Financial Markets Daily Report

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Investors closed the week trading cautiously, still digesting the hawkish rhetoric by some key Fed officials (St Louis Fed James Bullard) and data showing a further decline in home sales in the US in October.

In yesterday's session, monetary policy took center stage again as US Federal Reserve comments pointed to a higher terminal interest rate than anticipated by financial markets. Investors priced in these comments and yields on sovereign bonds rose in the euro area and, especially, in the US.

Investors traded with a cautious mood in yesterday’s session amid mixed economic data in the US and a delicate geopolitical situation. Nevertheless, US and NATO comments are for now ruling out the possibility that the missiles hitting Poland had a Russian origin.

In yesterday’s session, financial markets' expectation of a much more tightened monetary policy stance eased, as producer price data in the US increased by less than expected in October (0.2% and 0.0% m/m the overall and core indices). Also, speeches from ECB and Fed members favored slowing down the pace of rate hikes.

In the first session of the week, monetary policy centered the stage, with important voices from the ECB and the Federal Reserve advocating for a slower pace of interest rate hikes in the coming months.

In the last session of the week, investors' sentiment kept the upbeat tone seen on Thursday following the decrease in the October US CPI inflation figures. Money markets continued to price a lower monetary policy tightening from the ECB and the Fed than the one implied before the CPI release.

A risk-on session was recorded across markets on Thursday after the softer-than-expected inflation data in the US and the uptick in new weekly jobless claims reinforced hopes for a slowdown in the pace of rate hikes by the Fed.

Investors continued to trade with a cautious mood on Wednesday, as results from the US midterm elections suggested the Republicans may gain control of the House but the Democrats could hold on the Senate. Investors were also taking position ahead of a crucial CPI inflation report in the US today.

In yesterday session, investors traded cautiously amid ECB officials’ comments pointing towards further normalization in the assets' holdings and as they waited for the outcome of the US midterms. Early this morning, the most probable outcome is that Republicans have won the House while Democrats will control the Senate by a small margin.

Investors started the week trading with a cautious approach. On the positive side, sentiment continued to be supported by expectations that the Chinese government could relax some of its COVID zero policy. On the opposite direction, data showed further weakness in China’s economic recovery.

Investors closed the week trading with a risk on mood. Sentiment was supported by news reporting that the Chinese government may scrap some COVID restrictions affecting the airline sector. In addition, investors shrug off the upside surprise in the pace of job creation in the US (+261.000 in October versus 200.000 expected by the consensus).

Central banks continued to center the stage on Thursday. On the one hand, investors continued to digest the Fed meeting, where Chairman Powell signaled a “slower for higher” approach in interest rates hikes, and, on the other, the Bank of England’s decision to increase rates by 75bp, albeit diminishing market expectations for the path ahead.