SHANGHAI, Apr 9 (SMM) – This is a roundup of global macroeconomic news last week and what is expected today.
Last week
The US dollar closed at 90.12 on Friday April 6, up 0.25% over the week. LME metals fell across the board on Friday except for aluminium, which was up over 3% inventory dropped for the first time in over nine months. Copper edged down close to 1%. Zinc and tin fell over 1%. Nickel dropped close to 2%.
China’s Caixin non-manufacturing purchasing managers' index (PMI) fell to a four-month low of 52.3 in March, from 54.2 in February. However, it still remained above the 50-mark that separates growth from contraction. The composite PMI covering both the manufacturing and services sectors also fell to a four-month low of 51.8 in March, from February's 53.3.
"Overall, the growth momentum of the Chinese economy weakened in March," said Zhengsheng Zhong, director of macroeconomic analysis at CEBM Group.
The US factory goods orders in February rose 1.2% month on month and 7.9% year on year. Although the month-on-month increase failed to meet the expectation, it was a rebound from January’s 1.3% decline. This signalled an upbeat momentum in the manufacturing sector.
Orders for transportation equipment soared 7%, lifted by a 26.2% jump in the volatile orders for civilian aircraft. Orders for machinery rose 1.2%, with orders for mining, oil field and gas field machinery up 1.8%. Orders for motor vehicles climbed up 1.5%.
The US’ final durable goods orders in February rose 3% month on month, compared to January’s 3.5% decline after revision.
The US nonfarm payrolls rose 103,000 in March, from February’s 326,000 after revision. This was lower than the expected 185,000 and marked the lowest level in six months. The average hourly earnings figure rose 0.3% month on month and 2.7% year on year, suggesting a tightening labour market. The unemployment rate remained at the 4.1% level for six consecutive months.
Inventories of US crude oil during the week ended March 30 dropped by 4.62 million barrels, according to data from the Energy Information Administration (EIA). Gasoline inventories shrank by 1.12 million barrels and refined oil inventories rose by 537,000 barrels.
The number of active US rigs rose by 10 units to 1,003 units in total over the week ended April 6, with natural gas rigs unchanged at 194 units and oil rigs up 11 units to 808 units, according to data from Baker Hughes.
China’s foreign exchange reserves in March rose slightly to $3.14 trillion.
Day ahead
Key factors to watch today include China’s social financing data, its M2 money supply, and the value of new yuan loans in March, as well as the April’s Sentix Investor Confidence Index of eurozone.
The US dollar is expected to hover around 90 with downward room today, and both LME and SHFE metals are seen trading rangebound today.
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