European Shares Poised For Lower Open

RTTNews | 2 days ago
European Shares Poised For Lower Open

(RTTNews) - European stocks may open broadly lower on Monday, with regional volumes likely to remain thin due to a bank holiday in the U.K.

U.S. stock futures edged lower due to profit taking after the S&P 500 logged its longest positive streak in two decades.

Investors may react to mixed signals on tariffs from U.S. President Donald Trump after recent optimism on trade talks.

Trump said aboard Air Force One that his administration could strike trade deals with some countries as soon as this week, without specifying any countries.

"We're negotiating with many countries, but at the end of this, I'll set my own deals — because I set the deal, they don't set the deal."

Trump also said he is willing to lower tariffs on China at some point, but insisted he had no plans to speak with Chinese President Xi Jinping this week.

In another development, Trump has announced plans to impose a 100 percent tariff on foreign films, claiming that Hollywood is undergoing a "very fast death" due to overseas competition.

In economic news, Fed and BoE rate decisions along with U.S. service sector activity data may garner investor attention this week.

Despite heightened economic uncertainty, the U.S. Federal Reserve is widely expected to stay in "wait-and-see" mode and keep its key interest rate steady at the end of its two-day meeting on Wednesday.

The Bank of England is seen cutting interest rates by 25 basis points to 4.25 percent on Thursday. Traders will monitor the vote split and the Bank's press conference closely to assess the potential for future easing.

Asian stocks were mixed in thin trade, with markets in South Korea, Japan, China and Hong Kong closed for holidays.

Gold ticked higher as the U.S. dollar continued to struggle around the 100 mark on tariff-related concerns.

Crude prices plummeted over $2 per barrel as OPEC+ announced increased production, raising concerns about a potential supply glut.

U.S. stocks rose sharply on Friday and Treasury yields rose, with sentiment boosted by a stronger-than-expected report on the job market and some de-escalation in Sino-U.S. trade tensions.

The S&P 500 surged 1.5 percent to end higher for the ninth consecutive session, marking its longest winning streak in over twenty years.

The tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite also rose 1.5 percent while the Dow added 1.4 percent.

Data showed U.S. non-farm payroll employment shot up by 177,000 jobs in April compared to expectations for an increase of about 130,000 jobs.

The unemployment rate came in unchanged at 4.2 percent, matching economist estimates while job growth in February and March were downwardly revised to 102,000 jobs and 185,000 jobs, respectively, reflecting a net downward revision of 58,000 jobs.

European stocks closed higher on Friday amid easing concerns about U.S-China trade relations.

The pan European STOXX 600 gained 1.7 percent. The German DAX rallied 2.6 percent, France's CAC 40 climbed 2.3 percent and the U.K.'s FTSE 100 advanced 1.2 percent.

read more
Fed Leaves Interest Rates Unchanged, Warns Of Higher Unemployment, Inflation.

Fed Leaves Interest Rates Unchanged, Warns Of Higher Unemployment, Inflation.

The Federal Reserve on Wednesday announced its widely expected decision to leave interest rates unchanged, highlighting increased uncertainty about the economic outlook. The Fed said it decided to leave the target for the federal funds rate at 4.25 to 4.50 percent for the third straight meeting.
RTTNews | 3h 12min ago
Swiss Market Ends Nearly 1% Down

Swiss Market Ends Nearly 1% Down

Swiss stocks opened on a weak note on Wednesday and languished in negative territory right through the day's session as investors stayed cautious ahead of the Federal Reserve and the Bank of England's monetary policy announcements, due later in the day, and on Thursday, respectively.
RTTNews | 4h 9min ago
Major European Markets Close On Weak Note After Cautious Session

Major European Markets Close On Weak Note After Cautious Session

The major European markets closed weak on Wednesday as investors reacted to earnings announcements, and awaited the monetary policy announcement from the Federal Reserve later in the day. The Bank of England's policy announcement is due on Thursday. Upbeat economic data from Germany, and optimism surrounding upcoming U.S.-China trade talks helped limit markets' downside.
RTTNews | 4h 24min ago
Canadian Stocks Up Firmly In Positive Territory

Canadian Stocks Up Firmly In Positive Territory

The Canadian market is up firmly in positive territory a little past noon on Wednesday, lifted by gains in utilities, technology, consumer and financials sectors. The market undertone is positive amid slightly easing tensions about tariffs ahead of U.S.-China meeting this week, and expectations that the Federal Reserve will hold interest rates unchanged.
RTTNews | 5h 9min ago
German Factory Orders Rebound Ahead Of U.S. Tariffs

German Factory Orders Rebound Ahead Of U.S. Tariffs

Germany's factory orders grew more than expected in March as U.S. manufacturers front-loaded their orders to avoid higher tariffs, official data revealed Wednesday. Factory orders advanced 3.6 percent month-on-month in March after remaining flat in February, Destatis reported. Orders are forecast to grow 1.4 percent.
RTTNews | 7h 56min ago
Bay Street Likely To Open Higher

Bay Street Likely To Open Higher

Canadian shares may open higher on Wednesday amid renewed hopes the U.S. and China will agree on a positive trade deal. The focus is also on the Federal Reserve's monetary policy announcement later in the day.
RTTNews | 9h 3min ago
FTSE Modestly Lower In Cautious Trade

FTSE Modestly Lower In Cautious Trade

The U.K. market is modestly lower on Wednesday as investors largely tread cautiously, digesting earnings and regional economic data, and awaiting the monetary policy announcements from the Federal Reserve and the Bank of England.
RTTNews | 10h 43min ago