[U][B]Fundamental Headlines[/B][/U]
• [B]USDNZD [/B]– New Zealand retail sales fell 0.7% as rising food and energy costs sapped consumer spending power. The economy is slowing faster than policy makers had expected, when they raised rates to record levels, leading to calls for future rate cuts. For more news and resources, visit our New Zealand Dollar Currency Room.
• [B]GBPUSD [/B]– Prices at the factory gate rose 0.9% in March bringing the year-over year level to 6.2% -the highest since 1991. Discouraging for policy makers is prices rose in all ten measured categories led by energy. Therefore, The BoE may be hard pressed to continue cutting rates after their recent quarter point hike, unless growth levels continue to fall. Discuss the topic and your trade ideas in the GBP/USD Forum.
• [B]EURUSD [/B]– Eurozone industrial production exceeded expectations for another month as output increased 0.3% in March against expectations of 0.2%. The improvement underlines the ECB’s contention that the country can withstand the U.S. downturn without lowering their benchmark rate. In fact , council member Yves Mersch’s recently commented that there isn’t any room for the central bank to cut rates this year with inflation expected to remain above the 2% threshold into 2009. Discuss the topic and your trade ideas in the EUR/USD Forum.
• Wachovia to Receive Big Infusion of Capital (link) – Wall Street Journal
• Food Inflation, Riots Spark Worries For World Leaders (link) – Financial Times
• Kaufman Says Fed Failed As Regulator (link) – Financial Times
• Blockbuster Bids $1.35 Billion For Circuit City (link) – Bloomberg
• Nothing Special With Treasuries as Fed Has Mortgagees (link) – Bloomberg
