Equities’ retreat deepens despite strong US February jobs report - 7.3.2022

Todays’ Market Summary

  • The Dollar strengthening continues

  • Futures on US equity benchmarks are solidly down

  • Brent jumped over 10% today to 2008 highs amid news the United States, its European allies and Japan are discussing a Russian oil import ban.

  • Gold prices are extending gains today

Top daily news

Global stocks are all down currently after Wall Street extended losses Friday despite better than expected nonfarm payrolls report. Oil and commodities rise continues while US and European nations are considering Russian oil import ban. Apple shares lost 1.84% underperforming market, Tesla shares slipped 0.12% Friday while the company’s new Brandenburg factory gained conditional approval in Germany to start commercial production.

Forex news

Currency Pair Change
EUR USD -0.4%
GBP USD -0.2%
USD JPY +0.1%
AUD USD +0.5%

The Dollar strengthening continues currently. The live dollar index data show the ICE US Dollar index, a measure of the dollar’s strength against a basket of six rival currencies, rose 0.7% on Friday despite Bureau of Labor Statistics data showed US unemployment rate dipped to 3.8% while US employers added 678,000 workers to their payrolls in February.

Both EUR/USD and GBP/USD accelerated their retreating Friday as the EU statistics office Eurostat reported a slower than expected recovery in retail sales for January after 2.7% decline over month in December. Both euro and Pound are lower against the Dollar currently. AUD/USD accelerated its climbing Friday while USD/JPY accelerated its retreating with the yen lower against the Greenback currently and Australian dollar higher still.

Stock Market news

Indices Change
Dow Jones Index -1.1%
Nikkei Index -2.6%
Hang Seng Index -3.2%
Australian Stock Index -1%

Futures on US equity benchmarks are solidly down currently with 10-year US treasury yields down at 1.692%. US stocks continued retreating on Friday as Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago President Charles Evans said Fed should increase interest rates to close to its “neutral” setting this year, implying as many as seven quarter-point hikes. The three main US stock benchmarks recorded daily losses ranging from 0.5% to 1.7% led by travel stocks .

European stock indexes are in red currently after ending sharply lower on Friday led by bank shares. President Vladimir Putin warned that fighting in Ukraine would continue and signed a decree allowing the government and companies to pay foreign creditors in rubles. At the same time the Ministry of Finance warned that sanctions will determine if international investors are able to collect payments. Asian indexes are sharply lower today with Hong Kong’s Hang Seng index leading losses while Customs General Administration of China data showed China’s trade surplus growth exceeded expectations in December to February period.

Commodity Market news

Commodities Change
Brent Crude Oil +8.2%
WTI Crude +6.3%

Brent jumped over 10% today to 2008 highs amid news the United States, its European allies and Japan are discussing a Russian oil import ban. Russia is the world’s top exporter of crude oil and oil products combined, with exports at around 7 million barrels per day accounting for 7% of global supply. Traders are concerned about a potential delay in reaching a nuclear deal with Iran after Russia demanded yesterday for a US guarantee that the sanctions it faces over the Ukraine conflict will not hurt its trade with Tehran. The US responded by pointing that the sanctions imposed on Russia over its Ukraine invasion have nothing to do with a potential nuclear deal with Iran. Prices rose on Friday. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) futures rallied 7.4% and are higher currently. Brent crude gained 6.9% to $118.11 a barrel on Friday.

Gold Market News

Metals Change
Gold +0.8%

Gold prices are extending gains today as they exceeded the $2,000 mark for the first time in a year and a half on rising haven demand. Prices rose on Friday: spot gold advanced 1.8% to $1970.95 an ounce.

https://www.ifcmarkets.com/en/market-overview/market-overview-07-03-2022