-
Stock indices from Asia-Pacific are recording a rising session following record gains on Wall Street the previous day. Chinese indices are gaining the most, between 1.70-2.00%.
-
The Japanese Nikkei 225 index is up by 0.20%, while the Australian S&P/ASX200 is noted 1.20% higher.
-
Futures contracts on European indices also indicate a slightly higher opening for the cash session. UK100 contracts are gaining about 0.30%. The German DAX index is noted with a slight loss, as bulls currently face resistance around the 18970-19000 points, which is also a historic all-time high and a psychological barrier.
-
In the forex market, the largest movements in the early part of the day can be observed on the Japanese yen, which is the strongest G10 currency. On the other side, among the weakest currencies is the New Zealand dollar NZD.
-
Japan's GDP report negatively surprised the markets. Preliminary data showed that the Japanese economy contracted by 2.0% annually in the January-March period compared to the previous quarter, against expectations of a 1.5% decline.
-
Weaker GDP data mainly resulted from a 0.7% drop in private consumption in Q1, which was significantly more than the expected 0.2% decline. Consumption accounts for over 50% of Japan's economic growth.
-
Investment expenditures also performed lower, indicating a decrease of 0.8%, reversing a growth of 1.8% noted in the previous period.
-
The unemployment rate in Australia rose last month more than expected, reducing the risk of another interest rate hike by the RBA. The unemployment rate in April was 4.1%, seasonally adjusted, compared to revised 3.9% in March and expectations of 3.9%.
-
Earlier this month, the RBA predicted that the unemployment rate would be 4% by June, then 4.2% by the end of the year and 4.3% in June 2025.
-
The Kremlin condemned the Thursday attack on Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico and wished him a speedy recovery after he was shot while leaving a government meeting.
-
Today, Russian President Vladimir Putin arrived in China on a two-day high-level visit during which both countries want to further deepen relations that have tightened since Moscow's invasion of Ukraine over two years ago.
-
Cryptocurrencies are pausing their gains, however, prices are consolidating around the peaks from the end of the previous day. Bitcoin is down 0.60% to 65850 USD, and Ethereum is noted 0.80% lower, still maintaining above the 3000 USD threshold.
The content of this report has been created by XTB S.A., with its registered office in Warsaw, at Prosta 67, 00-838 Warsaw, Poland, (KRS number 0000217580) and supervised by Polish Supervision Authority ( No. DDM-M-4021-57-1/2005). This material is a marketing communication within the meaning of Art. 24 (3) of Directive 2014/65/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 15 May 2014 on markets in financial instruments and amending Directive 2002/92/EC and Directive 2011/61/EU (MiFID II). Marketing communication is not an investment recommendation or information recommending or suggesting an investment strategy within the meaning of Regulation (EU) No 596/2014 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 16 April 2014 on market abuse (market abuse regulation) and repealing Directive 2003/6/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council and Commission Directives 2003/124/EC, 2003/125/EC and 2004/72/EC and Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2016/958 of 9 March 2016 supplementing Regulation (EU) No 596/2014 of the European Parliament and of the Council with regard to regulatory technical standards for the technical arrangements for objective presentation of investment recommendations or other information recommending or suggesting an investment strategy and for disclosure of particular interests or indications of conflicts of interest or any other advice, including in the area of investment advisory, within the meaning of the Trading in Financial Instruments Act of 29 July 2005 (i.e. Journal of Laws 2019, item 875, as amended). The marketing communication is prepared with the highest diligence, objectivity, presents the facts known to the author on the date of preparation and is devoid of any evaluation elements. The marketing communication is prepared without considering the client’s needs, his individual financial situation and does not present any investment strategy in any way. The marketing communication does not constitute an offer of sale, offering, subscription, invitation to purchase, advertisement or promotion of any financial instruments. XTB S.A. is not liable for any client’s actions or omissions, in particular for the acquisition or disposal of financial instruments, undertaken on the basis of the information contained in this marketing communication. In the event that the marketing communication contains any information about any results regarding the financial instruments indicated therein, these do not constitute any guarantee or forecast regarding the future results.
