Headlines:
- EUR/USD falls to fresh five-week low just under 1.0800
- Gold continues to knock on the door of the $2,200 level
- The bond market continues to cook in trading this week
- BOE's Haskel: I think rate cuts are a long way off
- ECB's Panetta: The conditions to start easing monetary policy are materialising
- Germany February retail sales -1.9% vs +0.3% m/m expected
- Germany March unemployment change 4k vs 10k expected
- UK Q4 final GDP -0.3% vs -0.3% q/q prelim
- Citi raises China 2024 GDP growth forecast to 5.0% from 4.6% previously
Markets:
- USD leads, AUD and NZD lag on the day
- European equities mildly higher; S&P 500 futures down 0.1%
- US 10-year yields up 2.4 bps to 4.220%
- Gold up 0.8% to $2,212.35
- WTI crude up 1.3% to $82.47
- Bitcoin up 2.7% to $70,730
The session started off with a quieter mood but picked up as the dollar nudged higher across the board. Other major currencies all have their own struggles and the greenback looks to be taking advantage.
EUR/USD is down to a five-week low, touching 1.0775 during the session. The euro is not helped by another poor German retail sales print for February. Meanwhile, GBP/USD is down 0.2% to 1.2620 but is off earlier lows of 1.2585 at least.
USD/JPY was calmer though, keeping little changed at around 151.20-30 levels as traders remain disinterested after the warnings from Japan yesterday.
Besides that, USD/CAD is up a touch to test 1.3600 and is keeping just below that now. And AUD/USD is down 0.6% to a three-week low just under the 0.6500 mark.
In the equities space, the mood is more tentative at best. European indices are following up on Wall Street gains yesterday but US futures are marginally lower today.
In other markets, gold is shining brightly as it pushes up above the $2,200 mark once again. Buyers are hoping that the break this time will hold better than it did a week ago at least.
As a reminder, it is going to be an extended weekend for a number of markets starting from tomorrow until Monday. Of note, Australia, New Zealand, and Europe in general will be off for the next four days with Canada also observing a holiday tomorrow.
