Latest News

AMBITION EUROPE-Stress relief as Japan's debt auction is successful

Gregor Stuart Hunter gives us a look at what the day will bring for the European and Global markets. Jittery bonds markets found calm after members of the Federal Reserve sounded a support note for rate reductions and Japan's most recent super-long bond auction passed without incident.

The markets stabilized after a Thursday auction of 30-year Japanese Government Bonds met with a bidding-to-coverage ratio of 3,31. This was after the yield of similar-dated debt reached a record. The bond market is not yet experiencing a new wave of fear, despite the fact that demand for 30-year Japanese government bonds was at its lowest level since June.

Investors in Asia took a positive view of the U.S. Stock Futures after Federal Reserve officials including Governor Christopher Waller reiterated their support for rate reductions in the months to come.

Stephen Miran, the nominee of President Donald Trump to fill a vacant seat on the Federal Reserve Board said that he would also work to preserve the independence of the central bank ahead a Senate confirmation meeting later today.

According to CME Group’s FedWatch tool, traders are pricing in a 96% probability that the Fed will cut interest rates during its September meeting.

The yield on 10-year Treasury bills rose to 4.2187% from its U.S. closing of 4.211% Wednesday. Meanwhile, the U.S. Dollar Index retreated 0.1% to 97.231.

Early European trading saw pan-regional futures flat, German DAX Futures slipping 0.1%, and FTSE Futures up 0.1%.

MSCI's broadest Asia-Pacific share index outside Japan, which had been up in the beginning, was down by 0.2% at its last update. China losses were to blame for this.

Bloomberg News reported that financial regulators were preparing cooling measures to cool the market. The blue-chip CSI 300 dropped 2.5%, and was on course for its largest one-day drop since April.

The SSE STAR 50 Index fell 5.4% as GPU chip maker Cambricon Technologies, a leader in the recent rally, dropped as much as 132%.

The BSE Sensex rose 1.1% at the opening of the markets after the Indian government slashed taxes on several items to boost consumption and counteract U.S. Tariffs.

Brent crude fell 0.7% on the commodities market to $67.16 per barrel.

Gold spot prices dropped by 0.8% to $3,531.63 an ounce, after reaching a record high on Wednesday.

The following are key developments that may influence the markets on Thursday.

Earnings: Broadcom, CVC Capital Partners, Lululemon Athletica

Eurozone economic data: retail sales for July

Debt auctions:

France: 10 year, 17-year, and 31-year government bond auctions

United Kingdom: 20-year government debt auction

(source: Reuters)