Headlines:
- USD/JPY gets pulled towards the 150.00 mark on the day
- Major currencies little changed amid a more mixed market mood
- Futures trim advance ahead of US trading
- Japan's biggest life insurers plan to add to JGB holdings but guarded against policy shift
- Spain Q3 preliminary GDP +0.3% vs +0.2% q/q expected
- France October consumer confidence 84 vs 83 expected
- Brandenburg October CPI +4.6% vs +5.6% y/y prior
Markets:
- AUD leads, CHF lags on the day
- European equities lower; S&P 500 futures up 0.2%
- US 10-year yields up 2.8 bps to 4.872%
- Gold down 0.1% to $1,981.89
- WTI crude up 1.8% to $84.71
- Bitcoin down 0.6% to $33,984
It was a quieter session as markets are gearing up for the weekend with some mixed mood music. Equities gained some early relief after better earnings releases from Intel and Amazon overnight but gave back gains in European morning trade. S&P 500 futures were up over 0.7% but are now just up 0.2% as the gains in tech shares are fading and that is dragging down sentiment.
In the bond market, Treasury yields are slightly higher but not by much with 10-year yields up nearly 3 bps to 4.872% currently. Meanwhile, in the commodities space, we are seeing oil prices rise up again as the weekend draws near. WTI crude was up over $2 to $85.35 before easing back to just under $85 currently.
As for FX, the dollar is trading rather mixed as traders have quite a number of moving parts to scrutinise. EUR/USD is down 0.2% to 1.0538 but stuck in a relatively narrow range. Then, USD/JPY is hovering just above the 150.00 mark with large option expiries in play. USD/CAD is down a touch amid higher oil prices while AUD/USD is up 0.3% to 0.6340 as equities are holding a slight advance - at least for now.
Looking to the session ahead, safety bets amid geopolitical tensions might factor into play again while there is also US PCE price data to work through before the weekend comes along.