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☆ Yen feels the heat as U.S. Treasury yields climb
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-09 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

The greenback added 0.03% to 151.87 yen , holding near a 34-year high of 151.975 yen hit last month as Japanese officials continued to ramp up their jawboning efforts in a bid to defend the currency. The threat of intervention from Tokyo has kept the dollar from breaching the closely-watched 152 yen level, even as U.S. Treasury yields — which the dollar/yen pair tends to closely track — climb. Sterling tacked on 0.04% to $1.2658, while the euro steadied at $1.0860, holding near a two-week high. Despite a rise in U.S. Treasury yields the dollar has failed to draw meaningful support as traders reassess their expectations of the pace and scale of Federal Reserve rate cuts priced in by markets for later this year. That's come even as the two-year Treasury yield rose to an over four-month high of 4.8010% on Tuesday, while the benchmark 10-year yield likewise held near an over four-month peak and last stood at 4.4278%.

Persons: Shunichi Suzuki, Ryota Abe, Sterling, That's, It's, Ray Attrill Organizations: Treasury, Finance, SMBC, New Zealand, National Australia Bank Locations: U.S, Tokyo, United States

☆ Dollar firm after Fed comments; yen under close watch
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-28 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

"There is no rush to cut the policy rate" right now, Waller said in a speech prepared for delivery before an Economic Club of New York gathering. The dollar index , a measure of the greenback against major peer currencies, ticked up in the wake of Waller's comments and last held mostly unchanged at 104.41. Traders await key U.S. core inflation figures due on Friday, following a bigger-than-expected jump in U.S. durable goods orders on Tuesday that has already boosted the dollar against the yen. The greenback reached 151.975 yen on Wednesday, its strongest against the yen since mid-1990. Japan intervened in the currency market three times in 2022, selling the dollar to buy yen, first in September and again in October as the yen slid towards a 32-year low of 152 to the dollar.

Persons: Christopher Waller, Waller, It's, Kyle Rodda, Rodda, Masato Kanda, Shunichi Suzuki, That's, Ray Attrill, Sterling, bitcoin Organizations: U.S, Federal Reserve, Federal, Economic, of New, Traders, Finance, National Australia Bank, Bank of Japan's Locations: of New York, Japan

☆ Yen hits 34-yr low ahead of key U.S. inflation data
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-27 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Japanese yen banknotes of various denominations are arranged in Kawasaki, Japan, on Friday, June 23, 2023. The yen briefly traded at 151.97 per dollar in the Asia session, down about 0.2% and its weakest since mid-1990. China's yuan and the New Zealand dollar traded near four-month lows. The yuan weakened to 7.2285 per dollar despite a strong fix of its trading band. The New Zealand dollar fell 0.2% to $0.5988, not helped by a downward revision to the government's economic growth forecasts.

Persons: Rodrigo Catril, Naoki Tamura Organizations: National Australia Bank, Bank of Japan, New Zealand Locations: Kawasaki, Japan, Asia

☆ Dollar on guard; BOJ speculation keeps yen supported
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-12 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

Against the dollar, the euro retreated from a roughly two-month high hit last week and last bought $1.0931. The Australian dollar rose 0.01% to $0.6615, while the New Zealand dollar edged 0.02% lower to $0.61685. The dollar index was little changed at 102.80, having hit a roughly two-month low of 102.33 last week. Over in Asia, swirling speculation that the BOJ could move away from its ultra-easy policy settings at its policy meeting next week kept the yen supported. Against the dollar, the yen steadied at 146.94, not far from Friday's one-month top of 146.48.

