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☆ Consumer sentiment drops again in November, inflation expectations climb
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-10 | by ( Dan Burns | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Nov 10 (Reuters) - U.S. consumer sentiment fell for a fourth straight month in November, and households' expectations for inflation rose again, with their medium-term outlook for price pressures shooting to the highest in more than a dozen years, a survey showed on Friday. The University of Michigan's preliminary reading of its Consumer Sentiment Index dropped to 60.4, the lowest since May, from October's final reading of 63.8. The survey's preliminary gauge of current conditions fell to 65.7 from last month's final level of 70.6, while the expectations index slid to 56.9 from 59.3 in October. Consumers' outlook for inflation in the year ahead rose for a second month to a seven-month high of 4.4%. They are keen to see inflation expectations trend lower so as not to alter consumption behavior that could reverse the gains they have made in slowing the pace of price increases.

Persons: Dan Burns, Chizu Organizations: The University, Consumers, Federal Reserve, Thomson Locations: U.S

☆ The 10 best countries to live in if you're a woman and want to go to school, get a job, and be politically empowered
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-03 | by ( Amanda Goh | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

The World Economic Forum, or WEF, released its Global Gender Gap Report 2023 in June. AdvertisementAdvertisementAlthough no country has fully closed its gender gap, Scandinavian countries are taking the lead, according to the World Economic Forum's Global Gender Gap Report 2023. The study found that the global gender gap has closed by 68.4% — up by 0.3% from last year's 68.1%. The Global Gender Gap Report compares countries' gender gap in four different areas: economic participation and opportunity, educational attainment, health and survival, and political empowerment. The average of each subindex score is then used to calculate the overall Global Gender Gap Index score.

Persons: —, Saadia Zahidi Organizations: Economic, US, Service

☆ Treasury yields lower after Powell says Fed is prepared to raise rates
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-28 | by ( Ryan Browne | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

U.S. Treasury yields fell on Monday as investors remained focused on remarks from Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell that signaled the possibility of more interest rate hikes to tackle inflation. The yield on the benchmark 10-year Treasury yield was down at 4.2217%. While Powell said the Fed could be flexible, he said it still has further to go to fight inflation. "Although inflation has moved down from its peak — a welcome development — it remains too high," Powell said in prepared remarks. The Treasury is expected to auction three-month and six-month bills as well as two-year and five-year notes.

Persons: Jerome Powell, Powell, Willem Sels, Sels, CNBC's, subindexes Organizations: Treasury, Federal, Traders, Federal Reserve, Kansas City, HSBC Private Banking, Wealth, Composite, U.S . Labor Department Locations: Jackson Hole , Wyoming, U.S

☆ Japan's factory activity falls on soft orders - PMI
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-01 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

TOKYO, Aug 1 - Japan's factory activity contracted at a faster pace in July, a business survey showed on Tuesday, taking a hit from soft orders amid weakening global economic conditions. Data on Monday showed Japan's factory output grew in June for the first time in two months thanks to solid auto production. Subindexes gauging new orders and output both stayed in the sub-50 territory in June for a second month. Japan has to date weathered worsening global economic conditions relatively well thanks to robust domestic service activity and ultra-loose monetary policy. On a brighter note, the S&P survey showed easing cost pressures for companies thanks to sliding fuel and commodity prices.

Persons: Usamah Bhatti, Bhatti, Sam Holmes Organizations: Jibun Bank, P Global Market Intelligence, Thomson Locations: TOKYO, Jibun Bank Japan, Japan

☆ Morning Bid: Markets brace for Fed decision, earnings flood
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-26 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Investors will be listening carefully to Chair Jerome Powell for indications of whether or not another interest rate hike is in the pipeline. The Fed's communication could set the tone for markets ahead of policy decisions from the European Central Bank (ECB) on Thursday and the Bank of Japan (BOJ) on Friday. Reuters GraphicsEuro zone June M3 annual growth and lending data on Wednesday are unlikely to affect markets ahead of the ECB's decision. Chinese stock markets were mostly lower on Wednesday following a steep rally the day before. China's blue-chip CSI300 (.CSI300) index was down 0.3% while the CSI 300 Real Estate index gained 0.2%.

Persons: Brigid Riley, Jerome Powell, HSI, Sonali Desai, Edmund Klamann Organizations: Federal Reserve, Federal, Market, European Central Bank, Bank of Japan, ECB, Reuters, Fisher, Union Pacific Corp, eBay, Boeing, Microsoft, Carrefour, Danone, GSK, CSI, CPI, Reserve Bank of Australia, U.S, Fed, Thomson Locations: United States, U.S, Europe, France, Asia, China

☆ Japan factory activity slips back into contraction in June on soft orders
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-03 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

TOKYO, July 3 (Reuters) - Japan's factory activity contracted in June after expanding for the first time in 7 months in May, a private survey showed on Monday, dragged down by weak orders for cyclical goods amid a global economic slowdown. Output and new orders, the subindexes that constitute the majority of the headline index, fell back to contraction, ending a brief rebound buoyed by improved business confidence. New orders from overseas customers decreased at the fastest rate in four months, notably reflecting feeble demand from China, Japan's biggest trade partner. The soft PMI reading came after Friday's government data showed Japanese manufacturing output falling more than expected in May, dented by automakers' parts shortage and production cuts. The rise in input and output prices were the slowest in 28 months and 21 months, respectively.

