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MORNING quote AMERICAS-March back up to tape-record highs

A take a look at the day ahead in U.S. and global markets from Mike Dolan

A brand-new month and new stock market records are giving way currently - underpinned by some relief on inflation, stabilising organization surveys around the world and a little more dovish reserve banks.

Wall St's significant indexes clocked brand-new record closes on the final day of February and March began with fresh highs for Japan's Nikkei and Germany's DAX .

With U.S. futures pressing higher ahead of the open once again, MSCI's all-country index looks poised to take out last week's all-time peak later on Friday. The VIX volatility gauge is pull back to three week lows.

The Nikkei has now notched up gains of almost 20% because the start of the year, while U.S. and German benchmarks are up 6-7%. for the very first 2 months. LSEG information revealed investors bought a. net $6.98 billion of global equity funds throughout the week, more. than reversing the previous week's net withdrawal of $2.9 billion.

Stock market momentum still appears powerful, even if U.S. disinflation momentum seems to have stalled somewhat.

January's keenly-awaited PCE inflation gauge on Thursday. showed annual headline and 'core' inflation rates dropping even more. - but 6-month annualised rates popped back as high as 2.5% from. just under the Federal Reserve's 2% late in 2015.

The month-to-month rate pop was in line with forecasts nevertheless,. sustained by some January and weather-related quirks. And Fed. authorities seemed more inclined to emphasise their belief that. rates of interest cuts are still coming later this year rather than. merely their persistence in performing them.

A parade of top Fed authorities on Thursday all looked minded. to see through any bump in the disinflation roadway and restated. their self-confidence in having the ability to ease policy in 2024.

I do anticipate us to cut rates of interest later this year, New. York Fed chief John Williams said over night. It makes sense. with inflation coming down, the economy remaining in better balance,. that we're going to move interest rates back to more regular. levels.

With futures markets having actually currently cut in half full-year rate. cut expectations since the start of the year to some 80 basis. points, and having pressed back the timing of a very first cut to June. or July, the most recent twists were welcomed with some relief.

Treasury yields have actually been soothed and are well. off February highs. The dollar seems serene too.

The yen's jump on Thursday was rapidly reversed. overnight as speculation of an imminent Bank of Japan policy. tightening up was splashed once again.

BOJ boss Kazuo Ueda pressed back on more hawkish remarks. from among his deputies today and said it was prematurely to. conclude that inflation was sustainably meeting the 2% inflation. target. I don't think we exist yet, he said.

February 'core' inflation numbers from the euro zone,. meantime, were a little sparkier than numerous had actually hoped for. Although headline rates fell again, just like U.S. readings,. underlying rate gains that remove out unstable food and fuel. just decreased to 3.1% from 3.3% - missing a 2.9% forecast.

There was little reaction in euro or euro zone. federal government financial obligation markets, where the spread between Italian. 10-year yields and German criteria briefly was up to their. most affordable in 2 years earlier.

China's tentative stock exchange healing also continued. Friday. Although China's production activity in February. contracted for a fifth straight month, financiers are waiting for. next week's National People's Congress for signs of a spending. plan to aid realty and production or handouts to. households to boost intake.

Brief positions in Chinese stocks shrank by a third last. month to their most affordable in more than 3 years, showing. measures by regulators to suppress speculation. China's securities. watchdog last month suspended brokerages from borrowing shares. for lending to financiers and short-sellers were banned from. short selling stocks purchased on the same day.

However the United States said it's opening an examination. into whether Chinese car imports pose nationwide security. threats and might enforce limitations due to concerns about. connected cars and truck technology, the White House said on Thursday.

In company news, cloud company Snowflake's 18% share. cost plunge on Thursday was offset with much better earnings news. from Dell and NetApp over night - and both. share costs have actually surged about 20% before Friday's open.

In other places, the Swiss National Bank stated its Chairman Thomas. Jordan will step down at the end of September, leaving 3. years early after over a decade at the helm marked by crises. including Credit Suisse's collapse and a supercharged franc.

Key journal products that might offer direction to U.S. markets later. on Friday:. * U.S. Feb making studies from ISM and S&P Global,. University of Michigan's last Feb consumer sentiment reading. * Federal Reserve Board Governors Christopher Waller and Adriana. Kugler, Dallas Fed President Lorie Logan, Richmond Fed President. Thomas Barkin, Atlanta Fed chief Raphael Bostic, San Francisco. Fed chief Mary Daly and Kansas City Fed chief Jeffrey Schmid all. speak; Bank of England Chief Financial expert Huw Tablet speaks. * U.S. President Joe Biden satisfies Italian Prime Minister Giorgia. Meloni in Washington. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz meets. Italian President Sergio Mattarella in Rome. U.S. Treasury. Secretary Janet Yellen visits Chile. * U.S. corp incomes: EchoStar, RadNet etc

(source: Reuters)