Persons: bitcoin, Ray Attrill, Jerome Powell, We're, NAB's, there'll, Shunichi Suzuki Organizations: Bank of Japan, Sterling, greenback, Federal Reserve, National Australia Bank, NAB, New Zealand, country's Finance Locations: Asia, Japan

☆ Dollar poised for weekly decline; US jobs data up next
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-02 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

The dollar index was last at 103.02 and on track for its first weekly decline for the year. The New Zealand dollar rose 0.07% to $0.6149 and was on track for a weekly rise of nearly 1%, its best performance in over a month. It was poised for a weekly gain of nearly 1.3%, its best week in over a month. That highlighted a growing view within the board that conditions were falling in place to soon pull short-term interest rates out of negative territory, which would be Japan's first interest rate hike since 2007. Data on Thursday showed euro zone inflation eased as expected last month but underlying price pressures fell less than forecast, likely boosting the European Central Bank's argument that rate cuts should not be rushed.

Persons: Jerome Powell, Ray Attrill, Raf Choudhury, BoE, Thierry Wizman Organizations: Federal Reserve, New Zealand, National Australia Bank, Friday's, Analysts, Bank of Japan's, Bank of England, Monetary, European Locations: Abrdn, U.S

☆ Dollar at one-month high as rate cut expectations ease on Fedspeak
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-17 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

The dollar index hovered at a one-month high against a basket of currencies on Wednesday as remarks by Federal Reserve Governor Christopher Waller dampened expectations for a March rate cut. "I will need more information in the coming months confirming or (conceivably) challenging the notion that inflation is moving down sustainably toward our inflation goal," before backing rate cuts, he said on Tuesday. Market expectations of a rate cut in March have eased to a 62.2% chance versus an 76.9% view in the prior session, according to CME's FedWatch Tool. "Rate cuts are coming but not as soon as some might be hoping for," Sycamore said. Meanwhile, the euro was hanging near a one-month low at $1.0875 after its steepest one-day percentage drop in two weeks, following comments from several ECB policymakers this week that maintained uncertainty over the timing of rate cuts.

Persons: Christopher Waller, Waller, CME's, Tony Sycamore, Christine Lagarde, Sycamore, Sterling, Rodrigo Catril Organizations: Federal Reserve, IG, European Central Bank, Treasury, Bank of Japan, National Australia Bank Locations: U.S, Asia

☆ Asia shares start Dec on cautious note, oil nurses losses
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-01 | by ( Stella Qiu | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan (.MIAPJ0000PUS) fell 0.5% after a surge of 7.3% last month, the most since January. The Federal Reserve's preferred gauge of inflation - the personal consumption expenditures (PCE) price index - stood unchanged for October, while consumer spending also pulled back. Fed funds futures imply rate cuts of 115 basis points. The yield on 10-year Treasury notes slipped 3 basis points in Asia to 4.3264%, on top of a plunge of 52.2 basis points for the month. Two-year Treasury yields fell 4 basis points to 4.674%.

Persons: Tyrone Siu, sharemarkets, HSI, Rodrigo Catril, Jerome Powell's Q, Waller, Robert Carnell, Christopher Waller, Treasuries, Stella Qiu, Jamie Freed Organizations: REUTERS, Tyrone, Rights, Japan's Nikkei, National Australia Bank . Regional, Federal, Traders, ING, Fed, South Korean, Philippine, Brent, West Texas, Thomson Locations: Exchange, Hong Kong, China, Europe, U.S, Asia, Pacific, Japan, South

The New Zealand dollar was last up 1.1% at a four-month high of $0.6207, having blown past resistance. The U.S. dollar, meanwhile, slid to fresh multi-month lows on the euro, yen, sterling, the Australian dollar, yuan and Swiss franc. Overnight Fed Governor Christopher Waller - an influential and previously hawkish voice at the U.S. central bank - told the American Enterprise Institute that rate cuts could begin in a matter of months, provided inflation keeps falling. Fed funds futures rallied on the remark to price more than hundred basis points of cuts in 2024 and 40% chance they begin as soon as March. Two-year Treasury yields fell sharply and along with the dollar fell further still in Asia.