Persons: Usamah Bhatti, Kantaro, Shri Navaratnam Organizations: Jibun Bank, P Global Market Intelligence, Thomson Locations: TOKYO, Jibun Bank Japan, China, dented, Japan

☆ China's exports tumble much more than expected in May
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-07 | by ( ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

Beijing Reuters —China’s exports shrank much faster than expected in May and imports fell, albeit at a slower pace, as manufacturers struggled to find demand abroad and domestic consumption remained sluggish. Exports from the world’s second-largest economy fell 7.5% year-on-year in May, the biggest decline since January and swinging from 8.5% growth in April. Chinese stocks trimmed gains and the Australian dollar, a commodity currency that is highly sensitive to swings in Chinese demand, fell after the trade data. “The weak exports confirm that China needs to rely on domestic demand as global economy slows,” said Zhiwei Zhang, chief economist at Pinpoint Asset Management. The PMI subindexes showed factory output swung to contraction from expansion while new orders, including new exports, fell for a second month.

Persons: ”, Zhiwei Zhang Organizations: Beijing Reuters —, Imports, Reuters, Australian, PMI Locations: Beijing, China

Imports contracted at a slower pace, dropping 4.5%, a slower pace of decline 7.9% than the previous month. The Australian dollar , a commodity currency that is highly sensitive to swings in Chinese demand, fell after the trade data. "The weak exports confirm that China needs to rely on domestic demand as global economy slows," said Zhiwei Zhang, chief economist at Pinpoint Asset Management. "There is more pressure for the government to boost domestic consumption in the rest of the year, as global demand will likely weaken further in the second half." The PMI subindexes showed factory output swung to contraction from expansion while new orders, including new exports, fell for a second month.

Persons: Zhiwei Zhang, Joe Cash, Sam Holmes Organizations: Imports, Reuters, PMI, Thomson Locations: BEIJING, China

☆ China's factory activity swings to surprise growth in May - Caixin PMI
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-01 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

The Caixin/S&P Global manufacturing purchasing managers' index (PMI) rose to 50.9 in May from 49.5 in April, above the 50-point index mark that separates growth from contraction. The reading surpassed expectations of 49.5 in a Reuters poll, a stark contrast to a deeper contraction activity seen in the official PMI released on Wednesday. The manufacturing subindexes showed factory output rose at the fastest clip in 11 months while new orders including new exports expanded in May. However, business confidence for the coming 12 months fell to a seven-month low amid concerns over global economic prospects. "Current economic growth lacks internal drive and market entities lack sufficient confidence, highlighting the importance of expanding and restoring demand, " said Wang Zhe, Senior Economist at Caixin Insight Group.

Persons: Zhou Hao, Hang, Wang Zhe, 25bps, Liangping Gao, Joe Cash, Ryan Woo, Sam Holmes, Simon Cameron, Moore Organizations: P Global, PMI, Guotai, CSI, Caixin Insight, ANZ, Thomson Locations: BEIJING, China

Summary Manufacturing PMI unexpectedly fallsNon-manufacturing PMI falls, as services slowPMIs show economic recovery losing steamMarkets skid on PMI weaknessBEIJING, May 31 (Reuters) - China's factory activity shrank faster than expected in May on weakening demand, heaping pressure on policymakers to shore up a patchy economic recovery and knocking Asian financial markets lower. "The PMI data reveal that China may heading to a K-shaped recovery," said Bruce Pang, chief economist at Jones Lang LaSalle. "The sluggish domestic demand could weigh on China's sustainable growth, if there are no efficient and effective policy moves to engineer a broad-based recovery," said Pang. The PMI subindexes for May showed factory output swung to contraction from an expansion while new orders, including new exports, fell for the second month. Last month, imports contracted sharply, factory gate prices fell, property investment slumped, industrial profits plunged and factory output and retail sales both missed forecasts.

Persons: Bruce Pang, Jones Lang LaSalle, Pang, Jones Lang LaSalle's Pang, Li Qiang, Zhiwei Zhang, Liangping Gao, Ryan Woo, Sam Holmes Organizations: PMI, National Bureau of Statistics, . Service, New, Jones, Labor, Nomura, Barclays, Thomson Locations: BEIJING, Asia, New Zealand, China, Japan

☆ Japan's March service-sector grows at fastest rate in over nine years - PMI
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-05 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

April 5 (Reuters) - Japan's services sector activity at the fastest pace in over nine years in March, a private sector survey showed on Wednesday, suggesting that the post-COVID bounce was gathering steam and providing some offset to a still-weak factory sector. The final au Jibun Bank Japan Services purchasing managers' index (PMI) rose to a seasonally adjusted 55.0 last month, from February's 54.0, marking the quickest rate of expansion since October 2013. The subindexes of new orders and overseas demand grew for a seventh month, rising at the fastest pace since February 2019 and December 2022, respectively. The subindex for employment expanded for a second month and at the fastest pace in ten months, as workloads and business expansion plans increased. The composite PMI, which combines the manufacturing and services figures, grew at the fastest pace since June 2022.

The Fed's aggressive monetary policy tightening to curb decades-high inflation hammered U.S. equities in 2022, with the three main indexes logging their steepest annual declines since 2008. Fed Governor Michelle Bowman said on Tuesday the U.S. central bank will have to raise interest rates further to combat high inflation. Healthcare stocks (.SPXHC) rose 0.5% and were also a major boost to the benchmark S&P 500 index. Advancing issues outnumbered decliners for a 1.17-to-1 ratio on the NYSE and a 1.62-to-1 ratio on the Nasdaq. The S&P index recorded one new 52-week high and no new low, while the Nasdaq recorded 37 new highs and 20 new lows.

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