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,
U.S. Treasuries increased on Friday pushing benchmark 10-year yields below 2% for the first time in a six-day period after a report showed a surprising decrease in gauge of U.S. consumer confidence suggesting that the strength of economic recovery might be overrated. U.S. benchmark 10-year Treasury yields dropped 0.04 percentage point to 1.99% at 10:38 a.m. in New York.
U.S. consumer prices increased above economists' expectations in February mainly due to a steep growth of energy prices, the Labor Department showed in a report on Friday. The report said the consumer price index grew by 0.7% in February staying at the same level as in the two previous months, while the core consumer price index jumped 0.2% in February
The Nigerian Naira increased by 0.9% to 158.65 per the U.S. Dollar in the second part of Lagos trading session on Friday. The currency erased a five-day decrease, as the central bank said that have to sold the U.S. Dollar directly to the market in order to stabilize it. Authority's auctions, used for the same aim, are unable to satisfy Dollar's demand
Public debt of Spain's economy recorded its historical high at the end of 2012 mainly due to more requirements for federal and autonomous funds. Spain's public debt reached 84.1% of the country's gross domestic product in 2012 compared to 69.3% in 2011, while the ceiling set by the EU is 60%. However, the EU was expecting the debt to grow
Japanese equities edged higher, sending the Nikkei 225 Stock Average to its highest level in more than four years on growing optimism about the outlook for the world's largest economy, as jobless claims dropped unexpectedly, and Japanese upper house approved the two nominees to lead the central bank. The Nikkei 225 Index rose 1.5% to 12,560.95, its 4-year record high.
Inflation in the Eurozone dropped in the month of February mainly due to a decrease of prices in telecommunication, medical and paramedical services, the statistical office of the EU reported on Friday. Year-on-year, the 17-nation bloc inflation declined from 2.0% in January to 1.8% the following month, while the whole European Union annual inflation went down from 2.1% in January
Gold futures were traded below this month's high on Friday heading for the second weekly increase in London as physical demand for the metal stays strong and after a data showed that jobless claims decreased and this week's retail sales advanced in U.S. Gold futures for immediate delivery grew 0.2% to $1,593.18 an ounce earlier on Friday session after recording
Unemployment in Turkey advanced in the month of December from the prior year, when the country's jobless rate increased from 9.8% in December 2011 to a level of 10.1% in December 2012, the Turkish Statistical Institute reported on Friday. Year-on-year, the total number of unemployed people rose by 214,000 to 2.79 million in December.
Current account deficit in Finland decreased from December's EUR 616 billion to EUR 430 billion in January, a report released by the Bank of Finland showed on Friday. The report said that on the balance of traded goods the country had a deficit of EUR 207 million in January, while on the balance of traded services there was a shortfall
Canada's currency advanced against most of its counterparts on Friday after a report showed an increase of new-home prices by 0.1% in January led by Canada's capital city where the growth was 0.3%, the Statistics Canada reported on Thursday. The so-called Loonie increased 0.5% to C$1.0222 per U.S. Dollar at 5 p.m. in Toronto and closing with a 0.6% gain,
The British Pound appreciated for a third straight day versus the U.S. Dollar reaching its strongest level in March after Mervyn King from the Bank of England said that the central bank is not trying to weaken the Sterling. The Pound added 0.4% to $1.5137 earlier on Friday London session after touching its highest level since February 28 at $1.5199.
Producer and import prices in Switzerland increased by less than preliminary estimated in February, when they moved up by 0.1% on an annual basis on the month, however, economists' expected a 0.3% growth, the Federal Statistics Office reported on Friday. Year-on year, the producer price index grew 0.4% and the import price index drop 0.7% in February.
West Texas Intermediate oil advanced for a second straight day on Friday heading for its second weekly gain, at the same time May Brent crude futures advanced 0.3%, but it has declined 1.4% this week and is poised to its weakest weekly performance in eleven months. April West Texas oil futures advanced 34 cents to $93.37 a barrel on NYMEX
Most U.S. blue chips rallied, as a report showed the number of jobless claims fell more-than-expected, bolstering optimism over the world's largest economy. First-time unemployment benefit claims slid to 332,000, down 10,000, in the week ended March 9. The Dow Jones Index rallied 0.6% to close at 14,539.14. The benchmark index is currently trading at its highest price-to-earnings ration in
Manufacturing activity in New Zealand advanced at the fastest rate since February 2012 with the seasonally adjusted Purchasing Managers' Index increasing from 55.2 points in January to a level of 56.3 the following month, a report released by the BNZ and Business NZ showed on Friday. The report also said New Zealand's production recorded its highest level since December 2004
German government yields were little changed on Friday before a report showed a slowdown of the annual inflation in the Eurozone falling below the European Central Bank's 2% target in the month of February. 10-year benchmark bund yields were about 0.06 percentage points from a 2-week high at 1.54%, when they were at 1.48% earlier on Friday session in London.
Asian stocks bounced back from a three-day losing streak on Friday session after a new U.S. data showed an unexpected drop of jobless claims suggesting that the recovery of the world's largest economy is steady and as Japan's parliament approved a new governor of the BoJ. The MSCI Asia Pacific Index advanced 0.7% to 136.22 on Friday heading for a
The U.S. Dollar's streak of gains came to an end on Friday session as technical indicators signalled that advances may have come too fast and the Japanese Yen appreciated after the country's parliament approved a nominee of PM Shinizo Abe for the central bank governor. The greenback was at 96.03 per Yen after hitting a 3-1/2-year high of 96.71 on
U.S. shares rose, with the S&P 500 Index advancing to trade within two points of its record high level, as data showed claims for unemployment benefits declined unexpectedly last week to touch their lowest in eight weeks. The Standard & Poor's Index jumped 0.6% to 1,563.23, the highest level in more that five years. All groups in the index edged