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☆ Indian rupee to see more losses on dollar spike and higher U.S. yields
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-15 | by ( Nimesh Vora | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

MUMBAI, May 15 (Reuters) - The Indian rupee is expected to weaken on Monday, adding to last week's losses, tracking a rally on the dollar index and higher U.S. yields on worries surrounding U.S. inflation. The dollar index climbed 0.6% on Friday to reach its highest level in a month and the two-year U.S. yield was back to nearly 4%. Renewed worries over the inflation outlook in the U.S. pushed yields higher and supported demand for the dollar. "Their assessments of whether recent labour market and inflation data support pausing in June or not will be scrutinised," ANZ said in a note. India's inflation data was "supportive" of the rupee in the medium term, the trader said.

German specialised property lenders such as Aareal Bank (ARLG.DE), Deutsche Pfandbriefbank (PBBG.DE) and Berlin Hyp, have a bigger concentration of real estate exposure, analysts added. Blackstone (BX.N) recently blocked withdrawals from its $70 billion real estate income trust after facing a flurry of redemption requests. Open-ended real estate funds in Britain have also battled to meet strong demand for redemptions. In Europe, CRE exposure for smaller banks, more at risk of deposit flight, is estimated at under 30% of all loans, Capital Economics said. "On the other, real estate owners themselves are going to face quite material increase in costs."

While many other European monarchies have come and gone, or are far diminished in scale and importance, the British royal family has remained remarkably resilient. Republic, a group that wants to abolish the monarchy, has pointed to a poll which showed a majority of people were not interested in the coronation. RELEVANCE"Relevance is absolutely crucial to the monarchy," said Robert Hardman, a long-time royal correspondent and author of 'Queen of our Times'. But, in return, the royals are considered public property with an expectation that they play the press "game" in return for gilded lives in palaces. "Monarchs and their families need the media just as the media need them," Harshan Kumarasingham, senior lecturer in British politics at the University of Edinburgh.

☆ Dollar regains footing as yields rise, Fed outlook weighed
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-19 | by ( Kevin Buckland | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

The dollar index , which gauges the greenback against six major peers, ticked up 0.09% to 101.81 in Asian trading, following a 0.36% slide on Tuesday that reversed the 0.54% rally of the session before. The dollar-yen pair, which tends to track U.S. yields, added 0.19% to 134.35 yen per dollar , recovering from a 0.29% retreat on Tuesday. "It's the volatility in the bond market that's driving the dollar, not the other way round." The dollar index last year culminated a breathless 16-month surge by hitting a two-decade high of 114.78 at the end of September, which was followed by a steep, steady retreat until the start of February. However, bank earnings from recent days have proved robust overall, and bond yields have recovered strongly from multi-month lows reached last month.

☆ BOJ to continue monetary easing to achieve inflation target
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-12 | by ( Tetsushi Kajimoto | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

TOKYO, April 12 (Reuters) - The Bank of Japan will continue monetary easing to achieve its 2% inflation target accompanied by wage hikes in a sustainable and stable manner, new deputy governor Shinichi Uchida said on Wednesday. The comment followed Ueda's view earlier that it was appropriate to maintain the central bank's ultra-loose monetary policy for now as inflation has yet to sustainably meet its 2% target. Uchida said Japanese financial institutions are equipped with sufficient capital and fund-raising bases, making any impact from Western banking problems since March "limited." "The BOJ will continue with monetary easing so as to achieve the price stability target in a sustainable and stable manner, while supporting the economy together with wage hikes." More Japanese households are expecting prices to rise a year from now, a BOJ quarterly survey showed on Wednesday, raising pressure on the central bank to adjust or ditch its yield curve control (YCC) policy.

The service-sector mood, by contrast, recovered as easing border controls and an end to COVID-19 curbs heightened hopes for a rebound in tourism and consumption, the Bank of Japan's tankan survey showed. Takeshi Minami, chief economist at Norinchukin Research Institute, expects external factors, such as the fallout from U.S. and European monetary tightening, to weigh on Japan's exports and business sentiment. "Given the fragile nature of Japan's recovery, the BOJ is not in a situation where it can normalise monetary policy anytime soon," he said. Big firms plan to raise capital expenditure by 3.2% in the fiscal year that began in April, less than market forecasts for a 4.9% gain, the tankan showed. Reporting by Leika Kihara and Tetsushi Kajimoto; Editing by Sam HolmesOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

[1/2] A logo of Airbus is seen at the entrance of its factory in Blagnac near Toulouse, France, July 2, 2020. REUTERS/Benoit TessierPARIS, April 3 (Reuters) - European planemaker Airbus (AIR.PA) is negotiating a new round of plane orders with China, coinciding with a visit by French President Emmanuel Macron to the economic superpower later this week, government and industry sources said. The potential deal for dozens of jets comes amid worsening relations between Washington and Beijing, which have seen China's usually balanced airplane imports tilt towards Airbus in recent years. Airbus also has an industry presence in China including an assembly plant. Macron is due to conduct the state visit to China on April 5-7, with a delegation of company chiefs from France-based companies, expected to include Airbus CEO Guillaume Faury.

