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MORNING quote EUROPE-Markets keep one's cool as Syria falls in a rush

A take a look at the day ahead in European and global markets from Wayne Cole

If you are wondering how markets have actually responded to the sensational fall of President Bashar al-Assad in Syria, the answer is calmly. Gold and oil prices are up around 0.4%, but that's a. modest relocation for such a rapid turn of occasions and there are no. indications of a rush to security. Possibly there's simply excessive going on. in the Middle East for traders to understand how to respond.

It would certainly appear to be a bloody nose for Russian. President Putin who has invested years propping up the Assad routine. and stands to lose control of his only naval base in the. Mediterranean.

Moscow claimed to have a deal to keep the base and its. Hmeimim air facilities in Latakia province, according to a. Kremlin source quoted by Russian media, while Russia's foreign. ministry soft-pedaled any immediate risk. However it was far from. clear whether the rebels had consented to such an offer. The loss of. those bases would severely break down Russia's power projection in. the Middle East and Africa.

Political unpredictability was likewise a function in Asia where South. Korean stocks moved once again after President Yoon Suk Yeol survived. an impeachment vote, only for district attorneys to call him as a. subject of a criminal investigation over last week's martial law. attempt.

South Korea's finance ministry was out early on Monday to. assure markets of all the assistance they needed, but the won. still slipped towards two-year lows and stocks. shed more than 2%.

Belief was additional strained by a remarkably sharp 0.6%. month-on-month drop in China's customer cost index in November,. stoking market mutterings that inadequate was being done by. Beijing to restore the economy.

Chinese leaders are set to spend two days today in. closed-door talks on next year's policy aspirations throughout the. central financial work conference, however the suspicion is that. nothing concrete will come of it.

Core U.S. inflation figures are due on Wednesday and a. result above the +0.3% projection would challenge the marketplace's. confidence in a December rate cut by the Fed. The suggested. probability is currently at 83% with a more 75 basis points. of alleviating priced in for next year.

In that regard, it was a relief that President-elect Donald. Trump said on Sunday he would not try to replace Fed Chair. Jerome Powell upon taking workplace in January.

Of the central banks satisfying today, the ECB is seen. cutting by 25 basis points and the BoC by 50 bps. The SNB could. also go by 50 bps given how much it has actually been spending to. limit the Swiss franc. The scale of its intervention to sell. francs for euros is most likely the reason why the single currency is. not screening parity on the U.S. dollar today.

Key advancements that could influence markets on Monday:

- Involvement by ECB board member Piero Cipollone in. Eurogroup conference

- Bank of England Deputy Governor Dave Ramsden gives a. speech on financial stability

- Euro zone financing ministers meet to evaluate their Draft. Financial Plans

- Euro Zone Sentix Index for Dec

(source: Reuters)