Evolution of the international financial markets and evaluation of the main events and economic indicators of the previous day session. Available in English.
Risk-off mode took over financial markets on Friday, as the US employment report showed a cooling labour market. Hiring in the US is slowing down, but not falling off a cliff, so implicit interest money market rates are still discounting a 25 b.p. cut from the Fed at its September meeting.
Investors traded cautiously ahead of today's release of the US jobs report. Other labor market data released yesterday, like the ADP report, showed non-farm private employment cooled in August, while weekly jobless claims fell, pointing to weakening demand in the labor market, although layoffs remain low.
Markets traded on a risk-off tone for a second session in a row after data showed the US labor market continues to cool, boosting expectations the Fed will cut interest rates at its next meeting. In particular, job openings in July (JOLTS) fell to the lowest level since 2021.
Markets had an intense risk-off session following weaker-than-expected manufacturing data in the US, and as investors position themselves for the US jobs report on Friday, which could determine the Fed's next move. In particular, the ISM index for July came in at 47.2, slighlty higher than last month's, but still in contractionary territory.
Lacking any major macro data to trade on and with US markets closed for the Labor Day holiday, investors kicked off the week with a quiet session on Monday. The final reading of the August manufacturing PMI for the euro area came in without any major revisions at 45.8, confirming the sector's weakness.
Investors ended August digesting inflation data which confirmed prices are moving in the right direction for the ECB and the Fed to cut interest rates in their September meetings. Specifically, euro are inflation cooled to 2.2% y/y last month, and the US PCE Price Index (the Fed's preferred inflation gauge) for July was unchanged at 2.5% y/y.
Markets saw a risk-off session following the release of weak economic data in the US. The ISM Manufacturing Index for July fell for the fourth consecutive month and remained in contraction territory (46.8), signaling weakness in the manufacturing sector. Investors also await today's release of the employment report for July.
The Federal Reserve left interest rates unchanged at 5.25-5.50%, as expected, and hinted that if inflation readings continue in the right direction, a September rate cut "could be on the table." Markets reaffirmed their expectation of three 25bp interest rate cuts for the remainder of 2024. Treasury yields fell by +10bp, and US equities rallied.
Sentiment was mixed in yesterday's session amid a raft of economic data. In the euro area, slightly higher than expected Q2 GDP (0.6% yoy vs. 0.5% expected), with France (1.1% yoy vs. 0.7% expected) and Spain (2.9% yoy vs. 2.5% expected) leading the surprises, supported equity markets. Sovereign bond yields edged lower ahead of today's inflation data.
Investors started the week in a cautious mood awaiting several key events: from Central bank meetings across many developed economies, to a raft of important economic data and companies' earnings. In the data front, today Q2 GDP figures will be released for the eurorozone aggregate and its main economies, as well as some inflation data for July.
Investors ended the week with renewed risk appetite as inflation data released during the day was broadly in line with expectations. In the US, the core PCE price index rose 0.2% month on month in June, as expected, bolstering hopes of a Fed rate cut in September. In the eurozone, 1 and 3 year inflation expectations remained at 2.8% and 2.3% respectively.
US Q2 GDP surprised to the upside. The economy grew at a seasonally adjusted annualized rate of 2.8%, up from 1.4% in Q1, and the GDP deflator fell from 3.1% to 2.3%. The release supported the narrative that the US economy is achieving a soft landing, and left the probability of 100% that investors assign to a Fed rate cut in September unchanged.