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WORLD-MARKETS
Dollar gains ahead of US inflation data; global stocks mixed
NEW YORK, Aug 10, 2018 (BSS/AFP) – The dollar rose Thursday ahead of a key
US inflation report as global stocks finished little changed amid ongoing
trade conflict between Washington and Beijing.
The greenback rose a day before US consumer price index data is released
for July, a key marker of the impact on households from some of the pricing
pressures cited by companies during earnings season in recent weeks.
The data are watched closely to gauge whether the Federal Reserve will
hike interest rates two more times in 2018 as expected.
“Recent economic news, including last Friday’s US payrolls report,
reinforced the view that the US economy remains on very solid footing and
that the Fed will likely continue to raise US borrowing costs at a steady
clip,” said Omer Esiner of Commonwealth FX.
“Another monthly increase in CPI on Friday could be the catalyst that
cements expectations for two more dollar-supportive Fed rate hikes this year
and sends the US dollar higher.”
Key eurozone equity markets ended the day flat to slightly higher, but
London lost ground as the pound strengthened against the euro, potentially
undermining the competitiveness of British multinationals.
Wall Street stocks finished mostly lower following a low-key session.
Analysts pointed to lingering unease over trade war tensions after Beijing
said Wednesday it would impose 25 percent tariffs on $16 billion of US goods
starting August 23, in tandem with Washington’s tariff schedule. The
escalating crisis pits the world’s top two economies against each other and
concerns about the impact are rippling outward.
“Investors are still wondering how quickly, if at all, the tariffs so far
will start to affect companies and then economies,” IG analyst Chris
Beauchamp told AFP.
“Market resilience over the past few weeks suggests investors have calmed
down for the time being, at least where US equities are concerned.”
Asian stocks largely brushed off China’s tit-for-tat response, with most
markets rising on Thursday.
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WORLD-MARKETS 2 LAST NEW YORK
Among individual companies, Tesla Motors fell 4.8 percent after reports
the US Securities and Exchange Commission is probing the electric car maker
after chief executive Elon Musk on Tuesday announced on Twitter he was
considering taking the company private.
The SEC, which had already been gathering information on Tesla’s public
pronouncements, added questioning of whether Musk’s claim that he had secured
funding for a takeover to the inquiry was meant to be factual, according to
the reports, citing people familiar with the matter.
– Key figures at 2100 GMT –
New York – Dow Jones: DOWN 0.2 percent 25,509.23 (close)
New York – S&P 500: DOWN 0.1 percent at 2,853.58 (close)
New York – Nasdaq: UP less than 0.1 percent at 7,891.78 (close)
London – FTSE 100: DOWN 0.5 percent at 7,741.77 (close)
Frankfurt – DAX 30: UP 0.3 percent at 12,676.11 (close)
Paris – CAC 40: FLAT at 5,502.25 (close)
EURO STOXX 50: FLAT at 3,494.13 (close)
Tokyo – Nikkei 225: DOWN 0.2 percent at 22,598.39 (close)
Hong Kong – Hang Seng: UP 0.9 percent at 28,607.30 (close)
Shanghai – Composite: UP 1.8 percent at 2,794.38 (close)
Euro/dollar: DOWN at $1.1529 from $1.1610 at 2100 GMT
Pound/dollar: DOWN at $1.2826 from $1.2882
Dollar/yen: DOWN at 111.09 yen from 110.98 yen
Oil – Brent Crude: DOWN 21 cents at $72.07 per barrel
Oil – West Texas Intermediate: DOWN 13 cent2 at $66.81 per barrel
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