Persons: Christopher Waller, Governor Waller's, Tapas Strickland, Jerome Powell, Waller, CONDITIONALITY Waller's, Seng, Vishnu Varathan, Simon Cameron, Moore Organizations: New Zealand, Nikkei, U.S ., Swiss, U.S, American Enterprise Institute, Governor, National Australia Bank, Fed, HK, Thomson Locations: SINGAPORE, Asia, Pacific, Japan, Hong Kong, Sydney, China, Meituan, Zealand, Singapore

☆ Asian stocks inch ahead as traders brace for inflation data
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-28 | by ( Ankur Banerjee | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Japan's Nikkei (.N225) eased 0.20% but is up 8% this month, on course for its strongest monthly performance in three years. "The outlook for central bank policy has been a big factor driving the improvement in risk appetite in November," said Rodrigo Catril, senior FX strategist at National Australia Bank. Investors will focus this week on the Fed's preferred measure of inflation on Thursday and euro zone consumer inflation figures for further clarity on the where inflation is headed. The weaker-than-expected data weighed on Treasury yields, with the yield on benchmark 10-year notes slipping 9.6 basis points on Monday. The dollar index , a measure of the greenback against a basket of currencies, fell to 103.11, its lowest since Aug. 31.

Persons: Rodrigo Catril, Catril, Christine Lagarde, Jerome Powell, HSI, Brent, Ankur Banerjee, Sam Holmes Organizations: Federal, Japan's Nikkei, National Australia Bank, European Central Bank, Treasury, Thomson Locations: SINGAPORE, Asia, Pacific, Japan, U.S, OPEC

☆ Every country needs an Inflation Reduction Act
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-23 | by ( Antony Currie | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +9 min

REUTERS/David Gray/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsMELBOURNE, Nov 23 (Reuters Breakingviews) - Lawmakers in South Korea blasted the U.S. Inflation Reduction Act as a betrayal. Yet concerns about market distortion from the policy intended to stimulate investment in the energy transition and signed into law by President Joe Biden in August 2022 are easing. The Biden administration’s willingness to negotiate on its package of $370 billion of tax breaks and other measures has helped. Reuters GraphicsTrouble is, governments also need to show that they will be fiscally responsible stewards of the energy transition in the short term – especially with inflation still a threat and budgets under pressure. In a speech on Nov. 2 about enabling Australia’s energy transition, Treasurer Jim Chalmers said that “incentives like the type we’ve seen in the Inflation Reduction Act in the United States can be part of an answer but they’re not the whole answer”.

Persons: David Brockwell, David Gray, Australia’s Fortescue, FMG.AX, Joe Biden, Biden, –, Goldman Sachs reckons, ’, Uncle Sam, Fumio, Jim Chalmers, they’re, Chalmers, Una Galani, Thomas Shum Organizations: REUTERS, Rights MELBOURNE, Reuters, Australia, Washington, European, of America, Labor Energy Partnership, U.S, Canberra, Climate Energy Finance, Climate Capital Forum, Deloitte, National Australia Bank, quicken, Thomson Locations: Lake George, Canberra, South Korea, United States, Seoul, European Union, U.S, Japan, Washington, EU, Australia

☆ Yen's fall toward multi-decade lows keeps markets on intervention watch
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-14 | by ( Rae Wee | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

Against the dollar, the yen last stood at 151.72 , languishing near a one-year low of 151.92 hit on Monday. A break below last year's trough of 151.94 per dollar would mark a fresh 33-year low for the yen. "I'm inclined to also think that it wasn't a BOJ intervention... It intervened again in October 2022 after the yen plunged to a 32-year low of 151.94. The comments have kept the U.S. dollar bid and against the greenback, the New Zealand dollar fell to an over one-week low of $0.58705.