☆ UK's Ofcom delays BT fibre pricing decision after CEO remarks
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-17 | by ( Paul Sandle | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Rivals such as Virgin Media O2 and alternative fibre providers known as altnets are investing billions of pounds to build competing networks. 'SIGNIFICANT CONCERN'But comments made by BT Chief Executive Philip Jansen to the Financial Times - headlined "BT chief warns Openreach fibre push will 'end in tears' for rivals" - caused "significant concern", Ofcom said. Ofcom chief Melanie Dawes said in a letter to Jansen, published on Friday, that the regulator was committed to network competition. "They must question why BT Group is reducing its wholesale charges whilst increasing the prices that consumers pay for broadband," INCA said. BT's earlier wholesale pricing, Equinox, was challenged by altnet CityFibre, but Ofcom decided not to intervene.

☆ 'Omurice', comfort food for Japanese and Koreans, a symbol of warmer ties
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-16 | by ( Kantaro Komiya | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Kishida and Yoon will reportedly share a more formal dinner of sukiyaki beforehand, but the real ice-breaker could be when they sit down for omurice, Kawabata said. Japan and South Korea are holding a summit for the first time in 12 years, seeking to mend relations that had deteriorated severely. "It could be an effort to foster a laid-back mood, through a casual dish that both Japanese and Koreans consider comfort food," he said. "Yoon may have been impressed with the softness of Japanese-style omurice," Kawabata said. "I hope the world discovers that Japanese food culture also has a dish like this," he said.

☆ Australian regulator says banks paid $3.10 bln in compensation for wrongly charged fees
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-10 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

[1/3] Australian dollars are seen in an illustration photo February 8, 2018. REUTERS/Daniel MunozMarch 10 (Reuters) - Australia's corporate watchdog said the country's six largest banking services providers have paid or offered A$4.7 billion ($3.10 billion) in compensation to customers who suffered losses for fees charged for services that were not provided. The largest business lender in Australia, NAB, took the lead and coughed up A$1.49 billion in compensation as of the end of 2022, followed by CBA and Westpac coughing up a payout of A$1.13 billion and $1.03 billion, respectively. ASIC said its final update on remediation figures "draws a line" under its eight-year long programme of addressing financial institutions' failure to provide ongoing services to fee-paying customers. ($1 = 1.5177 Australian dollars)Reporting by Riya Sharma in Bengaluru; Editing by Krishna Chandra Eluri and Rashmi AichOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ EUROPE Market mood downbeat ahead of raft of data
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-28 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

A look at the day ahead in European and global markets from Anshuman DagaThe overarching downbeat mood among investors shows no signs of improving as markets become increasingly wary of a further rise in borrowing costs. Although U.S. markets took a breather and rose on Monday, they ended well below the day's highs and Asian markets were back in the red on Tuesday after gaining in early trade. Tuesday's U.S. consumer confidence data will be especially scrutinised for households' views on economic prospects and inflation expectations. European markets will deal with CPI data due from France and Spain. While inflation has eased a bit, providing some support to markets, a barrage of economic data suggests that inflation is stickier than expected, reinforcing the "higher-for-longer" rates view.

☆ Morning Bid: Market mood downbeat ahead of raft of data
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-28 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Tuesday's U.S. consumer confidence data will be especially scrutinised for households' views on economic prospects and inflation expectations. Economists polled by Reuters expect a median reading of 109.5 on the index, which unexpectedly fell in January. European markets will deal with CPI data due from France and Spain. While inflation has eased a bit, providing some support to markets, a barrage of economic data suggests that inflation is stickier than expected, reinforcing the "higher-for-longer" rates view. British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak struck a deal with the European Union on post-Brexit trade rules for Northern Ireland.

