Author: kiasutrader | Publish date: Wed, 20 Aug 10:13
Asia Pacific
RBA Sees Uncertain Growth Outlook As Rate Pause Reaffirmed. Australia’s central bank said the nation’s economic outlook remains uncertain because of the conflicting forces at play and reiterated that interest rates are set to remain on hold. Members “noted the significant uncertainties around the growth forecast and the importance of considering the risks to the forecast as well as the central projection,” the Reserve Bank of Australia said in minutes released today of its Aug. 5 meeting, where it kept the cash rate unchanged at a record-low 2.5%. “GDP growth was likely to have slowed to a more moderate pace in the June quarter.” (Bloomberg)
New Zealand Sees Smaller Budget Surplus As Vote Nears. New Zealand’s government cut its forecast for economic growth and projected smaller budget surpluses as it opened the books a month before a general election. The surplus will be NZ$297 million ($251 million) in the 12 months through June and rise to NZ$818 million the following year, Finance Minister Bill English said in the pre-election fiscal update in Wellington today. That compares with May’s budget projections of NZ$372 million and NZ$1.26bil. (Bloomberg)
USA
Consumer Prices In U.S. Rise At Slowest Pace In Five Months. The cost of living in the U.S. climbed in July at the slowest pace in five months, indicating price pressures remain limited even as the economy picks up. The consumer price index increased 0.1%, matching the median forecast of 80 economists surveyed by Bloomberg, after rising 0.3% the prior month, a Labor Department report showed today in Washington. Stripping out volatile food and fuel, the socalled core measure also climbed 0.1%, less than projected. (Bloomberg)
Housing Starts Rebound In U.S. As Inflation Eases. Home construction rebounded in July and the cost of living rose at a slower pace, showing a strengthening U.S. economy has yet to generate a sustained pickup in inflation. A 15.7% jump took housing starts to a 1.09 million annualized rate, the strongest since November, and halted a two-month slide, the Commerce Department said in Washington. The consumer price index increased 0.1% after rising 0.3% in June, the Labor Department also reported. (Bloomberg)
Europe
UK Inflation Falls More Than Expected. The annual rate of UK inflation rate fell more than expected in July as the cost of clothing, footwear, food and non-alcoholic drinks eased. The Office for National Statistics (ONS) said Consumer Price Index (CPI) inflation fell to 1.6% from 1.9% a month earlier. But CPI remains well above average wages which grew by just 0.6% in the three months to June. The Retail Prices Index, which includes housing costs, fell to 2.5% from 2.6%. Economists had expected CPI inflation to fall to 1.8% in July. (BBC)
Currencies
U.S. Dollar Index Hits 11-Month High. A widely watched U.S. dollar index hit its highest level in nearly a year on Tuesday as the greenback mounted a tepid climb against its rivals and the euro continued to weaken. The dollar index, which measures the strength of the dollar against a basket of other currencies, traded at 81.876 on Tuesday, up from 81.572 late Monday. On Tuesday, the dollar bought ¥102.91, up from ¥102.56 on Monday. Theeuro changed hands at $1.3321, down form $1.3362, and its lowest closing level since last September. The British pound sank to $1.6621 on Tuesday from $1.6730 in the previous session. (Market Watch)
Commodities
U.S. Crude Sinks For Second Day Ahead Of Contract Expiry. U.S. crude oil dropped nearly $2 on Tuesday, falling for a second straight day as a rush of selling ahead of the session close brought the contract to its lowest price since January. U.S. front-month September crude fell sharply a day ahead of its contract expiration, hitting a session low of $94.27, its lowest in seven months, before paring losses to close at $94.48 a barrel, down $1.93. U.S. October crude fell by 89 cents to settle at $92.86. Brent crude oil for delivery in October fell 4 cents to settle at $101.56 a barrel, after falling to $101.07, the lowest since June 2013, the same month Brent prices were last below $100 a barrel. (Reuters)
Gold Falls On Stronger Dollar; Palladium Sinks From 13-Year High. Gold futures eased on Tuesday, under pressure from buoyant equities markets and a stronger dollar after upbeat U.S. economic data, and palladium sank from Monday's 13-year high as traders booked profits. Spot gold, higher initially, fell 0.1% to $1,296.15 an ounce by 2:16 p.m. EDT in subdued volumes. Palladium dropped 1.5% to $875.70 an ounce. Silver touched a fresh two-month low of $19.33 an ounce, while platinum edged down 0.4% to $1,433.25 an ounce. (Reuters)
