Australia’s January retail sales data shows slow start to 2016 for consumer spending
Mar 04, 2016 05:15 am UTC| Commentary
Australias retail sales grew in January by 0.3% from a flat result posted in December. However, it is a weak rise and lower than the consensus expectation of 0.4% growth. On a year-on-year basis, sales grew 4%, but tracked...
Guide to today’s important data and events
Mar 04, 2016 05:08 am UTC| Commentary
Not many economic dockets scheduled for today, focus is on NFP report from US. Data released so far Japan - Labour cash earnings rose by 0.4% in January, from a year ago. Australia - Retail sales rose by 0.3%...
Asian markets trading on a mix note, Gold back above $1250 before US NFP job data
Mar 04, 2016 03:02 am UTC| Commentary
All Asian markets are trading on a higher note on Friday. Today is the important day for the global stock markets and bullion as US will release NFP job data later today. NFP data is expected to show job growth at 195,000...
Currency snapshot (commodity pairs)
Mar 03, 2016 16:24 pm UTC| Commentary
Dollar index trading at 97.73 (-0.46%) Strength meter (today so far) - Aussie +1.15%, Kiwi +1.15%, Loonie -0.40% Strength meter (since last week) - Aussie +3.50%, Kiwi +1.74%, Loonie +0.90% AUD/USD - Trading at...
Nascent rally in EM currencies could run for some time, genuine turnaround unlikely yet
Mar 03, 2016 16:07 pm UTC| Commentary
The prospect of further aggressive easing measures from the ECB combined with a more benign outlook regarding Fed rate hikes is buoying EM FX space. EM currencies and more so commodity currencies are showing decent gains...
Markets do not price an imminent hike from BCB
Mar 03, 2016 15:55 pm UTC| Commentary Central Banks
Brazil Copom held the Selic rate unchanged at its meeting on Wednesday, repeating the rationale of its last communiqué - ie, that the decision was reached after evaluating the macroeconomic scenario, inflation...
GBP trims gains after U.K. posting lesser than expected PMIs
Mar 03, 2016 15:24 pm UTC| Commentary
In U.K. this weeks purchase managers index in all segments (manufacturing, construction and service) have been highly disappointing to miss forecasts. Manufacturing PMIs dropped vigorously from previous 52.9 to 50.8...
Johannesburg in a time of darkness: Ivan Vladislavić’s new memoir reminds us of the city’s fragility
Why Germany ditched nuclear before coal – and why it won’t go back
Labour can afford to be far more ambitious with its economic policies – voters are on board
Sudan: civil war stretches into a second year with no end in sight