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☆ Morning Bid: Asia stocks bounce as dovish central banks lift the mood
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-11 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

A look at the day ahead in European and global markets from Kevin Buckland. The local stock price reaction was muted though: Hong Kong's Hang Seng was up 0.9% while mainland benchmarks were flat. Bitcoin, meanwhile, soared as high as $30,438 in Asia for the first time in 10 months, smashing out of recent ranges. Europe returns to trading with very little on the economic calendar aside from euro zone retail sales for February and the Sentix business survey. Reuters Graphics Reuters GraphicsKey developments that could influence markets on Tuesday:Sentix indexEuro zone retail salesFirst Republic financial resultsReporting by Kevin Buckland; Editing by Edmund KlamannOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Melania Trump hits back at Page Six and People over anonymous sourcing and 'assumptions' about her marriage to Donald Trump
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-11 | by ( Kimberly Leonard | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Melania Trump is pushing back on reports about how she's processing her husband's indictment. The statement also did not reveal her state of mind over her husband's alleged infidelity or the public scrutiny of their 18-year marriage. The New York Post's Page Six separately reported that Melania Trump agreed to play a bigger part in her husband's 2024 campaign. The publication quoted an anonymous source recounting that Donald Trump pleaded with his wife to join him on the campaign, telling her, "I really need you." Ivanka Trump was also notably absent from the Mar-a-Lago event on April 4, though his other children, Donald Trump Jr., Eric Trump, Tiffany Trump, and Baron Trump attended, as did Viktor Knavs, Melania Trump's father.

☆ 'Unfinished business': Biden visits Northern Ireland as political tensions persist
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-11 | by ( Elliot Smith | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +7 min

He will give a speech in Northern Ireland on Wednesday, before traveling south of the border to the Republic of Ireland, where he will remain until Friday. Northern Ireland is part of the U.K. while the Republic of Ireland is a separate nation state that remains part of the EU. "Whilst it's positive in many ways — particularly on movement of food and medicines between Great Britain and Northern Ireland, it really removes a lot of the frictions — it doesn't deal with all the problems of the Northern Ireland protocol, so I'm afraid it's unfinished business," Villiers told CNBC's Tania Bryer. Clinton became the first sitting U.S. President to visit Northern Ireland and the first to appoint a U.S. special regional envoy. Though Biden is expected to use the trip to promote a return to functioning government in Stormont, his previous support for the Northern Ireland Protocol has drawn criticism from DUP politicians.

[1/4] Chinese President Xi Jinping and France's President Emmanuel Macron meet at the Guandong province governor's residence, in Guangzhou, China, Friday, April 7, 2023. Macron's comments came in an interview on a trip to China that was meant to showcase European unity on China policy, with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen also taking part, but highlighted differences within the European Union. A senior diplomat from Central and Eastern Europe, speaking on condition of anonymity, said: "President Macron is not speaking for Europe or the European Union. The French foreign ministry cancelled a planned debrief on the trip for foreign diplomats in Paris on Tuesday as officials scrambled to make sure they had a consistent message and to limit any fallout with Washington. But even some of those broadly supportive of Macron's agenda lamented the handling of the China trip, in which von der Leyen received a much more muted welcome than the French president.

There was more movement in currency markets, where the dollar rose across the board and the yen sank. Producer price inflation is expected to have fallen further in March, according to analysts' estimates of a year-on-year decline of 2.5%, which would be the fastest pace of deflation since June 2020. The annual rate of consumer price inflation is expected to remain unchanged at 1.0%, the slowest in a year, and the monthly rate is expected to rise to 0% from -0.5% in February. If these forecasts are broadly accurate, price pressures in China would appear to be extremely benign, giving the central bank room to loosen policy and stimulate the economy. In South Korea, the central bank looks to have ended its tightening cycle and will likely keep its main interest rate on hold at a 15-year high of 3.50% on Tuesday.

☆ Wall Street meanders, dollar gains as Fed rate hike seen in May
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-10 | by ( Herbert Lash | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

"My sense is that the labor market and CPI would favor the Fed raising rates again. However, what has made the market have second thoughts is the extent of the tightening of lending." The dollar index rose 0.52% and the two-year Treasury yield, which typically moves in step with interest rate expectations, added 4.2 basis points to 4.014%. On Wall Street, the Dow Jones Industrial Average (.DJI) rose 0.3%, the S&P 500 (.SPX) gained 0.10% and the Nasdaq Composite (.IXIC) dropped 0.03%. The dollar extended gains against the yen to 133.87 , the highest since March 15, on receding expectations of a near-term tweak to Japan's ultra-loose monetary policy.

