Friday 4th October 2024Please note this communication is not a research report and has not been prepared by NAB Research analysts. Read the full disclaimer here.Gold has traditionally been seen as a hedge against inflation and geopolitical uncertainty. Yet, in the last few weeks we’ve seen gold repeatedly hitting new highs, even as inflation recedes. The response to the unrest in the Middle East this week hasn’t had the marked impact you might have expected. Gold has been higher at times when the situation has been more contained. So, what is the driving force behind rising Gold prices? John Reade, senior market strategist at the World Gold Council, says the price has been driven by purchases from emerging markets, many of whom want to rely less on the US dollar. Phil asks if he’s talking about the BRICs nations, who reportedly want to develop their own gold-backed currency. It’s a fascinating discussion about where gold price growth is coming from and how long it will remain elevated. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Wednesday 10th July 2024NAB Markets Research Disclaimer Financial Services Guide | Information on our services - NABJerome Powell has been speaking to the US congress and says the labour market is no longer an inflationary pressure. So, what does that mean for the timing of rate cuts? NAB’s Skye Masters says there hasn’t been too much change in expectations, with a September cut seen as most likely. With a light calendar today, a lot of the focus will be on the US ten year note auction early tomorrow morning and whether weaker demand could push yields higher. The RBNZ meets today with any expecting a fairly dovish hold. The hold is extremely likely, but dovish? Let’s see. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Thursday 2nd May 2024NAB Markets Research Disclaimer Financial Services Guide | Information on our services - NABThe Fed kept rates on hold for the sixth meeting in a row this morning, warning that there had ben a lack of further progress towards their 2% inflation target. NAB’s Ray Attrill says it didn’t really change market pricing for a cut, with the first fully priced move still looking like December. But there was a fair bit discussed during the press conference, from the terminal rate, the impact of the election and the possibility of a rate hike. Jerome Powell gave a cautious ‘no’ to the rate hike. Listen in for the latest from the Fed and the latest data, including JOLTS from last night and Australia’s trade data today. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Wednesday 21st December 2022NAB Markets Research Disclaimer Financial Services Guide | Information on our services - NABThe Bank of Japan has broadened the tolerance for its yield control curve target. NAB’s Ray Attrill says it surprised markets because Governor Kuroda had previously stated they wouldn’t be doing that. So, why the change and why has it had such an impact on global bond and currency markets? The Australian dollar fell against a US dollar which was itself falling, in part because of the RBA minutes yesterday. We look at what was discussed. And in New Zealand, business confidence hit an all-time low (well since the survey started in the eighties). Also, in this last edition of 2022 Ray explains why this was a bad year for risk parity strategies. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tuesday 20th December 2022NAB Markets Research Disclaimer Financial Services Guide | Information on our services - NABThere are only five sleeps to Christmas, but central banks are still cramming in what they can to position markets for the start of 2023. The ECB is ramping up its hawkish messaging, whilst the Fed continues to deny that they will start reversing rates next year, even as the housing market struggles. The RBA, meanwhile, is giving very little away, which is why there is more than the usual interest in the minutes of the last meeting out today. Plus, the Bank of Japan meets with a likely review of their monetary approach and China is promising targeted monetary policy next year.  NAB’s Rodrigo Catril talks us through all of that in the penultimate Morning Call of the year. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Monday 19th December 2022NAB Markets Research Disclaimer Financial Services Guide | Information on our services - NABThere wasn’t much risk appetite at the end of the week, after a hawkish Fed and the same from the ECB. It still seems markets doubt the Fed will go all the way to 5.1% and are looking for reasons to assume they will relent earlier. NAB’s Skye Masters says the inversion in the Treasury yield curve will remain for some time, but wonders how much of this is being drive by the after effects of QE. Meanwhile China is planning a major comeback next year, with one official at their Central Economic Work Conference last week describing a J-curve recovery. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Friday 16th December 2022NAB Markets Research Disclaimer Financial Services Guide | Information on our services - NABAs the UK and Europe weather a cold snap, central banks are heating up their rhetoric as the fight to cool inflation. On today’s podcast JBWere’s Sally Auld discusses the unexpectedly hawkish stance taken by the ECB, suggesting it was possibly a trade-off from pushing rates higher this time round. The Bank of England was split three ways on what to do, but ultimately lifted rates by the same amount – 50 basis points. We also look at moves by the Norges Bank and the Swiss National Bank. Meanwhile, Australia’s strong employment numbers add further pressure on the RBA , whilst the RBNZ next year has to tackle inflation in an economy that refuses to slow down. And lots of PMI numbers today, just to add to the information overload a week out from Christmas. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Thursday 15th December 2022NAB Markets Research Disclaimer Financial Services Guide | Information on our services - NABMarkets weren’t surprised by the FOMC raising rates by 50 basis points this morning – a unanimous decision by the board. But members are more divided on where to go next, with the Fed now predicting a median rate of 5.1 percent by the end of next year, even with talk of inflation having peaked. NAB’s Gavin Friend says this rise in the dot plot is based on continued labour market tightness. It could be a different picture for the Bank of England later today, and the ECB where wage inflation is not such a concern. In a feverishly busy day we also get Australian employment numbers, NZ GDP, China’s retail sales, industrial production and capex investment, and the Philly Fed’s business outlook. It’s the last gasp before Christmas! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Wednesday 14th December 2022NAB Markets Research Disclaimer Financial Services Guide | Information on our services - NABUS CPI numbers came in lower than anticipated, leading to the inevitable question about whether inflation has peaked, just in time for tomorrow’s FOMC meeting? The market response was swift fall in two-year Treasury yields and a rise in equities, although much of those gains has been pared back since. NAB’s Taylor Nugent says it creates a challenge for Jerome Powell, who will want to acknowledge the good news but remind markets there is still a long way to go. So, perhaps, tomorrow, he will be the Grinch who stole Christmas. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tuesday 13th December 2022NAB Markets Research Disclaimer Financial Services Guide | Information on our services - NABUS equities have bounced back, but the rise in the VIX index, which measures market volatility, is perhaps a better measure of where we are ahead of the FOMC meeting this week. It’s risen, highlighting uncertainty about how far the US central bank will go. Nick Timiraos describes a very divided Fed in the Wall Street Journal this morning. Also today, NAB’s Ray Attrill takes us through yesterday’s UK GDP numbers, with employment data out later ahead of the BoE meeting later in the week. Plus, the NAB Business Survey out later today. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Monday 12th December 2022NAB Markets Research Disclaimer Financial Services Guide | Information on our services - NABIt’s a big week for central banks – the Fed, the BoE and the ECB amongst them. Plus US inflation numbers. There’s some hope that the US will head off a hard landing, with inflation expectations falling in the Michigan Consumer Sentiment survey on Friday, although producer prices showed a different story, adding to the US risk-off sentiment at the end of the week. So we can expect another volatile few days, but who will be the winners and the losers? NAB’s Tapas Strickland provides valuable insights to guide you into this busy week. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Friday 9th December 2022NAB Markets Research Disclaimer Financial Services Guide | Information on our services - NABThere was a bit more of a risk-on attitude in the US overnight, with equities rising for the first time in five days. Part of the reason could be a rise in jobless claims. But NAB’s David de Garis says you’d be clutching at straws to assume that means lower inflation and a less aggressive Fed. It’s just part and parcel of the volatility ahead of a bumper week next week, with US CPI, the FOMC meeting and the ECB. The last blast before Christmas. Equally as unexplained is the slow glide down in oil, when there’s every reason for it to be heading the other way. An oil leak on the Keystone pipeline saw WTI prices rise for a while, but they didn’t hold for long.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Thursday 8th December 2022NAB Markets Research Disclaimer Financial Services Guide | Information on our services - NABUS bond yields fell further overnight as US wages data showed slower growth than anticipated, adding to hopes that the Fed won’t be as aggressive as they’ve been letting on when it comes to future hikes. NAB’s Gavin Friend says that does seem to be the mood of the moment. Whilst the Bank of Canada raised rates by 50 basis points – when many had considered 25 was likely – it was a dovish rise, with suggestions that they won’t be doing too much more. The RBA is moving in smaller increments, and whilst a pause is not on the cards for the next few months, it could be that they too won’t move far beyond March, with Australia potentially leading the way in bounceback-ability, says Gavin. Further reopening news from China helped with this sentiment.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Wednesday 7th December 2022NAB Markets Research Disclaimer Financial Services Guide | Information on our services - NABUS and European equities have taken another hit. NAB’s Ken Crompton says markets continue to respond to the strong jobs data from the US on Friday and what that means for terminal Fed rates. There were no surprises from the RBA yesterday, with NAB’s Ivan Colhoun saying the central bank is very cognisant of lags in monetary policy, so it’s too early to expect any pause in the first part of next year. It’s a different story for the Bank of Canada tonight – who front-loaded hikes and the question is how close are they to reaching the end of their tightening cycle? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tuesday 6th December 2022NAB Markets Research Disclaimer Financial Services Guide | Information on our services - NABIf you believe the ISM numbers this morning, the US services sector is growing faster than anticipated. Yet the PMI measure, supposedly monitoring exactly the same activity, showed the sector is slowing. So, who do you believe? NAB’s Tapas Strickland says markets were taking a more cautious approach before the ISM number after a WSJ article suggested the Fed might indicate a higher terminal rate at their meeting next week. A 25bps rise is expected from the RBA today even as indicators suggest private sector labour costs are rising. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Monday 5th December 2022NAB Markets Research Disclaimer Financial Services Guide | Information on our services - NABThe US non-farms payrolls numbers on Friday were an upside surprise for the number of jobs created and the increase in wages – both factors the Fed has been trying to control. Is the policy working? NAB’s Taylor Nugent says markets have responded with the expectation of a deepening recession as the Fed pushes harder.Canadian employment numbers were also stronger than expected on Friday, so how does that impact the Bank of Canada’s rate decision this week? And, before that, the RBA – what’s their plan? Just because you’ve started opening your advent calendar don’t assume the action is slowing down for Christmas. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Friday 2nd December 2022NAB Markets Research Disclaimer Financial Services Guide | Information on our services - NABMarkets have not significantly retraced their moves after Jerome Powell’s speech yesterday. Equities have rebounded only slightly and bond yields have continued to fall. On today’s podcast NAB’s Tapas Strickland outlines why his speech created a more positive risk outlook. There was good news in amongst the data released overnight too, with ISM manufacturing showing a fall in prices paid. Abd China’s lockdowns could be easing further, with home detention now replacing quarantine centres for low-risk cases in Beijing. The focus tonight, of course, will be on US non-farm payrolls, in particular the average hourly earnings.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Thursday 1st December 2022NAB Markets Research Disclaimer Financial Services Guide | Information on our services - NABIt’s been a busy session, with NAB’s Taylor Nugent claiming Jerome Powell’s speech this morning was slightly less hawkish than markets were expecting. But the Fed chair still talked about there being a way to go to fight inflation and the need for sustained evidence of falling inflation before the battle is won. Signs of easing inflation in Australia should also be treated with caution, with yesterday’s new monthly data susceptible to the volatility we don’t see in the quarterly numbers. In Europe though markets have reacted favourably to falling inflation with the expectation that a 75 bps hike at the next ECB is now much less likely. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Wednesday 30th November 2022NAB Markets Research Disclaimer Financial Services Guide | Information on our services - NABThe Aussie dollar has benefited from a reversal in concerns over China. NAB’s Ray Attrill says an announcement of a more intense vaccination program for older people has markets assuming a recovery in the Chinese economy early next year. Germany’s inflation numbers came out lower than anticipated with the assumption that we will see a Europe-wide slowdown in data released data. It’s a different story for Australia though (although obviously from a lower base) with inflation expected to rise today, with NAB forecasting a greater rise than the consensus. Then the focus is on US jobs, with job openings and ADP employment numbers today, ahead of non-farm payrolls on Friday. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tuesday 29th November 2022NAB Markets Research Disclaimer Financial Services Guide | Information on our services - NABChina is losing out on two fronts. It can’t keep its COVID numbers down and now its facing protests in major cities, which could add to the slowdown in the Chinese economy and, as JBWere’s Sally Auld suggests, it could delay the speed of the global recovery. We’ve already had two Fed speakers overnight suggesting rates might be higher for longer than markets are expecting. In Europe Christine Lagarde continues to take a hawkish stance (just ahead of Euro area inflation numbers), whilst the RBA’s Philip Lowe has been forced to apologise for misleading Australians on the speed and size of rate hikes from the central bank. It’s unlikely yesterday’s drop in retail sales will have any impact on the current path from the RBA – after all, it’s just one month and there are several factors influencing that number.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Monday 28th November 2022NAB Markets Research Disclaimer Financial Services Guide | Information on our services - NABUnrest is growing in China over the zero COVID policy, with protests over the weekend in Shanghai following deaths from an apartment fire, supposedly locked down. NAB’s Rodrigo Catril says we’ve already seen a response to this news with a fall in the Australian dollar as the market opened. Friday saw a sell-off in European bonds as the ECB sounded ever hawkish, and an increase in the pricing of a 75bps hike at the next meeting. And the numbers are in for Black Friday sales – they are at record levels but given the current inflation levels that’s not really saying much. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Friday 25th November 2022NAB Markets Research Disclaimer Financial Services Guide | Information on our services - NABAs you might expect, with Thanksgiving still going on in the US and everyone else watching the world cup it’s been a quiet session overnight. Still. NAB’s David de Garis joins in today to talk through the ECB minutes, Germany’s IFO numbers, the Riksbank’s interest rate decision and China’s likely response to record COVID numbers. There’s also a no-spoiler guarantee, for those recording the soccer to watch later.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Thursday 24th November 2022NAB Markets Research Disclaimer Financial Services Guide | Information on our services - NABThere’s a higher risk appetite again this morning, driven by the release of the FOMC minutes which NAB’s Gavin Friend says more or less confirmed that the Fed will lift rates by 50 bps at the December meeting. Before that, the response was to mixed data, with PMIs weaker than anticipated but strong US durable goods orders. There’s also an expectation that Russian supplies of oil might be higher than anticipated as the G7 and EU seem set to set the cap around $65-70, well above the cost of production. That might be good for inflation but a disaster in tackling Russia’s war effort, which has seen a barrage of cruise missile on Kiev overnight.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Wednesday 23rd November 2022NAB Markets Research Disclaimer Financial Services Guide | Information on our services - NABAmerica will be sitting down to a Turkey dinner tomorrow, but before that markets seem to be determined to spread hope of a pivot from the Fed – or at the very least a slowdown in rates. That’s helped equities overnight and whilst treasury yields are falling. NAB’s Skye Masters says it’s unlikely the Fed will be happy to see this sort of price action, it isn’t the message they are trying to send to markets. Less attention sems to be given to rising COVID numbers in China, which are now close to their all-time high in April and are resulting n more lockdowns in major industrial areas. And the RBA’s Philip Lowe warned about the danger of rising wages yesterday, whilst also suggesting interest rates may not return to the lows we saw before the pandemic. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Markets are still concerned about lockdowns in China, evidenced by the fall in US equities and a 2% drop in Apple’s share price. Oil has also been falling, but NAB’s Ray Attrill says the prospect of an increase in production by OPEC+ next month pushed prices lower for a while before people started asking, ‘why would they do that?’. The argument was it was to compensate for lost Russian oil as sanctions hit, with news reports that G7 and the EU might this week agree on the price cap beyond which they will not ship or insure Russian oil, irrespective of the destination. There’s also discussion today on the fall in German producer prices, what the RBNZ will do tomorrow and what the RBA’s Philip Lowe will say over dinner tonight.Incidentally, today NAB trade donate the proceeds of today’s trading revenue to First Nations Foundation, to support the financial literacy of Indigenous communities. Or you can make a donation. Go to www.nabtrade.com.au/charityday for more information. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Monday 21st November 2022NAB Markets Research Disclaimer Financial Services Guide | Information on our services - NABFriday was unusually quiet, with no big data releases and not much movement in markets. As NAB’s Tapas Strickland observes, the most significant move was the reversal in short-end yields, taking the 2-10 yield spread to minus 70bps, the highest negative spread in over forty years. Normally this would be a clear signal of an impending recession, he says, but we’ve been seeing these signs for most of the year and yet the economy remains surprisingly resilient. The last week has also seen significant falls in oil prices – we look at why. And look ahead to the RBNZ this week. But it’s likely to be a quiet week, with the US celebrating Thanksgiving on Thursday.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Friday 18th November 2022NAB Markets Research Disclaimer Financial Services Guide | Information on our services - NABAnother 32 thousand Australians had a job in October, making the labour market the tightest it’s been in decades. NAB’s Ken Crompton says this cements in the expectation that the RBA will lift rates by at least 25 basis points in December, continuing on in the first meetings of the new year. There’s less expectation of the Fed slowing down as well, thanks to James Bullard suggesting interest rates could rise as high as seven percent. That’s hit equities and pushed bond yields higher. In the UK the new Chancellor managed to issue a budget without a massive market response. Today Japan’s inflation numbers won’t be enough to convince Kuroda to move from the path of his ultra-easy policy but, as Ken, suggests, that could change when he moves on early next year. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Thursday 17th November 2022NAB Markets Research Disclaimer Financial Services Guide | Information on our services - NABThankfully, World War 3 wasn’t started by that missile strike on Poland. Now markets are back to betting on how far the Fed will go, rather than NATO. As NAB’S Gavin Friend discusses yesterday’s US retail numbers shows greater resilience than anticipated, adding to the work of the FOMC to moderate demand. Moderating demand is less of an issue in the UK, where headline inflation has hit 11.1 percent and household pressures will be hit even more with a cost cutting, high taxing budget expected later today. On the home front, could the evidence of wage pressures yesterday be enough for the RBA to rethink any ideas of a pause in rates before Christmas? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Wednesday 16th November 2022NAB Markets Research Disclaimer Financial Services Guide | Information on our services - NABJust as we pressed the record button on this morning’s podcast news broke that Russia had fired missiles into Poland, a NATO m ember. As JBWere’s Sally Auld explains, until that point market sentiment had been very positive, as producer prices in the US eased, adding to expectations that inflation had peaked. The missile strike was a stark remainder of what was one of the major causes of the inflation I the first place and that conflict is far from over. Locally the Australian Wage Price Index is released today and is expected to show wage pressures are well contained, supporting the RBA’s policy of a more gradual approach to rate hikes compared to their overseas counterparts. