Sentiment deteriorated across financial markets on Wednesday, as investors digested the hawkish narrative in the accounts of the Fed’s latest meeting and the likely new imposition of sanctions against Russia.
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Thursday's trading was driven by two US data points: September inflation, which came in slightly higher than expected, and weekly jobless claims, which came in higher than expected, indicating some weakness in the labour market. The debate on the Fed's next move was further fueled by Fed's Barkin words saying it was too soon to declare victory over inflation.
On Tuesday, the better-than-expected release of February PMIs fueled an increase in investors’ expectations for the path of official interest rates, which, in turn, pushed sovereign bond yields up in the euro area and in the US.
Central bank communication remained at the center stage yesterday, as Fed and ECB officials reiterated that monetary policy would need to be restrictive for a while. In the eurozone, GC member Klaas Knot, said the ECB should only decrease the pace of rate hikes once it sees underlying inflation abating, pointing to a 50bp hike in May.
Stocks rose across the board as Biden's $1.9tn fiscal package won final approval in the U.S. Congress and CPI data calmed inflation worries. In particular, U.S. CPI inflation rose to 1.7% yoy in February but core inflation nudged down to 1.3% (see our take and why we expect inflation to be under the spotlight in the coming months here).
Tuesday's session was mixed, as investors weighed worries of further restrictions to stem the spread of the virus in Europe against prospects of additional fiscal stimulus in the United States.
As expected, the Federal Reserve increased policy interest rates by 25 bp to the range 4.50%-4.75% but surprised by giving a dovish tone, noting that disinflationary pressures have started while the economy is starting to slow. The Fed reiterated that “ongoing increases” on interest rates would still be needed.
Investors' risk appetite waned yesterday amid renewed tensions in the war in Ukraine. Government bond yields rose in the Eurozone, where data released yesterday showed that negotiated wage growth accelerated to 5.4% in Q3 from 4.6% in Q2, which could cause the ECB to reconsider its dovishness if this feeds through to inflation in the coming months.
Investors traded in a risk-on mood as markets head into the holiday period. Yesterday, sentiment was supported by news that the UK and the EU are on the verge of unveiling a trade deal (an announcement is expected today).
In the first session of the week, investors extended the positive tone seen during last Friday. In the euro area, economic data releases came in better than expected (EZ Sentix Investor Confidence rose in June to 28.0 from 21.0 and Spain's industrial production rose by 1.2% mom in April).
In yesterday's session financial markets continued to digest the last US Federal Reserve monetary policy decision, where interest rates were held unchanged at the 5.25%-5.50% target range and President Jerome Powell hinted that we might already be at the peak of the hiking cycle, although new rate hikes were not definitely ruled out.
In yesterday's session, investors weighed mixed corporate earnings results with better-than-expected flash January PMIs. In particular, the composite indices for the euro area and the US edged up from 49.3 and 45.0 to 50.2 and 46.6, respectively. Both sectors, services and manufacturing, registered an improvement from the previous month.
Market sentiment was dampened by weak investor confidence data in Germany (ZEW index dropped to 7.4 from 13.1 in the previous month), where also Chancellor Scholtz announced elections will be held in February after the ruling coalition collapsed last week. Sentiment was further dampened by caution ahead of today's inflation report in the US.
Investors kicked off the week with a higher risk appetite. In the euro area, the initial negative reaction to Trump's victory began to fade, with equity indices rising across the region and sovereign bond yields falling. Peripheral speads narrowed only slightly and Fitch upgraded Spain's debt outlook from "stable" to "positive", and affirmed its A- rating.
A new variant of the coronavirus in the U.K. triggered a global sell-off yesterday. The new variant, which is said to be up to 70% more infectious, sent stocks lower across the world.
Investors traded cautiously in the last session of the week and stock indices rose mildly in most euro area trading floors and in the US (where the S&P 500 reached a new record high).
Investors continued to err on the side of caution during a volatile session marked by the release of US CPI inflation for January. The report showed headline CPI rose by 0.5% m/m (+0,1% in December), while the year-on-year rate eased only mildly (6.4% after 6.5% in December), above expectations (6.2% according to Bloomberg).
Investors ended the week with mixed results, balancing out a solid employment report in the US (payrolls rose by 431.000 in March and the jobless rate fell to 3.6%) with upside surprises in inflation in the eurozone (HICP went up by 7.5% y/y in March). Ongoing talks between Russia and Ukraine also remained in focus.
Markets ended the week on a cautious note as investors worried over deteriorating pandemic dynamics (compounded by news suggesting that the British strain of the coronavirus could be deadlier) and euro area indicators pointed at a decline in activity in January (the area-wide flash composite PMI nudged down to 47.5 points).
Investors started the week in a risk-off mood, albeit with no clear trigger or catalyst, suggesting that it was mostly about locking in profits. Sovereign bond yields rose across the board on both sides of the Atlantic, with steepening curves. In the eurozone, peripheral spreads widened despite Fitch's confirmation of Italy's rating and improved outlook late on Friday.