☆ Bidens attend the White House Easter Egg Roll
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-10 | by ( Jillian Kumagai | ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

A look back at some defining images from the presidency of Donald Trump as he is indicted in a historic U.S. first.

☆ The Vatican celebrates Easter
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-10 | by ( Jillian Kumagai | ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

Israel's military hit sites in Lebanon and Gaza early on Friday, in retaliation for rocket attacks it blamed on the Islamist group Hamas, as tensions following police raids this week on the Al-Aqsa mosque in Jerusalem threatened to spiral out of control.

☆ In pictures: Easter Sunday around the world
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-10 | by ( Jillian Kumagai | ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

The street protests have become increasingly violent since the government pushed the pension legislation through parliament without a final vote. But police estimates indicate the number of people taking part may be falling.

☆ President Biden says he will run again in 2024 -NBC
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-10 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

WASHINGTON, April 10 (Reuters) - U.S. President Joe Biden said on Monday he plans to run for reelection in 2024 but was not prepared to announce it yet. "I plan on running ... but we're not prepared to announce it yet," Biden said in an interview with NBC's "Today" show before the White House Easter Egg Roll. Biden has said he intends to be the Democratic candidate in 2024 but has not made a formal announcement. Both Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris have said they will run together. Top White House advisers are set to make final decisions on launching Biden’s re-election campaign, NBC News reported, citing several unidentified sources.

☆ Morning Bid: Have payrolls resurrected the 'soft landing'?
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-10 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/2] An employee hiring sign with a QR code is seen in a window of a business in Arlington, Virginia, U.S., April 7, 2023. Earnings for Citi, Wells Fargo and JP Morgan Chase & Co later in the week will be in focus for colour on financial conditions. Inflation figures due Wednesday can also help markets to gauge how aggressive the Federal Reserve may need to be. Friday's jobs data lifted yields, but didn't substantially shift a bigger picture view that hikes are all but finished and cuts are coming. China is running military exercises in the wake of Taiwan's president visiting the United States, while the U.S. scrambles to find the source of a damaging document leak.

☆ Futures muted after jobs data raises odds of more rate hikes
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-10 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

U.S. employers maintained a strong pace of hiring in March, data released on Friday showed, pushing the unemployment rate down to 3.5% and raising odds of the Fed hiking rates one more time next month. While nonfarm payrolls increased by 236,000 jobs last month, slightly weaker than economists' expectations, investors focused on the overall data which signaled labor market resilience. "We see a disconnect between markets presuming much easier Fed policy on "softer" data and how the Fed will actually see the data," Citi economists said in a note. Citi expects three 25 basis point rate hikes at the coming Fed meetings with a policy rate reaching 5.50-5.75%. ET, Dow e-minis were up 12 points, or 0.04%, S&P 500 e-minis remained unchanged, and Nasdaq 100 e-minis were down 31.75 points, or 0.24%.

☆ Asian shares muted, dollar buoyant on odds of rate rise
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-10 | by ( Ankur Banerjee | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan (.MIAPJ0000PUS) was 0.12% higher, while Japan's Nikkei (.N225) gained 0.5%. Traders have increasingly become convinced that the Fed will cut rates in the second half to ward off an economic downturn. The two-year U.S. Treasury yield, which typically moves in step with interest rate expectations, eased to 3.951%, after closing at 3.993% on Friday's abbreviated trading. A closely watched part of the U.S. Treasury yield curve measuring the gap between yields on two- and 10-year Treasury notes , seen as an indicator of economic expectations, was at -57.7 basis points. The yen weakened 0.41% to 132.69 per dollar as Japan's new central bank governor Kazuo Ueda takes over from Haruhiko Kuroda.

