Concerns over the evolution of the pandemic and, especially, the Delta variant worsened investors' sentiment in the last session of June. In addition, IMF chief economist Gita Gopinath said that the access to vaccines is unequal across countries and is causing a "diverging recovery".
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Investors’ morale improved again on the back of solid economic data reports. June PMI and ISM data in the euro area and in the US reflected that economic growth is gaining momentum and most manufacturing indices remained above the 60 points (EZ at 63.4, US ISM at 60.6, Spain’s at 60.4, +1 pp from the previous month).
Financial markets closed the week with a sell-off session amid concerns of a new coronavirus variant identified in South Africa. The main concerns are the speed at which this variant can spread and whether it will be immune to the vaccines. Volatility rose and demand for safe assets increased.
Markets ended the week on a constructive tone, with news of diplomatic negotiations in the U.S.-Iran conflict driving oil and gas prices lower and feeding into risk-on sentiment. Stocks rallied on both sides of the Atlantic, led by gains in the technology, financial, and consumer sectors. Early this morning, however, the pattern reversed.
Financial markets ended the day with negative results, following the release of disappointing survey sentiment data in both the US (the services ISM fell to 60.1 in June from 64.0 in May) and in Germany (the ZEW sentiment indicator dropped from 79.8 to 63.3). In addition, industrial orders in Germany plummeted in May (-4% m/m).
The minutes of the Fed's June meeting showed that the decision to hold interest rates steady in June was not unanimous, and that most officials expected further rate hikes would be necessary, as the dot plot had shown. Also yesterday, US factory orders data for May came in below expectations, but still showed growth.
In a volatile session, investors’ sentiment was clouded by disappointing labour data in the US (new jobless claims unexpectedly rose to 373k during the first week of July) and uncertainty about the evolution of the pandemic. In Europe, the ECB confirmed a decision to modify its inflation target to a symmetric 2%.
In yesterday’s session, investor sentiment was soured by data showing the resilience of the US economy and its labour market. Private surveys showed that US companies added the most jobs in over a year in June, and the services sector expanded faster than expected, which investors fear will allow the Fed to continue raising rates.
Investors started the week trading with a cautious mood, still digesting the mixed US employment report released on Friday and awaiting tomorrow's key CPI inflation data. Also, comments from San Francisco Federal Reserve President Mary Daly pointed to further interest rate increases even if signaling the end of the hiking cycle is nearing.
Markets ended the week with a risk-off sentiment, driven by hawkish commentary by some Fed officials about the potential need to readjust policy to deal with the rebound in inflation. In contrast, ECB president Christine Lagarde reiterated prices will stabilize in the euro area in line with the central bank's target.
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.
Financial markets ended the day with mixed results, as investors digested a decision by the ECB to scale down its asset purchases and, separately, hawkish comments by some Fed officials about the likely start of tapering this year. These fears outweighed positive labour data in the US (new jobless claims fell to 310k last week, a pandemic-era low).
Friday's session was volatile, after Iran postponed further peace negotiations with the US until Israel stopped striking Lebanon. The ceasefire between the countries was reached later in the session, which triggered a positive reaction that was almost immediately reversed. US markets were closed due to Juneteenth holiday.
Investors ended the week on a cautious note: trading volumes were light and most asset prices were little changed. Sovereign bond yields were largely unchanged in the eurozone, while rising slightly in the US despite most Fed officials who spoke in recent weeks tended to lean towards a pause in the hiking cycle at the September meeting.
In yesterday’s session, investors traded cautiously as they awaited key economic data later this week (US CPI inflation) and the ECB monetary policy decision on Thursday. The main economic event yesterday was the downward revision of the European Commission’s summer GDP forecasts.
Investors shifted gears across asset classes on Friday, as the US employment report showed robust job growth in May for a third month in a row. The resilient labour market and inflation risks led markets to fully price in a Fed rate hike by year‑end. US Treasury yields rose accordingly, especially at the short end, further flattening the curve.
Yesterday's was another volatile session, with markets assessing the fragility of the recent ceasefire agreement between the US and Iran, as Israel maintains its attacks against Lebanon. Brent crude prices closed higher at USD 96/barrel after briefly touching USD 93 during the session, while TTF natural gas prices closed down -3%.
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.
In yesterday’s session, investors continued to trade with a risk aversion mood, extending recent losses across the main equity markets. In its Beige Book, the Fed noted that economic growth is downshifting due to the spread of the Delta variant, while several Asian countries are extending restrictions to control the outbreak.
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.