Dollar gains after loss streak, while Europe index futures gain
By Bloomberg
The dollar climbed against most peers, snapping a four day losing streak. Japanese shares rose with European equity-index futures, while German and French bonds fell.
The yen slid 0.4 percent versus the greenback by 7:12 a.m. in London and New Zealand’s dollar slumped 0.5 percent. Euro Stoxx 50 Index futures rose 0.4 percent as the yields on 10-year notes from Germany and France climbed at least two basis points. The MSCI Asia Pacific Index was little changed, as a 1.2 percent gain in Japan’s Topix index was countered by declines in Sydney and Hong Kong. Nickel lost 0.9 percent.
A Bloomberg gauge tracking the dollar against 10 peers on Friday capped its longest streak of weekly losses since October 2013 after mixed economic reports forced investors to push back estimates for when U.S. interest rates will begin to rise. Talks on an aid package for Greece continue in Europe. China reported that new-home prices fell in fewer cities last month.
“Investors are likely to start the week in cautious mode as markets assimilate the impact of weaker than expected U.S. data and wait on developments in the Greek debt saga,” Ric Spooner, chief market analyst in Sydney at CMC Markets, wrote in an e-mail to clients. “The first Fed rate hike now seems at least several months away. While this supports equity valuations, it also means that the outlook for world growth remains subdued.”
Kiwi Rates
The Bloomberg Dollar Spot Index, a gauge of the currency versus 10 major peers, added 0.2 percent after sinking to its lowest level in almost four months last week. The euro dropped 0.2 percent to $1.1434 following a four-day gain of 2.7 percent.
European Union leaders meet in Riga from May 21, amid few signs of progress in talks between Greece and its creditors. An International Monetary Fund memo dated May 14 said Greece won’t be able to make an IMF payment on June 5 unless an accord is reached with partners, the U.K’s Channel 4 news reported on Saturday.
New Zealand’s currency led declines against the dollar, weakening a second day, to 74.41 U.S. cents after the government announced property-tax measures to curb speculation.
The new rules free the Reserve Bank of New Zealand to focus on other drivers for monetary policy, including officials’ concern over the strength of the local dollar, said Sam Tuck, a senior currency strategist in Auckland at ANZ. There’s a 53 percent chance of a rate reduction in June, up from 48 percent a week ago, swaps data compiled by Bloomberg showed.
South 32
Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index fell 1.1 percent and a gauge of Chinese shares in the city retreated 1.1 percent for its fourth decline in five days. The Shanghai Composite Index fluctuated as initial public offerings tied up funds. Shares in the southern city of Shenzhen surged. The Kospi index in Seoul rose 0.3 percent.
BHP Billiton Ltd. retreated in Sydney after the company’s metals spinoff started trading. South32 Ltd., the spinoff that’s the world’s biggest manganese-ore producer and operator of the largest silver mine, missed analysts estimates on its Sydney trading debut with investors valuing it at about A$11.3 billion ($9.1 billion).
The weaker yen helped fuel Japanese stock gains. Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group Inc. was the biggest contributor to gains on the Topix index after profit reached a record and the lender announced it will spend 100 billion yen to buy back shares. Dai- ichi Life Insurance Co. surged after announcing it will buy back shares and forecasting net income will rise more than expected.
JGBs Rise
Yields on Japanese government bonds due in a decade fell a second day, declining 1 1/2 basis points. Rates on similar maturity Australian bonds declined two basis points to 2.88 percent, while New Zealand yields also slipped four basis points, to 3.65 percent.
Ten-year Treasury yields were little changed at 2.15 percent after sliding 15 basis points the previous two trading days. European debt resumed its decline after a breather Friday, when German, Spanish and Italian 10-year yields plunged at least eight basis points.
Nickel in London fell 0.9 percent, extending its first weekly decline in almost a month, as the metal in Shanghai dropped 1 percent.
The Shanghai Futures Exchange met Friday with the head of global sales at OAO GMK Norilsk Nickel, the world’s largest producer, as it seeks to approve delivery of foreign-made nickel into its futures contract to relieve a shortage of supply to the bourse. The Chinese exchange currently only allows six deliverable brands by six domestic companies.
Rig Count
West Texas Intermediate crude climbed 0.3 percent to $59.88 a barrel. WTI declined 1.7 percent on the final three days of last week, trimming its ninth straight weekly advance to 0.5 percent. The three-day retreat marked its longest run of consecutive losses since the end of March. Brent oil climbed 0.1 percent to $66.85 a barrel.
Oil’s rally from a six-year low is stalling as U.S. output remains near a record. Gulf members of OPEC are boosting supplies as they escalate a battle to defend market share, the International Energy Agency said. The price recovery threatens to prolong the surplus, according to Goldman Sachs Group Inc.
Rigs targeting oil in the U.S. fell by eight to 660 last week, the smallest drop in 23 straight weeks of declines, according to Baker Hughes Inc.’s website. Texas’s Eagle Ford shale formation added a rig for the first time in seven weeks.
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