Evolution of the international financial markets and evaluation of the main events and economic indicators of the previous day session. Available in English.
On Friday, investors digested key economic data releases in the euro area: GDP growth in Q1 decelerated from 0.3% to 0.2% and inflation ticked up from 7.4% in March to 7.5% in April. Nevertheless, the focus of the inflation figures was on the core index, which rose from 2.9% to 3.5% in a sign that inflation is rising across all the components.
In yesterday's session, investors traded with an optimistic tone amid better-than-expected corporate results and despite the contraction of the US GDP in Q1 (-1.4% QoQ SAAR from 6.9% in Q4), which was affected by the change in inventories and a drag from net exports, while domestic demand remained strong.
Volatility continued to dominate across financial markets in yesterday's session, with the key drivers being mixed earnings reports, the expectation of a tighter monetary policy from the Fed and the ECB, uncertainty surrounding the economic effects of the war in Ukraine and lockdowns in China.
In yesterday's session, investors' sentiment deteriorated amid the expectation of a tighter monetary policy from the Federal Reserve and the ECB and disappointing corporate results. Concerns about the Covid-19 situation in China added to the somber sentiment.
Investors started the week trading with a risk-off mood following the announcement of lockdowns in several parts of Beijing. In this context, stock indices declined in the euro area and in emerging economies while late trading in the US, boosted by dip buyers, led the S&P 500 and the Nasdaq to advance.
In the last session of the week, better-than-expected PMI data failed to boost sentiment, as investors remained focused on feeble corporate results and on the hawkish shift from central banks. On Sunday, Emmanuel Macron won the second round of the French Presidential elections with 58.6% of the votes.
During a volatile session, markets closed with mixed results, as investors digested a mix of hawkish comments by central bank officials, upbeat corporate earnings reports, positive macro data (e.g. consumer confidence in the eurozone) and a good showing by incumbent French President Macron at a TV debate against FN Le Pen.
Volatility continued to rein in financial markets on Wednesday, as investors took on board hawkish comments from central bank officials and the decision by the Chinese authorities to keep the benchmark lending rates unchanged.
Financial markets started the week with mixed results, as investors weighted out positive corporate earnings results with downward revisions in the growth economic outlook and a new round of hawkish commentary by some Fed officials (Charles Evans from the Chicago Fed and James Bullard from St. Louis).
Investors started the week with no clear direction, as traders digested mixed signals from the GDP data in China and corporate results in the US. Financial markets were closed across Europe, Australia and Hong Kong.
In yesterday's session, investors traded with mixed optimism as they continued to digest inflation data for the US, which might have peaked in March. On monetary policy, the Bank of Canada hiked rates by 50bp to 1% and said it would allow bonds to roll off as they mature. Today's focus will be on the ECB meeting.
In yesterday's session, inflationary concerns continued to be the main driver for investors. While markets initially received positively the March IPC for the US (8.5% y/y for the headline and 6.5% for the core), the pickup in oil prices and hawkish comments by some Fed officials led to a worsening of investor's sentiment.