A look at the day ahead in European and global markets from
Ankur Banerjee
Japanese stocks scaled all-time highs and other regional
share markets rose with the tide, buoyed by an extension of a
tariff truce between the world's two largest economies.
Investor attention turns now to U.S. and UK economic data on
Tuesday that will set the tone for monetary policy.
The United States and China agreed to another 90 days to
hammer out a trade deal, staving off triple-digit duties on each
other's goods and removing some uncertainty although markets
broadly expected the move.
Australian stocks stayed near a record high hit
earlier in the day while the Aussie eased as traders
digested the widely expected 25-basis-point rate cut from the
Reserve Bank of Australia.
Less than a week after a divided Bank of England cut
interest rates, investors will get a fresh view of the state of
the UK labour market with British pay growth in July expected to
stay steady at 5%.
Data on Monday showed hiring intentions by British
businesses fell to their weakest since the COVID-19 pandemic and
recruiters said starting pay was rising at the slowest pace in
over four years.
Four of nine BoE policymakers opposed its quarter-point
interest rate cut to 4% last week and they are likely to need
further convincing that domestic inflation pressures are easing.
Traders are no longer pricing in another rate cut this year.
That possibly leaves sterling on firmer footing,
but with British growth and its economy still a concern and the
pound already up over 7% this year, speculators have ramped up
their bearish positions on the currency.
Weekly data from the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading
Commission shows speculators have short positions on the pound
to the tune of $2.78 billion, a swift turnaround from the
bullish positioning that had prevailed since February.
The U.S. inflation report later on Tuesday will also be key,
as investors parse through the data to better understand the
impact of Trump's tariffs and how that influences the Federal
Reserve's rate cut path.
Key developments that could influence markets on Tuesday:
Economic events: UK labour and wage data for June, Germany
ZEW economic sentiment for August