Bell FX Currency Outlook: The local unit recovered
some ground overnight only to open back below
USD1.0100 this morning.
Australia: News that JPMorgan Chase has incurred a significant mark-tomarket
loss in April has weighed on the already fragile market sentiment.
Positive employment data gave the AUD a boost during yesterday's trade
with the domestic employment rate falling to 4.9% from 5.2% in March,
and total employment also improving up 15.5k. The result was well above
market expectations of a loss in jobs by 5k and an increase in the
unemployment rate to 5.3%. Positive sentiment just as quickly dissipated
as the market returned its attention to the European story with the
Australian Dollar giving up most of its gains. Trade balance figures were
released in China yesterday showing exports and imports rose less than
estimated in April. This adds further pressure on the Chinese government
to ease policies to help spur expansion. Importantly for Australia, iron ore
imports moderated for April. With a lack of local data to be released today,
the focus will be on Chinese CPI and Retail Sales figures due out a little
later in the trading session.
Majors: On a positive note, Eurozone officials announced they are
prepared to continue financing Greece until a new government is formed.
The focus remained on Athens with hopes another round of elections
could be avoided helped shares recover some ground. The FTSE closed
0.3% higher at 5,544 and the German DAX closed 0.7% higher at 6,518.
US equities also rose overnight as US jobless claims fell for April with the
S&P500 closing up 0.3% to 1,358 and the Dow Jones rising 0.2% to
12,855 in what was a choppy session. Gold also rose slightly overnight to
end at USD 1593.75 with oil prices dragged slightly lower by weaker
Chinese data with Brent closing 0.6% lower at USD 112.51.
Economic Calendar
11 MAY CH CPI APR
CH Industrial Production APR
UK PPI Input / Output APR
US PPI APR