Persons: Thomas White, Carol Kong, Rodrigo Catril, Jerome Powell, NAB's, Rae Wee, Sam Holmes Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, Bank of Japan's, greenback, Commonwealth Bank of Australia, Bank of, National Australia Bank, NAB, Ministry of Finance, Federal, U.S, New Zealand, Sterling, Reserve Bank of Australia, Thomson Locations: Japan, Rights SINGAPORE, Asia, New York, Bank of Japan, U.S

☆ Australia's CBA Q1 profit flat as competition in home loan market intensifies
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-13 | by ( Himanshi Akhand | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Even though rate hikes since last year have boosted interest incomes and margins at Australian banks, rising cost of repayments has intensified competition in the home loan market, capping profit margins and hindering credit growth. Australia's biggest lender said cash net profit after tax was A$2.50 billion ($1.59 billion) for the quarter ended Sept. 30, same as the year earlier. CBA dominates Australia's A$2 trillion mortgage industry, which benefited from a property boom through COVID-19 restrictions. That had prompted Australia's "Big Four" banks to start offering cash payments for mortgage refinancing to lure borrowers. CBA's rivals National Australia Bank (NAB.AX), Westpac (WBC.AX) and ANZ Group (ANZ.AX) all posted higher annual profit earlier this month despite inflationary headwinds.

Persons: Edgar Su, CBA's, Matt Comyn, Australia's, Himanshi, Shilpi Majumdar Organizations: Commonwealth Bank of Australia, REUTERS, Commonwealth Bank of Australia's, Citi, CBA, National Australia Bank, Westpac, ANZ Group, Thomson Locations: Sydney, Australia, Australia's, COVID, Bengaluru

CBA said cash profit was A$2.5 billion ($1.6 billion) for the quarter, which was 3% better than a consensus estimate for the period, according to data aggregator Visible Alpha. "Home lending margins stabilised in the quarter," it added, without giving figures. Shares of CBA rose as much as 1% in morning trading, in line with the broader market (.AXJO) as analysts welcomed the better-than-expected margin outcome and a smaller-than-expected provision for potential loan impairments. Commenting on the bank's stabilising home loan margins, E&P Financial analyst Azib Khan said that "it would be helping on this front that CBA has been willing to forgo market share". For the year to September, CBA said it grew its mortgage book at 0.7 times the rate of the overall mortgage industry.

Persons: Brendan Sproules, Azib Khan, Himanshi, Shilpi Majumdar Organizations: Commonwealth Bank of, ANZ, Westpac, National Australia Bank, CBA, Citi, P, Thomson Locations: Bengaluru

That pushed net profit from the bank's institutional unit up 53% to overtake its retail unit, by dollar value, in the year to September, and helped the Melbourne-listed company grow overall profit 14% to A$7.4 billion ($4.7 billion), just missing a Visible Alpha consensus forecast of A$7.56 billion. But analysts expressed concern about a faster-than-expected narrowing of profit margin from the bank's retail unit, the only one of Australia's so-called big four lenders that has persisted with offering cash handouts to lure mortgage customers looking for a cheaper deal. The logo of the ANZ Bank is seen at Lambton Quay, in Wellington, New Zealand November 10, 2022. ANZ CEO Shayne Elliott denied forgoing margin to grow mortgages faster than the market, and challenged comments from other banks that have said they were intentionally slowing mortgage growth while competition eroded profit. ANZ declared a final dividend of 94 Australian cents per share, up from 74 cents a year ago.

Persons: NIM, Lucy Craymer, Shayne Elliott, we've, Byron Kaye, Rishav Chatterjee, Roushni Nair, Lisa Shumaker, Stephen Coates Organizations: ANZ, Westpac, National Australia Bank, midsession, ANZ Bank, REUTERS, UBS, Thomson Locations: Melbourne, Lambton Quay, Wellington , New Zealand, Sydney, Bengaluru

The National Australia Bank Logo is seen on a branch in central Sydney, Australia, February 8, 2018. That has left NAB, ranked third for mortgages but first for business loans, in a prime position as the country's retail lenders look elsewhere for growth. We're not abandoning (mortgages), we're tilting towards our business bank." Larger mortgage rival Westpac (WBC.AX) also posted a higher annual profit on Monday, despite a decline in home loan profit. The company's net interest margin, a closely-watched bank metric of lending interest income minus payouts to deposit accounts, shrank to 1.71% as of Sept. 30, from 1.77% at March-end.

