1. U.S. Stock Market:
“U.S. stock futures posted mild gains in holiday-thinned trade on Monday, ahead of a heavy week on the data front including consumer-confidence and nonfarm-payrolls numbers. Futures for the Dow Jones Industrial Average YMM7, +0.05% added 8 points to 21,074 while those for the S&P 500 index ESM7, +0.06% gained 1.70 points, or 0.1%, to 2,415.50. Futures for the Nasdaq-100 index NQM7, +0.07% rose 7 points, or 0.1%, to 5,799. 25. The bourses won’t open for ordinary trade later on Monday, as financial markets in the U.S. are closed for the Memorial Day holiday. U.K. and Chinese markets are also off for a holiday.”
2. U.S. Bond Market:
“The 10-year U.S Treasury yield stood at 2.25 percent, while 5-year yield was at 1.791 percent. The Australian bonds sunk on the first trading day of the week as investors cashed in profits, following a silent trading session that witnessed data of less economic significance. The yield on the benchmark 10-year Treasury note jumped 2 basis points to 2.44 percent, the yield on the 15-year note climbed nearly 1-1/2 basis points to 2.83 percent and the yield on short-term 2-year traded nearly 2 basis points higher at 1.60 percent.”
Copyright: alexeyboldin / 123RF Stock Photo
3. FX Markets:
“The dollar was little changed against a basket of the other major currencies on Monday, holding above last week’s six-and-a-half month lows with U.S. financial markets closed for the Memorial Day holiday. The dollar was steady against the safe haven yen, with USD/JPY at 111.31. The euro was a touch lower, with EUR/USD dipping to 1.1169 after setting a six-and-a-half month high of 1.1267 last week. Meanwhile, sterling pushed higher, with GBP/USD adding 0.27% to 1.2833, recovering from the three-week low of 1.2774 hit on Friday.”
“The pound moved firmly higher on Monday, rebounding after its worst loss in four months logged last week on concerns that the upcoming general election in the U.K. will be tighter than most people expected. Sterling GBPUSD, +0.3202% bought $1.2825, compared with $1.2803 late Friday in New York. Friday’s slide marked the worst one-day percentage loss for the pound since January 18, according to FactSet data. Earlier last week, the U.K. currency had traded firmly above $1.30, but a surprise downward revision to the country’s gross domestic product number and the latest opinion polls for next week’s vote zapped investor confidence in the pound.”
“The euro was flat against the dollar Monday as Mario Draghi gave no indication of any change to ECB’s forward guidance. The euro was off 0.06% at 09:45 ET at $1.1174 after a low of $1.1162 and a high of $1.1190. Downside risks to the euro-zone economic outlook have eased further, Draghi said in prepared remarks to the European Parliament. He pointed to euro-zone GDP growth of 1.7% in the first quarter and unemployment falling to lowest level since 2009.”
4. Commodities:
“Oil prices were flat on Monday but remained on an unstable footing as increases in U.S. drilling activity undercut an OPEC-led push to tighten supply. Trading was subdued due to public holidays in China, the United States and Britain, but the market remains unsettled because of uncertainty over whether the impact of OPEC’s latest action to curb oversupply would be enough to support prices. Brent crude futures were trading 5 cents higher at $52.20 per barrel at 1311 GMT. The contract ended the previous week down nearly 3 percent. U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures were 4 cents higher at $49.84 per barrel.”
(Reuters)
“Silver prices traded near monthly highs on Monday, as demand for precious metals held firm on Memorial Day. July silver futures edged up 4 cents, or 0.2%, to $17.36 a troy ounce at 7:32 a.m. ET. The futures price hovered within a narrow range of $17.33 and $17.39 overnight. Silver is coming off its third straight weekly advance, with prices reaching the highest level since April 26. The grey metal has gained a solid 8% since May 9, which was its lowest settlement of the year. Gold futures were little changed on Monday, with the August futures contract holding at $1,269.90 a troy ounce.”
“Gold prices were little changed near a four-week high in North American hours on Monday, with holidays in the U.S., U.K. and China slowing trading activity around the world. Comex gold futures shed $1.40, or about 0.1%, to $1,266.69 a troy ounce by 8:15AM ET (1215GMT). Meanwhile, spot gold was at $1,266.91. Prices of the yellow metal ended Friday’s session up almost 1%, after touching its strongest since May 1 at $1,269.30.”
