GLOBAL MARKETS-Housing data, political turmoil hit dollar; stocks flat

By Reuters / May 17, 2017 / in.investing.com / Article Link

(Updates prices to late U.S. afternoon trading; adds comments)

* S&P 500, Nasdaq touch record high

* Dollar hit by Trump's disclosure, economy concern

By Rodrigo Campos

NEW YORK, May 16 (Reuters) - The U.S. dollar index touched its lowest since early November on Tuesday, hurt by weaker-than-expected U.S. housing data and concerns after political turmoil once again hit Washington.

A rally in the euro was reinforced by dollar losses, prompted by allegations that U.S. President Donald Trump disclosed highly sensitive intelligence information to senior Russian officials at a meeting last week. disclosure adds to concern over the administration's chances of passing legislation, including a tax reform, that has partly been priced in by financial markets. Stocks remain at or near record highs, supported by the strongest earnings season for S&P 500 components since 2011.

The dollar fell after the poor housing data and despite U.S. manufacturing production recording its largest increase in more than three years. downtrend in the U.S. currency could extend further, according to Boris Schlossberg, managing director of FX strategy at BK Asset Management, given the potential for further political fallout relating to Trump's intelligence disclosure.

"It seems like progressively every single day it gets more and more beyond any sense of normal leadership and ultimately that kind of political volatility does translate into economic volatility," Schlossberg said.

The dollar index .DXY fell 0.77 percent, with the euro EUR= up 1.06 percent to $1.1089.

The dollar index had reached 14-year highs in early January on the view that Trump's plans for tax cuts and infrastructure spending would boost growth and inflation. But it fell to six-month lows on Tuesday. Japanese yen strengthened 0.64 percent versus the greenback at 113.08 per dollar, while Sterling GBP= was last trading at $1.2919, up 0.20 percent on the day.

On Wall Street, the S&P 500 and Nasdaq Composite touched record highs but the S&P retreated to trade slightly negative. Traders shared concerns about the feasibility of the Trump agenda of tax cuts and deregulation, without taking their eyes off the expected economic growth. a combination of earnings and better-than-expected industrial production countered with concerns about future economic data and the fact we continue to see weak retail sales," said Kate Warne, investment strategist at Edward Jones in St. Louis.

"With the consumer being more than two-thirds of economic growth, if consumer spending is weak, can we continue to see solid economic growth?"

The Dow Jones Industrial Average .DJI fell 6.18 points, or 0.03 percent, to 20,975.76, the S&P 500 .SPX lost 2.16 points, or 0.09 percent, to 2,400.16 and the Nasdaq Composite .IXIC added 16.45 points, or 0.27 percent, to 6,166.13.

The pan-European FTSEurofirst 300 index .FTEU3 rose 0.08 percent and MSCI's gauge of stocks across the globe .MIWD00000PUS gained 0.28 percent.

Emerging market stocks rose 0.51 percent. MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan .MIAPJ0000PUS closed 0.37 percent higher, while Japan's Nikkei .N225 rose 0.25 percent.

Oil prices were little changed as traders awaited weekly U.S. inventory data and after Kuwait joined top producers Saudi Arabia and Russia in support of prolonging supply cuts through March 2018 to reduce a global crude glut. crude CLcv1 fell 0.49 percent to $48.61 per barrel and Brent LCOcv1 was last at $51.62, down 0.39 percent on the day.

U.S. Treasury yields fell after the housing data added to recent soft economic news that has raised new doubts over how many times the Federal Reserve will raise interest rates this year. 10-year notes US10YT=RR last rose 3/32 in price to yield 2.3274 percent, from 2.338 percent late on Monday.

Spot gold XAU= added 0.5 percent to $1,236.91 an ounce. U.S. gold futures GCcv1 gained 0.57 percent to $1,237.00 an ounce.

Copper CMCU3 lost 0.04 percent to $5,610.85 a tonne.

Recent News

Uranium volatility after Russia's US export restrictions

November 25, 2024 / www.canadianminingreport.com

Gold stocks rebound on metal bounce and equity rise

November 25, 2024 / www.canadianminingreport.com

Crypto market size continues to catch up with gold

November 18, 2024 / www.canadianminingreport.com

Crypto stealing some of gold's thunder

November 18, 2024 / www.canadianminingreport.com

Gold stocks drop on metal price decline

November 11, 2024 / www.canadianminingreport.com
See all >
Share to Youtube Share to Facebook Facebook Share to Linkedin Share to Twitter Twitter Share to Tiktok