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tuesday 15th November 2022NAB Markets Research Disclaimer Financial Services Guide | Information on our services - NABAfter the ebullient mood at the end of last week markets retraced their steps a little today, with shares on the rise and the US dollar regaining territory. NAB’s Rodrigo says Fed speakers, in particular Waller, have reminded the market that they will continue to lift rates until there are clear signs of a sustained drop in inflation. The question is, how determined will they be as we start to see more signs of a slowdown? The response to the easing of lockdowns in China seems to have persisted, with the Hang Seng strong yesterday and the Aussie dollar rising against a rising US dollar, helped by iron ore prices. And Presidents Xi and Biden have met and agreed to talk more. That’s another bit of good news ahead of G20. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Monday 14th November 2022NAB Markets Research Disclaimer Financial Services Guide | Information on our services - NABThere was a trifecta of good news at the end of last week that sent equities rising, bond yields falling, commodities looking up and a chance for other currencies to gain on the US dollar at last. But will it last? That’s a question put to NAB’s Ray Attrill on this morning’s podcast. China announced some easing of COVID restrictions, Russia has backed out of Kherson and markets were still rejoicing with the fall in one month’s CPI read in the US. None of those translate to a fast track to a world that’s COVID free, with peace in Ukraine and price pressures alleviated. Could markets retrace their steps a little today after the euphoria at the end of the week, or will a positive meeting between President Xi and Biden later today add to the jubilation? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Friday 11th November 2022NAB Markets Research Disclaimer Financial Services Guide | Information on our services - NABUS core inflation dropped to 6.3% in October, below expectations and down from 6.6% in September. NAB’s David de Garis joins Phil to talk through the market reaction, which has seen stocks soar, bond yields fall and the US dollar taking a big hit. Does this mean inflation has peaked? Dallas Fed’s Lorie Logan called it a ‘welcome relief’ but the message from other speakers overnight is that there’s still a lot of work to be done. In Europe the central bank seems to be upping its hawkish rhetoric, whilst the UK is still stuck with the uncertainty of a shrinking economy and a budget next week that will be more painful than restorative.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Thursday 10th November 2022NAB Markets Research Disclaimer Financial Services Guide | Information on our services - NABIt’s inflation day. The CPI print is out from the US late tonight Australia time. On today’s podcast NAB’s David de Garis talks about the impact if the number is a little higher than expected. The Fed’s John Williams said overnight that the news for the US is “mostly good”, suggesting longer-run inflation expectations have remained remarkably stable. No doubt his goal was to prevent an overreaction to the numbers tonight, which will be followed by a slew of other Fed speakers in the hours that follow. There’s also a discussion about China’s producer prices on the podcast. They’re falling. Could we see China started to export deflation again? Not if they keep locking cities down. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Wednesday 9th NovemberNAB Markets Research Disclaimer Financial Services Guide | Information on our services - NABUS equity markets have switched from being upbeat about the prospect of an end to China’s zero COVID to being upbeat about the outcome from today’s mid-term elections. NAB’s Ray Attrill also talks about the differences between Australian consumer and business sentiment and why the business outlook always seems a little rosier. He also discusses how one central banker at least reckons a recession will increase inflation, whilst there’s some hope that falling producer prices from China today might dampen inflation expectations a little, as more cheaper goods are shipped around the world. And Donald Trump has announced he will be announcing something important. Any idea what that might be? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tuesday 8th November 2022NAB Markets Research Disclaimer Financial Services Guide | Information on our services - NABWe didn’t see the expected turnaround in markets on Monday. Yesterday on the Morning Call we talked about how Chinese officials had denounced speculation that they were heading away from the Zero COVID road soon, so we expected a reversal to some of the optimism in markets at the end of last week. On Monday though, as NAB’s Taylor Nugent discusses, US equities continued to rise, with the Wall Street Journal reporting again that a turnaround in China’s policy could still be on the cards. Perhaps. Well, the Chinese trade numbers yesterday were a clear demonstration of the damage being done to the economy. Today eyes will be on the US mid-term elections and, if there’s strong support for the Republicans, whether one Mr Donald John Trump will stand for the Presidency. In the more immediate future, markets are preparing for the US inflation numbers later in the week. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Monday 7th November 2022NAB Markets Research Disclaimer Financial Services Guide | Information on our services - NABIt seems likely we’ll see a reversal to some of the positive sentiment on Friday that saw equities and commodity prices rise, driven by the renewed hope that China was moving towards an end to their zero COVID approach. The official word over the weekend was that that was not the case. NAB’s Skye Masters says there was also a positive response to non-farm payrolls in the US on Friday, with a rising unemployment rate suggesting the labour market was easing and there would be less pressure on the Fed, supporting the case for a 50pc rise at the next FOMC meeting. But in Canada the labour market is as tight as ever, it seems, evidenced by rising employment numbers on Friday.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Friday 4th November 2022NAB Markets Research Disclaimer Financial Services Guide | Information on our services - NABIt could be the worst of times, or something even worse than that. The Bank of England painted two possible scenarios overnight, after raising rates by the expected 75 basis points. In scenario one, the bulk of their work is done and rates don’t move much higher. In scenario two, rates rise to 5.25% and the country faces a two-year recession. Talk about hedging your bets. NAB’s Ken Crompton says it shows the difficulties faced in the UK and Europe, in comparison with the US, where the Fed is fighting continued high consumption levels - evidenced by high imports in the Balance of Trade overnight – and resilience in the employment market. On that point, tonight’s non-farm payrolls will be eagerly watched. We also look at what to expect in today’s Statement of Monetary Policy from the RBA. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Thursday 3rd November 2022NAB Markets Research Disclaimer Financial Services Guide | Information on our services - NABWho’d have thought that a fourth 75 basis point hike by the Fed would see equity markets rally and bond yields down? As NAB’s Gavin Friend explains, the bounce didn’t last long, and it was driven by the term ‘cumulative tightening’, which markets took to mean the FOMC committee believed they could slow down while they assess the aggregate impact of the hikes so far. But in the press conference that followed Jerome Powell made it clear any slow down wouldn’t imply the terminal rate will be any lower, in fact it is likely to be higher than they’d been thinking in previous meetings. Where does the Bank of England go today? The expectation is a 75 basis point hike there too, but in very different economic circumstances. If they do go lighter touch they’ll be keen to emphasise this is not a dovish pivot, simply taking stock of where they are now. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Wednesday 2nd November 2022NAB Markets Research Disclaimer Financial Services Guide | Information on our services - NABThe RBA has taken a slow and steady approach to interest rate hikes, so we can expect many more to come. Sally Auld says Governor Lowe said last night that the risks are more two-sided than they were a few months ago, and the bank needs to factor in the risk of the lag. It’s a very different approach being taken by the Fed, with a strong expectation that they will announce a 75bp hike tomorrow morning, reinforced by data showing a rise in job openings in the US. The optimism in markets yesterday afternoon that perhaps China was heading out of its zero COVID approach have been reversed, with newspaper reports suggested the opposite is the case and we can expect more lockdowns and the like. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tuesday 1st November 2022NAB Markets Research Disclaimer Financial Services Guide | Information on our services - NABToday is the day of the race that stops the nation, but before the champagne flows there’s an RBA meeting to get through. NAB’s Tapas Strickland says the odds are on a 25bp hike today, but the board will be considering last week’s inflation surprise and yesterday’s retail numbers. So there’s an outside chance they will go higher. The FOMC meets later this week, and tonight’s JOLTs job openings numbers will be given some consideration. It’s a while till the next ECB meeting, but an inflation shock justifies last week’s 75 basis point hike and could justify a third such rise next time. And a soggy track – good news for a British horse this afternoon?  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Monday 31st October 2022NAB Markets Research Disclaimer Financial Services Guide | Information on our services - NAB US equity markets rose sharply on Friday, even though there’s little evidence that inflation is easing or that the Fed will slow down their pace of hikes, despite all the pivot-talk of the last week. This morning NAB’s Rodrigo Catril is asked whether they are too optimistic, given the data and geopolitics we are experiencing right now. Could the fear of persistent inflation but the frighteners on them this Halloween? The US employment cost index might have moved down slightly, but the rate of wage growth is still way higher than the Fed would like to see. In Europe equities were still rising on Friday even as inflation numbers for Germany, France and Italy were way-higher than expected. With the BoE, RBA and Fed all meeting this week will reality come back to bite? Will the word ‘Pivot’ be consigned to history, at least for a week or two? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Friday 28th October 2022NAB Markets Research Disclaimer Financial Services Guide | Information on our services - NABThe ECB raised rates by 75 basis points as expected, but NAB’s Rodrigo Catril says a widespread expectation that central banks will ‘pivot’, and switch away from a path of higher rate rises. We don’ have long to wait to find out with the BoE, RBA and Fed all meeting next week. But is all this pivot talk misplaced? If it’s because of softening data, the Fed has made it clear that inflation will be tackled at whatever cost. For that reason, the employment cost index will be a key number to look out for from the US today. It’s a different story for the ECB, which faces bigger recessionary fears and a mixed inflationary picture across the Euro area. Meanwhile, expect little from the Bank of Japan today, but they will have to make moves to tackle rising inflation at some point. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Thursday 27th October 2022NAB Markets Research Disclaimer Financial Services Guide | Information on our services - NABThe Bank of Canada lifted rates by 50 basis points this morning, against expectations of a 75 bp hike. David de Garis says there were cries of ‘Pivot’ amongst the traders at NAB in London, but how far will it stretch. Does it follow that the Fed will follow in Canada’s footsteps? It’s unlikely the ECB will, when they meet later today. Or the RBA when they meet next week, given the stronger than anticipated inflation numbers yesterday. And a sign that the confidence crisis in the UK is over, the new PM announced a delay to the issuance of their new budget without the pound tanking and a massive spike in Gilt yields. Besides the ECB, all eyes today will be on US GDP. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Wednesday 26th October 2022NAB Markets Research Disclaimer Financial Services Guide | Information on our services - NABEquity markets and bonds have both rallied overnight, pushing yields lower again. NAB’s Skye Masters says investors are still hoping that the Fed will slow down the path of rate hikes, although there’s no data top suggest why they should and some commentators suggesting that rates might go up above 5 percent early next year. Italy’s new PM is opposed to hikes and an end to QE, warning of the impacts it’ll have on high debt economies, like Italy, for example. That’s unlikely to stop the ECB lifting rates by 75 basis points, which is what the Bank of Canada is expected to do tonight. We also take a look at yesterday’s budget and ask will it help combat inflation, or is the expectation that the RBA will do all the heavy lifting? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tuesday 25th October 2022NAB Markets Research Disclaimer Financial Services Guide | Information on our services - NABIt's been a very mixed session depending on vaired geographic circumstances, says NAB’s Taylor Nugent. US equities continue to rally on anticipation of positive earnings results and the hope that the Fed will slow down its pace of hikes. Europe has seen modest gains as gas prices fall, offsetting a slightly worse than expected set of PMIs. The UK has seen gilts back in fashion as Rishi Sunak is announced as the new Prime Minister, generally seen as a relatively safe pair of hands. But China has seen the offshore Yuan fall sharply and equities also taking a dive, despite relatively strong economic data, including a better-than-expected GDP read. The concern is the direction President Xi will take as he surrounds himself with allies and prepares for more controls and lockdowns. Tonight we’ll find out what’s in the Australian budget, at least those bits that haven’t already been leaked to the press. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Monday 24th October 2022NAB Markets Research Disclaimer Financial Services Guide | Information on our services - NABThe US finished the week with equities rising and the dollar falling, with the Fed’s Mary Daly hinting that the path of hikes might slow for fear of an ‘unforced downturn’. NAB’s Ray Attrill notes that the Wall Street Journal’s Nick Timiraos suggesting the Fed might well be signalling a stepping down of rate increases, and that Timiraos rarely gets it wrong. It’s fun and game is the UK today as they fast track the selection process for the next Prime Minister, although since we recorded the podcast it seems an almost certainty that Rishi Sunak will be the UK's next prime MInister, staving off the turmoil that could have ensued from a Boris Johnson win. Plus, lots of PMIs today, and China’s GDP and other data, pushed back from the People’s Congress last week.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Friday 21st October 2022NAB Markets Research Disclaimer Financial Services Guide | Information on our services - NABThe UK is on the lookout for another Prime Minister after Liz Truss announced her resignation overnight. Her replacement will be found by Friday next week, at the latest, but NAB’s Gavin Friend says there could be a new PM in place as soon as Monday. There wasn’t a massive market reaction, with the good news offset by the uncertainty of who will replace her. Boris perhaps? Yes, really. Meanwhile Aussie jobs numbers show the labour market remains tight, as did US weekly jobless claims. In short, another day with no signs of inflation easing. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Thursday 20th October 2022NAB Markets Research Disclaimer Financial Services Guide | Information on our services - NABIt’s a very mixed day, but generally the reverse of yesterday. The US dollar has gained strength, bond yields have pushed higher and equities have fallen, despite some strong corporate earnings. NAB’s Taylor Nugent says we are back to worrying about inflation and central bank’s pursuing elevated interest rate paths. US 10 year yields reached a 14 year high overnight, as the Fed’s Neel Kashkari declared he had not seen any signs yet that inflation had peaked. Higher than expected inflation numbers in the UK and Canada have added to the mood, although gilt yields have fallen as markets assume a more balanced approach by the government, although looking at the political shenanigans overnight the environment is far from stable. And Russia is stepping up action against Ukraine, adding to global uncertainty. Hence, the volatility. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Wednesday 19th October 2022NAB Markets Research Disclaimer Financial Services Guide | Information on our services - NABEquity markets have managed to climb again in the US, supported by earnings results, although NAB’s Ray Attrill describes it as a bear rally. There is still plenty of uncertainty around, evidenced by moves in bonds, in all directions. The BoE drove some of the movement when they announced they would resume bond purchases next month, on schedule, despite the diversion last week. New Zealand’s inflation numbers yesterday surprised on the upside, which begs the question, will we see the same with CPI for the UK and Canada today?  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tuesday 18th October 2022NAB Markets Research Disclaimer Financial Services Guide | Information on our services - NABThe UK government decided it couldn’t wait till the end of the month to reverse almost all of their unfunded tax cuts, so they did it yesterday, much to everyone’s surprise. Markets have taken it well, with big falls in bond yields and a rise in Sterling, but as JBWere’s Sally Auld points out, there is still a big budget gap to bridge. The impact has helped buoy US equity markets though – perhaps looking for a buy-the-dip excuse. Today look out for NZ CPI and the minutes of the last RBA meeting, when they surprised with a less than expected 25bp rate hike. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Monday 17th October 2022NAB Markets Research DisclaimerFinancial Services Guide | Information on our services - NABUS Treasury yields rose higher still on Friday as markets absorbed Thursday’s inflation print and the expectation of faster hikes and a higher terminal rate from the Fed. Despite the hikes so far, there’s few signs of a slowdown, with NAB’s Rodrigo Catril pointing to Friday’s retail numbers which showed yet more resilience in spending from US consumers. We look at how this is all playing into the weakness of the Australian dollar. And then there’s the UK! Will they have a change of Prime Minister, will a complete reversal in policies be enough to stop the BoE picking up its pace of increase, and if it is, what does that mean for the pound. Plus, the China People’s Congress, the fall in oil prices and much more besides. It’s a busy start to the week. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Friday 14th October 2022NAB Markets Research Disclaimer Financial Services Guide | Information on our services - NABIt’s been a stormy night, with violent swings in bond yields and US equities. As NAB’s Skye Masters explains, shares plummeting as the higher than expected CPI read but then staged a massive rebound later I the session, fishing markedly higher towards the close. Bond markets responded more predictably, pricing in a more aggressive path of rate hikes from the Fed – maybe 150bp before Christmas. Meanwhile, massive swings on UK bonds with reports that the Truss government might be ready to stage another u-turn on their unfunded tax cuts, although the Chancellor Kwasi Kwarteng has denied this. Today, US retail numbers will have less influence than the CPI, but a strong read will indicate a more resilient economy which would suggest rates will stay higher for longer.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Thursday 13th October 2022NAB Markets Research DisclaimerFinancial Services Guide | Information on our services - NABThe BoE has been buying up more bonds to protect pension funds from the volatility of an economy still struggling with the budget presented by the Truss government. But when Andrew Bailey says the help stops on Friday does he really mean it, or will they be back buying bonds next week? Meanwhile the latest GDP numbers show the UK could well be in a recession, or at least the economy is looking very off colour. Meanwhile, the latest FOMC minutes show the US central bank is determined to continue to tackle inflation, and rate rises won’t stop until the labour market starts to rescind. The number that will drive markets today – US CPI. Whether its higher or lower than expected, we can still expect a reaction. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tuesday 12th October 2022NAB Markets Research DisclaimerFinancial Services Guide | Information on our services - NABThe Bank of England has been buying up more government bonds as it fights uncertainty in UK markets. NAB’s Ken Crompton says it’s no surprise that they have had to target 30 year inflation-linked bonds, as they constitute a large proportion of the stock held by the pension funds the bank is trying to protect. But, with devastating opinion polls and a rebuff of their budget plans by the IMF, expect more UK uncertainty in the weeks ahead. Meanwhile, in Australia the gap between consumer and business expectations has widened further, we look at why that is.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tuesday 11th October 2022NAB Markets Research DisclaimerFinancial Services Guide | Information on our services - NABThe latest title from to the IMF’s World Economic Outlook is ‘Gloomy and More Uncertain’. That certainly reflects the mood this morning, with risk driven by an escalating war in Ukraine, question marks over whether the UK Chancellor’s budget will pass muster with the markets, and the China slowdown, now added to by President Biden cracking down on the export of advanced semiconductors. NAB’s Rodrigo Catril says the timing of the US Presidents restriction is impeccable, just ahead of the Party Congress and the expected announcement of President Xi winning another term in office. Is that why the Aussie dollar is so weak today, falling more than any other major currency? And will we see a continued division between negative consumer sentiment in Australia, offset by more a positive business sector? