.4208 per the U.S. Dollar in five previous days and is ahead to the best weekly advancement since January. The currency increased to a 18-moth high on 13th of March and it was a 3.5% gain from the beginning of the year. The Peso is traded positively as Standard & Poor's increased an outlook on the
House prices in Spain dropped by 12.8% on an annual basis in the last three months of 2012, according to a report released by the INE on Friday, but the drop was slower comparing to a 15.2% decline recorded in the Q3. Spain's new housing prices slipped by 10.9% in the Q4 following a 13.6% fall in the previous quarter,