Yesterday's session was mixed across asset classes and regions. In the Eurozone, sovereign yields rose and peripheral spreads widened as countries grapple with the need for higher military spending. Separately, ECB's Schnabel argued the 2.75% rate is not undoubtedly restrictive, while ECB's Panetta argued that the consumer-led recovery is not materialising.
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Investors started the week on a slightly positive note, with US markets closed for the President's Day holiday. In the eurozone, government bond yields rose on the likelihood of increased public spending on defence. Peripheral spreads narrowed as German bonds came under some selling pressure ahead of Sunday's general election.
A strong US jobs report for January, with the unemployment rate falling 0.1 p.p. to 4.0% (the lowest since May) and wage growth accelerating to 4.1% yoy from 3.9% in December, reaffirmed expectations of a cautious Fed this year. Expectations for the next interest rate cut were delayed to July/September, and the probability of a second rate cut fell below 50%.
Financial markets had a mixed performance on Wednesday. US Treasury yields were flat as the Fed kept rates unchanged and Powell said the Fed was in no rush to cut rates and will wait to see the impact of Trump's policies on the economy.
In yesterday’s session investors traded cautiously ahead of tomorrow’s release of US April inflation data, which will be key for the Federal Reserve’s policy decisions. In this context, sovereign bond yields were mostly unchanged on both sides of the Atlantic, while equities were flat in the US and modestly lower in the euro area.
The week ended on a ‘higher for longer’ note, which weighed on assets. US non-farm payrolls for May showed a greater-than-expected job creation and an acceleration in average hourly earnings growth, while euro area compensation per employee also surprised on the upside, sending sovereign yields higher across the board on both sides of the Atlantic.
As expected, the ECB lowered interest rates by 25 bp, taking the depo and refi rates to 3.75% and 4.25%, respectively. As for its next steps, the ECB once again remarked future decisions will be “data-dependent”, noting that the inflation path will not be exempt from surprises.
Sentiment in sovereign bond markets during yesterday's session turned more positive following the revision of US GDP Q1, which showed the economy grew somewhat less than previously estimated (0.33% vs 0.42% q/q), giving the Federal Reserve more room to lower interest rates this year. Yields on sovereign bonds fell across the board.
Investors continued to trade with a risk-on mood on Thursday, lifting demand for “buying the dip” and after the release of positive economic data (e.g. the decline in weekly jobless claims in the US).
A risk-on session across financial markets on Thursday, with sentiment boosted by the recent decision by the OPEC to ramp up plans to increase its oil supply (+650k barrels a day in both July and August) and solid economic data (eg the decline in new weekly jobless claims in the US).
Investors continued to adjust their expectations for future interest rate cuts following strong PMIs, higher-than-expected wage growth in the euro area, and some hawkish remarks from central bank officials. Markets are now pricing in just two cuts from the ECB this year and one cut from the Fed, down from three and two, respectively, last week.
Investors started the week with a risk-on mood, with sentiment supported by easing COVID restrictions in China, including reports that Chinese regulators are relaxing some rules against some tech giants. Data also showed the decline in the Chinese services sector eased in May (the services PMI rose from 36.2 to 41.4).
During a volatile session, financial markets closed the day with no clear direction, with investors taking position ahead of the crucial ECB meeting on Thursday and the release of the US CPI inflation on Friday.
In yesterday’s session, investors focused their attention to the release of the last FOMC meeting minutes, which reinforced previous communication that Fed members still expect inflation to return to 2% over the medium term, while acknowledging that it will take longer than previously anticipated.
Financial markets extended losses on Thursday, following the confirmation by the ECB to accelerate the withdrawal of policy accommodation, including ending net purchases on July 1st and starting a rate liftoff cycle on the 21st.
Investors started the week trading cautiously in a session without major economic events. Central bank officials’ comments, then, took center stage with different FOMC members insisting that the latest inflation readings have not given them enough confidence to start cutting rates at this stage.
Investors continued digesting this week’s data releases in the US, including the CPI report, retail sales, and new data showing industrial production stalled in April after growing 0.1% in March. In the euro area, remarks from ECB officials including De Guindos, Centeno and De Cos, all pointed to June for an interest rate cut but asserted caution thereafter.
In yesterday's session, investors' attention focused on the ECB monetary policy meeting, where interest rates were hiked by 25bp to 4.0% (depo) and 4.5% (refi). More importantly, the ECB said that these levels, if maintained for a sufficiently long period, might not need to be raised further to return inflation back to 2%.
Investors traded cautiously in yesterday’s session as they await key economic releases this week, including euro area 1Q GDP (today), which is expected to show the economy grew 0.2% yoy, euro area April inflation (today) expected to stay at 2.4% yoy, and the Fed’s FOMC meeting tomorrow, where markets anticipate no changes to the Fed’s target rate.
In yesterday's session investors adjusted their interest rate expectations amid monetary policy and fiscal news in the euro area, while corporate profits centered the stage in the US.