China Data Disappointment Drags On Stocks And Commodities

Overnight, China released disappointing Q4 GDP (5.2% vs street 5.3%) and retail sales (7.4% vs street 8.0%) reports, which the street appears to have taken a sign that the Middle Kingdom’s economy continues to struggle. Asia Pacific markets broadly sold off on the news, including drops of 3.7% for Hong Kong, 2.1% for Shanghai, and […]

Holiday Pause With A Busy Week For Earnings And Economic News Looming

The trading week is off to a quiet start so far as is common when US markets are closed, in this case for Martin Luther King Day. US index futures are trading flat to down 0.1%, while major European indices are trading down 0.25% to 0.50%. Energy markets are more active with US Crude Oil […]

Stocks Retreat As US Earnings Start To Roll Out

US equities and indices had advanced quite significantly since the last earnings season, implying a significant ramp up in investor expectations for the earnings season which starts today. Initial reaction to results suggests that so far, investors appear to be looking to results for reasons to take profits.   The reaction to non-bank results has […]

Inflation Rises And A Big Day For Cryptocurrencies

US index futures have dropped underwater following the release of a hotter than expected US inflation numbers. Both US consumer prices (3.4% vs street 3.2% and previous 3.1%) and Core CPI (3.9% vs street 3.8% and previous 4.0%) were worse than expected weakening the case for near term interest rate cuts. US weekly initial jobless […]

Energy In Focus As Investors Await Inflation And Earnings Reports

The most notable news and trading action overnight and into this morning has been in the Energy market. US Crude Oil is up 1.0% while Natural Gas is down 2.8%. Last night API reported a larger than expected (-5.2 mmbbls vs street -1.2 mmbbls) drawdown in weekly US oil inventories. DOE weekly US oil inventories […]

Monday’s Moves Reverse Course

Monday’s full return to trading from the holiday season saw a number of significant moves in the markets including gains of 1.4% for the S&P 500 and 2.2% for the NASDAQ, and a 4.1% selloff in US Crude Oil. These moves appear to have been short lived as they are already being partially reversed this […]

Energy Prices Stumble To Start The Week

The new trading week finds energy prices under pressure again with Natural Gas down 3.7% and Crude Oil down 3.3%. While natural gas weakness can be blamed on a continuing milder than usual winter season, the selloff in oil may have wider implications. Despite ongoing hostilities in the Middle East, Saudi Arabia slashed its February […]

Stocks Retreat As Nonfarm Payrolls And Wage Inflation Increase

US nonfarm payrolls came in well above expectations (216K vs street 170K). The wage inflation components US average hourly earnings (4.1% vs previous 4.0%), and Canada average hourly wages (5.7% vs previous 5.0%) may also attract scrutiny from investors. Canada jobs were disappointing (0.5K vs street 13K). With the US job market still robust and […]

Jobs, Services, Earnings And Energy News In Focus

Service PMI reports have been rolling out from around the world tonight and this morning and for the most part, the numbers have been better than expected and better than the manufacturing surveys which were released earlier this week. The UK and China did particularly well, while Continental Europe, Japan and Australia remain stuck below […]

2024 Opening Selloff Widens As The US Dollar Strikes Back

The downward momentum from yesterday’s 1.6% selloff in the NASDAQ has carried through overseas markets overnight and into this morning and has broadened out into other asset classes as well. In Asia Pacific trading, Sydney fell 1.3%, Seoul dropped 2.3% and Hong Kong lost 0.8%. Major European bourses are down across the board with London […]