All Eyes on ECB President Lagarde’s Remarks
09.07.2021
- U.S. Wholesale Inventories (Final Figures)
- Remarks by ECB President Lagarde
Yesterday, the three major U.S. stock indices all fell, leading to a market environment characterized by falling stock prices, a stronger yen, and lower interest rates.U.S. initial jobless claims released yesterday came in at 373,000, a slight increase from the previous three weeks and higher than the forecast of 350,000. Combined with falling yields on long-term U.S. Treasuries, this led to an overall risk-off sentiment.
In the foreign exchange market, while the U.S. dollar is showing signs of weakness against the yen, it is maintaining its strength against European currencies, causing the euro/dollar exchange rate to remain range-bound.At yesterday’s press conference, ECB President Lagarde explicitly stated that “the 2% inflation target is not a ceiling,” signaling a willingness to tolerate inflation slightly above 2%. Since the EUR/USD pair is approaching the lower end of its range, around 1.17, on a daily chart, we will be watching its future movements closely.
Today, the UK GDP and UK industrial production figures are scheduled for 15:00 during Asian trading hours; Turkey’s current account balance is scheduled for 16:00 during European trading hours; remarks by Bank of England Governor Bailey and European Central Bank President Lagarde are scheduled for 19:00; and the UKtrade balance and UK goods trade balance at 20:00, and during U.S. trading hours, Canadian unemployment rate and net employment change at 21:30, and U.S. wholesale inventories (final reading) at 23:00. We will carefully assess price movements over the weekend while keeping a close eye on the balance between U.S. and European currencies.