RBA Sees Uncertain Growth Outlook As Rate Pause Reaffirmed. Australia’s central bank said the nation’s economic outlook remains uncertain because of the conflicting forces at play and reiterated that interest rates are set to remain on hold. Members “noted the significant uncertainties around the growth forecast and the importance of considering the risks to the forecast as well as the central projection,” the Reserve Bank of Australia said in minutes released today of its Aug. 5 meeting, where it kept the cash rate unchanged at a record-low 2.5%. “GDP growth was likely to have slowed to a more moderate pace in the June quarter.” (Bloomberg)
New Zealand Sees Smaller Budget Surplus As Vote Nears. New Zealand’s government cut its forecast for economic growth and projected smaller budget surpluses as it opened the books a month before a general election. The surplus will be NZ$297 million ($251 million) in the 12 months through June and rise to NZ$818 million the following year, Finance Minister Bill English said in the pre-election fiscal update in Wellington today. That compares with May’s budget projections of NZ$372 million and NZ$1.26bil. (Bloomberg)
USA
Consumer Prices In U.S. Rise At Slowest Pace In Five Months. The cost of living in the U.S. climbed in July at the slowest pace in five months, indicating price pressures remain limited even as the economy picks up. The consumer price index increased 0.1%, matching the median forecast of 80 economists surveyed by Bloomberg, after rising 0.3% the prior month, a Labor Department report showed today in Washington. Stripping out volatile food and fuel, the socalled core measure also climbed 0.1%, less than projected. (Bloomberg)
Housing Starts Rebound In U.S. As Inflation Eases. Home construction rebounded in July and the cost of living rose at a slower pace, showing a strengthening U.S. economy has yet to generate a sustained pickup in inflation. A 15.7% jump took housing starts to a 1.09 million annualized rate, the strongest since November, and halted a two-month slide, the Commerce Department said in Washington. The consumer price index increased 0.1% after rising 0.3% in June, the Labor Department also reported. (Bloomberg)
Europe
UK Inflation Falls More Than Expected. The annual rate of UK inflation rate fell more than expected in July as the cost of clothing, footwear, food and non-alcoholic drinks eased. The Office for National Statistics (ONS) said Consumer Price Index (CPI) inflation fell to 1.6% from 1.9% a month earlier. But CPI remains well above average wages which grew by just 0.6% in the three months to June. The Retail Prices Index, which includes housing costs, fell to 2.5% from 2.6%. Economists had expected CPI inflation to fall to 1.8% in July. (BBC)
Currencies
U.S. Dollar Index Hits 11-Month High. A widely watched U.S. dollar index hit its highest level in nearly a year on Tuesday as the greenback mounted a tepid climb against its rivals and the euro continued to weaken. The dollar index, which measures the strength of the dollar against a basket of other currencies, traded at 81.876 on Tuesday, up from 81.572 late Monday. On Tuesday, the dollar bought ¥102.91, up from ¥102.56 on Monday. Theeuro changed hands at $1.3321, down form $1.3362, and its lowest closing level since last September. The British pound sank to $1.6621 on Tuesday from $1.6730 in the previous session. (Market Watch)
Commodities
U.S. Crude Sinks For Second Day Ahead Of Contract Expiry. U.S. crude oil dropped nearly $2 on Tuesday, falling for a second straight day as a rush of selling ahead of the session close brought the contract to its lowest price since January. U.S. front-month September crude fell sharply a day ahead of its contract expiration, hitting a session low of $94.27, its lowest in seven months, before paring losses to close at $94.48 a barrel, down $1.93. U.S. October crude fell by 89 cents to settle at $92.86. Brent crude oil for delivery in October fell 4 cents to settle at $101.56 a barrel, after falling to $101.07, the lowest since June 2013, the same month Brent prices were last below $100 a barrel. (Reuters)
Gold Falls On Stronger Dollar; Palladium Sinks From 13-Year High. Gold futures eased on Tuesday, under pressure from buoyant equities markets and a stronger dollar after upbeat U.S. economic data, and palladium sank from Monday's 13-year high as traders booked profits. Spot gold, higher initially, fell 0.1% to $1,296.15 an ounce by 2:16 p.m. EDT in subdued volumes. Palladium dropped 1.5% to $875.70 an ounce. Silver touched a fresh two-month low of $19.33 an ounce, while platinum edged down 0.4% to $1,433.25 an ounce. (Reuters)
没有评论:
发表评论