European markets struggled for direction before an interest-rate decision later Thursday. Oil neared a 10-month high, while Nasdaq futures advanced.
(Bloomberg) — European markets struggled for direction before an interest-rate decision later Thursday. Oil neared a 10-month high, while Nasdaq futures advanced.
The euro fluctuated with money markets pricing in a two-thirds chance of another increase at the European Central Bank’s meeting. Crude climbed after a report from the International Energy Agency added to warnings of a supply shortfall. Stocks in Europe advanced 0.3%, led by gains for energy companies.
Soaring global oil prices are exacerbating persistent cost pressures in Europe even as economic growth flounders. By contrast, Wednesday’s US inflation report was in line with estimates, fanning hopes the Federal Reserve will pause rate hikes.
“The market is split on the ECB right now and we have to acknowledge the hawkish shift in expectations over the last two weeks,” said Geoffrey Yu, senior strategist at BNY Mellon. “The risk-reward heading into the decision is not good for the euro.”
Arm Holdings Plc shares start trading on Thursday, marking the biggest initial public offering of the year. The chip designer priced at $51 a share, the top end of the range, and is going to be closely watched by investors as a bellwether of big tech.
In Asia, demand for Japanese 20-year bonds at auction was the strongest since May 2020, soothing concerns about a potential normalizing of monetary policy by the Bank of Japan.
Japan’s Nikkei 225 outperformed the region and equities in South Korea and Australia also gained. Hong Kong and mainland China shares fluctuated as concerns remained in the property sector. Country Garden Holdings Co. fell as the deadline approaches for holders of a yuan bond to vote on the company’s repayment extension request.
Key events this week:
- Japan industrial production, Thursday
- European Central Bank policy meeting and news conference by President Christine Lagarde, Thursday
- US retail sales, PPI, business inventories, initial jobless claims, Thursday
- China property prices, retail sales, industrial production, Friday
- US industrial production, University of Michigan consumer sentiment, Empire Manufacturing index, Friday
Some of the main moves in markets:
Stocks
- The Stoxx Europe 600 rose 0.3% as of 10:40 a.m. London time
- S&P 500 futures rose 0.3%
- Nasdaq 100 futures rose 0.3%
- Futures on the Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 0.2%
- The MSCI Asia Pacific Index rose 0.9%
- The MSCI Emerging Markets Index rose 0.6%
Currencies
- The Bloomberg Dollar Spot Index was little changed
- The euro was little changed at $1.0728
- The Japanese yen was little changed at 147.35 per dollar
- The offshore yuan fell 0.1% to 7.2827 per dollar
- The British pound fell 0.1% to $1.2475
Cryptocurrencies
- Bitcoin rose 0.2% to $26,276.98
- Ether rose 0.9% to $1,619.01
Bonds
- The yield on 10-year Treasuries advanced one basis point to 4.26%
- Germany’s 10-year yield was little changed at 2.64%
- Britain’s 10-year yield was little changed at 4.34%
Commodities
- Brent crude rose 0.5% to $92.38 a barrel
- Spot gold was little changed
This story was produced with the assistance of Bloomberg Automation.
–With assistance from Tassia Sipahutar and Matthew Burgess.
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