Markets jump on Yellen’s jobs speech March 31, 2014 Chair of the Federal Reserve, Janet Yellen, has been speaking in Chicago on the health of the US economy and what the Fed's doing to promote a stronger jobs market. For many Americans, she said, “the recovery still feels like a recession” and “it also looks that way in some economic statistics”. The US economy [...]
The most important economic event this year starts tomorrow March 31, 2014 Japan’s sales tax rises from five per cent today to eight per cent tomorrow, the first increase in 17 years, and an experiment that the rest of the world should be paying attention to. The tax is a self-imposed test of Abenomics, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s primarily monetary-policy driven stimulus effort. Despite a spate of [...]
What you need to know before the US open March 31, 2014 US futures have risen ahead of Janet Yellen’s speech later today. Over here in Europe, stocks have suffered some losses after weaker-than-expected Eurozone inflation data. The headline figure dropped to a 2009-low of 0.5 per cent, piling pressure on the ECB to invoke policy tools to help the region. When it comes to the Ukraine-Russia [...]
What you need to know before the open March 31, 2014 European markets are expected to open higher this morning in wake of last week's gains. Investors hope that the European Central Bank will take a more dovish approach to monetary policy and China will take steps to counter economic slowdown. German retail sales rose by a better than expected 1.3 per cent in February. Corporate [...]
Nikkei climbs as hopes of Chinese stimulus grow March 31, 2014 Chinese stimulus hopes are pushing Asian equities higher today, with the Nikkei gaining one per cent to a two-and-a-half week high and a softer yen encouraging exporters. China’s yuan, meanwhile, has fallen to a one-week low. On Friday, premier Li Keqiang moved to alleviate concerns over China’s slowdown by reassuring that the government has the [...]
This week’s 5 must-see charts March 28, 2014 The next UK debt crisis, an uncertain future for the services sector, copper’s decline, and the euro’s enduring strength. We bring you some of our favourite analysts’ picks of the most important graphs this week. Christian Schulz, senior economist at Berenberg Does this look familiar? The Office for Budget Responsibility expects a major rise in [...]
Exports and investment hike US growth estimate for end of 2013 March 28, 2014 THE US economy grew at a slightly faster pace than previously suggested at the end of 2013, rising at a 2.6 per cent annualised rate in the fourth quarter, instead of the 2.4 per cent previously expected. The rate is down from the third quarter’s 4.1 per cent, but exports grew by 9.5 per cent [...]
Stress test fail puts RBS sale of Citizens at risk March 28, 2014 HOPES of an early sale for RBS’s US arm Citizens were knocked yesterday after it failed the Fed’s stress tests. Although the main plan is to float the bank, starting later this year, RBS has been in early-stage talks with other banks including Japan’s Sumitomo Mitsui over a trade sale. But failing the stress test [...]
London Report: Financial and mining stocks weigh on FTSE March 28, 2014 BRITAIN’S top stock index fell yesterday, with miners leading the retreat on lingering concerns their earnings could be hurt by weaker metals prices following an economic slowdown in China and improving supplies. Banks also lost ground after the Federal Reserve blocked the US units of Royal Bank of Scotland and HSBC from paying higher dividends [...]
What you need to know before the US open March 27, 2014 US GDP fourth quarter results showed the economy grew a bit more quickly than expected in the fourth quarter (by 2.6 per cent), bolstered by stronger consumer spending. Futures were up ahead of the numbers, which will no doubt boost investor sentiment. Separate data releases show that initial jobless claims fell to 311,000 in the week [...]