Market Overview

Consumer spending in the retail sector fell 0.3% in March, well below expectations for a modest increase, the US Census Bureau reports. The news is just one data point and so all the obvious caveats...

US stocks rose on Tuesday with rallying oil prices boosting investor risk appetite. The dollar strengthened against the yen helped by Japan’s Finance Minister Taro Aso’s remark about...

Spike in crude oil pricesCrude oil prices quickly shot up more than 5% yesterday after news hit the wires about a potential agreement between Saudi Arabia and Russia to limit output levels. The...

On numerous occasions over the past year we’ve suggested U.S. equity valuations were expensive. Certainly the recent sharp rebound in share prices in the midst of declining earnings, lower...

GBP/JPYToday’s support: - 154.71, 154.55 and 154.38 (main), where correction is possible. Break would give 154.13, where correction also may be. Then follows 153.92. Break of the latter would...

UK inflation surprises higherThe UK economy was the focus for the markets yesterday with headline inflation readings and headlines about the possible impact of a British exit from the European...

The current financial markets, in which everything revolves around central banks and the global currency war, has entered a new phase.It’s more complex – and perhaps more dangerous. The...

Market BriefDollar bulls remained broadly sidelined during the first half of the week, waiting for the next batch of economic data from the world’s biggest economy. The dollar index rose 0.30%...

Traders were met with an improving economic outlook from China this morning courtesy of stronger than expected trade data. Exports surged 18.7% (in renminbi terms) during March, after declines in both...

As the world awaits China’s latest GDP growth figures to confirm if the manufacturing powerhouse is finally unable to achieve 6% growth, another populous nation is taking steps to pick up the...

After three decades of epic deficit spending and three years of extraordinary money creation, Japan’s economy is enjoying a rollicking inflationary boom. Just kidding. Exactly the opposite is...

Brexit is one of the biggest economic and financial risks in 2016. Our base case is that the UK votes to stay in the EU. We have written about the implications for the UK and GBP should the UK decide...

Exports rose stronger than expected in March by 18.7% y/y (consensus: 14.9% y/y) - a very strong rebound from February when exports declined 20.6% y/y (see Chart 1).However, as we pointed out last...

In the US we get data on retail sales in March, which we expect to show control group sales increased by 0.3% m/m. In line with other data, retail sales have been weak in recent months but we expect a...