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Investors started the week trading cautiously, taking on board weak sentiment data, hawkish commentary by some ECB officials and news reporting that Russia is due to reduce gas supplies to Europe.

Yesterday’s session centered around the June inflation report from the US: inflation cooled to 3.0% in June (from 3.3% in May) and core inflation fell to 3.3% from 3.4% last month. On a monthly basis, prices fell –0.1%, the first negative rate in four years. Markets are discounting two interest rate cut from the Fed in 2024, and a 40% probability of a third cut.

In yesterday's session, investors traded cautiously as they awaited for today's key US employment report for the month of August. Also, in the euro area a mixed inflation HICP was released, with all components except energy exhibiting a disinflationary path in August.

Risk-off sentiment dominated investors for most of yesterday's session. In the Eurozone, peripheral spreads narrowed and the German Bund yield curve steepened as talks between political parties over new spending plans continued. US Treasuries rose as well after the JOLTS report showed an increase in job openings in January.

On Tuesday investors traded with a risk-off mood as they took position ahead of the release of key reports for the Q4 earning season this week and the first monetary policy meeting by the Fed on 25-26 January.

Investors traded cautiously ahead of today’s Fed meeting. Yesterday’s JOLTS report showed US job openings increased in October, indicating that the labor market isn't weakening abruptly and raising the risk that the Fed may strike a hawkish tone despite the widely expected rate cut later today. In response, Treasury yields edged higher and the dollar strengthened.

Yesterday, investors traded with a risk-off mood amid media reports that suggested that the phase-one trade deal between China and the U.S. might not be reached this year.

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.

Rising COVID-19 cases in some regions and inflation concerns, particularly in the US, were yesterday's main drivers in financial markets. Fed Governor Richard Clarida, though, eased fears of an early monetary policy tightening as he said that April's disappointing employment report showed that further substantial progress has not been made yet.

In yesterday's session, investors’ sentiment worsened in the euro area, amid inflationary concerns, while in the U.S. investors focused their attention on a potential breakthrough in negotiations between Democrats and Republicans to extend the debt ceiling and on the better than expected ADP employment report.

Investors ended the week focused on the US employment report for June, which signaled the labor market is cooling as job creation slowed and the unemployment rate ticked up from 4.0% to 4.1%. This boosted expectations for two rate cuts this year, which sent Treasury yields lower and stocks higher, with the Nasdaq and S&P 500 hitting new record highs.

In yesterday’s session, markets digested mixed economic data from the US. The ADP monthly employment report showed hiring at private companies grew at the slowest pace since the beginning of the year, a sign the labor market might be cooling. Instead, the sharp rise in the ISM services index from 49.4 to 53.8 pointed to a rebound in the sector.

Investors started the week trading with appetite for risk, taking position ahead of the CPI inflation report for August in the US, to be released today. According to the Consensus, CPI inflation is expected to have eased to 8.1% y/y (from 8.5%), which, if confirmed, could reduce some pressure on the Fed for continuing hiking policy rates aggressively.

Markets ended the week on a weak note, following the release of disappointing employment data in the U.S. (non-farm payrolls rose by 194k in September after 366k in August). The report, however, showed wage growth picking up (4.6% y/y), which reinforced fears that inflationary pressures are building up across the economy.

On Friday, the Japanese yen strengthened sharply after the Bank of Japan left its policy rate at 0.75% and signaled a hawkish stance. Speculation around potential currency intervention intensified after New York Fed officials reportedly sought information on the yen’s exchange rate, and Prime Minister Takaichi warned of action against “abnormal” market moves.

Another day of rollercoaster swings across financial markets, following the negative surprise in the inflation report in the US and the upside revisions in investors’ expectations of the pace of monetary policy tightening.

Volatility and risk aversion continued to set the tone across markets on Wednesday, with investors taking position ahead of a crucial inflation report in the US later today and the kickoff of the Q3 corporate earnings season on Friday.

Risk aversion continued to set the tone during a highly volatile session at the end of the week, as investors read the US payrolls report as evidence that the Fed will continue tightening monetary policy.

Stock indices were mixed as financial markets digested the downward revision of global growth forecasts from the OECD and the downbeat economic releases in the US (2018's trade deficit, the largest since 2008, and ADP employment report slightly below consensus).