Market Overview
Key Points:
• The New Zealand Dollar and Australian Dollar have both kicked off the week wobbly based on last week’s bearish pressures.
• The New Zealand Trade deficit widened from 0.11B to 1.11B in July as imports dropped 16% and exports fell 14%
• German producer prices fell 1.1% m/m for July vs 0.1% expected.
• US Treasury yields rise again, the 10-year bond rising to a 2007 high.
• Latest signs are that the Bank of Canada (BoC) will remain on hold at the September meeting.
• Chinese growth forecast for 2023 shifts from 5.2% to 4.8%, meanwhile the People’s Bank of China (PBOC) cuts their prime 1-year rate to 3.45% from 3.55% – no cut to the 5 year came as a surprise.
• The British Pound (GBP) has been the strongest currency this week with the Australian Dollar (AUD) the worst performer.
Major Announcements last week:
• Chinese Retail Sales y/y 2.5% vs 4.2% expected
• US Retail Sales for July 0.7% vs 0.4%
• RBNZ retain cash rate at 5.5%
• UK CPI y/y 6.8% vs 6.7% predicted
• Australia unemployment rate 3.7% up from 3.6%