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Japanese stocks, particularly semiconductor-related shares, led gains in Asia following their US counterparts. The Nikkei 225 Stock Average set a new record, with a year-to-date gain of over 23%. Australian equity indices and US stock futures surged, while the S&P 500 closed 0.1% higher on Monday. Mainland China and Hong Kong saw a decline in shares as the dollar strengthened against other major currencies. Information technology shares were the largest contributors to gains in the MSCI Asia Pacific Index, with sentiment around stocks with high exposure to AI being the most elevated since 2019. In China, markets are skeptical about the central bank’s fresh liquidity operations announced on Monday, and investors are also looking ahead to a major annual policy summit next week. The Bank of Japan is set to have key meetings aimed at gauging a realistic pace for a reduction of its bond purchases to be announced later this month, with increased demand at a Japanese five-year auction despite speculation about the BOJ’s bond buying reduction.Today, Washington is taking center stage, with intense post-French-election negotiations underway. Federal Reserve Chair Jay Powell will begin two days of semi-annual Congressional testimony with an appearance before the Senate on Tuesday. While inflation was a concern earlier this year, it has since cooled, and the job market is showing signs of strain from months of tight policy. Traders will be closely monitoring Powell’s balancing act between addressing price pressures and avoiding unnecessary hardship for American workers. Following Powell’s testimony, Thursday will bring the latest consumer price data, which may not be the preferred sequence of events for investors and Powell. There are also uncertainties surrounding the U.S. presidential election in November, with Joe Biden facing pressure to retire despite his insistence on staying in the race. Biden’s odds of running have increased, while odds on Kamala Harris replacing him have fallen. Meanwhile, Donald Trump may announce his running mate on July 15 at the start of the Republican convention. In France, the political landscape is uncertain following a split vote across three parties, with the leftist New Popular Front emerging as the winner and President Emmanuel Macron’s centrist Ensemble Alliance securing seats in parliament. This outcome is likely to result in a period of political paralysis and a decrease in France’s influence in Europe.
Overnight Newswire Updates of Note
(Sourced from Bloomberg, Reuters and other reliable financial news outlets)
FX Options Expiries For 10am New York Cut (1BLN+ represent larger expiries, more magnetic when trading within daily ATR)
CFTC Data As Of 5/7/24
Technical & Trade ViewsSP500 Bullish Above Bearish Below 5480
EURUSD Bullish Above Bearish Below 1.0750
GBPUSD Bullish Above Bearish Below 1.27
USDJPY Bullish Above Bearish Below 160
XAUUSD Bullish Above Bearish Below 2345
BTCUSD Bullish Above Bearish below 60000
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FTSE Bid Into Election Evening, As Polling Proceeds
Daily Market Outlook – Thursday, July 4