☆ Factbox: Five things to know about Australia's planned Indigenous referendum
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-23 | by ( Praveen Menon | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Feb 23 (Reuters) - Australia's government plans to hold a referendum between August and December this year on recognising the nation's Indigenous people in its constitution. The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, who represent about 3.2% of Australia's population, are currently not mentioned in the constitution. * The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice may make representations to Parliament and the Executive Government on matters relating to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples. WHAT IS THE PROPOSED REFERENDUM QUESTION? To change the constitution, the government must secure what is known as a double majority in the referendum.

☆ West backs Nigeria's war on extremists, and backs off on human rights
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-28 | by ( Reuters Graphic | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +21 min

“While respect for human rights is unquestionably a high priority, we have many other equities at stake,” McCulley wrote. He said the focus on human rights had sent relations between the two countries into the “lowest ebb” in his three years there. Nigeria’s human rights record wasn’t only a moral issue – it was a legal one. Working under these laws provided “openings to incentivise and institutionalise” human rights protections within the Nigerian military, the State Department said. The pact also noted that London and Abuja had agreed on an “enhanced human rights dialogue” to ensure compliance with international rights standards.

☆ Dollar solidly bid on Fed view, economic resilience; yen eyes weekly gain
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-23 | by ( Rae Wee | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Sterling was just a touch higher at $1.2038 having slumped to a three-week low of $1.1993 overnight. The number of Americans filing new claims for unemployment benefits increased less than expected last week, pointing to a still-tight labour market, data released on Thursday showed. BOJ SURPRISEThe yen was marginally lower at 132.39 per dollar on Friday, but was on track for its third largest weekly gain this year of more than 3%. "Japan's inflation figures will be closely scrutinised from here on," said Carol Kong, a currency strategist at Commonwealth Bank of Australia. Elsewhere in Asia, the Chinese offshore yuan rose slightly to 7.0038 per dollar.

☆ Asian markets mostly weaker as investors question China reopening
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-20 | by ( Scott Murdoch | Thomson Reuters | Scott Murdoch Has Been A Journalist For More Than Two Decades Working For Thomson Reuters | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

China is pushing on with easing restrictions after three years of COVID-19 lockdowns which is leaving to investors to question how financial markets will react to the reopening. "Once they do reopen, there will be positive sentiment and China will become a growth story for the world again." Australian shares (.AXJO) on Tuesday were down 0.72%, while Japan's Nikkei stock index (.N225) rose 0.34%. In Asian trading, the yield on benchmark 10-year Treasury notes rose to 3.5993% compared with its U.S. close of 3.583% on Monday. "The subsequent hawkish Fed policy update remains fresh in the minds of investors," NAB analyst wrote on Tuesday.

☆ Myanmar detention was 'hell', says freed Japanese filmmaker
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-28 | by ( John Geddie | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

TOKYO, Nov 28 (Reuters) - A Japanese filmmaker jailed for nearly four months in Myanmar described some of his detention there as "hell" and called on Tokyo to take a tougher stance against human rights abuses in the military-controlled country. A spokesperson for Myanmar's junta did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The economic adviser, Sean Turnell, also described filthy cells and having to eat out of a bucket while in a Myanmar jail in an interview with The Australian newspaper on Monday. Vicky Bowman, Britain's ambassador from 2002-2006 who heads a group promoting ethical business in Myanmar, had been jailed for immigration violations. "I would hope the Japanese government would take a much stronger stance towards the Myanmar military," said Kubota, adding that any funds flowing from Japan to Myanmar should be closely scrutinised.

TOKYO, Nov 22 (Reuters) - Japan's weighted median inflation rate, which is closely watched as an indicator on whether price rises are broadening, hit a record 1.1% in October in a sign of heightening inflationary pressure from rising raw material and labour costs. The 1.1% year-on-year rise in the weighted median inflation was the fastest pace on record and followed a 0.5% increase in September, BOJ data showed on Tuesday. Japan's weighted median inflation rate hovered around zero for the past two decades, as firms held off on price hikes for fear of scaring away cost-sensitive consumers. Unlike the consumer price index (CPI) which is swayed by fuel and energy costs, the weighted median inflation rate is useful to trace how broadly prices are rising. In a research note published in 2015, the BOJ said the weighted median inflation rate would rise more only if inflation expectations heighten, and people begin to assume that prices will continue to rise sustainably.

☆ Qatar authorities apologise for threatening Danish film crew at World Cup
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-16 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

DOHA, Nov 16 (Reuters) - Qatar's Supreme Committee said it has apologised after a Danish film crew were threatened by security staff live on air as they broadcast in the capital Doha ahead of the World Cup. A statement from the Supreme Committee said the Danish broadcast crew were "mistakenly interrupted" during a live broadcast. "Upon inspection of the crew's valid tournament accreditation and filming permit, an apology was made to the broadcaster by on-site security before the crew resumed their activity. The Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy (SC) was set up by the Qatar government to plan and prepare for the World Cup. The tournament gets under way on Sunday as Qatar take on Ecuador in the tournament opener.

