Market Talk – October 19, 2023

ASIA:

The major Asian stock markets had negative day today:

• NIKKEI 225 decreased 611.63 points or -1.91% to 31,430.62
• Shanghai decreased 53.32 points or -1.74% to 3,005.39
• Hang Seng decreased 436.63 points or -2.46% to 17,295.89
• ASX 200 decreased 96.00 points or -1.36% to 6,981.60
• Kospi decreased 46.80 points or -1.90% to 2,415.80
• SENSEX decreased 247.78 points or -0.38% to 65,629.24
• Nifty50 decreased 46.40 points or -0.24% to 19,624.70

The major Asian currency markets had a mixed day today:

• AUDUSD decreased 0.00076 or -0.12% to 0.63284
• NZDUSD decreased 0.0013 or -0.22% to 0.58420
• USDJPY decreased 0.078 or -0.05% to 149.842
• USDCNY increased 0.0074 or 0.10% to 7.33500

The above data was collected around 11:43 EST.

Precious Metals:

Gold increased 11.77 USD/t oz. or 0.60% to 1,959.46

Silver increased 0.002 USD/t. oz or 0.01%% to 22.872

The above data was collected around 11:47 EST.

Some economic news from last night:

Japan:

Adjusted Trade Balance increased from -0.55T to -0.43T

Exports (YoY) (Sep) increased from -0.8% to 4.3%

Trade Balance (Sep) increased from -937.8B to 62.4B

Australia:

Employment Change (Sep) decreased from 63.3K to 6.7K

Full Employment Change (Sep) decreased from 7.2K to -39.9K

Unemployment Rate (Sep) decreased from 3.7% to 3.6%

No economic news from today:

EUROPE/EMEA:

The major Europe stock markets had a negative day today:

•  CAC 40 decreased 44.62 points or -0.64% to 6,921.37
•  FTSE 100 decreased 88.47 points, or -1.17% to 7,499.53
•  DAX 30 decreased 49.68 points or -0.33% to 15,045.23

The major Europe currency markets had a mixed day today:

• EURUSD increased 0.00376 or 0.36% to 1.05726
• GBPUSD increased 0.0006 or 0.05% to 1.21460
• USDCHF decreased 0.00296 or -0.33% to 0.89594

The above data was collected around 11:53 EST.

Some economic news from Europe today:

ENERGY:

The oil markets had a mixed day today:

• Crude Oil increased 0.074 USD/BBL or 0.08% to 88.394
• Brent decreased 0.084 USD/BBL or -0.09% to 91.416
• Natural gas decreased 0.0804 USD/MMBtu or -2.63% to 2.9756
• Gasoline decreased 0.0038 USD/GAL or -0.16% to 2.3497
• Heating oil decreased 0.0104 USD/GAL or -0.33% to 3.1289

The above data was collected around 11:55 EST.

•   Top commodity gainers: HRC Steel (3.60%), Coffee (2.69%), Orange Juice (1.49%), and Rhodium (1.85%)
•   Top commodity losers: Natural Gas (-2.63%), Canola (-2.57%), Rapeseed (-2.74%), and Soda Ash (-2.08%)

The above data was collected around 12:03 EST.

US/AMERICAS:

Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell has stated that inflation is still too high and that lower economic growth is likely needed to bring it down. Powell acknowledged the progress made toward bringing inflation back down to a manageable level but stressed vigilance in pursuing the central bank’s goals. He evaded committing to a specific policy path but gave no indication that he was leaning toward a push higher for interest rates. Powell’s speech comes with questions over where the Fed heads from here after a succession of interest rate hikes aimed at cooling inflation.

US Market Closings:

• Dow declined 250.91 points or -0.75% to 33,414.17
• S&P 500 declined 36.6 points or -0.85% to 4,278
• Nasdaq declined 128.13 points or -0.96% to 13,186.17
• Russell 2000 declined 26.11 points -1.51% to 1,702.7

Canada Market Closings:

• TSX Composite declined 101.89 points or -0.52% to 19,248.81
• TSX 60 declined 6.38 points or -0.55% to 1,163.26

Brazil Market Closing:

• Bovespa advanced 189.14 points or 0.17% to 114,248.78

BONDS:

Japan 0.847%(+3.8bp), US 2’s 5.17% (-0.047%), US 10’s 4.9108%(+0.88bps); US 30’s 5.00% (+0.002%), Bunds 2.912% (-0.9bp), France 3.528% (-2.4bp), Italy 4.933% (-5.1bp), Turkey 26.41% (+6bp), Greece 4.413% (+2.4bp), Portugal 3.655% (+0.1bp), Spain 4.021% (-3.3bp) and UK Gilts 4.657% (-0.4bp).

The above data was collected around 12:08 EST.