Persons: Daniel Munoz, Ross McEwan, We're, Azib Khan, Roushni Nair, Archishma Iyer, Shounak Dasgupta, Jamie Freed Organizations: National, REUTERS, NAB, SYDNEY, National Australia Bank, Westpac, P, Thomson Locations: Sydney, Australia, Bengaluru

☆ National Australia Bank's second-half cash profit falls as inflation persists
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-09 | by ( Roushni Nair | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

The National Australia Bank Logo is seen on a branch in central Sydney, Australia, February 8, 2018. But for the half-year ended Sept. 30, cash earnings sank as the impact of monetary policy tightening and inflationary pressures crippled households and the economy. The annual performance of its business and institutional banking divisions stood out with of 10.1% and 14.9% in cash profits respectively, while the personal banking division was a drag on its results, posting a 9.1% decline in cash earnings to A$1.45 billion. The bank reported a jump in its credit impairment charge for the year to A$802 million, up from just A$125 million a year ago, which it said reflected volume growth and worsening asset quality. The bank declared a final dividend of 84 Australian cents per share, up from 78 Australian cents apiece a year earlier.

Persons: Daniel Munoz, Ross McEwan, Roushni Nair, Archishma Iyer, Shounak Dasgupta, Jamie Freed Organizations: National, REUTERS, National Australia Bank, NAB, Thomson Locations: Sydney, Australia, Bengaluru

☆ Aussie 'big four' banks hike home loan rates after RBA decision
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-09 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

People use Commonwealth Bank of Australia (CBA) bank ATMs in Sydney, Australia May 3, 2018. The National Australia Bank (NAB.AX), ANZ Group Holdings (ANZ.AX) and Westpac Banking Corp (WBC.AX), the other three of Australia's "big four", had hiked their home loan rates on Wednesday by 0.25%. The rate hike by the National Australia Bank (NAB.AX) and ANZ Group Holdings (ANZ.AX) would be effective from Nov. 17, while Westpac Banking Corp (WBC.AX) would raise rates from Nov. 21, the lenders said in separate statements on Wednesday. CBA said its home loan variable rate change would be effective from Nov. 17. Reporting by Rishav Chatterjee and Upasana Singh in Bengaluru; Editing by Savio D'Souza and Rashmi AichOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Edgar Su, Rishav Chatterjee, Upasana Singh, Savio D'Souza, Rashmi Organizations: Commonwealth Bank of Australia, REUTERS, Thursday, National Australia Bank, ANZ Group Holdings, Westpac Banking Corp, Reserve Bank of Australia, Wednesday, CBA, Thomson Locations: Sydney, Australia, Bengaluru

The results show how Australia's retail banks are leaning into businesses outside their traditional earnings engine of mortgages as higher interest rates raise the cost of repayments, spurring competition which has flattened profit margins. Sydney-listed Westpac said profit from its consumer division, which has just over one-fifth of Australian mortgages, shrank 7% in its full-year to end-September. Westpac gave no profit forecasts but said April-to-September trading was "more challenging" than the previous six months and "this is expected to continue into 2024". "If that does eventuate, interest rates will probably need to be higher than what we're thinking," he said on a call with analysts and media. Westpac declared a final dividend of 72 Australian cents per share, up from 64 Australian cents a year earlier.

Persons: David Gray, Azib Khan, Peter King, We've, Byron Kaye, Roushni Nair, Upasana Singh, Andrew Heavens, Josie Kao, Aurora Ellis Organizations: Australia's Westpac Banking Corp, REUTERS, Westpac, Commonwealth Bank, National Australia Bank, ANZ, Sydney, midsession, P Capital, Thomson Locations: Sydney, Australia, Ukraine, Bengaluru

The funds available for deals are growing as investors including pension funds, sovereign wealth and insurance firms look for meaty returns hard to find in today's equity markets, especially in the beaten-down real estate sector. Australian real estate specialist Qualitas (QAL.AX), whose backers include the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, has nearly doubled funds under management to A$8 billion ($5.07 billion) since mid-2022, with roughly half the increase since this June. U.S.-based PGIM Real Estate expects to deploy a further $1 billion in the country over the next few years, said its head of Australian real estate Steve Bulloch. Lenders are expanding into residential and commercial construction as banks slow lending or exit, a March report from the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) said. JUICY RETURNSInvestors can expect returns from 9% to 11% with the added security of loans pledged against real assets like condos or warehouses, often with a 30% to 40% equity buffer, said Paul Notaras, executive director at Barings Real Estate Australia.

