Evolution of the international financial markets and evaluation of the main events and economic indicators of the previous day session. Available in English.
In the last session of the week, investors traded with a risk-off mood amid fears of a escalating conflict in the Middle East. The VIX index, despite remaining at historically moderate levels, reached its highest level since March and stock indices declined across the globe.
In yesterday’s session, investors once more weighed the growing tensions in the Middle East and the future path of interest rates. Fed Chair Jerome Powell said the central bank would proceed carefully with rates, highlighting that the rise in yields in bond markets is helping to tighten financial conditions.
In yesterday’s session, investors traded with mixed sentiment as they navigate through heightened tensions in the Middle East and a continued rhetoric of “higher for longer interest rates” supported by strong US economic data. President Biden arrived in Israel but has not been able to achieve major diplomatic breakthroughs to calm markets.
Solid US economic data released yesterday showed a still resilient economy reinforcing the the case for the Federal Reserve to keep interest rates higher for longer. September US industrial production rose to the highest level in nearly five years to 103.6 and retail sales increased 0.7%, up from 0.6% beating expectations.
Investor sentiment improved amid diplomatic efforts to avoid the Israeli-Hamas conflict from spreading in the Middle East, with US Secretary of State Blinken arriving in Israel for talks and both President Biden and German chancellor Scholz planning a visit later this week.
Friday´s session was clouded by the risk that geopolitical tensions in the Middle East could escalate further causing a sustained rise in oil prices. On the economic side, US University of Michigan Consumer Sentiment fell from 68 to 63 from last month and China exports fell, although by less than expected by the consensus.
Investors’ perception that central banks will still need to increase interest rates in this hiking cycle was the main driver in yesterday’s session. The release of the last ECB meeting minutes and the somewhat higher-than-expected September CPI inflation data for the US fueled this expectation.
Investors’ concerns over economic growth outlook ahead, and the decrease in the probability of an additional interest rate hike from the US Federal Reserve this year were the main drivers in yesterday’s session.
In the first session of the week, investors traded with a risk-off mood amid the escalation of Israeli-Palestinian conflict. In the macroeconomic front there were no relevant data releases.
In the last session of the week, the awaited release of the September US employment report changed investors’ expectations of the path of interest ahead. Non-farm payrolls increased by a 336k, notably above expectations, and the two previous months were revised by 119k higher. The unemployment rate remained unchanged at 3.8%.
In yesterday’s session investors traded cautiously as they awaited today’s release of September US employment report, which should give further signs for the future path of interest rates. Weekly US unemployment claims, released yesterday, ticked up modestly as expected and set the stage for today’s data.