Markets ended the week on a negative mood, following the release of weaker than expected employment data in the US (non-farm payrolls rose by 235k in August after 1,053k in July). The disappointing figures could well postpone a decision by the Fed to taper its asset purchases for later this year.
Cerca a CaixaBank Research
Resultats de la cerca
2035 resultats per a Roles of education in the development process
The Fed delivered a hawkish pause yesterday, leaving interest rates unchanged but acknowledging a strong US economy. The dot-plot projects a tighter policy through 2024 and 2025, consistent with rates higher for longer. US stock indices fell and US Treasury yields rose on the news, with the yield curve flattening, while the USD appreciated.
Financial markets started the week with a subdued risk appetite. Sovereign bond yields rose across the board in developed markets. The sold off started in Japan, where it seems increasingly likely that the BoJ could rise rates in December. In both Europe and the US, November ISM and PMI data showed protracted weakness in manufacturing.
El sector agroalimentari espanyol s’enfronta a un nou escenari comercial marcat per l’augment d’aranzels per part dels EUA, fixats en el 15% per als productes europeus, mentre s’espera que es defineixin les excepcions estratègiques. En un context de proteccionisme creixent i d’afebliment del multilateralisme, el sector busca adaptar-se mitjançant la diversificació de mercats i l’impuls d’acords bilaterals des de la UE. El pacte amb Mercosur obre oportunitats per a productes clau com l’oli d'oliva, el vi o el porcí, però també planteja riscos per la competència en sectors sensibles com la carn de boví o l’arròs. Malgrat tot, la competitivitat i la diversificació de l’agro espanyol el posicionen favorablement per afrontar aquest entorn desafiador.
As no major developments were reported in the Middle East, investors remained cautiously optimistic that US–Iran talks could resume in the coming days and the ceasefire will hold. Energy prices were broadly stable to softer, with Brent crude trading around $95/barrel and TTF gas easing toward €41/MWh.
In yesterday session, investors continued to digest the dovish tone set by the main central banks (ECB, BoE, BoJ and Fed). The expectation of monetary policy stimulus in the coming months pushed global stock indices up.
Stock indices rose across the globe after Draghi said in Sintra's conference that more stimulus will be necessary in case there is no improvement in the risks to the economic outlook.
U.S. stock markets registered strong gains during the last day of the week due to economic optimism after the publication of the U.S. jobs report that showed a solid increase in employment, with 313,000 jobs created in February.
Yesterday's session was marked by a risk-off sentiment, as energy prices continued to rise amid escalating tensions in the Middle East, with the US and Iran exchanging strikes with reportedly the highest intensity since the ceasefire was started in early April. Brent crude prices were up nearly 2% and TTF natural gas prices were up 2.5%.
In the last session of the week, stock indices declined across the globe and sovereign yields edged lower amid continuing concerns over trade tensions between the U.S. and China and better-than-expected U.S. retail sales.
In a session where the inflow of macroeconomic and sentiment data was abundant in the U.S. and in the euro area, investors read it, overall, in the downside.
A cautious approach was retaken by investors on Wednesday, driven by uncertainty on the geopolitical risk involving Ukraine and the exit strategy of major central banks in advanced economies. These headwinds more than offset better-than-expected data for January in the US (+3.8% m/m for retail sales and 1.4% for industrial production).
Investors kicked-off the week on a cautious note as they await the ECB's Governing Council meeting (on Thursday), widely expected to lower interest rates by 25bp, and US inflation figures for November (released on Wednesday), a key report for the Fed's decision next week.
Investors' sentiment continued to deteriorate amid escalating trade tensions and Russia's initial refusal to agree to a truce in Ukraine. Equity markets ended lower, particularly in the US, and Treasury yields fell as investors increased their demand for safe-haven US government debt. Oil prices declined as markets weighed the risk that the tariff war could dampen global energy demand.
Markets ended the week in a mixed mood as investors pondered over the Fed's plans for stimuli withdrawal, risks from China's Evergrande and the announcement that Chinese authorities will ban all transactions and mining related to cryptocurrencies. Global stocks declined or closed flat while the USD rose against most AE and EM currencies.
Investors traded cautiously amid political tensions in France, where lawmakers are set to vote today on no-confidence motions. Euro area sovereign bond yields edged lower, and France's risk premium narrowed to 85bp after reaching 88bp in the previous session. The region's main stock indices advanced slightly, and the euro held steady at 1.05 against the dollar.
Renewed U.S.-Iran strikes weighed on investor sentiment and led to a volatile session. Energy prices rose, with Brent oil and TTF gas around $90 and €70, respectively. Stock markets declined across the board and the USD weakened against a basket of major currencies, with the euro strengthening moderately above $1.16.
Investors traded cautiously amid heightened tariff uncertainty, fresh rounds of talks between Russia and Ukraine, and mixed macro data. In the US, the Conference Board Consumer Confidence index fell to its lowest level since 2021, while the German Ifo business climate index rose, as companies' expectations about the future improved.
In the last session of the week investors traded with a risk-off mood amid escalating tensions around Russia and Ukraine. During the weekend, the White House accepted a summit between Biden and Putin as long as Russia does not invade Ukraine, a move that could help deescalating tensions.
Wednesday's session had a more mixed tone compared to Tuesday's broad selloff, with U.S. equities staging a partial recovery. European equities, however, remained under pressure, weighed down by higher sovereign yields. In FX markets, the yen strengthened against the dollar amid hawkish BoJ speak, while the euro remained roughly stable.