Merchandise trade account in Australia came in deficit in the month of August, a report released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics showed on Wednesday. According to the report, the country's merchandise trade deficit recorded A$815 million in August rising by 41% from the previous month, while it was forecast to record a shortfall of A$400 million.
European shares dropped on Wednesday trading session following the biggest increase in three weeks recorded yesterday as investors weighed impact on the global economy after the U.S. government shut down partially for the first time in 17 years. The benchmark Stoxx Europe 600 Index fell 0.4% to 311.73 as of 8:08 a.m. London time.
Japanese stocks dropped on Wednesday pushing the local benchmark index down as investors weighed sale-tax hikes and a $51 billion monetary stimulus plan announced by the country's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. Japanese Topix index decreased 1.5% to 1,175.16 at close in Tokyo following a 0.5% advance earlier on Wednesday trading session.
German and Spanish government bonds were little changed on Wednesday before the European Central Bank announced the latest monetary policy decision about benchmark interest rates. Spanish benchmark 10-year yields were traded at 4.17% after touching its weakest level since May 9 at 4.10%, while the country's securities advanced 9.9% and German's fell 1.6%.
Italian government bonds gained for the second straight day on Wednesday as the country's Prime Minister Enrico Letta was expected to save the government in a confidence voting taking place today after Silvio Berlusconi said he would back Letta. Italian benchmark 10-year yields dropped 2 basis points to 4.40% as of 8:07 a.m. in London.
Gold futures gained on Wednesday trading session after they were traded near the lowest level in an 8-week period as investors weighed the outlook for the U.S. Federal Reserve's stimulus package after the U.S. government shut down partially for the first time in 17 years. Bullion for delivery in October advanced 0.5% to $1,293.60 an ounce and was traded at
The Canadian currency dropped versus the Australian Dollar as the U.S. officials could not find compromise and that has led to first partial government shutdown in almost two decades. Canada's Dollar fell 1% to 97.02 cents per Aussie as of 5 p.m. Toronto time, while the Loonie slid 0.1% to C$1.0322 per U.S. Dollar.
The Australian Dollar slid from the highest level in a week against U.S. Dollar after data that indicated on bigger-than-estimated trade deficit in eight month of the year. The Aussie weakened 0.4% to 93.58 U.S. cents at 4:44 p.m. Sydney time after reaching 94.35 on Tuesday, the strongest level since September 23, while the Kiwi slipped 0.6% to 82.24 U.S.
The 17-nation currency fell from the highest level in eight months against the greenback ahead of the ECB meeting today. The Euro traded at $1.3522 at 6:49 a.m. London time after it reached $1.3588 on Tuesday, the strongest level since February 6. The shared currency dropped 0.3% to 132.15 Yen, while the U.S. Dollar slipped 0.3% to 93.73 Yen.
Corn futures slipped on Wednesday and were traded close to the lowest level in three years amid concern that despite the partial shutdown of the U.S. government the Department of Agriculture closes reducing the overseas demand as supplies rise. Corn for delivery in December fell 0.8% to $4.355 a bushel on the CBOT and were traded at $4.36 as of
West Texas Intermediate crude declined on Wednesday falling for the ninth time in a 10-day period amid increasing oil stockpiles and as the first partial shutdown of the U.S. government in 17 years may reduce demand for the oil and the country's economic growth. WTI November futures dropped 58 cents to $101.46 a barrel in the NYMEX and were traded
The U.S. Dollar traded close to its lowest level in eight months on Wednesday as a report showing that the manufacturing sector rose more than expected overshadowed concerns about the length of the first partial shutdown of the U.S. government in 17 years. The Greenback was at $1.3523 per Euro after it fluctuated in a range of $1.3462 and $1.3569.
U.S. shares gained on Wednesday started a new month and a new quarter with increase on Tuesday as investors appeared confident that the U.S. government partial shutdown, first in 17 years, would be short-lived. Trading volume on the New York Stock Exchange stayed below average, when it totaled 6 billion shares as all major stock indexes rose.
The majority of Asian shares were traded higher on Wednesday trading session as investors expect the first partial shutdown of the U.S. government in 17 years will be short-lived with no broader impact on the global economy. Korean stocks were traded 0.4% higher, Indonesian shares advanced 1.2%, while China's markets remain closed until Tuesday for national holiday.
Natural gas futures traded in New York advanced on Tuesday rising for the fourth time in a five-day period amid speculation that pipelines and platforms in the Gulf of Mexico may shut down as a tropical weather system enters the area. Natural gas for delivery in November increased 3.6 cents to $3.596 per million British thermal units as of 9:37
Spain's manufacturing sector improved for the second successive month in September as the operating conditions rose, however, the pace of growth was smaller than in the month before, the Markit Economics reported on Tuesday. The report showed that the factory sector purchasing managers' index fell from 21.1 in August to 50.7 in September.
Prime Minister of Japan Shinzo Abe declared that the country's government will rise up the sales tax in April 2014 as planned and the new stimulus package was confirmed to be JPY 5 trillion, a document published by the Cabinet Office showed on Tuesday. The consumption tax will be increase by the government from current level of 5% to 8%
Business activity in the U.S. manufacturing sector accelerated for the fourth successive month in September, when the pace of growth exceeded original estimates, a report released by the Institute for Supply Management unveiled on Tuesday. The report showed that the purchasing managers' index rose from 55.7 in August to 56.2 recorded in September.
Emerging-market shares moved up on Tuesday increasing for the first time in a six-day period after a report showed that Indonesian trade surplus exceeded forecast and as the U.S. Congress deadlock caused a partial shutdown of the U.S. government. The MSCI Emerging Markets Index gained 0.4% to 991.28 at 2:19 p.m. Hong Kong time reversing a previous 2.8% fall.
Manufacturing activity in Switzerland expanded at a faster rate than economists originally expected in the month of September, a report published by procure.ch and the Credit Suisse revealed on Tuesday. According to the report, the purchasing managers' index advanced from 54.6 points in August to a level 55.3 recorded in September, while it was forecast to rise to 54.9.
Manufacturing activity in the 17-nation bloc advanced at a slower rate in September after it recorded the highest level in 26 months in August, a survey released by the Markit Economics revealed on Tuesday. According to the survey Eurozone's purchasing managers' index fell from 51.4 points in August to a level of 51.1 in September, however, manufacturing sector rose for
Inflation in Indonesia eased surprisingly in the month of September after the nation's central bank increased its benchmark interest rates four times in 2013, a report released by the Statistics Indonesia showed on Tuesday. The consumer price index slowed down to 8.4% last month from the highest level in four years recorded in August at 8.79%.
According to the Eurostat data, the unemployment rate in the common currency zone decreased to 12% in August of this year, while economists predicted the rate to be stable from July reading of 12.1%. Totally around 19.178 million people were unemployed by the end of August. The smallest jobless rate is registered in Austria (4.9%), while the largest rates are
Activity in the manufacturing industry of the United Kingdom continued to expand in September, but the rate of increase decreased slightly. The benchmark PMI Index declined to 56.7 points from 57.1 points in August, while analysts forecasted the index to advance to 57.3 points. Still, the index value above 50 points indicates the rise in manufacturing, which accounts over 12%