☆ Yen sinks as rates outlook diverges; NZ dollar tumbles
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-10 | by ( Kevin Buckland | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

The yen slipped 0.4% against the U.S. dollar to 132.70, extending its decline from Friday, when data showed the U.S. economy continued to add jobs at a brisk pace in March. The yield remained elevated at 3.3719% in Tokyo on Monday, when many markets in Asia as well as Europe will remain closed. Against the euro , the yen slumped over 0.5% to 144.635. Barring an upside surprise in U.S. consumer price data on Wednesday, the dollar has limited room to rise against the yen from current levels, they added. Meanwhile, the New Zealand dollar slumped about 0.7% to $0.62325, and the Aussie slipped 0.13% to $0.6665.

☆ Yen sinks as rates outlook diverges; NZ dollar slides
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-10 | by ( Kevin Buckland | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Meanwhile, the risk-sensitive New Zealand and Australian dollars weakened amid heightened U.S.-China tensions over Taiwan, with Beijing a key trading partner for the Antipodean nations. The yen slipped 0.3% against the U.S. dollar to 132.47, extending a similar-sized decline from Friday, when data showed the U.S. economy continued to add jobs at a brisk pace in March. The yield remained elevated at 3.3776% in Tokyo on Monday, when many markets in Asia as well as Europe will remain closed. Barring an upside surprise in U.S. consumer price data on Wednesday, the dollar has limited room to rise against the yen from current levels, they added. Meanwhile, the New Zealand dollar slumped 0.6% to $0.6238, and the Aussie slipped 0.21% to $0.6660.

☆ Asian shares subdued as jobs data raises odds of Fed rate hike
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-10 | by ( Ankur Banerjee | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan (.MIAPJ0000PUS) was 0.14% higher, while Japan's Nikkei (.N225) gained 0.5%. China shares eased on Monday, with the bluechip CSI300 Index (.CSI300) 0.2% lower, while the Shanghai Composite Index (.SSEC) down nearly 0.3%. Markets are now pricing in 66% chance of the Fed raising interest rates by 25 basis points in its May 2-3 meeting, according to CME FedWatch tool. Traders have increasingly become convinced that the Fed will cut rates in the second half to ward off an economic downturn. In the currency market, the dollar index , which measures the U.S. currency against six major peers, rose 0.118% to 102.14.

☆ Pope hopes Northern Ireland accord can be 'consolidated' to benefit all Ireland
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-10 | by ( Philip Pullella | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

VATICAN CITY, April 10 (Reuters) - Pope Francis said on Monday he was praying that the Good Friday agreement signed 25 years ago that largely ended violence in Northern Ireland can be "consolidated" to benefit the people of all of Ireland. "Today marks the 25th anniversary of the so-called Good Friday agreement, or of Belfast, which brought an end to the violence that for decades troubled Northern Ireland," Francis said. Angry about post-Brexit trade rules that treated the province of Northern Ireland differently to the rest of the United Kingdom, the Democratic Unionist Party, the largest pro-British party, has boycotted the power-sharing devolved government central to the peace deal for more than a year. Last month, Britain's MI5 intelligence agency increased the threat level in Northern Ireland from domestic terrorism to "severe" - meaning an attack was considered highly likely. Additional reporting by Michael Holden in London; editing by John Stonestreet, Kirsten DonovanOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ CNBC Daily Open: Return to reality
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-10 | by ( Jihye Lee | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

This report is from today's CNBC Daily Open, our new, international markets newsletter. CNBC Daily Open brings investors up to speed on everything they need to know, no matter where they are. But it's time to return to reality — one where market jitters are unlikely to fade anytime soon. The dust has seemingly settled on recent weeks' banking turmoil, but the potential for more drama looms. Subscribe here to get this report sent directly to your inbox each morning before markets open

☆ CNBC Daily Open: Back to reality
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-10 | by ( Jihye Lee | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

This report is from today's CNBC Daily Open, our new, international markets newsletter. CNBC Daily Open brings investors up to speed on everything they need to know, no matter where they are. Investors certainly deserved a break from the headline-filled mania of recent weeks. The dust has seemingly settled on recent weeks' banking turmoil, but the potential for more drama looms. Subscribe here to get this report sent directly to your inbox each morning before markets open

On Easter Monday, the hottest ticket in Washington, DC, is the annual Easter Egg Roll. President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden participate in the 2023 White House Easter Egg Roll in April 2023. Evan Vucci/APWashingtonian families have spent the day on the South Lawn of the White House rolling and playing with their dyed Easter eggs since President Rutherford B. Hayes opened the gates to the Executive Mansion in 1878. Since then, the affair has become one of the most high-profile events that takes place at the White House each year. In a 2017 interview with The New York Times, Melinda Bates, who organized eight years of Clinton-era Easter Egg Rolls said, "The White House and the first lady are judged on how well they put it on."

