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☆ Asia shares brace for trio of rate meetings, China steps
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-24 | by ( Wayne Cole | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

China's Politburo meeting this week could see more stimulus announced, though investors have so far been underwhelmed by Beijing's actions. S&P 500 futures and Nasdaq futures were little changed ahead of a wave of earnings this week. The U.S. dollar eased a touch to 141.37 yen , having jumped 1.3% on Friday following the report on the BOJ. The rise in the dollar pulled gold back to $1,961 an ounce and away from last week's peak of $1,987. Oil prices ran into profit-taking early on Monday having climbed for four straight weeks amid tightening supplies.

Persons: Jerome Powell, Christine Lagarde, Powell, John Briggs, Goldman Sachs, Brent, Wayne Cole, Shri Navaratnam, Christopher Cushing Organizations: Nikkei, Fed, ECB, SYDNEY, U.S . Federal Reserve, European Central Bank, NatWest Markets, Bank of Japan, Reuters, Japan's Nikkei, HK, Nasdaq, Intel, Microsoft, GE, Boeing, Exxon Mobil, Coca Cola, Ford, Google, U.S, Thomson Locations: Europe, United States, Asia, Pacific, Japan, Coca, Spain

☆ Asian shares inch up as investors brace for China data, Fed speakers
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-15 | by ( Stella Qiu | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

The guarded optimism is set to extend to Europe when markets open, with pan-region Euro Stoxx 50 futures up 0.2%. Both S&P 500 futures and Nasdaq futures were mostly flat. China is due to report monthly industrial production, retail sales and fixed asset investment data on Tuesday. "However, with China's data throwing up a few concerns of late - we've seen poor import, PPI, and loan data - China's growth is very much at the heart of market moves," said Weston. U.S. crude futures fell 0.6% to $69.61 per barrel, while Brent crude futures were down 0.6% to $73.68 per barrel.

☆ Stocks meander as US jobs dry up, kiwi jumps on RBNZ surprise
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-05 | by ( Tom Westbrook | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

Futures indicated European markets were set for a broadly lower open, with Eurostoxx 50 futures down 0.26%, German DAX futures down 0.12%. Two-year treasury yields , which closely track short-term rate expectations, dived almost 15 basis points and the dollar tracked the move to hit two-month troughs. Elsewhere investors see a few more rate hikes in store in Europe, where German exports have turned surprisingly strong. The euro flat at $1.0952, just shy of a two-month high it hit overnight on the dollar at $1.0973. Commodity markets are settling after Monday's surge in oil prices on news of surprise OPEC+ production cuts.

☆ Stocks struggle as US jobs dry up, kiwi leaps on RBNZ surprise
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-05 | by ( Tom Westbrook | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

Two-year treasury yields , which closely track short-term rate expectations, dived almost 15 basis points and the dollar tracked the move to hit two-month troughs. U.S. interest rate futures have rallied strongly over the last few weeks, as traders figure that under pressure banks will tighten up on lending anyway and save the need for monetary policymakers to do the job. DOLLAR SQUEEZEDOutside the United States, markets see other central banks staying the course on hikes to tame inflation. Elsewhere investors see a few more rate hikes in store in Europe, where German exports have turned surprisingly strong. Commodity markets are settling after Monday's surge in oil prices on news of surprise OPEC+ production cuts.

☆ Markets saw a dovish Fed hike but Powell's warning on credit conditions spooked investors
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-22 | by ( Patti Domm | In | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Are we going to celebrate the end of Fed rate hikes because things have started to hit the fan?" Strategists pointed to Powell's comment that financial conditions may have tightened more than it appears in traditional market measures, which would be stocks and bond spreads. "Number one, he remains unwavering on inflation, and he does acknowledge he sees a tightening of credit conditions. Briggs also called out Powell's comments about the impact from credit tightening , and the effect those actions can have. "That tightening via credit conditions can take the place of hikes (and vice versa if we don't get tighter credit conditions)," he said. "

☆ Cautious calm returns to bank stocks as focus shifts to regulation
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-15 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

Focus is also shifting to the possibility of tighter regulation in the U.S. banking sector, particularly for mid-tier banks like SVB (SIVB.O) and New York-based Signature Bank, whose collapses last week roiled financial markets. Investors had been particularly concerned about the huge bond holdings, particularly in U.S. Treasuries, of Japanese lenders. However, Japanese finance minister Shunichi Suzuki said on Wednesday differences in the structure of bank deposits, meant local banks wouldn't face incidents similar to SVB's collapse. In an attempt to avert a similar crisis down the line, the Federal Reserve is also considering tougher rules and oversight for midsize banks similar in size to SVB. "A year after starting to raise interest rates, the Federal Reserve is still chasing evidence that higher borrowing costs are slowing the U.S.

