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America's Roundup: Dollar on track for biggest weekly drop in three months, Wall Street gains, Gold moves back above 1300 Mark, Oil retreats from 2019 high on soaring production-March 16th,2019

Market Roundup

• May's Brexit deal lives: Northern Irish kingmakers report 'good' talks with government

• US Feb Industrial Production MM, 0.1%, 0.4% forecast, -0.6% previous, -0.4% revised

• US Mar NY Fed Manufacturing, 3.70, 10.00 forecast, 8.80 previous

• US Jan JOLTS Job Openings, 7.581 mln, 7.310 mln forecast, 7.335 mln previous, 7.479 mln revised

• US Mar U Mich Sentiment Prelim, 97.8, 95.3 forecast, 93.8 previous

• N.Y. Fed keeps U.S. Q1 GDP growth view near 1.4 pct

• CA Jan Manufacturing Sales MM, 1.0%, 0.4% forecast, -1.3% previous, -1.1% revised

• Trump to veto lawmakers' measure against border wall

• N.Korea may suspend talks with 'gangster-like' US, rethink nuclear test freeze

Looking Ahead - Economic Data (GMT)

• 17 Mar 23:50 Japan Feb Exports YY, -0.9% forecast, -8.4% previous

• 17 Mar 23:50 Japan Feb Imports YY, -5.8% forecast, -0.6% previous, -0.8% revised

• 17 Mar 23:50 Japan Feb Trade Balance Total Yen, 310.2 bln forecast, -1,415.2 bln previous, -1,415.6 bln revised

• 18 Mar 04:30 Japan Jan Industrial Output Revised, -3.7% previous

• 18 Mar 04:30 Japan Jan Capacity Utilization MM SA, -1.9% previous

Looking Ahead - Events, Other Releases (GMT)

• 15:10 Keynote speech by ECB's chief economist Peter Praet at conference "From micro to macro: market power, firms' heterogeneity and investment", organised by the EIB on March 18 in Luxembourg

Currency Summaries

EUR/USD: The euro strengthened against dollar on Friday, as downbeat U.S. economic data that suggested the Federal Reserve will hold interest rates steady for the rest of the year. U.S. manufacturing output fell for a second straight month in February and factory activity in New York state hit nearly a two-year low this month, offering further evidence of a sharp slowdown in economic growth early in the first quarter.The euro was up 0.15 percent at $1.1320. An index that tracks the dollar versus a basket of six major currencies was down 0.45 at 96.867 after hitting a 16-month high of 97.693 on Monday. Immediate resistance can be seen at 1.1362 (50 DMA), an upside break can trigger rise towards 1.1405 (Ichimoku Cloud Top).On the downside, immediate support is seen at 1.1280 (9 DMA), a break below could take the pair towards 1.1268 (61.8% retracement level).

GBP/USD: Sterling firmed against the dollar on Friday, as investors waited for next week's parliamentary vote on Prime Minister Theresa May's deal to exit the European Union.Sterling has rallied 1.7 percent against the dollar this week after British lawmakers voted against leaving the EU without a deal and backed a delay to the March 29 exit date.The vote against a no-deal Brexit was non-binding but investors believe Britain will now avert a disorderly EU exit that would severely damage its economy. The pound, which has traded between $1.2945 and $1.3380 this week, rose 0.36 percent to $1.3287 in late US trading. Immediate resistance can be seen at 1.3288 (Higher Bollinger Band), an upside break can trigger rise towards 1.3343 (March 15th High).On the downside, immediate support is seen at 1.3000 (Psychological level), a break below could take the pair towards 1.2924 (Lower Bollinger Band).

USD/CAD: The Canadian dollar weakened against its U.S. counterpart on Friday, reducing its gains for the week as oil prices fell and domestic data showed a steep drop in home sales. Canadian homes sales tumbled 9.1 percent in February from the previous month to hit their lowest level since November 2012, the Canadian Real Estate Association said. The price of oil, one of Canada's major exports, retreated as worries about the global economy and robust U.S. production put a brake on prices. At (2032 GMT), the Canadian dollar was trading 0.12 percent lower at 1.3351 to the greenback. The currency traded in a range of 1.3290 to 1.3372. Immediate resistance can be seen at 1.3375 (9 DMA), an upside break can trigger rise towards 1.3475 (Higher Bollinger Band).On the downside, immediate support is seen at 1.3290 (38.2 retracement level), a break below could take the pair towards 1.3088 (Lower Bollinger Band).

USD/JPY: The dollar weakened against the Japanese yen on Friday, as weak U.S. economic data weighed on greenback. U.S. manufacturing output fell for a second straight month in February and factory activity in New York state was weaker than expected this month, offering further evidence of a sharp slowdown in economic growth early in the first quarter. February's drop in manufacturing production added to soft reports ranging from retail sales to housing in suggesting the economy lost significant momentum early in the first quarter.The dollar was 0.15 lower versus the Japanese yen at 111.52. Immediate resistance can be seen at 111.51 (23.6% retracement level), an upside break can trigger rise towards 111.92 (Daily high).On the downside, immediate support is seen at 111.32 (9 DMA), a break below could take the pair towards 110.93(61.8% retracement level). 

Equities Recap

European shares closed at their highest level in five months on Friday as investors cheered positive signs on U.S.-China trade talks and UK lawmakers' vote to request a delay in a potentially chaotic exit from the EU.

UK's benchmark FTSE 100 closed down by 0.7 percent, the pan-European FTSEurofirst 300 ended the day up by 0.75 percent, Germany's Dax ended up by 0.8 percent, France’s CAC finished the day up by 1.1 percent.

U.S. stocks rose on Friday, led by technology companies as a report on progress in U.S.-China trade talks lifted sentiment, pushing the Nasdaq and S&P 500 to their best weeks of the year.

Dow Jones closed up by 0.54 percent, S&P 500 ended down up 0.49 percent, Nasdaq finished the day up by 0.74 percent.

Treasuries Recap 

Benchmark 10-year and 2-year U.S. Treasury yields on Friday dropped to their lowest levels since early January, weighed down by weaker-than-expected U.S. economic data that suggested the Federal Reserve will hold interest rates steady for the rest of the year.

In afternoon trading, U.S. 10-year prices rose, as yields fell to 2.596 percent from 2.63 percent late on Thursday. Ten-year yields fell to a more than two-month low of 2.580 percent.

U.S. 30-year bond yields dropped to 3.023 percent, from 3.046 percent on Thursday.

Commodities Recap

Gold also gained on Friday, moving back above $1,300 an ounce, as the dollar dipped on weak U.S. economic data.

Gold rebounded following the previous session's decline, gaining 0.5 percent to $1,302.62 an ounce en route to its second straight weekly rise.U.S. gold futures settled 0.6 percent higher at $1,302.90 an ounce.

U.S. crude futures briefly hit a 2019 high on Friday but retreated along with benchmark Brent oil as worries about the global economy and robust U.S. production put a brake on prices.

West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude oil futures were down 12 cents at $58.36 per barrel at (2141 GMT), having hit their highest so far this year at $58.95.

Brent crude futures were at $66.85 per barrel, down 38 cents from their last settlement, and below their 2019 peak of $68.14 reached on Thursday.
 

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