Persons: Stella Qiu, meaty, Steve Bulloch, JUICY, Paul Notaras, Notaras, Qualitas, Andrew Schwartz, Bonds, We've, Schwartz, Lewis Jackson, Rae Wee, Jamie Freed Organizations: REUTERS, Abu, Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, Commonwealth Bank, National Australia Bank, Westpac, ANZ Group, International Monetary, Reserve Bank of Australia, Australia, prudential, Reuters Graphics Reuters, Thomson Locations: Parramatta, Sydney, SYDNEY, Australian, Abu Dhabi, Australia, Qualitas, Singapore

☆ Australia's NAB targets at least $633 mln in lending to indigenous businesses
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-31 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

The logo of the National Australia Bank is displayed outside their headquarters building in central Sydney, Australia August 4, 2017. Earlier this year, a review by the country's corporate regulator found banks were falling short of meeting targets for moving First Nations people into low-fee accounts. NAB, the country's second biggest lender, said the new lending target highlights a surge of more than 140% based on its current lending of just A$413 million helping stimulate "sustainable business growth" among indigenous communities. "During the last two years, we have put the building blocks in place to better support our growing First Nations business customer base, from both a commercial and cultural perspective," said Andrew Irvine, NAB Group Executive Business and Private Banking. ($1 = 1.5780 Australian dollars)Reporting by John Biju in Bengaluru; Editing by Krishna Chandra Eluri and Shailesh KuberOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: David Gray, Andrew Irvine, John Biju, Krishna Chandra Eluri Organizations: National Australia Bank, REUTERS, Nations, NAB, Executive Business, Private Banking, Thomson Locations: Sydney, Australia, Bengaluru

☆ Australia Sept retail sales climb at fastest pace in 8 months
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-30 | by ( Stella Qiu | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

REUTERS/Daniel Munoz/file photo Acquire Licensing RightsSYDNEY, Oct 30 (Reuters) - Australian retail sales rose at the fastest pace in eight months in September, suggesting some resilience in consumer spending which would add to the case for an interest rate hike as soon as next week. The Australian dollar rose 0.4% to $0.6360, while three-year government bond yield hit a fresh 12-year high of 4.388%. "Downside risks to household consumption have been a key focus of the RBA, but those do not look to have been realised so far." The broad softening in consumer spending has been one major reason that the RBA has left interest rates unchanged for four straight months now. However, a sustained rebound in housing prices could lend some support to household consumption.

Persons: Daniel Munoz, Ben Dorber, Taylor Nugent, Downside, Stella Qiu, Tom Hogue, Edwina Gibbs, Miral Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, Reserve Bank of, Australian Bureau of Statistics, National Australia Bank, Thomson Locations: Sydney's, Australia, Reserve Bank of Australia, Queensland

☆ Dollar firms, yen weakens to intervention-wary level
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-26 | by ( Ankur Banerjee | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

Banknotes of Japanese yen and U.S. dollar are seen in this illustration picture taken September 23, 2022. The Japanese yen touched a fresh one-year low of 150.32 per dollar overnight and was last at 150.26. Japanese finance minister Shunichi Suzuki warned investors against selling the yen again on Thursday, saying authorities were closely watching moves. The New Zealand dollar also touched an 11-month low of $0.5780 and was last down 0.22% at $0.5788. Soft European economic data and negative interest rate differentials between Europe and the US will likely keep a lid on euro/dollar."