☆ US stock futures rally as Fed acts to stabilise banks
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-13 | by ( Wayne Cole | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

The moves came as authorities took possession of New York-based Signature Bank (SBNY.O), the second bank failure in a matter of days. Analysts noted that, importantly, the Fed would accept collateral at par rather than marking to market, allowing banks to borrow funds without having to sell assets at a loss. Investors reacted by sending U.S. S&P 500 stock futures up 1.2%, while Nasdaq futures rose 1.3%. Fed fund futures surged in early trading to imply only a 17% chance of a half-point hike, compared to around 70% before the SVB news broke last week. The dollar eased 0.4% on the Swiss franc , while the euro firmed 0.4% to $1.0690 as short-term U.S. yields dropped.

☆ Stock futures, bonds rally as U.S. acts to stabilise banks
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-12 | by ( Wayne Cole | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

The moves came as authorities took possession of New York-based Signature Bank (SBNY.O), the second bank failure in a matter of days. Investors reacted by sending U.S. S&P 500 stock futures up 0.9%, while Nasdaq futures rose 1.1%. Fed fund futures surged in early trading to imply only a 28% chance of a half-point hike, compared to around 70% before the SVB news broke last week. That, combined with the shift to safety, saw yields on two-year Treasuries dive 47 basis points on Thursday and Friday to stand at 4.58%, a long way from last week's 5.08% peak. Treasury 10-year bond futures added another 6 ticks on Monday, having been up over 20 ticks at one stage in hectic early trade.

☆ I was the original voice of Siri. Even though Apple used my voice without my knowledge, it's been a fun ride.
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-20 | by ( Dorothy Cucci | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Susan Bennett is the voice actor behind Apple's first iteration of Siri, released in 2011. This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Susan Bennett, a voice actor based in Atlanta, Georgia. One day, while I was there recording, a voice actor for another commercial didn't show up. I unknowingly did the initial Siri recordings in 2005In July 2005, six years before Apple would introduce Siri, I made the recordings that would eventually be used for the famous personal assistant. I also connected with Karen Jacobsen, a voice actor and singer who was the original Australian Siri.

☆ Asia shares up on Fed rate wagers, China reopening lifts yuan
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-09 | by ( Wayne Cole | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan (.MIAPJ0000PUS) rose 2.0% to a five-month top, with South Korean shares (.KS11) gaining 2.2%. Japan's Nikkei (.N225) was closed for a holiday but futures were trading at 26,215, compared with a cash close on Friday of 25,973. Earnings season kicks off this week with the major U.S. banks, with the Street fearing no year-on-year growth at all in overall earnings. "China reopening is one upside risk to 2023 EPS, but margin pressures, taxes, and recession present greater downside risks." Fed fund futures now imply around a 25% chance of a half-point hike in February, down from around 50% a month ago.

☆ Asia shares rise on U.S. rate bets, China reopening
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-09 | by ( Wayne Cole | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan (.MIAPJ0000PUS) rose 1.5% to a five-month top, with South Korean shares (.KS11) gaining 2.1%. S&P 500 futures added 0.2% and Nasdaq futures 0.3%. EUROSTOXX 50 futures added 0.5%, while FTSE futures firmed 0.4%. "China reopening is one upside risk to 2023 EPS, but margin pressures, taxes, and recession present greater downside risks." The market scaled back bets on rate hikes for the Federal Reserve.

