Headlines:
- Locked and loaded for another edition of US CPI today
- UK January payrolls change 102k vs 28k prior
- UK pay growth may have picked up again but real earnings tell a different story
- Eurozone Q4 GDP second estimate +0.1% vs +0.1% q/q prelim
- Germany January wholesale price index +0.2% vs -1.6% m/m prior
- Switzerland January producer and import prices +0.7% vs -0.7% m/m prior
- ECB's Centeno: Full impact of rate hikes may not reach the economy
- Japan's Matsuno: Monetary policy is up to the BOJ to decide
Markets:
- GBP leads, NZD lags on the day
- European equities higher; S&P 500 futures up 0.3%
- US 10-year yields down 3 bps to 3.688%
- Gold up 0.3% to $1,858.25
- WTI crude down 1.5% to $78.95
- Bitcoin up 1.0% to $21,857
We're less than an hour away now to the main event in markets this week, that being the US CPI data release.
European trading today was mired with some mixed flows and pensiveness as we count down to the key risk event later today. On the balance of things, the dollar is lower but is holding in between key technical levels mostly as pointed out here.
The pound was a modest gainer, picking up some bids during the session after a solid UK labour market report earlier. GBP/USD slowly climbed from 1.2140 to 1.2215 and is holding just above 1.2200 for now.
Elsewhere, equities are seen steadier once again as the optimists are banking on a softer inflation report once again later in the day.
We shall see if their conviction is justified or if the "6% pain trade" is going to realise a more negative risk adjustment in the aftermath of the inflation numbers.