Persons: Florence Lo, Shunichi Suzuki, Suzuki, Carol Kong, Rodrigo Catril, CBA's, Sterling, bitcoin, Ankur Banerjee, Edwina Gibbs Organizations: U.S, REUTERS, Rights, Commonwealth Bank of Australia, Bank of Japan, Reuters, Australian, New Zealand, Benchmark, National Australia Bank, Canadian, Bank of Canada, European Central Bank, ECB, Thomson Locations: Rights SINGAPORE, Europe, Singapore

☆ Australia's surprisingly strong Q3 inflation raises odds of Nov rate hike
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-25 | by ( Stella Qiu | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

Markets are wagering both the U.S. Federal Reserve and the European Central Bank are done with hiking. HAWKISH MESSAGINGThe recent messaging from the central bank has been on the hawkish side. The biggest contributors to the third quarter inflation were fuel, rents, and electricity. Fuel prices rose 7.2% from a year ago, reversing two quarters of price falls, with the conflict in the Middle East potentially set to further stoke inflationary pressures. The central bank forecast in August that inflation was only projected to return to the top of the bank's target band of 2-3% in late 2025.

Persons: David Gray, Worryingly, Adam Boyton, Gareth Aird, Michele Bullock, Woolworths WOW.AX, Taylor Nugent, Stella Qiu, Wayne Cole, Shri Navaratnam Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, Reserve Bank of Australia, Australian Bureau, Statistics, Wednesday, Commonwealth Bank of Australia, ANZ, Economics, CBA, U.S . Federal Reserve, European Central Bank, Woolworths, National Australia Bank, NAB, Thomson Locations: Sydney, Australia

☆ Dollar rebuffed from 150 level vs yen after Powell/Treasuries double-whammy
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-20 | by ( Amanda Cooper | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

[1/2] Banknotes of Japanese yen and U.S. dollar are seen in this illustration picture taken September 23, 2022. Yet this has not translated into a similar boost to the dollar this week, which made only marginal gains while toying with the 150 level against the yen. This number marks the point at which many market participants believe Japan's Ministry of Finance (MOF) could step in to shore up the currency. Speculators have almost doubled their bullish dollar positions against other G10 currencies this month to the most in a year. Money markets show traders fully expect to see no change in rates at the Fed's next policy meeting.

Persons: Florence Lo, Jerome Powell, Jeremy Stretch, Stretch, Omori, POWELL, Powell, Ray Attrill, he's, Sterling, Carol Kong, Rae Wee, Kevin Buckland, Kim Coghill, Angus MacSwan, Gareth Jones Organizations: U.S, REUTERS, Federal, Treasury, Swiss, Japan's, of Finance, CIBC Capital Markets, Ministry, Finance, Mizuho Securities, National Australia Bank, Swiss National Bank, Commonwealth Bank of Australia, Thomson Locations: Treasuries, Japan, Tokyo, U.S, Asia, China, Singapore

☆ Dollar toys with 150 level vs yen after Powell/Treasuries double-whammy
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-20 | by ( Amanda Cooper | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

[1/2] Banknotes of Japanese yen and U.S. dollar are seen in this illustration picture taken September 23, 2022. Speculators have almost doubled their bullish dollar positions against other G10 currencies this month to the most in a year. This week's bond sell-off has raised the chances of a break of 150 in the currency. Money markets show traders fully expect to see no change in rates at the Fed's next policy meeting. The Swissie was last down against the dollar, which rose 0.2% to 0.8935 per dollar.

Persons: Florence Lo, Jerome Powell, Jeremy Stretch, Stretch, Omori, POWELL, Powell, Ray Attrill, he's, Sterling, Carol Kong, Rae Wee, Kevin Buckland, Shri Navaratnam, Kim Coghill, Angus MacSwan Organizations: U.S, REUTERS, Federal, Treasury, Swiss, Japan's, of Finance, CIBC Capital Markets, Ministry, Finance, Mizuho Securities, National Australia Bank, Commonwealth Bank of Australia, Thomson Locations: Treasuries, Japan, Tokyo, U.S, Asia, China, Singapore

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