Evolution of the international financial markets and evaluation of the main events and economic indicators of the previous day session. Available in English.
U.S. equity markets reached new highs, led by technology, as sovereign yields declined after producer prices fell more than expected in August (-0.1% m/m), driven by lower services prices. The data reinforced market expectations of a Fed rate cut next week. In Europe, major indices closed mixed, with the notable gains in the IBEX-35 and the defense sector.
Investors seemingly recovered some appetite for risk in yesterday's session. Stock markets rose moderately across advanced economies and sovereign yields increased both in the U.S. and Europe. The euro reversed Monday's gains and fluctuated close to $1.17 while commodity prices were mixed.
Global stocks rebounded and sovereign yields continued to decline as investors cemented their expectations for rate cuts ahead of the Fed's next week meeting. The USD weakened moderately across other major currencies and gold prices continued to surge.
Risk-off sentiment drove markets after a weaker-than-expected U.S. labor market report (nonfarm payrolls +22k in August, and June-July revised down to a cumulative +66k [prior: +87k]). Advanced-economy stock markets declined and sovereign yields dropped amid stronger market expectations over Fed cuts. The euro strengthened above $1.17 and gold rose.
Data released yesterday, which continued to point to a cooling US labor market, including higher-than-expected unemployment benefit claims and slower private job creation, reinforced expectations of a Fed cut later this month. Dovish remarks from NY Fed President Williams, who sees gradual rate cuts, further supported this narrative.
Dovish remarks from Fed Governor Chris Waller and a JOLTS job report that showed US job openings fell in July to the lowest in 10 months, reniforced market expectations of a Fed rate cut in its September meeting. US Treasruy yields fell and stocks advanced, while the dollar edged lower.
Renewed fears about inflation and fiscal discipline prompted a broad sovereign bond sell-off. The Japanese 20-year bond yield reached levels not seen since 1999, the 30-year UK yield touched highs from 1998, and the yields on the 30-year US Treasury came close to 5%. Risk-off sentiment spread to global stock markets which pared losses during the session.
Markets had a muted reaction to a U.S. federal appeals court which ruled 7–4 that tariffs imposed under the IEEPA exceed congressional authority, affecting general bilateral tariffs but not sector-specific ones. The tariffs remain in place until October 14 while parties may seek Supreme Court review.
Investors ended August with a mixed session as markets remained focused primarily on inflation data and monetary policy expectations.
The Federal Reserve held the federal funds rate at 4,25%-4,50%, citing solid labor market conditions and above-target inflation. Financial markets made a hawkish reading of the Fed's accompanying statement and pushed back expectations of the next cut from September to October. The probability of a second cut in December dropped from 80% to 40%.
Euro area investor sentiment recovered following the EU-US trade deal, sending stocks higher across the region. In the US, investors traded in a risk-off mood on news that, after two days of negotiations in Stockholm, Chinese and US officials failed to deliver a trade deal and agreed only to seek an extension of the 90-day tariff truce. Stocks fell, and Treasuries rallied.
Initial optimism over the EU-U.S. trade deal, which had boosted European stocks early in the trading session, soon faded and the region's main indices closed lower with losses led by German stocks (-1%). U.S. stocks had a choppy session and ended mostly flat, while large-cap tech stocks edged higher. The euro slipped to just below $1.16, its lowest in over a month