☆ BOJ inflation target to be scrutinised at government forum
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-14 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Nov 14 (Reuters) - A government-affiliated think tank will host a forum next month to discuss the Bank of Japan's 2% inflation target and the "challenges ahead", the organisation said on Monday. Participants include Columbia University professor Takatoshi Ito, who was a proponent of setting an inflation target when the BOJ had none until 2013, and University of Tokyo academic Tsutomu Watanabe, a former BOJ official known for his analyses on Japan's price trends. Three months later, Abe's hand-picked BOJ governor Haruhiko Kuroda deployed a massive asset-buying programme to meet his pledge of achieving 2% inflation in roughly two years. But stubbornly low inflation and a fragile economy forced the BOJ to maintain a massive stimulus until now, keeping Japan's central bank an outlier among global peers that have been tightening monetary policy to combat soaring inflation. With prolonged easing crushing bank profits and distorting the yield curve, some lawmakers have called for tweaking the joint statement and making the 2% inflation target a long-term goal with some room for flexibility.

A couple walk with Hermes shopping bags as they leave an Hermes store in Paris March 21, 2013. Hermes (HRMS.PA) and Pernod Ricard (PERP.PA) both said they will continue to raise prices, after beating expectations in the July-September quarter. Mainland China also saw a strong rebound after COVID-19 restrictions were lifted, although some restrictions have since been reimposed. PRICE RISESThe world's biggest luxury group LVMH (LVMH.PA) last week kicked off the earnings season with forecast-beating sales -- and no signs of a let-up in demand. The results from Pernod and Hermes bode well for beauty giant L'Oreal (OREP.PA) and Gucci-owner Kering (PRTP.PA), which both report results later on Thursday.

☆ 'The Crown' defended bt Netflix after former prime minister describes scenes as 'nonsense'
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-17 | by ( Amy Woodyatt | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

Another plot line is said to include disparaging conversations between Major – played by Jonny Lee Miller – and his wife, Norma, concerning the Queen and the royal family. Former Prime Minister John Major is seen in London in February 2022. Nor has he ever been approached by them to fact check any script material in this or any other series,” a spokesman for Major said in the statement. “Discussions between the Monarch and Prime Minister are entirely private and – for Sir John – will always remain so. But not one of the scenes you depict are accurate – in any way whatsoever.

☆ French luxury groups to highlight sector's resilience as demand holds up for now
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-10 | by ( Mimosa Spencer | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

PARIS, Oct 10 (Reuters) - French luxury groups LVMH (LVMH.PA), Gucci-owner Kering (PRTP.PA) and Hermes (HRMS.PA) are expected to post double-digit third-quarter sales growth as demand for high-end fashion from tourists and shoppers revamping post-pandemic wardrobes remains strong. Without citing a corresponding inflation figure, UBS estimates prices for the sector increased by 4.6% on average this year, through July. A Visible Alpha consensus cited by the bank points to 13% organic sales growth. Pusz expects 13% organic sales growth for Kering and 15% growth at constant rates from Hermes, over the period. LVMH posts third-quarter revenue on Oct. 11, while Kering and Hermes announce results on Oct. 20.

Ernaux, the first French woman to win the literature prize, said winning the award was "immense". "It's a long path that she makes in her life," Swedish Academy member Anders Olsson told Reuters. "I did not imagine at the time that 22 years later, the right to abortion would be challenged," Ernaux told reporters in Paris. 1/7 French novelist Annie Ernaux talks to the media after being announced as the winner of the 2022 Nobel Prize in Literature, in Cergy-Pontoise, France October 6, 2022. "I always said that I did not want to get the Nobel prize," she told reporters at her French publisher Gallimard's office.

The FCA has been criticised by lawmakers and the crypto sector for being slow in processing licence applications and for rejecting swathes of applicants despite the UK government's push to make London a global crypto hub. "That is a benefit to the UK economy and UK financial service industry, and is good for competition, inward investment and growth." Crypto firms are scrutinised by the FCA for their ability to stop their operations being used for money laundering or financing terrorism. read moreMills said 95 people have been hired to the watchdog's authorisations team and the pending caseload has fallen by 40%. Mognetti said the European Union's new set of 'MiCA' rules for fully licensing crypto firms will put the EU at an advantage over Britain.

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