☆ Gold slides 1% after U.S. jobs data raises rate hike bets
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-10 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

An Argor-Heraeus SA branded two hundred and fifty gram gold bar, center, sits in this arranged photograph at Solar Capital Gold Zrt. Gold prices fell about 1% to slip below $2,000 on Monday, after U.S. employment data pointed to a tight labor market and raised expectations of another rate hike by the Federal Reserve in May. Friday's data from the U.S. Labor Department showed non-farm payrolls increased by 236,000 jobs in March, versus expectations of 239,000. The data also showed the unemployment rate dipped to 3.5% from 3.6% in the prior month. The report raised bets that the U.S. central bank would increase rates next month, with markets pricing in a 66% chance of a 25 basis-point (bps) rate hike, according to the CME FedWatch tool.

☆ Britain braces for 'unparalleled' disruption from doctors' strike
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-10 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/4] Junior doctors hold placards during a strike, amid a dispute with the government over pay, outside St Thomas' Hospital, in London, Britain April 11, 2023. REUTERS/Maja SmiejkowskaLONDON, April 11 (Reuters) - Junior doctors in Britain began a four-day strike on Tuesday over pay that is likely to cause unprecedented disruption to the health service, prompting the government to warn of a risk to patient safety. Tuesday's walkout followed a three-day doctors' strike last month. The BMA has said the strikes by junior doctors, some of whom are very experienced, could be stopped if health minister Steve Barclay put a credible pay offer forward. He says the BMA's demands are unreasonable and would mean an increase of more then 20,000 pounds ($24,840) for some doctors.

☆ Gold slides 1% after US jobs data raises rate hike bets
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-10 | by ( Kavya Guduru | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

SummarySummary Companies Gold slips below $2,000/ozMarch U.S. payrolls rise by 236,00066% chance seen of Fed rate hike in May- CME Fedwatch ToolApril 10 (Reuters) - Gold prices fell about 1% to slip below $2,000 on Monday, after U.S. employment data pointed to a tight labour market and raised expectations of another rate hike by the Federal Reserve in May. Friday's data from the U.S. Labor Department showed non-farm payrolls increased by 236,000 jobs in March, versus expectations of 239,000. The data also showed the unemployment rate dipped to 3.5% from 3.6% in the prior month. The report raised bets that the U.S. central bank would increase rates next month, with markets pricing in a 66% chance of a 25 basis-point (bps) rate hike, according to the CME FedWatch tool. Gold is traditionally considered a hedge against inflation, but higher rates increase the opportunity cost of holding the non-yielding asset.

☆ 'The Super Mario Bros. Movie' smashes box office records with the biggest global opening for an animated film ever
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-10 | by ( Grace Dean | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

"The Super Mario Bros. Movie" had the biggest opening for an animated film on record. The movie, based on Nintendo's video game, stars Chris Pratt, Anya Taylor-Joy, and Jack Black. In the US the film took $31.7 million on Wednesday, $26 million on Thursday and a further $146.4 million Friday to Sunday. It's also the biggest opening of any film so far this year, beating "Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania," according to The Hollywood Reporter. The Hollywood Reporter said "Super Mario" was set to be "the first all-audience blockbuster of 2023."

☆ The Chinese military posted an animated video simulating how China's forces would attack Taiwan if war breaks out
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-10 | by ( Aditi Bharade | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

An animated video from the Chinese military shows how China's forces could attack Taiwan. The video showed a targeted, multi-prong assault on Taiwan executed by aircraft and navy vessels. An animated video from the Chinese military's Eastern Theatre Command's official WeChat account was re-posted to Twitter by the state-linked media outlet Global Times. Taiwan's Ministry of Defense said in a statement on Monday that 70 Chinese aircraft and 11 Chinese navy vessels encircled the island on Monday morning. But China considers Taiwan as part of its territory, a breakaway province with a democratic government that poses a threat to China's Communist Party.

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