US stocks futures dropped, while the dollar climbed to a six-month high as investors ramped up bets on further Federal Reserve policy tightening.
(Bloomberg) — US stocks futures dropped, while the dollar climbed to a six-month high as investors ramped up bets on further Federal Reserve policy tightening.
Contracts on the Nasdaq 100 dropped 0.7%, with Apple Inc. and Nvidia Corp. losing about 2% in premarket trading. China’s plans to ban iPhones in some government agencies sent a chill through US technology stocks that have led this year’s advance.
The dollar’s enduring strength has been at the forefront of the market narrative this week, with investors focusing on a string of economic reports that underscore robust US growth while Europe and China weaken. The euro sank on data showing German industrial output declined, while the Chinese yuan dropped to a 16-year low in onshore trading.
“You are seeing a clear slowing in growth outside the US so in that context the dollar will do well, especially as you also have ongoing Fed hawkishness,” said Peter Kinsella, head of global currency strategy at asset manager Union Bancaire Privee Ubp SA.
Onshore Yuan Sinks to Weakest Since 2007 as China Gloom Grows
The Bloomberg Dollar Spot Index is on track for an eighth consecutive week of gains, which would be the longest ever run of increases in data going back to 2005. Signs that the US economy is headed for a soft landing are bolstering bets that the Fed will keep borrowing costs higher for longer, which would burnish the greenback’s appeal.
Traders in recent months have trimmed bets on the degree of Fed easing they see next year — to about 100 basis points from well over 150 basis points early in 2023.
Meanwhile, European stocks were flat, erasing an earlier decline, as some luxury stocks bounced back and drugmakers rose. Asian equities closed lower, with Chinese stocks among the worst performers, weighed down by property developers.
Key events this week:
- China forex reserves, Thursday
- Eurozone GDP, Thursday
- US initial jobless claims, Thursday
- Bank of Canada Governor Tiff Macklem to speak on the Economic Progress Report, Thursday
- Atlanta Fed President Raphael Bostic speaks, Thursday
- New York Fed President John Williams participates in moderated discussion at the Bloomberg Market Forum, Thursday
- Japan GDP, Friday
- Germany CPI, Friday
- US wholesale inventories, consumer credit, Friday
Some of the main moves in markets:
Stocks
- S&P 500 futures fell 0.2% as of 7:06 a.m. New York time
- Nasdaq 100 futures fell 0.5%
- Futures on the Dow Jones Industrial Average were little changed
- The Stoxx Europe 600 was little changed
- The MSCI World index fell 0.1%
Currencies
- The Bloomberg Dollar Spot Index was little changed
- The euro fell 0.1% to $1.0711
- The British pound fell 0.3% to $1.2467
- The Japanese yen rose 0.2% to 147.39 per dollar
Cryptocurrencies
- Bitcoin rose 0.3% to $25,737.68
- Ether rose 0.2% to $1,630.56
Bonds
- The yield on 10-year Treasuries declined one basis point to 4.27%
- Germany’s 10-year yield declined two basis points to 2.63%
- Britain’s 10-year yield declined seven basis points to 4.47%
Commodities
- West Texas Intermediate crude fell 0.6% to $87.06 a barrel
- Gold futures rose 0.1% to $1,944.50 an ounce
This story was produced with the assistance of Bloomberg Automation.
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