Positive Economic Data Boosts the US Dollar
This morning, several key US economic indicators have come in significantly better than expected. The latest US Q2 GDP update (3.8% vs Street 3.3%), and durable goods orders (2.9% vs Street -0.5%) suggest a more robust economy than previously thought. Meanwhile, fewer than expected weekly initial jobless claims (218K vs previous 232K) suggest US labor […]
Stocks Rebound Following a Correction
Yesterday’s pullback in North American equities from recent all-time highs, which saw the NASDAQ lose 1.0% and the S&P slide 0.6%, appears to have been short lived. Better than expected earnings from chipmaker Micron Technology ($3.03 vs Street $2.86) appears to have shored up confidence. This morning finds US index futures trading flat to up […]
Precious Metals Keep on Climbing as PMI Numbers Disappoint
There appears to be a growing disconnect between what equity and non-equity asset classes are telling us about investor sentiment. On the one hand, equity indices in the US and elsewhere continuing to reach new all-time highs seems to suggest an increased level of confidence and optimism about the future. This morning, US index futures […]
Steady Markets Await This Week’s Central Bank Meetings
Equities, bonds and commodities are all relatively quiet to start the week. US index futures are up 0.1%-0.3%. In Europe, the FTSE is flat, and the DAX is up 0.5%. Crude Oil and Copper are both up 0.3%. Gold is down 0.2%. The Loonie is up 0.1%, the Euro is up 0.2%. Signs of slowing […]
World Markets Await Summit News
After today, SIA Wealth Morning Minutes will be on summer vacation for the next two weeks, returning Tuesday, September 2nd. With a 2-point gain, the S&P 500 managed to eke out another all-time high yesterday, but investors have had difficulty keeping the party going overnight. US index futures are split between a 0.5% gain for […]
Rising Inflation Sinks Stocks, Sparks US Dollar Rally
US index futures have turned sharply downward after US producer prices jumped in July (3.3% vs Street 2.5% and previous 2.3%), contradicting Tuesday’s consumer price report and suggesting that tariffs may be starting to drive up inflation. US core PPI (excluding food and energy) was even worse (3.7% vs Street 2.9 and previous 2.6%). US […]
Stock Markets Continue to Climb
Yesterday was a banner day for US equity markets with the small cap Russell 2000 rallying 3.0% and the large cap indices gaining 1.1%-1.4%, sending the S&P 500 and the NASDAQ Composite to new all-time highs. This morning finds the three main index futures contracts up another 0.2%-0.3%. Positive momentum has continued overnight with the […]
Trade and Inflation News Boost Stocks
US index futures are climbing again today with gains of around 0.4% for the three main contracts. Overnight, President Trump announced another 90-day delay to the imposition of tariffs on China to allow talks to continue. This was particularly well received in Japan, where the Nikkei rallied 2.1%, while the Hang Seng gained 0.3%. This […]
TACO Trade Shifts to the US Dollar
Reports that President Trump has dialled down his threats related to firing Fed Chair Powell has sparked a rally in the US Dollar, suggesting that concerns about the independence of the Fed had been weighing in the currency. Gold is down 0.9%, the Aussie is down 1.0%, the Euro, Loonie and Yen are all down […]
Mixed Reaction to Day 2 of Earnings and Inflation Reports
Wednesday morning finds US index futures divided between a 0.2% gain for Dow Futures and a 0.2% loss for NASDAQ futures. In Europe today the DAX is up 0.5% and the FTSE is up 0.3%. Energy action is mixed with Crude Oil down 1.0% following a big build of 19.1 mmbbls in US API weekly […]