Investor sentiment was mixed across the globe on Friday. In the eurozone, government bond yields rose as preliminary PMI data for January came in above expectations thanks to a slight improvement in the manufacturing sector to 46.1. US Treasury yields fell as both the services PMI and the U. of Michigan consumer sentiment index surprised to the downside.
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The week started with a strong risk-off move, particularly in the US. In the eurozone, the Sentix index of investor confidence for March hit its highest level since 2021, while German industrial production for January came in above expectations. Sovereign yield curves flattened as the short end declined, while the long end and spreads were broadly flat.
A wave of weaker-than-expected economic data both in the US and the euro area yielded a moderation in the expected path of policy interest rates which, in turn, pushed sovereign yields downs in both sides of the Atlantic. Stock indices edged up in the euro area and in emerging markets while closing mixed in the US.
The Federal Reserve kept the federal funds rate unchanged at the 4.25%-4.50% range and highlighted that the risks of higher inflation and higher unemployment have risen. The decision had been widely discounted by markets and had little impact on financial assets. Markets still expect three cuts in 2025, starting in July, and Treasury yields ended the session mostly flat.
Financial markets reversed part of the large movements from the previous session following the US January CPI report. Sovereign bond yields fell on both sides of the Atlantic, while equity markets recovered most notably in the US. The VIX volatility index fell below 15 once again.
In the last session of the week, higher-than-expected US PPI inflation data in January (0.3% m/m from -0.1% in the previous month) pushed back the expectations of interest rate cuts from the Federal Reserve and favored an increase in sovereign bond yields on both sides of the Atlantic.
The hawkish tone of the ECB at its yesterday's meeting centered the stage in financial markets. The ECB raised official interest rates by 50bp, as expected, but noted that ongoing increases at a "steady pace" will be necessary to bring inflation back to the 2% target and announced that the QT will start in March by not reinvesting €15bn/month.
In yesterday’s session, monetary policy tightening from the main central banks continued to center the stage in financial markets. The Bank of Japan surprised with its decision to increase the range of tolerance around its yield curve control tool. The ten-year sovereign yield rose 25bp towards 0.50% and the JPY appreciated markedly.
Risk aversion returned to the fore during a session characterized by low volumes in the run-up to the holiday season. Investors continued to reassess their expectations about monetary policy tightening amid hawkish commentary from some ECB officials and robust economic data in the US (e.g., new jobless claims and the upward revision in Q3 GDP).
In the last session of the week, investors continued to trade with a risk-on mode, taking on board the fall in HICP inflation in the eurozone (9.2% in December after 10.1%) and the US employment report for December. On balance, the data suggested central banks will continue hiking policy interest rates but likely at a reduced pace.
Central bank communication continued to center the stage on Wednesday. The release of the minutes of the last Fed meeting showed that almost all FOMC members favored a 25bp rate hike, while just a few would have opted for keeping the 50bp pace. They noted that, despite remaining elevated, inflationary pressures had begun to moderate.
Risk appetite continued to set the tone in the last session of the week, as investors reassessed prospects for less aggressive monetary policy tightening, on the back of reduced inflationary pressures, and took on board mixed results at the start of the Q4 earnings season among large US banks.
Investors started the week trading with a risk-on mood, taking position ahead of corporate earnings and key economic data to be released this week. Today, the focus will be on the flash PMIs for January, which are expected to edge modestly up in the euro area and in the US, despite remaining below the 50-point expansionary threshold.
In the last session of the week, investors reassessed their expectation for the Fed’s interest rate path ahead as the US April employment report showed a cooling labor market. In particular, job creation slowed from 315k to 175k, way below consensus expectations, the unemployment rate ticked up to 3.9% and wage growth decelerated to 0.2% m/m.
Investors kicked-off the week on a cautious tone. US Treasury yields continued to tick slightly higher, following the tendency of the last sessions. Global equities were mixed, rising in the US and declining across the euro area. A study published by the ECB found eurozone consumers have been shifting away from US goods and reducing overall discretionary spending.
In the last session of the week, financial markets were very volatile after the upside surprise in the US labor market report for January. Non-farm payrolls rose by 517k, well above consensus expectations (+188k) and the upwardly revised monthly average in 2022 (401k). The unemployment rate ticked down to 3.4%, a level not seen since 1969.
Yesterday investors continued to digest the messages from central bank officials, who, in general, have toughened the stance against inflation and show a more hawkish tone. In this context, yields on sovereign bonds rose further in the eurozone, more notably in the periphery, while remaining broadly unchanged in the US.
Generalized risk-off sentiment in yesterday’s session as markets remained attentive to further developments in the Middle East and as expectations of interest rate cuts, especially in the US, are delayed. Sovereign bond yields rose across the board and equities sold off globally, while the US dollar ended slightly higher, and Brent held steady at $90/barrel.
In the last session of the week, investors digested the hawkish comments offered by key central bank officials in the US Federal Reserve and ECB. In the former, Michelle Bowmen and Thomas Barkin signaled that interest rates will need to raise further but warned against reading too much into January’s retail sales and employment data.
Markets were mixed in yesterday's session as uncertainty about the situation in France and the US government shutdown continued to dampen investors' sentiment. Sovereign yields edged higher on both sides of the Atlantic and the euro weakened to $1.15 against the dollar. Euro area stocks were mixed and US stocks fell as the tech-fueled rally took a pause.