STOCKS climbed on Thursday as traders awaited the latest twists on global trade and digested Treasury yields approaching their highest level this year. The dollar remained under pressure.
The Stoxx Europe 600 Index gained along with US futures and most equities in Asia, as China was said to be planning to cut the average tariff rate it charges on imports from the majority of its trading partners as soon as next month. The yield on 10-year Treasuries was steady, holding well above the 3-percent mark after approaching its highs for the year on Wednesday. The greenback weakened after a report said the US and Canada are unlikely to reach a deal on Nafta in Washington this week, while the pound strengthened after August retail sales came in higher than expected.
Equity markets have so far remained resilient in the face of rising bond yields, suggesting investors are comfortable with the outlook for corporate earnings and global growth even as borrowing costs rise along with trade tensions. Ahead of the Fed meeting next week some other central banks top the agenda, with Norway’s policy-makers raising interest rates for the first time in seven years as the SNB kept deposit rates unchanged. The ECB’s Peter Praet speaks later in New York.
Elsewhere, emerging-market assets continued to rally off the lows seen earlier this month, while oil held above $71 a barrel on declining stockpiles. The krone slumped as investors saw the central bank’s rate trajectory as dovish, while the Swiss franc fluctuated.
Here are some key events coming up this week:
European PMIs are due on Thursday. August data on US existing-home sales on Thursday will show whether purchases declined for a fifth straight month, which would be the longest streak since 2013-2014. The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and its allies meet in Algiers this weekend.
These are the main moves in markets:
Stocks
THE Stoxx Europe 600 Index rose 0.5 percent as of 10:54 a.m. London time, hitting the highest in more than two weeks. Futures on the S&P 500 Index rose 0.1 percent. The UK’s FTSE 100 Index increased 0.2 percent to the highest in more than two weeks. Germany’s DAX Index gained 0.4 percent. The MSCI Emerging Market Index jumped 0.5 percent. The MSCI Asia Pacific Index climbed 0.2 percent.
Currencies
THE Bloomberg Dollar Spot Index dipped 0.2 percent to the lowest in more than seven weeks. The euro increased 0.3 percent to $1.1708. The British pound gained 0.5 percent to $1.3213, the strongest in more than two months. The Japanese yen rose less than 0.05 percent to 112.23 per dollar.
Bonds
THE yield on 10-year Treasuries climbed one basis point to 3.07 percent, the highest in more than four months. Germany’s 10-year yield fell one basis point to 0.48 percent. Britain’s 10-year yield dipped one basis point to 1.6 percent. Italy’s 10-year yield declined four basis points to 2.809 percent.
Commodities
WEST Texas Intermediate crude climbed 0.6 percent to $71.52 a barrel, the highest in almost four years. Gold fell 0.1 percent to $1,203.14 an ounce.
Image credits: Jerome Favre/Bloomberg