☆ Critical inflation report could be the key to the week ahead, as the Fed meets
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-09 | by ( Patti Domm | In | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

Inflation and a hawkish Fed "I think the data can influence his press conference and how hawkish he is," said NatWest Markets' John Briggs. "If you get a higher CPI report on the back of that, it could create some significant market instability ahead of the Fed meeting." Recession fears "If you're more worried about recession than inflation, that means you bring in more bond buyers than sellers," he said. Retail sales, industrial production, and the Philadelphia Fed manufacturing survey as well as the Empire State manufacturing survey are released Thursday. Import prices 2:00 p.m. Fed statement and projections 2:30 p.m. Fed Chairman Jerome Powell briefing Thursday Earnings: Adobe, Jabil 8:30 a.m.

☆ Year-end rally ignited as inflation cools and rates fall, loosening their grip on stock market
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-10 | by ( Patti Domm | In | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

Treasury yields fell sharply and eased their grip on the stock market Thursday, helping fuel the monster rally that broke out after a report of cooler-than-expected inflation data. The rise in yields this year has choked off stock market gains and weighed on technology and growth stocks in particular. In the futures market, traders were betting Thursday that the Fed would raise its fed funds futures rate to 4.88% before stopping next spring. But now there are signs the strong dollar may not be such a drag. ...The strong dollar has been a headwind for earnings, and it will probably become a tail wind.

☆ Dollar, bond yields rise ahead of pivotal rate hikes
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-31 | by ( Marc Jones | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +6 min

Combined with news that Italy's economy grew far more strongly than expected in the third quarter, euro zone bond yields moved higher EUR/GVD although the euro succumbed to another bout of U.S. dollar strength. /FRX"A lot of data is coming out this week and lot of central banks are meeting," said Societe Generale strategist Kit Juckes. Palm oil futures rose nearly 5%. In the oil markets, Brent crude futures fell 1% to $94.65 a barrel, while spot gold was fractionally lower at $1,637 an ounce in the precious metals markets. Additional reporting by Tom Westbrook in Singapore; Editing by Kirsten Donovan and Angus MacSwanOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Stocks splutter, euro falls ahead of euro zone inflation data
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-31 | by ( Marc Jones | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +6 min

,Euro zone October inflation numbers due shortly are seen hitting a fresh record of 10.2% year on year, in what will make for more uncomfortable reading for the European Central Bank, which is targeting 2% price growth. Combined with news that Italy's economy grew far more strongly than expected in the third quarter, euro zone bond yields moved higher EUR/GVD although the euro succumbed to another bout of U.S. dollar strength. /FRX"A lot of data is coming out this week and lot of central banks are meeting," said Societe Generale strategist Kit Juckes. We are now waiting for euro zone GDP and CPI. S&P 500 futures fell 0.2%, while Germany's 10-year government bond yield, the benchmark for the euro area, was up 5.5 basis points (bps) to 2.143%.

☆ Stocks rally wobbles as Fed hike draws near
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-31 | by ( Tom Westbrook | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan rose 1%, though China stocks were held flat by disappointing economic data. The index is down ten months in a row and near two-year lows, rattled by growth and interest-rate hike fears. The mixed performance follows an erratic earnings season on Wall Street and bond and currency markets tempering some wagers on a change in tone from the Fed. S&P 500 futures fell 0.2%, while European futures rose 0.4%. Palm oil futures rose nearly 5%.

☆ Stocks could struggle as investors read the Fed's message to mean a recession is more likely
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-22 | by ( Patti Domm | In | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

Lerner said investors should also realize that higher rates in the bond market could pressure stocks as investors look for attractive yield elsewhere. Sam Stovall, chief investment strategist at CFRA, said the more hawkish Fed does not mean the market will keep from rallying in the fourth quarter. The fourth quarter in a mid-term election year is often positive, after stocks crater in September and early October in the typical seasonal pattern. Stovall said he is less enthusiastic about a fourth quarter rally, but it could still happen. "I'm not giving up on a fourth quarter rally, but it might start with a lower case 'r'," he said.

☆ There's one number that could be key to how markets trade right after the Fed meets
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-21 | by ( Patti Domm | In | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

(A basis point equals 0.01 of a percent) Besides the rate hike, the market is intently focused on the terminal rate. Expectations for the Fed's terminal rate also soared. Before the August CPI report, the futures market was pricing in a terminal rate at just about 4% for next April. In the futures market, "the terminal rate went up 40 basis points in 24 hours," he said. But NatWest Markets expects the Fed could indeed have a terminal rate of 5%.

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