Basel banking regulators have decreased their requirements for banks in order to decrease their reliance on debt. Some economists think that this decision will cut financial activities with low risk and decrease lending. Regulators will particularly strike out some instruments that should be included in calculating assets. According to plan, it can raise the capital to assets ratio to the
The number of loans issued for buying property in Australia continues to increase on a stable pace, while low interest rates encourage people to buy homes. The seasonally adjusted number of mortgages advanced 1.1% on a monthly basis in November of the previous year. Economists waited for a 1% rise. Moreover, the value of new loans surged 1.7%, reaching A$26.934
According to the third survey by the Bank of France, concerning the economic growth in the last quarter of the previous year, French economy added as much as 0.5% on the quarterly basis. At the same time, the outlook remained unchanged from the previous survey. Therefore, the French economy will likely avoid the recession, as in the July-September quarter country's
The unemployment level in the United States surprisingly decreased in December of the last year, reaching 6.7% - the lowest jobless level since October 2008, while much more people were forced to leave the labor force. At the same time, payrolls in the country advanced only 74,000 in the previous month, after a 241,000 surge in November, rising less than
According to the final data of the Eurostat, the official statistical agency in the EU, economic growth in the common currency bloc stayed at the previously expected level of 0.1% in the July-September quarter of 2013. At the same time, the decrease in growth pace has also been registered, as in Q2 the economy added 0.3%. On the annual basis,
The manufacturing industry of the Netherlands showed an increase in output in November of the previous year, while the pace of growth has noticeably decreased from a preceding month, reaching only 0.4% on the annual basis. In October, in turn, manufacturing in the country jumped 2.4%. At the same time, statistical data showed a rise in almost all the main
U.K. shares advanced, making their biggest climb this year, as the U.S. unemployment data were awaited by investors. The FTSE 100 Index rallied 1.1% to 6,764.43 as of 12:31 p.m. London time, reversing previous losses and taking the gauge to a 0.5 increase weekly. The FTSE All-Share Index added 1%, while Ireland's ISEQ Index climbed 0.3% today.
The U.S. Dollar gained to the highest level in approximately five years versus the Japanese Yen ahead of U.S. payroll data that are expected to show that companies employed additional workers on December. The greenback added 0.2% to 105.02 Yen as of 7:01 a.m. New York time, after climbing to 105.44 on January 2, the highest level since 2008. The
The Bloomberg Dollar Spot Index is set for a fourth straight weekly climb, making it the longest since March, ahead of a government payrolls report that economists expect to be positive. The Bloomberg Dollar Spot Index advanced 0.1% to 1,028.76 as of 9:56 a.m. in London and it has added 0.3% weekly. The gauge gained to 1,030.43 on Thursday, the
German shares gained, heading for the first one-week advances this year, as the U.S. unemployment data are awaited by investors. The DAX advanced 1.1% to 9,522.18 as of 12:42 p.m. Frankfurt time and it is set for 0.9% climb weekly, while the HDAX Index increased 1.1% today. The biggest gainer was Deutsche Lufthansa AG that jumped 7.3%, after they stated
The British currency dropped for the first day out of last three against the greenback after U.K. factory output data missed economist forecasts in November. The Sterling slid 0.4 to $1.6411 as of 10:03 a.m. in London, after advancing to $1.6603 on January 2, the strongest level in more than two years. The Pound added 0.3% to 82.85 pence per
German government bunds increased on Friday and were set to record their second weekly advance after the rating agency Standard & Poor's affirmed the country's highest AAA credit rating. The benchmark 10-year government bunds yielded two basis points lower at 1.90% by 7:39 a.m. in London and recorded a drop by 5 basis points this week, the largest slide since
European shares increased on Friday session and were set to record their first weekly gain in this year before U.S. reports showed that jobs in the country rose by the most since 2005 pushing the U.S. shares higher. The benchmark index Stoxx Europe 600 gained as much as .5% to 329.92 as of 8:11 a.m. London time and it has
U.S. Treasuries fluctuated on Friday and traded near the lowest level in seven years against their counterparts world-wide after reports showed figures beating economists' expectations and as investors awaited U.S. payrolls today. The U.S. benchmark 10-year government bond yielded at 2.97% by 7:07 a.m. London time.
Commodities world-wide rallied on Friday with the index measuring a performance of 24 most-traded commodities rebounding from the lowest level in eight months as metals and crude jumped before U.S. payrolls. The S&P GSCI Index advanced 0.6% as of 3:38 p.m. Tokyo time with oil rising 1%, gold increased for the second straight session and copper rose from its 3-week
Gold increased on Friday trading session before a government report showed that payroll in the U.S. fall suggesting that the U.S. Federal Reserve may scale back its stimulus more and as physical demand outlook seen falling. Bullion for delivery in January advanced 0.8% to $1,238.15 an ounce and it traded at $1,235.83 as of 2:37 p.m. Singapore time.
Retail sales in the United Kingdom advanced in December mainly due to an increase in sales online, however the pace of growth recorded on the month was the lowest in the whole 2013, a report published by the British Retail Consortium showed on Friday. According to the report, the U.K. retail sales added 1.8% on an annual basis as the
A leading index measuring economic activity in the Asia's second largest economy advanced at a notable faster pace in November than in the prior month matching initial economists' forecast, data published by the Cabinet Office showed on Friday. Japan's leading economic index gained from October's 109.8 to a level of 110.8 recorded in November.
Merchandise exports in India accelerated in December, however than rate of growth was lower than originally expected, a report revealed by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry showed on Friday. According to the report, India's exports gained 3.49% year-on-year to $26.35 billion in December, while imports dropped annually by 15.25% to $36.49 billion.
Unemployment in Switzerland stayed unchanged in December with the jobless rate recording a level of 3.2% remaining flat from November's level and matching initial estimates, a report published by the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs revealed on Friday. The total number of unemployed people recorded 149,437 in December.
China's trade balance came in surplus in the last month of 2013, however the surplus was significantly lower than in the previous year and it missed economists' estimated as imports rose and exports declined, the Customs Administration reported on Friday. The country's trade surplus dropped by 24.3% in December totalling $25.6 billion, while it was forecast to record $31.2 billion.
Export growth in the world's second largest economy eased by more than economists originally estimated in December as the global demand declined, a report revealed by the Customs Administration showed on Friday. According to the report, China's exports advanced 4.3% in December after rising 12.7% in the month before.
The U.S. Dollar weakened against the euro-area currency on Friday falling from its seven-week high as investors took some of their profits before a government report showed results from the U.S. labour market. The U.S. Dollar index measuring performance against its the most-traded peers dropped from 81.187, the most since November, to 80.953 earlier today.
The majority of Asian stocks held firm on Friday trading session after a government report showed that China's exports grew at a slower rate than initially forecast in December and imports advanced more than projected on the month and as investors expected U.S. jobs data today. The MSCI Asia-Pacific Index outside Japan rose 0.1% and the Hong Kong benchmark gauge