Australia’s Westpac Consumer Sentiment Index fell -2.6% mom to 90.5 in February, reflecting the immediate impact of the RBA’s first rate hike in more than two years. However, Westpac noted that the overall hit to confidence was “relatively mild” by historical standards. The February decline was smaller than the average fall typically seen after rate…
After days dominated by fears of an intensified tech rout and structural disruption from artificial intelligence, markets ended the week on a steadier footing. While volatility picked up meaningfully, Friday’s price action made clear that talk of an imminent trend reversal remains premature. Investors responded to midweek stress not by abandoning equities wholesale, but by…
In focus today The US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) announced yesterday that the ongoing partial government shutdown will cause a delay to Friday’s January Jobs Report release. This also affects the annual NFP benchmark revisions that were due for release on Friday, as well as the December JOLTs data, that was supposed to be…
Highlights include policy announcements from the ECB, BoE, RBA, RBI, Banxico, US & Canada jobs data, EZ flash inflation, PMI data, OPEC meeting, ISM, Treasury QRA Treasury Yield Curve SUN: OPEC+ to hold a ministerial meeting. MON: BoJ SOO (Jan); Final Manufacturing PMIs (Jan); German Retail Sales (Dec); US ISM Manufacturing PMI (Jan); Treasury…
Week in review Kevin Warsh nominated as the next US Federal Reserve Chair. Commodity markets saw a sharp reversal, with silver down 27%. Key focus for the week ahead: Alphabet and Amazon earnings. Central Banks (RBA, BoE, ECB) meet ahead of the January NFP report. A blockbuster week for global markets with wild price swings,…
Dollar found a modest bid early in the U.S. session after weekly jobless claims came in better than expected, offering a brief reminder that U.S. labor market conditions remain relatively resilient. The reaction, however, was restrained, and the greenback failed to generate meaningful follow-through. That muted response highlights the broader backdrop. Dollar remains the weakest…
Newsquawk Week Ahead: 8th-12th December 2025 Highlights include FOMC, RBA, BoC, SNB, UK GDP, Aussie Jobs, Chinese Trade and Inflation How does Inflation affect Interest rates MON: Chinese Trade Balance (Nov) TUE: RBA Announcement, EIA STEO, German Trade Balance (Oct), US JOLTS (Oct) WED: FOMC Announcement, BoC Announcement, Chinese Inflation (Nov), Swedish GDP (Oct),…
Dollar spent most of the week pinned to the bottom of the performance board, as a steady flow of data reinforced expectations for a Fed rate cut in December. Even though selling pressure eased slightly into Friday—thanks in part to a surprisingly firm rebound in longer-dated Treasury yields—the greenback still struggled to find a foothold….
Week in Review: Markets Buoyed Ahead of FOMC Meeting The week draws to a close with risk assets largely buoyed by the prospect of an interest rate cut from the Federal Reserve. On Friday, the main US stock market indexes all moved slightly higher. The Dow Jones gained 236.46 points (a 0.49% rise), the S&P…
The RBA kept the cash rate unchanged at 3.60%, a move widely expected by markets and decided unanimously by the Board. In the statement, policymakers said the decision reflected a balance between inflation risks and economic resilience, noting that Q3 CPI was “materially higher” than expected and that there was “recent evidence of more persistent…