FX News Today
German final Oct HICP confirmed at 0.2% y/y, with the national CPI rate at 0.3% y/y, versus -0.2% y/y and 0.0% y/y respectively in September. The jump in headline rates largely reflects less negative annual rates for energy related prices. A marked rise and while still below the ECB’s 2% limit for price stability, a sign that inflation is moving back to the ECB’s target.
The AUDUSD outperformed on a solid employment report out of Australia, and while the credibility of the data has been called into question by at least some economists, few doubt that the validity of the underlying trend. AUD-USD is up 1.2% having rising above 0.7150. The employment report showed a rise of 58.6k, nearly triple the median forecast, while the unemployment rate fell to 5.9% from 6.2%. The details of the report were encouraging, including labour participation, aggregate hours worked and back revisions.
Reuters: ECB examines purchases of muni, regional bonds. Reuters reported that municipal and regional bond buying could be rolled out in coming months, with the plan likely to come in March next year. ECB officials are reportedly also examining the purchase of bonds from municipalities and German states ahead of the rate setting meeting in December 3. According to the report an unidentified person told Reuters that while muni bonds were risky, they had the backing of central governments. The step would widen the pool of eligible assets at a time when yields on both French and German 2-year yields have fallen so far into negative territory that they are no longer eligible for purchases under the QE program. It would also give the ECB more room to manoeuvre on a possible extension of the QE program.
US MBA mortgage market index sank 1.3% in data released earlier, in addition to an increase of 0.1% on the purchase index and a 2.2% decline on the refinancing index for the week ended November 6. There was a an 11 basis point increase in the average 30-year fixed mortgage rate to 4.12% in the wake of stronger jobs data, which lifted the potential for December rate lift-off. For more on the relatively firm housing sector, see our existing home sales, housing starts and new home sales reports.
Main Macro Events Today
US Initial Jobless Claims are expected to be 269k (median 270k) in the week-ended November 7. Continuing claims are expected to rise to 2,170k for the week-ended October 31. Forecast risk: downward, as volatility concerns could give businesses pause. Market risk: downward, as weaker than expected data could delay rate hike expectations.
Canadian New Home Price Index is out today and projected to expand 0.2% m/m in September after the 0.3% gain in August.
ECB President Draghi speech. Market participants will follow Draghi’s speech with interest as they wait for further clarification on the planned easing operations.
Fed Chair Yellen speaks. This is potentially yet another opportunity to hear what the Fed has been discussing on the interest rate policy. Markets expect that the December rate hike is a given and therefore the focus has turned to what Yellen might be communicating regarding the rate hike path in the coming year.