German unemployment rises more than expected in December
By Ritu, Capital Sands German unemployment rose more than expected in December, data showed on Friday, adding to signs that weakness in the manufacturing sector is hurting the labor market in Europe’s biggest economy. Data from the Federal Labor Office showed the number of people out of work rose by 8,000 to 2.279 million […]
Brent jumps nearly $3 after U.S. air strike kills Iran, Iraq officials
By Ritu, Capital Sands Brent crude futures jumped close to $3 on Friday to their highest since September after a U.S. air strike killed key Iranian and Iraqi military personnel, raising concerns that escalating Middle East tensions may disrupt oil supplies. Brent crude futures jumped nearly $3 to hit a high of $69.16 a barrel, […]
India Stocks Rise as Investors Turn Attention to Fiscal Spending
By Ritu, Capital Sands India stocks advanced, extending gains for a second day on the expectation that the government’s plans to spend big will haul the country out of its economic woes. The S&P BSE Sensex 50 climbed 0.3% to 41,419.41 at 9:39 a.m. in Mumbai. The Nifty 50 Index advanced by a similar magnitude. The Sensex has had […]
Dollar starts new year with a hangover as others find cheer
By Ritu, Capital Sands The dollar started the new year where it left the old one, under pressure as investors wagered U.S. economic out performance could be coming to an end as optimism on trade brightens the outlook for growth globally. Signs of progress in the Sino-U.S. trade dispute undermined the dollar for much of […]
European shares falter as year-end rally fades
By Ritu, Capital Sands European shares looked set to end the decade with a whimper on Tuesday as investors locked in gains after a record rally that was fueled by optimism around trade and easing fears of a global recession. In a shortened session ahead of the New Year’s Eve celebrations, the pan-European STOXX 600 […]
Yuan hits multi-month highs as economy shows signs of stabilization
By Ritu, Capital Sands The Chinese yuan hit almost five-month highs and the USD continued to retreat on the last day of the year in Asia. The U.S. dollar index was down 0.06% to 96.69 by 8:45 PM ET, continuing a multi-day slide. The People’s Bank of China (PBOC) set the reference rate for the yuan at 6.9762, […]
Oil price rise muted in 2019 despite sanctions, supply cuts, attack in Saudi Arabia
By Ritu, Capital Sands Oil prices rose more than 20% this year but there were no sharp spikes and crude futures barely sniffed $70 a barrel despite attacks on the world’s biggest oil producer, sanctions that crippled crude exports of two OPEC members and gigantic supply cuts from big oil producing countries. The price gains […]
Dollar trims annual gains in low volatility year, more action seen in 2020
By Ritu, Capital Sands The dollar was on the defensive on Monday in light year-end trading after suffering a setback the previous session, as hopes of a U.S.-China trade deal lifted investors’ risk appetite, sapping safe-haven demand for the greenback. The dollar index was stable at 96.942 against six major currencies after sliding 0.6% on Friday for […]
Oil hits three-month highs as strong U.S. consumer spending underpins growth hopes
By Ritu, Capital Sands Oil prices rose on Friday, hitting three-month highs after data showed record online spending by U.S. consumers, stoking faith in the world’s no. 1 economy even before the hoped-for end to the trade war between Washington and Beijing. Brent crude futures were up 6 cents, or 0.1%, at $67.98 a barrel […]
Trade optimism puts floor on dollar/yen, boosts Aussie
By Ritu, Capital Sands The dollar hovered near a six-month high versus the Japanese yen while the Australian dollar climbed to its strongest since July on Friday, buoyed by easing Sino-U.S. trade tensions. The optimism around prospects for a trade deal reduced demand for safe-haven currencies such as the yen, but with global currency […]