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Monday 10th October 2022NAB Markets Research DisclaimerFinancial Services Guide | Information on our services - NABThere was a strong market reaction to non-farm payrolls on Friday, which suggested the US labour market remains tight, with the unemployment rate falling. NAB’s Tapas Strickland says it was another of those ‘good news is bad news’ moments, likely to keep the Fed on its hawkish path for some time yet. That could be reinforced if CPI data this week remains strong. The question is, how will any central bank know when it has overshot its target? There could be some caution today as the world waits for Putin’s response to the Crime bridge explosion.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Friday 7th October 2022NAB Markets Research DisclaimerFinancial Services Guide | Information on our services - NABMarkets are still nervous. This morning NAB’s Gavin Friend says hopes of a pivot from the Fed have more or less disappeared, following on from the softer manufacturing numbers earlier in the week. The Fed’s Neal Kashkari said we are quite a way away from a pause in their path of rate hikes. A lot rests on today’s non-farm payrolls, with the markets ready to pounce on anything that could suggest a slow down from the Fed. Today’s episode, out a little earlier than normal, comes from the Australian Embassy in Paris, where NAB has been talking to investors about opportunities in Aussie infrastructure and energy projects. Gillian Bird, the Australian Ambassador to France, joins us on the podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Thursday 6th October 2022NAB Markets Research DisclaimerFinancial Services Guide | Information on our services - NABYesterday’s vain hope of a pivot by the Fed, to slow down rate rises after the weaker job openings numbers, were destroyed today by a stronger than expected non-manufacturing ISM read. Not only was the main number higher than anticipated, at 56.7, new orders were strong too. It was another of those good news is bad news moments, because its unlikely the Fed will consider any slow down in their path of rate hikes when the economy is showing strong growth against a tight labour market. On that, the ADP employment numbers reported wages growing at 7.6 percent in September. This could be an unfortunate precursor to the non-farm payrolls numbers on Friday. The day’s other big news is the OPEC+ decision to cut oil by two million barrels a day – a move which could add to inflation pressures. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Wednesday 5th October 2022NAB Markets Research DisclaimerFinancial Services Guide | Information on our services - NABThere’s plenty of talk of a Fed pivot according to JBWere’s Sally Auld, but is it an overreaction? The drivers have been the smaller than expected rise by the RBA yesterday and one million less jobs being advertised in the US. Bond yields have fallen and the equity markets are lapping it up. So, today, will the RBNZ follow in the RBA’s footsteps? Markets are expecting a 50 basis point rise in New Zealand, but that’s what they said about Australia. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tuesday 4th October 2022NAB Markets Research DisclaimerFinancial Services Guide | Information on our services - NABThere’s been a swift change of direction in markets, with bond yields falling and big rises in equities in the US and Europe. NAB’s Tapas Strickland says there are several reasons for this reversal in fortune. Part of it is a partial u-turn by the UK chancellor over unfunded tax cuts, suggesting the new government is not as cavalier as some had feared. Second, the US ISM numbers came in weaker than expected, showing a fall in demand, rising inventories and a drop in manufacturing prices. Locally, the RBA is expected to lift rates by 50bp today, and tonight the US job openings numbers will be viewed to see if there is any easing in the labour market.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Monday 3rd October 2022NAB Markets Research DisclaimerFinancial Services Guide | Information on our services - NABThe lasting effect from the UK’s mini-budget kerfuffle has not been the weakness in the pound – that’s bounced back for now – but the rise in bond yields. They are, of course, rising everywhere as central banks find it increasingly hard to fight inflation. The pound might feel some pressure today, though, as S&P put the UK’s credit rating on a “negative outlook”. NAB’s Taylor Nugent says it doesn’t mean a downgrade is going to happen, but it adds to the uncertainty the UK is facing right now. Meanwhile, inflation remains strong, with the Euro area reporting 10% and the US Core PCE read on Friday also on the rise. Oil prices are likely to rise as well as OPEC+ meets this week, with a large cut in production likely. Locally, the RBA meets tomorrow. We look at what to expect. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Friday 30th September 2022NAB Markets Research Disclaimer Financial Services Guide | Information on our services - NABThings are calmer in the UK because the Prime Minister has agreed to get the numbers to support last week’s budget. Whilst that’s helped the pound a little, yields continue to rise. NAB’s Tapas Strickland says the volatility is far from over in the UK. Elsewhere there’s rising concern over inflation, which is showing little signs of easing, with central banks (the Fed and ECB in particular) continuing their hawkish tilt. That’s hit US stocks hard today. Also on today’s podcast a look at yesterday’s monthly CPI umbers for Australia and a look ahead to European inflation data today. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Thursday 29th September 2022NAB Markets Research DisclaimerFinancial Services Guide | Information on our services - NABIt’s been quite a session in the UK, with the IMF reprimanding the government over it’s budget, and the Bank of England suspending its quantitative tightening, instead switching to buying longer end bonds in a move to protect pension funds. What’s all this doing to the UK’s credibility? NAB’s David de Garis talks through the events from London. In the US equities have bounced back, even though central banks show no sign of stepping back on their hawkish stance. The war in Ukraine is showing signs of escalation, with Russia now accused of sabotaging gas pipelines in the Baltic and the EU promising more sanctions this Friday. But Australia, for now, is avoiding the worst of the declines, with retail sales holding up, at least in terms of money spent. Today inflation and jobs vacancies for Australia will be keenly watched.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Wednesday 28th September 2022NAB Markets Research DisclaimerFinancial Services Guide | Information on our services - NABA rising US dollar, yields pushing higher, equities being sold off, central bankers talking up rates – that’s been business as usual lately. NAB’s Skye Masters says resilience in economic data, particularly for the US, isn’t making the job any easier for central banks, who expect rates to be higher for longer than markets envisage. In the UK the terminal rate for the Bank of England has risen markedly, of course, with Huw Pill, the chief economist, warning that the response to the government’s budget will require a significant monetary policy response, but not till November. Presumably that means they continue with their quantitative tightening. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tuesday 27th September 2022NAB Markets Research DisclaimerFinancial Services Guide | Information on our services - NABThe pound fell to an all-time low overnight before picking up a little, but still well down on the day as markets react badly to the new UK Chancellor’s mini-budget last week. NAB’s Taylor Nugent talks through the response, which is being driven largely by uncertainty. Gilt yields have pushed up markedly and the unease has spread to other markets, with bond yields also rising sharply in the US. There has been some expectation that the Bank of England will call an emergency meeting, whilst the Chancellor has said he will provide a fully costed proposal in two months’ time. Will markets settle down without reassurance that the government has its finances under control? Meanwhile, data releases globally were largely softer, including sizeable downgrades to growth forecasts in the latest OECD economic outlook. On the speakers circuit later on, Huw Pill, the Bank of England’s chief economist – perhaps not the easiest gig this time round. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Monday 26th September 2022NAB Markets Research DisclaimerFinancial Services Guide | Information on our services - NABThe UK budget that wasn’t a real budget, turned out to be more far reaching than most budgets and certainly had far more market impact. On today’s podcast Phil asks NAB’s Ray Attrill whether the sharp fall in the pound will be retraced this week, particularly as the UK’s government debt is still far less than many other European nations. Italy’s election results will be released shortly, but the lurch to the right has already been well signalled. On the data front, PMIs on Friday showed further weakness in Europe and the UK, with some gains in the US, but the picture is not pretty anywhere. Today data includes Germany’s IFO and the OECD’s interim economic outlook. More importantly, there are a few inflation indicators later in the week for the US, the Eurozone, China and Australia. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Friday 23rd September 2022View our disclaimer and terms of use: nab.co/3shJyypView our NAB Financial Services Guide: nab.co/3rvJtI9Bond yields continued to rise in the US one day on rom the FOMC meeting. NAB’s Ken Crompton says normally you’d expect to see a bit of a rebound, so this is a sign that the market has accepted that the Fed are determined to keep going, evidenced by the elevated dot plots yesterday. Meanwhile the Bank of England lifted rates 50bp – it probably would have been higher if the UK government hadn’t stepped in with a cap on energy prices, although their mini budget today will include tax cuts that could go against the bank’s objectives. The Bank of Japan didn’t move at all and a very dovish speech by Gov Kuroda sent the Yen spiralling lower, forcing the Ministry of Finance to intervene. Lots of PMIs today to provide evidence of which economies are softening and which, like the US perhaps, are holding up. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Thursday 22nd September 2022View our disclaimer and terms of use: nab.co/3shJyypView our NAB Financial Services Guide: nab.co/3rvJtI9No surprise, the Fed has lifted rates by 75 basis points. NAB’s Gav Friend says the response in the bond markets was a reaction to the dot plots, which suggest rates will be at 4.4% by the end of the year, 4.6% next year and 3.8% in mid-2024. They all represent a considerable increase in the numbers given back in June. The Bank of England meets later and, although markets are expecting a 75-basis point hike there too, its unlikely to happen as inflation could well be tamed by a high level of government support for fuel costs. In other news, Putin has called up 300 thousand reserves and threatened the use of all resources, even nuclear, if the west attacks territories deemed by referendums to be part of Russia. No bluff, he said. We look at what impact this will have on market sentiment. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Wednesday 21st September 2022View our disclaimer and terms of use: nab.co/3shJyypView our NAB Financial Services Guide: nab.co/3rvJtI9Bond yields have pushed higher in the US and the UK ahead of the Fed and the Bank of England meetings tomorrow. NAB’s Taylor Nugent says the expectation is still for a 75 bp hike, although that was the assumption for the Riksbank too, but they lifted rates by 100 yesterday. But as Taylor points out, they are starting from a lower base. But are there signs that inflation is easing. Oil is down, China is reopening, Hong Kong has eased restrictions and Taiwan is busy responding to demands for new iPhones. Is life starting to get back to normal and could easing of supply pressures bring prices down? Or simply create yet more demand? Ukraine presents further risk today, with Russia planning sham referendums in captured territories, which has the potential to escalate the war.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tuesday 20th September 2022View our disclaimer and terms of use: nab.co/3shJyypView our NAB Financial Services Guide: nab.co/3rvJtI9It was a quiet session overnight with the UK on holiday and a fair bit of attention on a funeral service in London. Nonetheless bond yields continued to push higher. JBWere’s Sally Auld says markets have priced in rate rises this week of 80 basis points in both the UK and US, meaning there’s some chance the hike will be more than 75. ‘Keeping at it’ was the title of Paul Volcker’s book and that seems to be the Fed’s philosophy right now – and for other central banks, Japan and China excluded. Canada's inflation numbers today will give us a good indication of whether going hard and going early helps contain inflation any quicker.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Monday 19th September 2022View our disclaimer and terms of use: nab.co/3shJyypView our NAB Financial Services Guide: nab.co/3rvJtI9It’s a confusing week ahead of central bank meetings and public holidays. The Queen’s funeral will attract most attention today, but not on the markets that could see a quiet start to a busy week. NAB’s Ray Attrill says it’ll add to the volatility this week, driven by uncertainty and liquidity. Whilst most expect a 75 basis point rise from the Fed this week, there’s still a chance they will lift by 100. The UK faces a decision by the Bank of England and a mini budget from Kwasi Kwarteng, the new Chancellor, that could add to big increases in bond issuance. Plus, a meeting of the UN General Assembly which could (perhaps) see Putin lose more allies.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Friday 16th September 2022View our disclaimer and terms of use: nab.co/3shJyypView our NAB Financial Services Guide: nab.co/3rvJtI9Front end bond yields pushed higher in the US, as shares fell sharply and oil prices fell. The inversion in the yield curve continues to point to a recession with investors clearly expecting a higher terminal rate by the Fed. NAB’s Gavin Friend says markets are still reeling from the higher than expected inflation read this week, and much now rests on what Jerome Powell says next week. The picture is muddy, with today’s data releases fairly mixed. US retail sales were up, but the Philly Fed manufacturing index fell, with a big decrease in new orders. We try and make sense of it all in today’s podcast, along with analysis of yesterday’s Australian employment numbers and words on the meeting between Presidents Putin and Xi in Uzbekistan yesterday. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Thursday 15th September 2022View our disclaimer and terms of use: nab.co/3shJyypView our NAB Financial Services Guide: nab.co/3rvJtI9Yesterday, markets responded sharply to the higher-than-expected inflation read from the US. You might have expected a bit of a correction today as markets take stock of the news, but that didn’t really happen. As NAB’s David de Garis points out, there is still an expectation of sharp moves by the Fed, with the possibility of a 100bp rise still on the table. UK inflation fell back into single figures, but only because petrol prices have fallen. Today Australian employment numbers and US retail sales are the figures to look out for. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Wednesday 14th September 2022View our disclaimer and terms of use: nab.co/3shJyypView our NAB Financial Services Guide: nab.co/3rvJtI9Markets were caught off guard by the higher-than-expected inflation rad fom the US. The fall in energy prices has been offset by a broad-based rise across all other sectors. US equities fell heavily, bond yields rose and the US dollar gained significant ground. NAB’s Ray Attrill says the results have raised the spectre of a possible 100bp rise by the Fed and a higher terminal rate. The UK gets their inflation numbers later, after falling unemployment numbers and rising wages yesterday. So, what about Australia, where the NAB Business Survey showed improvements in business conditions and sentiment – but what did it tell us about inflation expectations? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tuesday 13th September 2022View our disclaimer and terms of use: nab.co/3shJyypView our NAB Financial Services Guide: nab.co/3rvJtI9Risk sentiment is improving, with shares up in the US and Europe and the US dollar losing ground to the Euro. Why? It’s a question Phil Dobbie puts to NAB’s Tapas Strickland in today’s Morning Call. The EU has drafted an energy plan that includes a windfall tax on fossil fuel providers, but the data over the last 24 hours shouldn’t imbue confidence. UK GDP growth was below expectations, and the IFO has substantially downgraded their forecasts for Germany. The big event today is the CPI figure for the US tonight, although its unlikely to change the expectations for a 75bp hike from the Fed at their next meeting. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Monday 12th September 2022View our disclaimer and terms of use: nab.co/3shJyypView our NAB Financial Services Guide: nab.co/3rvJtI9Curiously, US shares pushed higher towards the end of last week, even though there is no sign of the central bank slowing down its path of rate rises. Quite the reverse in fact. NAB’s Rodrigo Catril says short-selling has been a driving force behind this and we can expect volatility in equity markets for some time. Meanwhile, front end bond yields are rising as Fed speakers find new ways to signal continued tightening, with no let-up until the job is done. We might hear the same from the Bank of England, except they’ve pushed back their next meeting to next week in respect to the death of Queen Elizabeth II, but it could work out as much better timing for them as well. The EU are struggling to find an answer to energy prices, but have agreed that something needs to be done, hopefully before the cold weather sets in.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Friday 9th September 2022View our disclaimer and terms of use: nab.co/3shJyypView our NAB Financial Services Guide: nab.co/3rvJtI9Even though a big hike from the Fed is widely anticipated, bond yields continue to move up as Jerome Powell and other speakers talk it up. The moves were even bigger in Europe where an expected 75 basis point hike saw a sharp rise up in 2 year Bund yields. NAB’s David de Garis says markets expect that, at some point soon, central banks will start pulling back and they are looking for that inflection point. Today there was no sign of that happening anytime soon on either side of the Atlantic. But the RBA’s Jerome Powell was sounding far more dovish. The new UK PM outlined her plans to subsidise energy, which will involve a massive amount of government spending. Sadly, the news was overshadowed by the passing of Her Royal Highness. Irrespective of your views on the monarchy, most people acknowledge Elizabeth II was a warmly regarded, hard working lady who will be sadly missed. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Thursday 8th September 2022 View our disclaimer and terms of use: nab.co/3shJyyp View our NAB Financial Services Guide: nab.co/3rvJtI9 There were big market moves yesterday and overnight, with sharp drops in oil prices, bond yields falling, a turnaround in US equities and the US dollar gaining some ground, with the Yen falling to its lowest level in 24 years. NAB’s Skye Masters says there wasn’t much data to influence the markets, but there was a lot of Fed commentary that is suggesting that perhaps the pace of interest rate moves might begin to slow down. Falling oil prices and government subsidies on gas prices will also be seen as helping to tame inflation. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Wednesday 7th September 2022 View our disclaimer and terms of use: nab.co/3shJyyp View our NAB Financial Services Guide: nab.co/3rvJtI9 There was a strong response to the US Services ISM overnight, which came in stronger than expected. NAB’s Rodrigo Catril says they have raised expectations for a 75bp rate hike at the next FOMC meeting, pushing bond yields higher overnight. In the UK Liz Truss is officially Prime Minister and is expected to freeze energy bills with what could amount to a £1,500 subsidy per household. So that could help reduce inflation, but higher government spending could have the opposite effect, particularly in combination with planned tax cuts. There’s also discussion about the RBA decision, Australia’s widening current account surplus, China’s trade data and the Bank of Canada meeting tonight. A busy one. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tuesday 6th September 2022 View our disclaimer and terms of use: nab.co/3shJyyp View our NAB Financial Services Guide: nab.co/3rvJtI9 It’s RBA day today. NAB’s Ivan Colhoun talks through what to expect, whilst Ray Attrill looks at the worsening situation in the UK and Europe. Gas prices have risen after the closure of the Nordstream pipeline, and oil prices are also on the rise after OPEC+ agreed to production cuts from next month. We’ve also seen a revision in PMIs in Europe, with the UK services PMI moving into contractionary territory. Signs of resilience are quickly disappearing. It’s a different story for the US, though, where ISM numbers are expecting to stay above 50, adding to the pressure the US dollar will place on other major currencies. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Monday 5th September 2022 View our disclaimer and terms of use: nab.co/3shJyyp View our NAB Financial Services Guide: nab.co/3rvJtI9 There was a short-lived burst of positivity on Friday, when USD payrolls numbers delivered a Goldilocks result, with jobs rising, but wage rises easing and more people piling into the jobs markets. The good news was offset by news that Russia will not be reopening the Nordstream gas pipeline, adding to the pressure on Europe to navigate its way through winter. NAB’s Tapas Strickland talks through the market impact on today’s podcast, as well as the problems in China, where 65 million people are currently in lockdown in 33 cities. The ECB, RBA and Bank of Canada all meet this week, and the UK gets a new Prime Minister later today. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Friday 2nd September 2022 View our disclaimer and terms of use: nab.co/3shJyyp View our NAB Financial Services Guide: nab.co/3rvJtI9 We know the world is in an awkward place, but we keep getting positive data reads, like a strong manufacturing ISM from the US, retail sales picking up in Germany, UK house prices still strong – all the things central banks don’t really want to hear right now. So what happens if non-farms payrolls in the US tonight shows a labour market that isn’t showing any signs of weakening? NAB’s Ken Crompton reckons a soft read will cause more of a fall in bond yields than the response to a stronger set of numbers. It’ll be an asymmetric response, he says. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Thursday 1st September 2022View our disclaimer and terms of use: nab.co/3shJyypView our NAB Financial Services Guide: nab.co/3rvJtI9Euro area inflation is the highest since the creation of the Euro and NAB’s David de Garis says markets are no pricing in a greater than 50 percent change that the ECB will lift rates by 75 basis points next week. That’s helped support the Euro today, whilst the pound falls further, to levels we saw in early 1985, when mullets were fashionable. Still are for some, of course. Australia’s construction sector has taken a battering, driven by weather and higher supply costs, but private sector credit growth remains strong. China’s PMIs show an economy that is taking a long time to recover – in part because of COVID, but hot weather has also had an impact. Friday’s jobs numbers will focus attention now, but the new ADP report has shown jobs growth for larger businesses and a fall in small business employment. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Wednesday 31st August 2022View our disclaimer and terms of use: nab.co/3shJyypView our NAB Financial Services Guide: nab.co/3rvJtI9The US jobs market grew last month, whilst consumer sentiment improved. It’s not what the Fed wants to hear. Do these positive numbers mean that the US can survive a soft-landing? No, says JBWere’s Sally Auld, it just piles the pressure on the Fed to be more aggressive on rate rises. The consumer sentiment probably reflects little more than a fall in petrol prices. We know Europe is set for a hard landing, even though gas prices have fallen and Germany’s reserves are up to 80 percent. But German inflation was higher than expected overnight, which suggests the European numbers will also be higher tomorrow, putting pressure on the ECB to move faster. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tuesday 30th August 2022View our disclaimer and terms of use: nab.co/3shJyypView our NAB Financial Services Guide: nab.co/3rvJtI9Bond yields in Australia rose sharply yesterday. NAB’s Rodrigo Catril says it was part of the global response to Jerome Powell’s short hawkish speech in Jackson Hole on Friday, but it was also because of the much higher than expected July retail numbers for Australia, which might suggest the RBA will have to push harder to knock inflation down to size. There’s also discussion about how quickly the market in the US is expecting to see rates rise, and how quickly they expect inflation to fall. Also, the latest on the European energy crisis, why oil has pushed higher today and a look ahead to European inflation umbers and US jobs data. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Monday 29th August 2022View our disclaimer and terms of use: nab.co/3shJyypView our NAB Financial Services Guide: nab.co/3rvJtI9We knew Jerome Powell would be giving a hawkish speech at Jackson Hole, so why were equity investors so surprised when he did just that? Clearly, they didn’t get the memo, says NAB’s Ray Attrill, referring to a huge sell off in US shares on Friday, mirrored by a big fall in the Aussie dollar. So how will the Aussie shape up now, if we see Europe and the US heading into recession, That’s more likely in Europe, where gas prices continue to rise and deliveries from Russia stop totally middle of the week, with a question mark on when – and if – they will start again. Meanwhile, Britain’s energy prices continue to rise to unprecedented levels. Where does it all end. And happy birthday to us; the Morning Call is six years old today. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Friday 26th August 2022View our disclaimer and terms of use: nab.co/3shJyypView our NAB Financial Services Guide: nab.co/3rvJtI9There’s unlikely to be any surprises when Jerome Powell steps up to the podium at the Jackson Hole Symposium tonight (Australian time). It’s well signalled that he will be uber-hawkish, and with the Fed’s credibility on the line, best not to go too-soft when inflation is spiking. That said, NAB’s Taylor Nugent says there has been some pull back in bond yields ahead of the main act, whilst equities have pushed higher overnight. Minutes from the ECB have largely been overtaken by events. It was noted that a “recession would not necessarily diminish upside inflation risks, especially if it was related to a gas cut-off”, but the question remains, what can monetary policy do about it? And US GDP has been revised up, still in negative territory but gross domestic income perhaps provides a more realistic – and positive – picture of the health of the US economy. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Thursday 25th August 2022View our disclaimer and terms of use: nab.co/3shJyypView our NAB Financial Services Guide: nab.co/3rvJtI9Ukraine has just celebrated Independence Day and it’s becoming clearer how much the UK and Europe is paying the price. NAB’s Gavin Friend paints a pessimistic picture about the outlook for that part of the world, as gas prices push ever higher. He says the Fed can raise rates to moderate demand in the US, but in Europe rate hikes will do nothing to mitigate rapidly rising energy prices. Joe Stiglitz has been saying overnight that interest rate hikes will do other than, he reckons, make inflation worse. Yet UK two-year yields shot higher overnight on expectations that the Bank of England will push ahead with a faster path of rate increases. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Wednesday 24th August 2022View our disclaimer and terms of use: nab.co/3shJyypView our NAB Financial Services Guide: nab.co/3rvJtI9It’s that time of the month when PMI reads give us a global snapshot of how everyone is doling relative to each other. NAB’s Ray Attrill says the US provided the biggest surprise with a sharp fall in the services number, moving further into contraction territory, with a read of 44.1 – a 27 month low. That’s somewhat worse than services numbers in Europe, and well below the UK, which continues to surprise, with a Services PMI read of 52.5 (actually growing). The bad news from the US was compounded by a fall in the Richmond Fed manufacturing index (also moving into contraction) and a further slowdown in new home prices. But Europe’s future continues to be dominated with higher fuel costs, which show no signs of settling down. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tuesday 23rd August 2022View our disclaimer and terms of use: nab.co/3shJyypView our NAB Financial Services Guide: nab.co/3rvJtI9The US dollar has risen close to a multi-decade, against a falling Euro and pound, as the energy outlook in that part of the world worsens and gas prices continue to skyrocket. NAB’s Tapas Strickland says this has added to the resolve of central banks to tackle inflation with faster rises in interest rates. There is a plethora of PMI reports today. The question is, if they show any weakening in the performance of economies, will that be enough to moderate the hawkishness that’s prevalent amongst most central banks right now? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Monday 22nd August 2022View our disclaimer and terms of use: nab.co/3shJyypView our NAB Financial Services Guide: nab.co/3rvJtI9Markets seem to have got used to the idea that central banks will be more aggressive with cash rate hikes, ahead of the Jackson Hole symposium at the end of the week. Part of the reason for that is because, what’s been done so far is clearly not enough. UK retails sales increased in July despite all the talk about the dire state of the economy. The Canadians are also out shopping. We also saw a big increase in purchase prices in Germany, in fact the largest monthly rise since 1949. All of this adds to the expectations that the meeting in Wyoming will see an increasingly hawkish stance from all gathered there. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Friday 19th August 2022View our disclaimer and terms of use: nab.co/3shJyypView our NAB Financial Services Guide: nab.co/3rvJtI9Bond markets have been fairly lacklustre today. NAB’s Ken Crompton says there is still uncertainty over the less-hawkish FOMC minutes this week, which is why central bank speakers are out in force pushing the party-line for higher rates faster. There’s still a difference between the markets and the Fed on how quickly those rates will come down. Meanwhile, there’s still plenty of resilience in the US economy, with jobs not really coming down. As we saw yesterday, it’s the same story in Australia. The Euro saw a sharp fall today, as gas prices shot up to a record high. Canadian and UK retail numbers are out later – will they be a other sign of resilience in the face of adversity? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Thursday 18th August 2022View our disclaimer and terms of use: nab.co/3shJyypView our NAB Financial Services Guide: nab.co/3rvJtI9Inflation clearly isn’t easing yet. The UK hit 10.1 percent in numbers released yesterday. NAB’s David de Garis says the sticker-shock of double-digit inflation set the cautious mood off early. But if hiking by central banks is designed to slow consumption it is taking its time about it. US retail sales were up 10.3 percent (YoY) in July. Can an aggressive path of hikes slow demand enough to stop inflation in its tracks? Will the RBNZ be the first to demonstrate success? And will the RBA need to pick up the pace, with some worrying signs in the wages data yesterday, even though the headline number seemed quite tame. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Wednesday 17th August 2022View our disclaimer and terms of use: nab.co/3shJyypView our NAB Financial Services Guide: nab.co/3rvJtI9Central banks continue to keep a close eye on wages data. The UK has just reported a drop in wages growth, alongside a fall in new jobs. We’ll see Australia’s wage growth numbers later today, which NAB’s Rodrigo Catril says shouldn’t be a big rise this quarter, but expect more in Q3 and Q4. Also today, the state of US retail, Canada’s rising inflation (despite all the front-loading of interest rates) and what to expect from the RBNZ. A busy day. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tuesday 16th August 2022View our disclaimer and terms of use: nab.co/3shJyypView our NAB Financial Services Guide: nab.co/3rvJtI9The Aussie dollar has retreated from the gains at the end of last week, after a slowdown in China’s retail sales, industrial output and fixed asset investment. All grew well below expectations, as COVID continues to influence behaviour and, clearly, buying habits. We’ve also seen a big drop in oil overnight. NAB’s Ray Attrill says the fall is a combination of the weaker China data and signs that an Iran nuclear deal could be getting closer, which would see more oil pumped into the global marketplace. In the US equities continue to rise, even though the housing market is struggling, and the Empire State Manufacturing Index showed a massive (unbelievable) fall. The RBA minutes will be scoured today for any signs of the direction the bank will take now it is not, in their words, on a “pre-set path”. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Monday 15th August 2022View our disclaimer and terms of use: nab.co/3shJyypView our NAB Financial Services Guide: nab.co/3rvJtI9There was a lot more positive sentiment around on Friday, because there are more signs that perhaps inflation is peaking. NAB’s Tapas Strickland says strong corporate earnings have helped, and a belief that the Fed will not be moving much further on rate hikes – even though many Fed speakers are keen to argue otherwise. It’s a different story amongst bond markets, were the 2-10 years spread remains firmly in negative territory, suggesting a recession or at least much slower activity for the remainder of the year. The RBNZ meets this week – Phil asks Tapas is they are being viewed as a test case for central banks, given that interest rates are likely to hit 3% this week, amid signs that the economy is slowing. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Friday 12th August 2022View our disclaimer and terms of use: nab.co/3shJyypView our NAB Financial Services Guide: nab.co/3rvJtI9Markets are still behaving as though inflation will not reach the heights predicted by the Fed, and that the path of hikes will be downgraded. Softer PPIs in the US added to this sentiment. But NAB’s David de Garis says energy prices are the big concern. Brent is back over $100 a barrel, with concerns that European demand to substitute gas will push prices higher and add to inflationary pressures. But will inflation create a recession? GDP numbers in the UK today are expected to show a decline, yet unemployment remains persistently low, retail numbers are doing well and Dave says the streets of London are filled with people spending money. It doesn’t feel like a recession, whatever the numbers show. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Thursday 11th August 2022View our disclaimer and terms of use: nab.co/3shJyypView our NAB Financial Services Guide: nab.co/3rvJtI9US inflation numbers were lower than expected, giving markets a major boost if confidence. Shares rose sharply, thew VUIX index fell to the lowest in quite a while, the USA dollar weakened, and the Aussie dollar was given a major boost. But will the enthusiasm last? As NAB’s Tapas Strickland explains, the falls were largely related to lower energy prices and the low-side core surprise was a payback for the high-side reading in June. In fact, the core reading is still rising and the Fed has made it clear they still have more work to do. So, can we expect markets to retrace their steps a little over the next day or so? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Wednesday 10th August 2022View our disclaimer and terms of use: nab.co/3shJyypView our NAB Financial Services Guide: nab.co/3rvJtI9The long-awaited US CPI numbers are out today. NAB’s Rodrigo Catril most attention will be paid to the core reading, which excludes energy and food, the two factors which the Fed can have less influence over. If the core reading rises it shows the Fed has more work to do and that will only exacerbate recession fears. On that, we’ve seen the 2-10 yield spread falling ever lower to levels normally only ever seen ahead of recessions. China’s CPI and PPI reads will also be of interest today. There’s also discussion on today’s podcast on the NAB Business Survey yesterday – how can business indicators be so strong, whilst consumer sentiment is falling? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Wednesday 9th August 2022View our disclaimer and terms of use: nab.co/3shJyypView our NAB Financial Services Guide: nab.co/3rvJtI9Markets are a bit in limbo today. We’ve seen bond yields reversing some of their initial response to non-farm payrolls, with the US dollar temporarily switching direction, and the Aussie and Kiwi dollars gaining strength. But for how long? NAB’s Skye Masters says what happens next will depend on US CPI numbers tomorrow. There was a glint of hope that the worst is over with slight decline in inflation expectations in the US and New Zealand. Certainly the NAB business survey will be scanned eagerly today for price movement. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Monday 8th August 2022View our disclaimer and terms of use: nab.co/3shJyypView our NAB Financial Services Guide: nab.co/3rvJtI9The US non-farm payrolls numbers on Friday were certainly a surprise to many, with 528k new jobs created in July, twice the market expectation. Wages also rose further. Phil talks to NAB’s Ray Attrill about the swift market response, with many assuming the Fed will go for another big hike at their next meeting. US consumer credit numbers on Friday are also a forewarning of a difficulty period ahead for struggling housheolds. Meanwhile, Joe Biden’s Climate bill has just been passed by the senate – what impact will another splurge of government spending have on the Fed’s endeavours to bring down inflation. Speaking of which, US CPI is the number to look out for this week. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Friday 5th August 2022Markets continue to be pulled in two directions. Is inflation peaking with the hope of a soft landing? Or is there more to come, forcing central banks to lift rates high enough to spark a recession. At least the uK seems to have a clearer picture, but its not a good one. As NAB’s Gavin Friend discusses today, the Bank of England has lifted rates by 50 basis points, lifted their inflation forecasts and warned of five consecutive quarters of economic contraction. So, why is it so much worse in the UK than Europe? And could a change in Prime Minister change the outlook? He also talks to Phil about yesterday’s Australian trade data and looks ahead to tonight’s non-farm payrolls in the US. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Thursday 4th August 2022Nancy Pelosi has moved on from Taiwan and taken the cautious sentiment with her. Instead, very positive ISM services numbers in the US, and James Bullard talking about how the Fed will deliver ‘credible disinflation’, have seen the US dollar strengthen, helped shares bounce back and driven front end bond yields down. Today Phil talks to NAB’s Ray Attrill about what Bullard had to say, what to expect from the Bank of England today and whether Australia’s trade balance will actually increase, rather than the consensus view of a slight fall. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Wednesday 3rd August 2022There has been some market caution this morning as Nancy Pelosi arrives in Taiwan, much to the disgust of China. Her rhetoric has been confrontational too, so what is the purpose of this visit? Fed speakers have been keen to shift US market sentiment away from the notion that there will be an easing in the path of rate hikes, with Mary Daly saying they are “nowhere near almost done”. NAB’s Tapas Strickland says there’s been a sharp rise in 2 year yields since, fully erasing the fall seen after the last FOMC meeting. The RBA raised rates as expected but is being cagey about where to next. On today’s podcast we look at the likely path to the end of the year, but is the market overly optimistic about how quickly rates will come back down? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tuesday 2nd August 2022There were further signs of a looming recession, with the US manufacturing ISM weakening, the Caixin Manufacturing PMI also lower and retail sales in Germany falling the most in 50 years. Oil is also falling, and the 2-10 yield spread in the US is close to being the most inverted it’s been since the year 2000. You’d think although these recession signs at a time when central banks are still pursuing aggressive hikes would be enough to upset the markets, but NAB’s Rodrigo Catril says they clearly haven’t got the message yet, with equities showing only minor falls today. The only positive news of the day was that the first shipment of grain has left from Odessa, but it’s anyone’s guess how long that will last. The RBA meets today, a 50-basis point rise is expected, and an increase in the bank’s inflation forecast this week. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Monday 1st August 2022For those hoping that inflation was peaking (anywhere), then Friday didn’t bring good news. PCE numbers in the US are rising, Europe’s CPI is climbing higher, whilst manufacturing from China has slowed. Clearly, we’re not out of the woods yet, with former US treasury secretary Larry Summers saying on Friday that the Fed hasn’t reached a neutral rate yet, and the fact that Jerome Powell has said they have is just “wishful thinking”. So, what does this all mean for the RBA tomorrow. NAB’s Taylor Nugent says the expectation is there will be a 50 basis point rate hike, but Philip Lowe has spoken about a narrow path “clouded in uncertainty” – is there an outside chance he will see the need to move even faster as global inflation rates show few signs of easing? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Friday 29th July 2022US GDP fell by 0.9 percent in Q2. On top of the 1.6 percent fall in Q1 that meets the technical definition of a recession. But Jerome Powell and Janet Yellen are keen to point out the downturn is not sufficiently broad based to be called a recession. Nonetheless it does signify a further weakening in the economy, which investors seem to be taking as a sign that the Fed won’t need to be as aggressive to counter inflation. NAB’s Gavin Friend says that although the market may be trying to lead the Fed in that direction, that’s not how Jerome Powell sees it and we can expect to see further significant hikes. Perhaps the same could be say for the RBA, with Australian retail sales continuing to rise and Treasurer Chalmers yesterday predicting inflation will peak at 7,75 percent, well above the RBA’s 7 percent forecast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Thursday 28th July 2022The FOMC has met, they’ve pushed rates up 75 basis points and, whilst Jerome Powell said there would be no forward guidance, he has hinted at another big rise next time. Of course, it all depends on the data. Phil Dobbie talks to NAB’s David de Garis about the take-outs from the press conference, which injected some animal spirits into the share market. They also look at yesterday’s Australian inflation numbers, and whether they have cemented in a 50-basis point rate rise by the RBA, or could it be more? Plus the Meta earnings release, which brought mixed news after the US market close. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Wednesday 27th July 2022There gave been sizeable falls in US equities, mainly stemming from a cut to Walmart’s profit estimates. NAB’s Tapas Strickland explains how the rising price of food is leaving less money for people to spend on discretionary items, with more price increases to come. Meanwhile, Europe is hoping to cut gas consumption as Russia halves the supply of gas down the Nordstream pipeline. The EU has agreed a voluntary arrangement, but will be enough to build reserves for winter? Australia’s inflation numbers are out today – what will they be, and could they force the RBA to be more aggressive next week? The IMF has downgraded its global growth forecasts, noting an increasingly gloomy and uncertain outlook. Least but not least, the FOMC announces its rate decision just before tomorrow’s podcast. Tune in then for the full rundown, as it happens. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tuesday 26th July 2022From Wednesday one of two operating turbines on the Nordstream pipeline will be switched off, effectively halving the existing supply, taking gas provision to Europe down to 20 percent of full capacity. There’s no clear evidence that Europe has a coordinated plan to deal with reduced supplies, as EU member nations argue over the equality of calls for reduced consumption. NAB’s Ray Attrill says the threat of the full blown weaponization of gas supplies later in the year is still very much a live issue. Meanwhile, markets are treading water ahead of the FOMC meeting middle of the week, the US GDP read after that and Aussie inflation numbers tomorrow. There’s also a slew of major earnings results over the next few days. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Monday 25th July 2022PMI numbers were much weaker than expected on Friday, particularly for US services, which fell quickly into a contractionary read of 47.1. The composite read for Europe also fell below 50. Will this mean central banks ease off the rate-hike pedal a little? The opposite is expected in Australia. Rodrigo Catril explains how NAB believes the lower-than-expected unemployment rate last week cannot be ignored, and it’s likely the RBA will move faster over the next couple of meetings. Vladimir Putin continues to hold a strong grip on energy and food supplies, offering a re-opened gas pipeline with constrained supply, and reopened grain delivery routes, offset by attacks on their principal port of departure. It’s a busy week ahead, including the Fed meeting, and more inflation numbers. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Friday 22nd July 2022As we predicted the ECB lifted interest rates by 50 basis points yesterday, up to zero percent. NAB’s Ken Crompton says this was more than markets had expected and explains there was a short-lived reaction on the bond markets. There was also disappointment in the central bank’s anti-fragmentation tool, which now has a name and a new acronym! Right now it’s light on detail and will countries like Italy be able to meet the criteria being set for its use, even though, with rising spreads with German bunds, they are the ones who really need it. In the US weaker jobs claims gave job that the labour market might be easing. Coupled with weaker than expected manufacturing data, there’s always the hope that the Fed won’t need to be so aggressive. PMI data today will give a further indication of how services and manufacturing are travelling, in the US, UK and Europe. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Thursday 21st July 2022There’s some confidence in the markets this morning, despite what seems to be a compendium of bad news for Europe. NAB’s Gavin Friend says gas prices have fallen because Vladimir Putin has indicated that they will meet the reopening deadline for the Nordstream pipeline, but it’ll be at only 20 percent of its capacity. As discussed on today’s podcast, that might be enough to meet short term demand, but won’t allow Europe to build up stocks for winter. The ECB meets today and will outline plans for its anti-fragmentation tool. If markets aren’t impressed, it could bolster Italian bond yields, which have already pushed higher on growing uncertainty over Draghi’s tenure in the Italian parliament. We also look at what Philip Lowe said yesterday, ahead of August’s RBA meeting. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Wednesday 20th July 2022Markets are preparing for a big rate rise by the ECB tomorrow. NAB’s Rodrigo Catril says they are hiking when the expectation is that the Nordstream pipeline won’t fully reopen for some time, if at all. “No energy means no growth”, he says, with the likelihood that Europe is heading for a major recession. Is the central bank prepared for that? Politically, can Europe cope with it all? Also today, we look at what the Bank of England’s Andrew Bailey had to say about UK rate expectations, ahead of inflation numbers later today. Plus, is the RBA preparing the market for a 75bps hike? And those flicking the off switch on Netflix - not as bad as expected. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tuesday 19th July 2022The resumption in gas supplies to Europe could well be delayed, but perhaps Russia has a legitimate reason. A bigger move this morning has been the rise in the price of oil which NAB’s Ray Attrill will in part be down to Saudi Arabia’s refusal to increase supplies. Equities have fallen slightly, in part because of reports that Apple are downgrading their hiring and growth plans. US housing continues to be under pressure, with more data today. We also hear from the RBA’s Michelle Bullock today, who might give away some indication of rate expectation, perhaps. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Monday 18th July 2022US equities rallied on Friday as data releases showed some resilience in the economy, but is it enough to stave off recession? Probably not, says NAB’s Tapas Strickland on today’s podcast, but it will be enough to put to bed any ideas of a 100 basis point rate rise by the Fed this month. Also today, China’s fall in GDP was worse than expected, with continuing lockdowns making the official forecast for the year completely out of reach. The focus this week will be on Europe: what if the Nordstream pipeline doesn’t reopen? And, with so much uncertainty, NAB is predicting the US dollar will remain stronger for longer, which is likely to keep the Aussie dollar below 70 US cents for some time to come. Hear more about that in today’s podcast too. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Friday 15th July 2022In a week of surprises (US CPI and labour market data, Canada’s interest rate rise, China’s lockdowns and the US$-Euro parity), yesterday saw a sharp fall in Australia’s unemployment rate. ‘It was our turn to surprise’, says NAB’s Taylor Nugent on this morning’s podcast. Unemployment has now fallen to a level below what the RBA was forecasting for next year, so does this mean we should expect a much larger hike at the start of next month? The big news this morning is the attempted resignation of Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi, adding to the turmoil in Europe and adding to the US dollar strength. Next week is shaping up to be a turbulent week for the ECB, particularly if Vladimir Putin doesn’t turn on gas supplies as scheduled. Rising US PPI numbers added to the inflation story overnight. Today, US retail sales numbers are out, and the University of Michigan inflation expectations survey, which last month convinced the Fed to move rates higher. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Thursday 14th July 2022US inflation has picked up more than expected, rising 9.1% in the year to June. The Fed’s Raphael Bostic said later that “everything was in play” when it came to a July rate rise. NAB’s David de Garis says, it doesn’t take a genius to figure out what he meant. The Bank of Canada (BoC) had just raised rates by 100 basis points, more than had been expected, so had that paved the way for the Fed? It certainly makes the RBNZ’s 50 basis point hike seem a little constrained. The UK GDP growth was, unusually, helped by trips to the doctor, rather than to restaurants. Locally, Australian labour market data will be studied closely. Can the jobs market tighten any more and add to the pressure for faster hikes from the RBA? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Wednesday 13th July 2022There’s no let-up when it comes to the downward expectations around the health of the global economy. US bond yields inverted further, suggesting a heightening of recession expectations. Oil prices fell sharply lower, suggesting demand is expected to fall further. US small business owners who expect conditions to improve in the next six months fell to minus 54%, the lowest in half a century. The confidence in the German ZEW survey hit a 10-year low yesterday. The NAB business survey also showed business optimism falling sharply. And NAB’s Gavin Friend reckons the prospect of an energy crisis in Europe is the real danger that is not yet fully reflected in market pricing. What will turn all this around? Central banks think a race to higher rates will fix the problem, with the Bank of Canada and RBNZ trying to outdo each other today on who can rate the fastest. So, imagine the reaction if US CPI numbers come out higher than expected today. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tuesday 12th July 2022There’s a more cautious tone in the markets today, with US equities falling, bond prices rising, and the US dollar continuing on the up and up. Sentiment hasn’t been helped today by more lockdowns in China as COVID cases flare up. Ironically, Yuan loans have increased a fair bit. NAB’s Tapas Strickland says this suggests, perhaps, that the economy will pick up once COVID cases have settled down. Meanwhile the Euro is very close to parity with the rising US dollar, as concerns grow about continuity of energy supplies. Already parts of Germany are starting to ration energy use. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Monday 11th July 2022It is a bit weird that positive US jobs data would be seen as heightening the expectations of a recession, but that seems to be the case. As NAB’s Ray Attrill explains on today’s podcast, the strength in the non-farm payrolls numbers of Friday did nothing to ease expectations that the Fed will continue with a rapid pace of rate hikes, and that could easily lead to a recession in the US. In Europe ECB speakers, like Robert Holtzman, are pushing for larger rate hikes even though rising energy prices (and shortages) are a very real prospect, with the next meeting this week. Meanwhile, recession prospects and a strengthening US dollar are playing havoc in emerging markets, as evidenced by the situation in Sri Lanka right now. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Friday 8th July 2022There have been slightly less recession concerns in the US overnight, with equities and commodity prices pushing higher and 10 year Treasury yields pushing back over 3%. Jobs have been front and centre, with weekly jobless claims not moving far, and non-farm payrolls adding more data to the picture later tonight. It’s been a torrid day in UK politics, with Boris Johnson resigning but not leaving Downing Street until a replacement is found. NAB’s Gavin Friend talks through the impact it’ll have on the UK economy. Whilst China is contemplating a massive spending spree for local governments to build infrastructure and get the economy back on track. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Thursday 7th July 2022The FOMC minutes are out, pointing to significant risk if inflation isn’t nipped in the bud. Markets are taking this as a sign that the Fed will lift rates more quickly, starting with a 50-75 basis point hike at the next meeting. This has added to concerns about the Fed inducing a recession, yet equity markets continue to climb. Phil asks NAB’s Ray Attrill whether the minutes are a little out of date, given the ISM read shows a fall in employment. We’ll get a clear indication of the jobless rate with initial claims for the US tonight. And Australia’s trade balance is the major release locally. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Wednesday 6th July 2022The Euro is getting closer to parity with the US dollar. In today’s podcast NAB’s Skye Masters points out that the Markets team had forecast parity by the end of the year, but it looks like it wil happen much sooner than that. The big moves overnight, including a sizable fall in oil and copper, show recession fears are front and centre, even though there’s been very little data, and what there has been has not been particularly bad news. Skye says days like today, where there are some contradictory shifts, demonstrate the importance of looking at the trends and focusing on the bigger picture. Tomorrow could easily see a reversal of the moves we’ve seen today. The US share market had a wide trading range today, showing just how much uncertainty there is in the direction of travel right now. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tuesday 5th July 2022The RBA meets today and the NAB expectation is that they will lift interest rates by 50 basis points. Phil asks NAB’s Tapas Strickland whether, by seeing inflation rising slower than many other parts f the world, whether we’ll see a lower peak and hence, less work needed by the RBA. There seem to be lots of hope lately that inflation might be showing signs of peaking, but the war rages on and oil and food supplies are still heavily constrained. The most telling reality check is that Germany trade has fallen heavily into deficit, for the first time since 1991 (and even then, only relatively briefly). It could be worse still if Russia restrains supply even further. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Monday 4th July 2022Recessions fears continue to rise, pushing bond yields lower. As NAB’s Rodrigo Catril explains, the ISM manufacturing report in the US on Friday added to the fears, showing a contraction in new orders. It’s no longer an issue of supply constraints, demand is also softening. Yet inflation continues to rise. In Europe it grew from 8.1% year on year in May, to 8.6% in June. A big fall in copper prices also suggests an expected fall in demand. All this uncertainty is knocking the Aussie dollar down more than most currencies. This environment provides the ammunition for the RBA to make a large hike (50 basis points) tomorrow. Later in the week we’ll see if the tight labour market in the US is easing any, with the release of the monthly non-farm payrolls data. Prepare for a bumpy week again. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Friday 1st July 2022Yields are lower in the US and Europe as recession fears grow, prompted by weaker than expected personal spending in the US, with a very strong chance of a negative Q2 GDP, which would mean the US economy was in recession. Whilst you might hope less consumption would mean falling inflation, NAB’s Tapas Strickland days there’s little sign of it yet. It wasn’t just the US receiving bad news. There was a flurry of negative data for Europe, even before the EDB lifts rates, and a particularly bad activity outlook report from New Zealand. So, if the US, Europe, UK and New Zealand all go into recession, does that mean Australia will follow? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Thursday 30th June 2022Markets are confused as to where the global economy is heading. If investors were looking to the ECB Forum in Sintra for clarification, they will have been disappointed, with Jerome Powell confessing that recent experience has shown ‘how little we understand inflation’. NAB’s Gavin Friend says it doesn’t inspire you with confidence, when central banks are feeling their way. Meanwhile, all we can do is look for signs of softening economies, in the hope that falling demand will match up with lower supplies. On that basis a downward revision in US GDP could be seen as good news and Australian retail sales holding up the opposite side of the coin. There is a plethora of data today to add to the confusion, including the core PCE deflator, that the Fed has traditionally turned to as its measure of inflation. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Wednesday 29th June 2022US equities switched direction overnight. NAB’s Taylor Nugent says it was a swift response to a weaker than expected consumer sentiment read in the US, with a particularly sharp fall in the expectations component. European yields are markedly higher today as Christine Lagarde spoke up the task at hand for the ECB, even though she continues to outline a hike of just 25 basis points in July. Today, Australian retail sales numbers are out, NATO continues to meet and the ECB forum in Sintra finally gets down to some meaty discussion. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tuesday 28th June 2022The volatility of the past few months means there is likely to be a greater need for rebalancing at the end of the quarter this time, says NAB’s Rodrigo Catril. Hence, we have seen a mixed picture overnight, with equities down, yields rising, the Aussie dollar suffering another fall and oil and iron ore rising in price, but each for differing reasons. Yet the overarching picture is one of uncertainty. Nobody is sure that central banks can combat inflation without instigating a recession, and nobody has a clear picture about how the Ukraine war will end. Once again, we try and map out a picture in the face of markets, geopolitics and data releases. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Monday 27th June 2022These are strange times. Market sentiment improved at the end of last week because of weaker consumer sentiment and a downward revision in consumer inflation expectations. The hope is this means that central banks will need to do less to curb inflation, which is reducing recession fears. But as NAB’s Ray Attrill says, that could all change tomorrow. Or today. The war in Ukraine is escalating and the G7 resolve to do more against Russia is increasing. Also today, what the RBA’s Philip Lowe said in Zurich last week, and the fate of the Aussie dollar? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Friday 24th June 2022There have been big movements in bond yields overnight. NAB’s Ken Crompton says there’s been a reaction to weak PMI data from Europe and the US. There were promising signs, though, particularly in Europe were rising inventory numbers suggest demand is softening and prices are weakening, which could lessen the need for aggressive hikes by the ECB. Nothing, it seems, will stop the Fed though, with Jerome Powell renewing his unconditional commitment to reducing inflation. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Thursday 23rd June 2022You take whatever you want from a senate hearing, so there have been mixed reviews of Jerome Powell’s performance in front of the Senate Banking Committee. Some picked up on his claim that the US economy was in a strong position, whilst others focused on his warning that a recession was a ‘possibility’. Phil asks NAB’s Gavin Friend if that’s why we’re seeing sentiment split, from positive moves in US equities for most of the session, to a less positive outlook amongst bond markets and commodity traders, with the Aussie dollar bearing the brunt of it. They also discuss UK and Canadian CPI, and look ahead to the barrage of PMIs today. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Wednesday 22nd June 2022We’ve just had the longest night of the year in Australia but the markets are focused on the light at the end of the tunnel! There is a lot of positive sentiment today, with NAB’s Taylor Nugent point to strong growth in US and European shares across almost all sectors. So, does this mean there’s an acceptance, once again, that inflation can be tamed without a recession, or perhaps there’s a belief that a mild one would be acceptable. Certainly the RBA’s Governor Lowe is seeing the good times returning before too long, even as he talks up the need for more rate rises. He outlined three reasons we’ll see inflation fall next year. Listen in to find out more. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tuesday 21st June 2022RBA Governor Philip Lowe is talking at an American Chamber of Commerce event this morning in Sydney. Phil asks NAB’s Ray Attrill whether he could signal that interest rates could push higher than 2.5 percent, even though he said that was a possible level to reach on the 7.30 Report only last week. Certainly central banks seem to be drifting to more aggressive hikes, with one voting member at the Bank of England concerned that if they fail to follow the path of the Fed that could devalue the pound and add to the inflation woes. Today, with the US having spent Monday on their Junteenth holiday, markets are relying on central bank speak for direction, and there’s a lot of it over the next 24 hours. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Monday 20th June 2022It’s almost like there’s a race to turn up the rhetoric between central bank speakers, signalling to markets that rates will keep going up and the increments might be quite large. Klaus Knott from the ECB, for example, is talking about a possible series of 50 basis point hikes, which is a long way from the gradualism we’ve been hearing about for most of this year. This morning NAB’s Rodrigo Catril also talks about the fate of the Aussie dollar, which has been impacted by falling commodity prices which itself, is driven by recession concerns. It’s a quiet start to the week, with bond and equity markets closed in the US for Juneteenth. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Friday 17th June 2022The positive reaction to yesterday’s FOMC market was short lived, with a much softer US dollar this morning and big falls in equity markets. NAB’s David de Garis says some of the uncertainty comes from a surprise decision by the Swiss National Bank to lift interest rates for the first time in 17 years – and not by a little bit, but by 50 basis points. It’s unsettling for those who assumed they’d wait for the ECB before reacting. By comparison, the Bank of England went for a 25 basis point rise, exactly as expected, but suggesting they will act forcefully, in necessary. Just not yet. Data overnight was largely second tier, but none of it was particularly encouraging. We also take a quick look at yesterday’s Australian employment numbers too. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Thursday 16th June 2022The FOMC announced a 75-basis point rise in interest rates in the US, with rates rising to 3.4 percent by the end of the year. Sat the press conference that followed Jerome Powell spelt out that the next rise would be 50 or 75 basis points at the next meeting. They continue to argue that all of this can be achieved with a soft landing, but as NAB’s Ray Attrill suggests, when has a central bank ever confessed to contributing to a recession. There was also an emergency meeting of the ECB yesterday, as they try to tackle fragmentation in the European union occurring from rising rates. Later on the Bank of England, expected to lift rates by 25 basis points. Also today, Aussie employment numbers and New Zealand GDP. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Wednesday 15th June 2022The FOMC meeting tomorrow morning (Australian time) has been the focus of intense speculation this week, with the surprise inflation numbers last week suggesting a more aggressive stance by the Fed. Some commentators are even pointing to a 100-basis point rise. NAB’s Rodrigo Catril says the dot plots from this meeting – showing the Fed’s own expectations of the path of rises – will be more significant than the rate decision itself. Meanwhile, Japan and China are struggling to constrain yields and the BoE faces an easier job as the UK economy slows itself down, without too much central bank intervention. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tuesday 14th June 2022There have been massive moves in financial markets since the release of the US inflation data on Friday. The US dollar is around the highest in decades, bond yields have shot up, in many cases to the highest in more than a decade, and the S&P500 has fallen to its lowest level in 15 months. NAB’s Tapas Strickland says the concern is we are seeing inflation expectations de-anchoring. In other words, is panic creeping to the markets? The concerns are heightened by the meetings of the Fed, the Bank of England and the Bank of Japan this week. The UK might not see big moves by the central bank, but only because the economy is already slowing and, after today’s GDP numbers, could well be the first into a recession. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Friday 10th June 2022The ECB indicated overnight that they will lift rates at their July meeting, and if there’s no sign of a fall in inflation then a bigger hike might be necessary in September. This is the most hawkish the ECB has sounded, but Phil Dobbie asks NAB’s Gavin Friend if it is enough? The prospect of more rate rises has accentuated concerns about the impact of southern European economies and Christine Lagarde’s proposals on how to deal with the problem failed to satisfy markets, with Italian and Greek bonds falling markedly again. Today’s CPI number for the US will be watched keenly. Has inflation peaked? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Thursday 9th June 2022There’s not much optimism in the air this morning. The OECD almost doubled their inflation expectations and slashed their growth forecasts, with the UK chosen for a particularly pessimistic outlook. NAB has revised its own forecasts for RBA rate hikes, outlined in today’s podcast. Oil prices have shot higher, with NAB’s Rodrigo Catril saying low inventories and the China reopening story means we haven’t reached the peak yet. The ECB meets later on. We know what to expect, although this is an environment where people change their minds at short notice. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Wednesday 8th June 2022It was only a month ago that RBA governor Lowe was suggesting a 25 basis point hike was business as usual, with the bank wanting to signal that things would return to normal with a standard adjustment in interest rates. As NAB’s Ray Attrill points out, it was only a few months ago that the RBA was suggesting rates weren’t going up until 2024. Things changed sharply yesterday. This morning we look at the market reaction, from bond yields and equities, to the cross-rate with the New Zealand dollar. There’s also discussion on the ECB, with the potential for bond purchases in southern European nations who will be hit hardest from rate hikes. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tuesday 7th June 2022There’s been lots of action on the markets overnight, with rates pushing higher and, for most of the session, equities on the rise too. NAB’s Tapas Strickland says reopening news from China has helped push equities higher, but the prospect of rate hikes has seen that optimism diminish as the session neared the close. In currencies, the pound was the best performer in the G10, rising on the news of a leadership challenge for UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson. He won the challenge and the pound started drifting down again, but there’s no guarantee he’ll stay in his job for long. The RBA is the main focus today, with NAB expecting a 25 basis point rise. There’s less urgency and, with more meetings, greater flexibility than with other central banks. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Monday 6th June 2022It might be a quiet start to a busy week, with the RBA and ECB meeting, and the US releases its CPI numbers at the end of the week. NAB’s Skye Masters says there’s divided opinion on how far the RBA will push tomorrow – anywhere from 25 to 50 basis points. We know the ECB is moving slower, but we can expect they’ll give further signals about when rates will rise and by how much. It all depends on the inflation outlook, of course, with CPI for the US out on Friday. Meanwhile, markets have been looking for any evidence that price rises might have peaked, but with the uncertainty over oil, the war and China’s lockdowns, it’s a bold call to say we are there yet. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Friday 3rdJune 2022Today saw another session demonstrating the violent swings across all asset classes. Equities, that were well down yesterday, are well up this morning, despite an earnings downgrade from Microsoft. A chunk of the optimism comes from news that OPEC+ will increase oil production, even though oil prices themselves rose today. NAB’s Ken Crompton says we haven’t seen the same response in bond markets because of the likelihood that the Fed will keep rising, even beyond September, Lael Brainard said as much overnight. Tonight US non-farm payrolls will be watched keenly for signs of a softening job market or a reduction in wages. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Thursday 2nd June 2022If investors were looking for signs of weakness in the US economy, in the hope that it might moderate the expectations for a rapid path of rate rises from the Fed, they didn’t get it, says NAB’s Rodrigo Catril. Instead, the ISM manufacturing PMI for May came in higher than expected, job openings remained high and job quits haven’t really come down much. Nothing there to suggest the Fed needs to tread a more careful path, so bond yields have risen sharply and equities have fallen further. It’s a different picture in Australia, where a stronger GDP read is being taken as a sign that we might weather the storm better than most. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Wednesday 1st June 2022The EU has agreed to an immediate ban on oil exported by sea from Russia, with a further ban on EU and UK insurance of Russian vessels exporting oil elsewhere. On today’s podcast NAB’s Taylor Nugent discusses the tightening of restrictions and the impact on commodity prices and Europe’s rising inflation numbers – which exceeded expectations overnight. Meanwhile, a meeting between Biden and Powell today, representing two supposedly independent entities, demonstrates the dichotomy between controlling inflation and avoiding economic hardship. Today’s Australian GDP numbers will demonstrate how we have it better than most with 0.7% growth expected QoQ – although that figure would have been higher without a higher negative trade balance. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tuesday 31st May 2022There isn’t much in the way of good news today, but that doesn’t seem to matter as far as equity markets are concerned. German inflation was a big upside surprise and other numbers out of Europe suggested things are perhaps worse than imagined. Oil is rising sharply and could well surpass the previous peak. The war in Ukraine continues unabated with Russia making further inroads in the east of the country. China is easing lockdowns, but for how long? Yet European shares rose the Futures suggest the US will open higher on Tuesday too. NAB’s David de Garis talks about markets are looking on the bright side of the downside. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Monday 30th May 2022Markets seem to be optimistic that the inflation wave can be ridden without us all crashing down on a rocky outcrop somewhere. So, are they right? NAB’s Ray Attrill joins Phil Dobbie this morning to discover the positive mood in the markets – particularly equities – driven by an absence of bad data and a hope perhaps that inflation will be tamed before central banks have to go the full way on interest rate rises. To what extent is demand holding up because people can dip into the extraordinary level of extra savings accumulated since the start of the pandemic. The non-farm payrolls data at the end of the week will be of interest, particularly in relation to wages. Locally, GDP numbers are out middle of the week. There are only three days this week when the US and UK markets are open, with month-end in-between. It could be a choppy week. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Friday 27th May 2022US equities rose sharply again today as more retailers gave positive outlooks, despite the earlier surprise form Walmart and Target. The optimism wasn’t impacted by another set of weaker data from the US. That presumably means there’s potential for damage if today’s consumption numbers surprise on the downside, or the PCI-deflator shows higher than expected inflation levels. As NAB’s Gavin Friend points out, the bond markets have not reacted the same way, positioned as they are for a series of rate hikes from the Fed and the question mark over a recession. The UK Chancellor Rishi Sunak tried to head off recession with the announcement of a large round of fiscal stimulus, funded by a one-off windfall tax on energy companies. But is it enough? And what happens next year? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Thursday 26th May 2022The increasing belief amongst central bankers – particularly in New Zealand and the US – is that faster rate hikes will have a more marked impact on fighting inflation, giving more flexibility on how to handle the issue later in the year. NAB’s Rodrigo Catril isn’t sure that a couple more 50 basis point hikes from the FOMC will be enough. Supply chain issues remain for goods, and consumers need to be torn away from their rising consumption of services. Today, Australia’s Q1 Capex numbers are worth looking out for. Also today, if the world seems a worrying place right now (particularly if you’ve been listening to George Soros), calm yourself down with a picture of a fluffy cat. It worked for our host. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Wednesday 25th May 2022Yesterday’s upbeat sentiment was very short-lived, with a sharp fall in equities and bond yields today. A statement from Snap! about a worsening environment hitting revenue projections sent shares down across the board, but particularly advertising reliant tech stocks. That wasn’t the only bad news of the day. As NAB’s Tapas Strickland outlines in today’s podcast, there’s been a plunge in new home sales in the US, and a sharp fall in service PMIs in the UK. On the back of all of this, markets are expecting central banks to move a little slower on rate hikes, with the Fed’s Raphael Bostic warning policy makers to ‘proceed carefully’. We also look at the RBNZ decision today and Australia’s construction numbers this morning. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tuesday 24th May 2022A bounce back in equities and a better-than-expected IFO read from Germany. For today at least we’re seeing the return of some risk sentiment, as money piles into equities and bonds are sold off, pushing yields higher. NAB’s Taylor Nugent says there wasn’t anything obvious to prompt this risk turnaround, except perhaps some positive words from Joe Biden about the potential easing of tariffs with China. That might paint a happier long-term picture, but supplies from China remain an issue, with Beijing seeing an increase in COVID cases. Oil continues to be pulled in all directions, even as it becomes clear that Russian oil sanctions are having little effect. It’s PMI day today – perhaps we’ll see some upside surprises to add to the upbeat sentiment. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Monday 23rd May 2022Will a new government have any market impact? NAB’s Skye Masters has been looking at how markets behaved, relatively speaking, in the first few months of a new government. Irrespective of history ,the reality is, of course, that global concerns are far greater this time round, with markets pulled between inflation concerns and recession fears. The Fed’s James Bullard doesn’t think a recession is the on the cards for the US and thinks inflation can be beaten by next year if they push rates fast enough this year. The UK demonstrated that, despite price pressures and very low consumer sentiment, people are still shopping. It shows the importance of data right now, as we all try to grapple with the direction of economies the world over. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Friday 20th May 2022There was no bounce in equities today after the big falls we saw yesterday. NAB’s Taylor Nugent says its growing concerns about the US growth outlook, driven by earnings results and no uptick in economic data. Cisco has been the latest to downgrade their forecasts, blaming supply chains from the war and China’s lockdowns. But equity markets can normally see through short-term impacts, but not right now. Is the concern of over-reach by central banks part of the concern? And what does yesterday’s Australian employment data mean for inflation and the response from the RBA? There’s also a look at the minutes form the latest ECB meeting which ,again, highlighted the divide within the board about the need to act on inflation versus the impact on economic growth. Very much the question of the day. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Thursday 19th May 2022We’ve seen big falls in US shares as major retailers issue profit warnings, based on inflation and supply chain worries. Investors responded quickly. Had they forgotten that inflation was a thing? It was a timely reminder, says NAB’s Ray Attrill, that headline inflation hits consumer spending, so consumer staples and discretionaries will feel the pinch. The UK’s CPI hit 9 percent, but was in line with expectations. Canada’s inflation number was higher than anticipated, however. Australia’s wage growth remains relatively subdued, but the RBA’s focus will be on today’s labour market data. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Wednesday 18th May 2022Equity markets have rallied today, buoyed by positive retail numbers for the US. But NAB’s Rodrigo Catril says the sentiment really improved in APAC yesterday on news that Shanghai will reopen after three days of zero COVID infections. Markets turned when the Fed’s Jerome Powell spoke about pushing beyond neutral to curb inflation, but shares rebounded soon after. Britain’s job numbers would look fantastic at any other time but now – instead, lower unemployment and rising vacancies spells out further inflation risks which will encourage the BoE to move faster, perhaps. Even the cautious ECB has one member talking about a 50-basis point rate hike. Today Australia’s wage price index will be watched keenly because it could be influential in the RBA’s next move up in rates. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tuesday 17th May 2022There’s been a fair bit of volatility in equity and bond markets overnight. Stocks are generally down after swings back and forth through the session. NAB’s Ken Crompton says there’s a continuing tension between the Fed talking up rate rises and whether that will prompt a recession. The data flow hasn’t offered anything encouraging. China’s retail sales were well down the NY State Manufacturing Index was pulled down by a fall in new orders, and the European Commission, understandably, lowered their growth forecasts and upped their inflation expectations. Meanwhile oil pushed higher and wheat prices ha e been hit by an export ban from India. Today US retail sales will show whether inflation is hitting demand yet and Christine Lagarde will have a chance to talk-up a July rate hike in Europe. Plus the minutes of the last RBA meeting. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Monday 16th May 2022There was a slight reversal in sentiment on Friday, with the US dollar losing ground, equities climbing and bond yields rising. NAB’s Tapas Strickland says news of the easing of lockdowns in Shanghai this week might have provided an excuse for this switch around, but news over the weekend could make this change in direction very short lived, with China relinquishing its staging of the 2023 Asia Cup (soccer). In Europe, Sweden and Finland have both announced they intend to join NATO. If that wasn’t enough to upset Putin, Ukraine won the Eurovision Song Contest. Today, eye swill be on China’s fixed asset investments, industrial production numbers and retail sales, and on the continuing debate about whether the Fed (or any central bank) can deliver a soft landing from the inflation battle without forcing a recession. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Friday 13th May 2022US equities continue to take a hit as inflation concerns continue and two of the biggest contributors – the war and China lockdowns – show no signs of abating. The war won’t go away, with Sweden and Norway now pushing for fast-tracked NATO membership. Reports suggest Beijing is now significantly in lockdown, which could further damage the Chinese economy and foreign trade. Here we are, says NAB’s David de Garis, wondering how low shares will go before we see anything like the Greenspan put come into play! A bigger worry for the UK is the cost of living, with March GDP numbers showing the economy retracted, and it will almost certainly be worse in April. Also today, we compare and contrast the direction of house prices in the UK and New Zealand. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Thursday 12th May 2022US inflation numbers didn’t fall as much as hoped, in fact the core number is up, making the job for the Fed that little but harder. There’s been a sharp response on the share markets, particularly for tech stocks, but less of a reaction in the bond markets. On today’s podcast NAB’s Skye Masters says there’s been a flattening of the yield curve, suggesting that the expectation is that the Fed won’t need to push further in its terminal rate. Meanwhile, Christine Lagarde has finally joined the ECB’s July rate-hike brigade, and the pound has taken a hit as Britain threatens to unilaterally pull out of a key component of the Brexit agreement with the EU, threatening a trade war. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Wednesday 11th May 2022For a while today US shares were pushing higher, with tech stocks leading the way. Then as market close neared, prices started to fall and gains were effectively halved. NAB’s Rodrigo Catril says he is sceptical about hopes of a rebound, because the headwinds remain, particularly continued lockdowns in China, which will have a lag impact on the rest of the economy. How much of that lag will be reflected in US CPI later today? Meanwhile, the NAB business survey shows Australia is faring rather better than most of the world, right now. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tuesday 10th May 2022Markets are clearly concerned that there will be no soft-landing. There’s the big fear that rate rises won’t cut demand enough to compensate for inflation driven by supply chain disruption. The result, we’re seeing inflation expectations remaining high, stocks taking big hits and the US dollar possibly the only safe haven there is. So, what will turn this situation around? NAB’s Taylor Nugent says there has been no major data releases or news items to drive sentiment today, but risk-off uncertainty prevails. We have to wait for signs that inflation is starting to unwind. It might be way too soon, but signs of an easing of inflation in tomorrow’s US CPI would be very welcome. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Monday 9th May 2022Equity markets continued their falls on Friday, driven by concerns that the FOMC will let the economy slip into recession if it’s needed to keep inflation under control, just as the BoE warned last week. NAB’s Tapas Strickland says some Fed speakers have suggested a faster rate of tightening will be needed if supply chain difficulties aren’t corrected in a hurry. Given the China and Ukraine situations, that seems unlikely. Inflation concerns are rising everywhere. Even the ECB is expected to hike rates soon, and though the RBA’s path is somewhat slower than most there are concerns that they too might be underestimating the hit inflation could make and will need to correct quickly. All in all, a lot of investors will be looking eagerly for any signs that supply chain problems are improving. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Friday 6th May 2022Yesterday, as Jerome Powell gave the post-FOMC press conference, the US dollar strengthened, equities shot up and front-end bond yields fell sharply. Today, there’s been a swift reverse. The dollar is the highest in years, 10-year Treasuries are well over 3% and the share market has seen one of the biggest turnarounds ever. Does this suggest markets have a growing fear of a hard landing from the hawkish Fed rate path? NAB’s Gavin Friend says it is a challenging pathway for the Fed, but inflation will come down, hopefully, before causing too much turmoil in the economy. The risk to the economy was outlined by the Bank of England Governor Bailey, as they raised interest rates 25 basis points. Their forecasts make grim reading. And the Aussie dollar took a hit as risk sentiment soured. There will be a lot of interest in the projections in today’s Statement of Monetary Policy. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Thursday 5th May 2022The FOMC announced a 50 basis point rate rise for the US. As NAB’s Skye Masters notes in today’s podcast, the market response was fairly muted until Jerome Powell gave his press conference shortly afterwards. One comment, that they were not contemplating a 75-basis point rise, sent bond yields diving lower and equities shooting higher. Skye says markets had priced well ahead for a hawkish Fed, now they are taking some of that pricing back. But uncertainty hasn’t fallen away, with or inflation signs in New Zealand’s employment data, in Australian retail numbers and with another day of rising oil prices. We can expect a less hawkish Bank of England later, but it’s still likely they will raise rates even with the cost-of-living crisis being faced in the UK. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Wednesday 4th May 2022On today’s podcast NAB’s Ivan Colhoun talks through the RBA’s higher-than-expected rate hike yesterday. Taylor Nugent adds that it was clearly more than expected, given the rise in front-end bond yields after the meeting, buoyed on by more hawkish rhetoric from the RBA’s Governor Lowe after the meeting. Next it’s the FOMC, early tomorrow morning, with a 50 basis point rise still anticipated. The JOLTs numbers indicated the labour market is still very tight and the challenge will be to restrain wage inflation. Job numbers and wages data tonight and Friday might add fuel to the fire. This morning, lots of focus on wage inflation in New Zealand, with employment data out and a press conference from the RBNZ. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tuesday 3rd May 2022US 10-year Treasury yields snuck over three percent overnight, albeit briefly. But NAB’s Ray Attrill says this could be the psychological baseline that sees rates grow higher. The latest ISM showed a slowing growth in US manufacturing, the result of lockdowns in China, but the Fed is still expected to push ahead with a significant rise later this week. Before that, the RBA meets today and the expectation is that they’ll raise rates by 15 basis points, but some see an argument to push them up to 0.5%. Also, today, a flash crash in Swedish equities. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Monday 2nd May 2022Last week finished with stocks well down in the US, particularly amongst high-growth tech-stocks. The reason, growing inflation concerns. NAB’s Rodrigo Catril says a 50-basis point hike from the Fed is very likely later this week, with growing market expectations that it could be followed by a 75-basis point rise next month. Meanwhile, there were further signs of growing inflation at the end last week that inflation, including a big rise in core inflation for Europe, rising producer prices in Australia and higher than expected wage growth in the US. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Friday 29th April 2022The US delivered a sharp fall in GDP in the first quarter. It wasn’t expected and could naturally spark fears that recession could be coming to the US sooner rather than later. But NAB’s Tapas Strickland says ‘beneath the hood’ the numbers showed that the US economy was still performing relatively well, with the numbers dragged down by a larger negative trade balance and lower inventories. As a result, equities continued to push higher, along with the US dollar. Inflation fears are rising in Europe though, with a higher-than-expected CPI read for Germany. These concerns pushed front-end yields higher and forced the Riksbank to unexpectedly lift their rates. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Thursday 28th April 2022Australian inflation rose more than expected yesterday. NAB’s Ivan Colhoun said it didn’t come as a complete surprise. NAB’s Business Survey has been showing rising input costs, and its likely inflation will rise till further in the next quarter. All that points to a high likelihood that the RBA will lift interest rates next week. Elsewhere, markets have had a temporary does of optimism, although NAB’s Rodrigo Catril says a resolution has to be found for Europe’s energy problems. There just aren’t enough global supplies to completely cut out Russia. US GDP and German CPI are two significant data releases today, along with the business activity outlook for New Zealand. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Wednesday 27th April 2022Big market moves today, with US shares plummeting, bond yields also falling, and commodity prices rising sharply. European gas prices shot up on the news that Russia intends to turn off gas supplies to Poland and Bulgaria almost immediately, for not paying in Roubles. Whilst Europe debates whether they should ban buying Russian gas, perhaps the decision will be made for them. NAB’s Ray Attrill says recession fears on a global scale are also impacting sentiment, particularly as the war in Ukraine is clearly with us for some time, and China’s lockdown fears. Today, Australia’s CPI will be the numbers to watch. Could they rise enough to drive the RBA to a rise as soon as next week? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tuesday 26th April 2022There’s been a strong risk-off sentiment to the start of the week. NAB’s Taylor Nugent says equity investors belatedly “got the memo” on the Fed’s front-end loading for rate rises. Fears of more lockdowns in China, including Beijing, have added to the uncertainty, even though the fatality rates are low in comparison to many opened-up western nations. It seems China’s zero-COVID focus and the ongoing impacts of the Ukraine war are two issues that won’t slip away anytime soon. US GDP and Australian CPI will be two of the main focuses data-wise this week. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Friday 22nd April 2022Markets are a little easier to understand today. Bond yields are back on the rise, given inflation expectations and more hawkish rhetoric from central banks. That’s hit equities. NAB’s Ken Crompton agrees that it’s a more text-book response to what we have been seeing, with equities and yields rising in tandem. There have been particularly strong moves for front end yields of European bonds, with some members giving a more hawkish timetable for rate rises. Today PMIs will be closely scrutinised to get a flavour of growth and conditions across Europe, the UK and USA. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Thursday 21st April 2022Bond yields have fallen sharply overnight, but that doesn’t mean inflation expectations are going away, or does it? NAB’s Taylor Nugent says the Fed’s Beige Book, out overnight, highlights some examples of how inflation might be nearing its peak, but there are plenty to suggest otherwise. For example, Canada’s CPI and German PPIs, two sets of numbers showing prices are still rising, at quite a rate. NZ CPI numbers are out soon. Also today, a short-term reprieve for the Yen, whilst the Yuan falls to a six-month low. The Zero COVID approach had an impact on Japan’s export numbers, and will add to global inflation worries. And what about their attitude towards Russia? If you want a healthy dose of geopolitics, the French Presidential debate is also on today, ahead of the weekend election, and it’s close. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Wednesday 20th April 2022It’s not something that will continue for long, but US bind yields have risen sharply today, and so have equities. Which one will give in first? Equities have risen because of strong earnings results but, as NAB’s Ray Attrill observes in today’s podcast, there’s still a long way to go. Bond yields are rising as Fed speakers up the ante on the path of interest rates, with one even raising the prospect of a 75-basis point rise at the next meeting. Meanwhile, oil is down sharply today, with the IMF downgrading global growth forecasts, except in Australia. There’s also discussion on the RBA minutes and the fall in the Japanese Yen. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tuesday 19th April 2022There’s a fundamental difference in the approach of the ECB and the Fed, as NAB’s Tapas Strickland explains on today’s podcast. Whereas the Fed is focused on inflation, the ECB is also concerning itself with growth. Could we see rising prices curtail that growth faster than anticipated? What about rising rates. The IMF has warned that rising rates will drive deleveraging that will have a marked impact on GDP growth. We also look at lockdowns in China and whether the rising bond yields in the US will offset any positive news to come from earnings results this week. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Thursday 14th April 2022Despite 50 basis point hikes by the Bank of Canada and the RBNZ over the last 24 hours, bond yields haven’t moved a great deal. NAB’s Gavin Friend says the market has taken a bit of a breather, which has offered a reprieve for stocks, with the NASDAQ climbing 2 percent at close. The path is certain for Canada and New Zealand, but it’s a less clear direction for the ECB, which meets tonight, with no moves expected as Europe struggles with rising energy prices and the impact of Russian sanctions. Similarly, the UK has just reported the highest CPI read in 30 years and it will only get worse, but the cost-of-living squeeze is making it hard for the Bank of England to look at big moves in a hurry. Today’s employment numbers for Australia will be keenly watched by the RBA, who will be looking at prospects for wage rises driven by an even tighter labour market. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Wednesday 13th April 2022US inflation rose as expected, but there’s still been a reaction in the bond markets. NAB’s Taylor Nugent says investors latched onto the core CPI read coming in slightly softer than expected or feared. The subtly of the change wasn’t picked up by equity markets which fell, pushed lower by rising oil prices and the realisation that inflation is still here and could get worse. The NAB Business Survey yesterday demonstrated how Australia isn’t exempt, as Ivan Colhoun explains on today’; s podcast. Later on, two central banks who might well lift rates by 50 basis points – the RBNZ and the Bank of Canada. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tuesday 12th April 2022US bond yields continue to career higher. ‘IT was another blistering night’ says NAB’s Tapas Strickland, with 10-year Treasury yields reaching a three-year high. With no new news, he says, it’s a continued reaction to the hawkish Fed agenda. But could it all backfire? The Fed has never had successive 50 basis point rises. There are still concerns that they could spark a recession if they move too quickly, particularly as supply chain difficulties won’t be resolved by monetary policy. And the rising COIVD cases in China suggest there will be more supply constraints to come. With inflation front and centre of everyone’s attention right now, US CPI figures are obviously the numbers to watch for. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Monday 11th April 2022Although there’s clearly volatility in markets, NAB’s Ray Attrill says the common thread is that yields are still rising. Even if the inversion in the curve has dissipated, the fact remains 10-year yields are at multi-year highs as inflation fears grow and central banks respond. Food prices have risen almost 13 percent in one month, even worse if you cook with vegetable oil. This might be reflected in China’s CPI numbers today, and for the US mid-week. The war will have a strong influence on this, and there are no signs it will dissipate anytime soon. Meanwhile several central banks meet this week, including the ECB. Markets are priced for a 50-basis point rate hike by the Bank of Canada. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Friday 8th April 2022As bond yields continue to rise, particularly in the US, it seems there’s not much impact from all the hike talk on consumer spending just yet. Consumer credit numbers in the US shot up in February, much of it revolving credit. Will that just add to the Fed’s concerns and the accelerated rate of hikes, which has seen bond yields push ever higher. Ken Crompton says NAB’s forecast is for 10 yields to reach 3 percent by the end of the year, but there is still considerable room for movement. Yesterday’s Australian balance of trade numbers were a surprise, with much higher imports pushing February’s surplus down by $4.5 billion from the month before. Whilst the ECB minutes overnight reflect a more hawkish approach, but a bank still heavily divided on the road to take. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Thursday 7th April 2022Bond markets have reacted sharply and briefly to the FOMC minutes this morning, which suggested the Fed might start slashing its balance sheet sooner rather than later. This added to the sentiment expressed by Lael Brainard earlier in the week, which saw the yield curve steepening a little. Phil Dobbie asks NAB’s Gavin Friend what these moves are telling us, and why the impact has cut short the strengthening of the Aussie dollar. Maybe strong trade numbers today will turn it around again. There’s also discussion about German factory orders and tonight’s ECB minutes. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Wednesday 6th April 2022The RBA has lost its patience and wants to move fast, but how fast and how far? On today’s podcast NAB’s Ivan Colhoun says it’s unlikely we’ll reach the 3% terminal rate that markets are anticipating, or at least with the expected rapidity. Taylor Nugent – new to the Morning Call – looks at the market response to words from the Fed’s Lael Brainard overnight, who talked about balance sheet reduction, possibly as soon as next month, at a faster pace than before. The Fed minutes today might add more substance to interest rate expectations, whilst two members of the RBA front a senate hearing today, where questions will not doubt be asked about the sudden pivot in policy signalling. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tuesday 5th April 2022The hope of peace in Ukraine is slipping away as more evidence of war crimes emerges, suggesting diplomacy could take some time. The Euro fell as expectations rose for more sanctions against Russia, which also pushed oil higher. NAB’s Tapas Strickland says negotiations are continuing though and we shouldn’t underestimate the chance for some sort of truce to be found. Meanwhile, inflation remains a global concern, particularly in the US. The inverted yield curve is also a cause for consternation. Tapas suggests the FOMC should have moved sooner on rates and speculates that the RBA will be watching and learning. Will the word ‘patience’ disappear from today’s RBA statement? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Monday 4th April 2022Non-farm payrolls gave the hawks at the Fed the ammunition they wanted, and bond yields have responded. NAB’s Rodrigo Catril says the data on Friday has cemented in the expectation of a 50bp rate hike at their next meeting. The ECB is still reticent to talk about bringing their schedule forward, even though Friday’s Eurozone inflation numbers were a lot higher than expectations. Today we get to hear how the BoE’s Andrew Bailey expects to balance rising inflation against an economy that has already slowed (possibly to zero). And what of the RBA? Will tomorrow bring a signalling of a faster path to a rate hike? Also today, has oil fallen too far? The situation in Ukraine looks like it won’t end soon, yet oil is less than 10% higher than before the invasion. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Friday 1st April 2022There’s a hefty emphasis on oil and gas this morning. Putin is demanding payment in Roubles from today, but there seems to be some caveats and so the impact isn’t as pronounced as you might expect. More significantly, President Biden has announced a six-month commitment to a daily draw down from the US strategic oil reserves. Will it be enough to make a difference? NAB’s Ken Crompton says the markets seem to think so, with a significant fall in the WTI price this morning. Also today, we look at China’s PMIs, which are firmly in contraction territory as they pursue their zero-COVID policy. And tonight, non-farm payrolls, where the focus might be more on wage inflation than the jobs numbers themselves. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Thursday 31st March 2022There was hope in market pricing earlier in the week that some sort of resolution over Ukraine could be sought soon. But those hopes faded when Russia started bombing regions it had indicated it would pull back from. Today, oil prices are back up and US equities have been hit hard. It’s not all down to Ukraine though. Inflation rates in Germany and Spain are through the roof. As NAB’s David de Garis points out, they have risen more in a month than Australia has seen in a year. That presents a special challenge for the ECB, who have to control inflation in an environment where consumers will be facing a cost-of-living squeeze. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Wednesday 30th March 2022Markets have responded perhaps a little too favourably to peace negotiations between Russia and Ukraine in Turkey overnight. There wasn’t a concrete outcome, yet the Euro is riding high, stocks have risen sharply and bund yields are up. NAB’s Ray Attrill says even if some sort of resolution is found soon, sanctions will remain for some time to come. Meanwhile, front end yields continue to rise in the US as more Fed speakers talk-up the prospect of a 50 basis point hike at the next FOMC meeting. We saw a brief 5-10 year yield inversion, but blink and you missed it. Also today, NAB’s Ivan Colhoun talks through Josh Frydenberg’s pre-election budget. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tuesday 29th March 2022View our disclaimer and terms of use: nab.co/3shJyypView our NAB Financial Services Guide: nab.co/3rvJtI9There’s continued volatility in US bond markets, with significant flattening of the yield curves. Is this flagging a future recession? NAB’s Rodrigo Catril says the direction of travel is looking that way, although it’s too early to tell. But the rise in 2-year yields shows that markets are expecting a more aggressive stance by the Fed, whereas in the UK yields are falling after the Bank of England’s Andrew Bailey indicated a less aggressive stance on rates given the cost of living squeeze the country is facing. Also today, how the Bank of Japan is tackling rising bond yields, the reasons behind today’s sharp fall in oil, what will Australia’s retail numbers show today, and what to expect from today’s budget (beyond what has already been made known). Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Monday 28th March 2022The sell-off of bonds continues, with a further spike in yields at the end of last week. NAB’s Tapas Strickland says it’s because there is heightened expectations that the Fed will lift rates even faster than previously thought, possibly even four 50 basis point rises this year. Yet the share market – in the US and Europe – continues to rise. We look at why in this morning’s podcast, plus Shanghai in lockdown, how the Yen has lost its safe haven status and the ongoing impact of the war in Ukraine. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Friday 25th March 2022View our disclaimer and terms of use: nab.co/3shJyypView our NAB Financial Services Guide: nab.co/3rvJtI9It's a very mixed and confusing day today. “It’s rare that you see equities and bond yields rise at the same time”, says NAB’s David de Garis, but maybe markets have optimism that the Fed’s aggressive stance will put the inflation genie back in its bottle. Or investors are a little unsure where to park money right now. Or, perhaps, investors see anything in the US to be safer than Europe, where inflation will be driven higher through fuel shortages. Meanwhile, PMIs are a little softer but still in growth territory, most notably for services in UK and the USA, a reflection of a braver stance on post-COVID re-openings. The major currency move has been a fall in the Yen, reflecting the widening gap between yields between Japan and the US. In amongst all the confusion, the Aussie dollar is holding its own. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Thursday 24th March 2022Bond yields have come back a fair bit today. NAB’s Gavin Friend says it’s just a recalibration after the massive hikes we’ve seen over recent days. The tone from the FOMC certainly hasn’t changed. Meanwhile oil prices have risen sharply, in part because President Putin has threatened that Europe should pay for gas in Rubles, rather than dollars or Euros. If it’s an attempt to get the West to roll back on sanctions he might be disappointed, with Biden meeting with the EC, NATO and G7 over the next day or two, where the one question on everyone’s mind will be, “what do we do next?” And for an early sign of the impact of the war on Europe, the UK and USA, flash PMIs are out later on. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Wednesday 23rd March 2022Just three weeks into March and US two-year bond yields are up 74 basis points, says NAB’s Tapas Strickland, on today’s Morning Call. Will the Fed be happy to see the market responding in this way, particularly as there’s less growth later in the yield curve? Does that suggest there are some concerns about whether Fed can keep inflation in check, without causing a recession. What does history tell us about the chances of that happening? Meanwhile the Yen is a casualty from all this bond action, with their central bank a long way off any sort of tightening. And the rise in oil prices has stalled today, we look at the reason. Today, UK’s CPI is the main set of numbers. Inflation and more of it. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tuesday 22nd March 2022Bond yields have moved sharply higher as markets expect the Fed to move faster on rate rises and, potentially, drawdowns on the balance sheet. After Jerome Powell spoke overnight, NAB’s Ray Attrill says there’s now a much stronger expectation that April’s meeting will see a 50 basis point rate hike and, perhaps, the same again at the next meeting. Could the ECB also be stepping up its plan of action? Christine Lagarde talks later today. Inflation worries won’t be helped by the rise in oil prices, with no obvious short-term solution. An increase in production from Saudi Arabia seems unlikely because they are upset about the US withdrawal of arms sales over the war in Yemen. The Ukraine crisis looks set to continue, and any step up in action by Russia could increase the extent of sanctions including the possibility of an oil ban by the EU. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Monday 21st March 2022Nobody really knows how the war in Ukraine will play out, but we kick off the week with reports from Turkey that an understanding between Ukraine and Russia might be closer. There’s even speculation that the two leaders will meet face to face – obviously at opposite ends of a very long table. On today’s Morning Call Phil Dobbie talks to NAB’s Ray Attrill about the market optimism right now, with equity markets rising despite the prospect of many rate hikes this year. Supply chain disruption looks set to be with us for longer, with more lockdowns in China over the weekend. But it's the words from Fed speakers that will be the focus of attention at the start of the week – will they support the hawkish stance of the FOMC last week or try to rein back a bit? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Friday 18th March 2022After a very hawkish Fed yesterday, the Bank of England has presented a much more guarded approach for the rest of the year, whilst delivering the third interest rate in a row. NAB’s Gavin Friend talks about why the central bank has a reluctance to signal too much right now. Meanwhile, are markets concerned that the Fed is moving too fast? There’s discussion about Aussie unemployment numbers too and what the strong numbers mean for the RBA. The Bank of Japan is the next central bank, but inflation driven by a tight labour market is much less of a concern for them. Oil prices are rising as hopes of a rapid end to the war dissipate but there are still irons in the fire, including talks between President Xi and President Biden. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Thursday 17th March 2022The Fed has met, they’ve lifted rates in the US, and given a hawkish outlook for rate increases this year and next, with a terminal rate of 2.8 percent by the end of next year. The statement and subsequent press conference left some questions unanswered. NAB’s David de Garis points out how they plan to get inflation under control without unemployment rising, even by the end of 2024. Markets reacted swiftly to the announcement, with sharp rises in front end yields. The Bank of England meets later today, and inflation numbers overnight highlight the size of the task ahead for the Bank of Canada. And oil prices are falling as hope remains that a solution can be found to the war in Ukraine. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Wednesday 16th March 2022View our disclaimer and terms of use: nab.co/3shJyypView our NAB Financial Services Guide: nab.co/3rvJtI9Chinese equities have been hit hard again today, despite data showing very strong retail sales, industrial production and fixed asset investment. NAB’s Ray Attrill says it’s a mix of increasing COVID cases, causing more lockdowns, and China’s position over the Ukraine war. They want to keep the peace with Russia without attracting sanctions from the west. Is it a sign of the shifting balance of influence that China is negotiating with Saudi Arabia to buy oil in Yuan? Besides the war and COVID, inflation is still a major concern, with the FOMC meeting in less than 24 hours. 25 basis points is more or less locked in, but it’s the rate of future rises and the associated commentary that will attract attention in these uncertain times. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tuesday 15th March 2022China and the US have been meeting, with the hope that talks can resolve the war in Ukraine. But China is showing little sign of offering total support for the west. NAB’s Tapas Strickland wonders whether they’ll need to, with talks between Russia and Ukraine at least offering the opportunity “for an off-ramp” from the conflict. Oil prices have fallen today, mainly because of further lockdowns in China as the country continues to pursue a zero-COVID strategy. That’ll add to supply chain problems, which will further add to inflation pressures. No surprise then that bond yields have risen sharply ahead of the FOMC later this week. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Monday 14th March 2022Fighting got very close to the Polish border over the weekend, with Russian attacks on a training base. NAB’s Rodrigo Catril says it’s hard to see the volatility across all asset classes calming down as the uncertainty in Ukraine remains. Although talks are ongoing there has been little grounds for hope so far. This makes it all very tricky for the FOMC, whose members will be submitting their dot point predictions for future rate rises, in an environment where inflation is rising and consumer confidence is falling. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Friday 11th March 2022View our disclaimer and terms of use: nab.co/3shJyypView our NAB Financial Services Guide: nab.co/3rvJtI9The war isn’t going to end anytime soon. That was clear with the high-level peace talks on Turkey breaking down after just 90 minutes, acting as nothing more than a conduit for untruths. That’s partly why we’ve seen a shift back in sentiment. The risk-on mood yesterday was a one-off. On the podcast today NAB’s David de Garis talks through the other big turnaround – the attitude of the ECB, who have speeded up their tapering schedule and the opened the door to earlier rate hikes. As a result, there have been sharp moves in peripheral European bonds, such as Italy, Greece and Portugal. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Thursday 10th March 2021Looking at the markets this morning you might be mistaken for thinking Vladmir Putin had resigned, but sadly not. The war is still on, and just as messy as ever, but equities have risen, oil is down and bond yields are rising. NAB’s Gavin Friend talks us through this broad reversal in risk sentiment, which he says is being driven by a number of factors, but nothing concrete. There’s also discussion about the ECB meeting today, and the EU’ s plans to issue bonds to reduce dependency on Russian resources. Plus, did Philip Lowe’s speech yesterday indicate a rate rise from the RBA this year was more likely, or less? And US inflation numbers tonight. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Wednesday 9th March 2022View our disclaimer and terms of use: nab.co/3shJyypView our NAB Financial Services Guide: nab.co/3rvJtI9Markets have been encouraged by a possible solution to the Ukraine crisis. The Kremlin had suggested a raft of measures, including a ban on NATO membership. Today, Ukraine’s President Zelenskyy suggested NATO wasn’t a priority. NAB’s Rodrigo Catril says the hope that a peaceful solution might be possible saw a strong risk-on mood hitting markets – although the Aussie dollar is down. Commodities continue to rise, of course. And the EU is meeting this week to discuss the issuance of bonds to cover spending on arms and to end a reliance on Russian energy. Also on today’s podcast, NAB’s Ivan Colhoun talks through yesterday’s NAB Business Survey. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tuesday 8th March 2022View our disclaimer and terms of use: nab.co/3shJyypView our NAB Financial Services Guide: nab.co/3rvJtI9Day 12 of the war in the Ukraine brought more violence and uncertainty. Russia’s offer of a temporary ceasefire so residents could escape was given short shrift when it was clear the escape route was to Russia or Belarus. It was a strong risk-off session across all asset classes, with Brent getting over $139 for the first time since 2007. The Aussie dollar has lost a lot of ground, with NAB’s Ray Attrill saying the US dollar is now the pre-eminent safe-haven currency. Even the Yen has failed to perform its traditional safe-haven role, demonstrating how far and wide the impact of the oil price shock is having on global markets, with no signs of a way out anytime soon. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Monday 7th March 2022View our disclaimer and terms of use: nab.co/3shJyypView our NAB Financial Services Guide: nab.co/3rvJtI9For a while over the weekend it seemed like Vladimir Putin was suggesting the west had already declared war with it imposition of sanctions, but, in context, he was really saying it was like a declaration of war, but a no fly zone would be a declaration of war. Whilst that’s a relief, we can all do without that sort of escalation, the uncertainty of the future outcome remains and we can expect more volatility this week as the fighting continues. Today Tapas Strickland talks about the impact of rising commodity prices and the response from central banks, including the ECB that meets this week. Australia meanwhile, seems to be enjoying the benefits of distance from the trouble in eastern Europe, with the Aussie dollar almost 5 percent up on the Euro over the last week. How long will this last? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Friday4th March 2022The Aussie dollar was one of the winners today, even as the US dollar lurches to highs not seen since the early days of pandemic. It’s been driven by demand for coal and iron ore, as almost all commodities respond to the shock of supply cuts from Russia and Ukraine. Jerome Powell was back on Capitol Hill today, again reiterating the need to control rising inflation. Jobs continue to be part of the problem (with the ISM read overnight showing a fall in services employment) along with rising commodity prices. NAB’s Gavin Friend points to studies from the NY Fed, one noting that the global supply chain pressure index eased in February , a sign, he says, that global supply chains will repair. The question is, how quickly? The ISM numbers overnight didn’t show any improvement. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Thursday 3rd March 2022View our disclaimer and terms of use: nab.co/3shJyypView our NAB Financial Services Guide: nab.co/3rvJtI9It almost seemed like business as usual for markets overnight. Equities rebounded strongly and demand dipped for bonds, pushing yields higher. As NAB’s David de Garis remarks, it all seems a little topsy-turvey. Investing in shares doesn’t seem a logical choice as the Fed chairman indicated that the path of rate rises in the US will continue unabated, just as the Bank of Canada lifted its rates for the first time since the pandemic. But away from equities, there are still clear signs of disruption from Ukraine, with oil prices continuing to increase, coal rising higher and wheat prices soaring. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Wednesday 2nd March 2022View our disclaimer and terms of use: nab.co/3shJyypView our NAB Financial Services Guide: nab.co/3rvJtI9'What a night for market moves', says NAB’s Tapas Strickland, on today’s Morning Call. With no sign of an easing of the conflict in Eastern Europe, risk sentiment has risen sharply in the last 24 hours, with bond yields way down, oil peaking higher, the US dollar gaining strength and huge volatility on equity markets. Oil prices are rising even without export bans because trade houses are reluctant to touch Russian cargo. Today we look at how the uncertainty will translate to central banks. NAB’s Ivan Colhoun says the RBA continues to be patient, given that inflation is not as strong as elsewhere. Like all other central banks they will be factoring in the uncertainty from the war. The Bank of Canada might moderate their plans tonight on that basis, and Jerome Powell will be asked for his approach when he fronts up to the House Committee in the US later today. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tuesday 1st March 2022View our disclaimer and terms of use: nab.co/3shJyypView our NAB Financial Services Guide: nab.co/3rvJtI9The sanctions against Russia are taking their toll on Russia, with moderate contagion to the rest of the world, but its early days. NAB’s Rodrigo Catril says the reaction in markets highlights how much more Europe is exposed, with increasing demand for US dollars. On today’s podcast there’s discussion about the impact on markets, who is exposed to risk, whether prices reflect an event which could rapidly escalate, the role China will play and the fate of the Aussie dollar in the midst of all this. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Monday 28th February 2022View our disclaimer and terms of use: nab.co/3shJyypView our NAB Financial Services Guide: nab.co/3rvJtI9There will be a shift back from the optimism of Friday, when markets were responding to the weaker-than expected sanctions being imposed on Russia. That’ll change today as access to the Swift system is denied to most Russian banks. NAB’s Ray Attrill says this, and the limitations on Russia’s central bank to make use of its foreign reserves, will have a profound effect on their economy. In today’s podcast he talks through the flow-on effects for other economies, including Australia and emerging markets. Can we expect a stronger US dollar for longer? And how will it impact the roadmap for central banks? And should we be seriously contemplating the risk of stagflation in the global economy? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Friday 25th February 2022View our disclaimer and terms of use: nab.co/3shJyypView our NAB Financial Services Guide: nab.co/3rvJtI9The Russian President surprised many with his broader attack on Ukraine yesterday. The UK Prime Minister called it Putin’s ‘squalid venture’, before announcing further sanctions, repeated by Joe Biden, including freezing more bank assets, stopping Russian trades in pounds and dollars, and ending a dependency on Russian oil and gas. The aim is to squeeze Russia out of the global economy, but that’s a long-term game in what could be a very short war. Today NAB’s Gavin Friend talks through the market impact, the influence of China, the inflation concerns and the likely response by central banks. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Thursday 24th February 2022View our disclaimer and terms of use: nab.co/3shJyypView our NAB Financial Services Guide: nab.co/3rvJtI9The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy has the words ‘Don’t Panic’ emblazoned on the front. NAB’s David de Garis is more familiar with the words of Lance Corporal Jones, who frequently offered the same advice. It seems markets have taken that advice for now, perhaps because there’s been no significant deterioration in the Ukraine crisis. Still, oil prices are up, and equities are down, but the focus has, by and large, switched back to concerns about inflation. The RBNZ only lifted rates 25 basis points, but they have raised the terminal rate and expectations for a faster track this year. Australia's slower wage inflation came in as expected, supporting the RBA’s more patient approach, whilst more ECB members are getting nervous about inflation growth in Europe. Rising prices are hitting consumer confidence there. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Wednesday 23rd February 2022View our disclaimer and terms of use: nab.co/3shJyypView our NAB Financial Services Guide: nab.co/3rvJtI9The news over Ukraine overnight is confirmation from Putin that he supports separatists who want to take control over the wider Donbass region, which could see Russia invading further into Ukrainian territory. The market response so far has been fairly measured, but an escalation could see the West move beyond the current sanctions. One of those sanctions is shelving approval for the Nord stream 2 pipeline, which arguably hurts western Europe more than anyone. NAB’s Ray Attrill says the geopolitical uncertainty could dissuade the RBNZ from contemplating a half percent rate hike today. Australia’s wages data is out later today. Whatever the final number it will be well below the rises seen elsewhere, perhaps justifying the RBA’s more patient stance. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tuesday 22nd February 2022Will Putin’s declared support for separatists in the Donbass region be the false flag event the West has been concerned about? Does that mean an invasion is imminent? Market reaction hasn’t been strong so far, except for a rise in oil prices, but maybe that’ll change as the US returns from the President’s Day holiday. NAB’s Tapas Strickland says the actions overnight has certainly reversed the optimism yesterday, when a diplomatic solution looked more hopeful. Meanwhile, PMIs in Europe were really strong, which will add to the inflation pressures and could lead to a more hawkish ECB. US PMIs are out later on, and we’ll Christopher Kent from the RBA later today. What’s he going to say about QE and interest rates? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Monday 21st February 2022View our disclaimer and terms of use: nab.co/3shJyypView our NAB Financial Services Guide: nab.co/3rvJtI9There’s more uncertainty in the markets as tensions mount still further over Ukraine. Words from Biden and Johnson won’t help for the start of this week, alongside news that Russian troops on military exercises in Belarus are not going home anytime soon. NAB’s Rodrigo Catril says conflicts often have a short-lived impact on markets, but wonders whether this will be different, given the scale of it and the inflationary impacts it would have on Europe. Meanwhile, words from the Fed’s John Williams over the weekend have reduced the likelihood of a 50 basis point rate hike in the US next month. And for those looking of hard numbers there’s a plethora of PMIs, except the US, where it's President’s Day today. Plus why NZ bonds could be in demand. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Friday 18th February 2022View our disclaimer and terms of use: nab.co/3shJyypView our NAB Financial Services Guide: nab.co/3rvJtI9There are mixed signals in the markets today. Equities have taken a hit from continued uncertainty over Ukraine, but oil prices are down, perhaps because negotiators are close to agreeing a deal over Iranian oil. NAB’s David de Garis says many traders will also be assessing their positions ahead of a long weekend in the US. Yesterday’s FOMC meeting seems to have shortened the odds for a half percent rate hike from the Fed, although there’s been a lot of strong US data since that meeting. Words from the ECB’s Philip Lane have reinforced the idea that the bank is rethinking its position on holding off on rate rises. Today’s main stats are the retail numbers for the UK, which are unlikely to bounce back as quickly as we saw in the US yesterday. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Thursday 17th February 2022View our disclaimer and terms of use: nab.co/3shJyypView our NAB Financial Services Guide: nab.co/3rvJtI9There are no signs of inflation abating just yet, or of Vladimir Putin pulling his troops from the Ukraine border. That means there’s more caution in the markets. On today’s Morning Call NAB’s David de Garis talks through the likely market response if Russia does invade and Biden responds with sanctions. Meanwhile, inflation is creating enough of a concern for everyone, with CPI up in the UK, South Africa and Canada, with rising US retail sales adding to the pressure in the US. In Europe a couple of ECB members are starting to get nervous about house prices. Only in China do they seem to have inflation under control, and the potential for more easing by the central bank. Whilst in Australia the Labour Market data will be the main focus this morning. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Wednesday 16th February 2022View our disclaimer and terms of use: nab.co/3shJyypView our NAB Financial Services Guide: nab.co/3rvJtI9There’s a bit more positivity in the markets today, certainly since yesterday morning, because Russia hasn’t invaded Ukraine, and talks continue. But NAB’s Rodrigo Catril says there is still plenty to be cautious about. NATO can’t confirm Russian troops have moved from the border, as Putin had claimed, and the central issue of Ukraine’s right to NATO membership remains unresolved. Still, markets have taken it as good news, offsetting any inflation concerns that should have arisen from US PPI numbers yesterday. UK jobs numbers also showed wage pressures and today, loads more, inflation and producer prices for many parts of the world. We also get to see the RBA’s Debelle and Bullock in front of the senate tonight. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tuesday 15th February 2022View our disclaimer and terms of use: nab.co/3shJyypView our NAB Financial Services Guide: nab.co/3rvJtI9The rhetoric is still that Russia is on the brink of war with Ukraine, although, as NAB’s Ray Attrill points out, markets took some comfort from a television event that saw Putin saying he supported continued diplomat efforts with the west, but have since repsnded to military movements that suggest something is about to happen. For a while, the talk of more talks allowed a little more focus to return to central banks, with the Fed’s James Bullard again calling for a front loading of hikes because the policy is out of sync with the economy. Today, with inflation still on the rise just about everywhere, including New Zealand, US producer prices will be watched keenly later today, along with UK wages. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Monday 14th February 2022View our disclaimer and terms of use: nab.co/3shJyypView our NAB Financial Services Guide: nab.co/3rvJtI9There was a swift response on Friday to speculation that Putin would launch an attack on Ukraine as soon as this week. The US dollar gained ground at the expense of the Euro, whilst bond yields, which had risen on the upside inflation surprise on Thursday, came falling down again. NAB’s Tapas Strickland says more negative new over Ukraine will add to the strength of the US dollar, but similarly, markets could slowly reverse their positions if weeks go by without any resolution. Meanwhile, second guessing the actions of central banks remains a focus on markets, with Aussie bond yields shooting up on Friday as Philip Lowe suggested a rate rise this year was “consistent with their central scenario”. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Friday 11th February 2022View our disclaimer and terms of use: nab.co/3shJyypView our NAB Financial Services Guide: nab.co/3rvJtI9Markets reacted swiftly to a higher-than-expected rise in the US CPI. NAB’s Gavin Friend says its unlikely that the Fed will raise rates by half a percent in March, even though many now expect it and the Fed’s Bullard has said he isn’t opposed to the idea. Gavin’s point, if they were to do that, why haven’t they stopped QE dead in its tracks? Today’s podcast looks at the market reaction in the US and yield movements in Europe. There’s been more discussion about Ukraine, but one British former diplomat has described the whole thing as a Russian fishing trip. And new Yuan loans have seen a heap of extra money piled into the Chinese economy. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Thursday 10th February 2022View our disclaimer and terms of use: nab.co/3shJyypView our NAB Financial Services Guide: nab.co/3rvJtI9Bond yields have fallen back a bit a little ahead of US CPI numbers later on today. Phil Dobbie asks NAB’s David de Garis what he will be looking for in the data, to give a clearer picture of where inflation is heading. In particular, are we seeing signs that supply chain difficulties are easing? Central bank speakers are out in force, but its pretty clear now that few have a clear picture about the path beyond the next hike. Equities are up for a second day, driven by positive earnings, but with uncertainty over forward guidance they too will be susceptible to a move in tonight’s CPI. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Wednesday 9th February 2022View our disclaimer and terms of use: nab.co/3shJyypView our NAB Financial Services Guide: nab.co/3rvJtI9In the absence of any big statistical releases markets are treading water ahead of US CPI numbers later in the week. US 10-year Treasury yields hit a two-year high for a short while, whilst equities have been choppy in face of all the uncertainty. How much will the Fed lift rates in March? What will be the end rate? NAB’s Ray Attrill says focus is now also shifting to the actions of the ECB. Even though Christine Lagarde is still talking about a gradual shift in policy, other ECB members are not so sure and European bond yields have been rising accordingly. Much of the focus today will continue to be on inflation prospects, in the NAB Business Survey and in the NFIB small business survey. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

View our disclaimer and terms of use: nab.co/3shJyypView our NAB Financial Services Guide: nab.co/3rvJtI9In the absence of any big statistical releases markets are treading water ahead of US CPI numbers later in the week. US 10-year Treasury yields hit a two-year high for a short while, whilst equities have been choppy in face of all the uncertainty. How much will the Fed lift rates in March? What will be the end rate? NAB’s Ray Attrill says focus is now also shifting to the actions of the ECB. Even though Christine Lagarde is still talking about a gradual shift in policy, other ECB members are not so sure and European bond yields have been rising accordingly. Much of the focus today will continue to be on inflation prospects, in the NAB Business Survey and in the NFIB small business survey. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Monday 7th February 2021Friday’s non-farm payrolls data showed how more people returned to work in the US whilst Omicron saw the highest wave of COVID-19 infections across the country. Over the border Canada saw a fall in jobs in the face of continuing lockdowns. Phil Dobbie asks NAB’s Rodrigo Catril whether this means US jobs will bounce back further next month, and what does this mean for inflation, with the US data showing another increase in hourly wages. China is back at work today, with the possibility that they will add to the rising cost of oil as they seek to replenish dwindling reserves.View our disclaimer and terms of use: https://nab.co/3shJyypView our NAB Financial Services Guide): https://nab.co/3rvJtI9 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Friday 4th February 2022The Bank of England is certainly all out to stop any risk of wages pushing inflation out of control. The decision was one vote away from a half percent rate rise, with NAB’s Gavin Friend saying the bank is trying to send a firm signal, even though the eventual number of rises this year might fall below current market expectations. The rise comes at a time of strong headwinds for UK households and the broader economy. Meanwhile, a strong reaction on bond markets to the ECB meeting. The announcement itself wasn’t a surprise, but some ground was given during the press conference suggesting the ECB might move faster than they have been letting on. Tonight, of course, non-farm payrolls. Before that, the RBA Statement of Monetary Policy. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Thursday 2rd February 2022You could say its the best of times and the worst of times, with a rampant jobs recovery tempered by high inflation. Certainly, two central banks have a different perspective on the underlying economic strength. As NAB’s David de Garis discusses on today’s podcast, the Bank of England are expected to raise rates today, whilst the ECB will continue to sit on its hands with Christine Lagarde, only yesterday, continuing to argue that inflation is temporary. Meanwhile, yesterday the RBA’s Philip Lowe finally admitted that a rate rise this year was plausible. Overnight we saw staggering earnings results from Google and disappointing jobs data in the US. Omicron almost certainly contributed to both of those outcomes. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Wednesday 2nd February 2022The RBA is still reticent to signal a rate rise this year, even as they lift their inflation forecasts. NAB’s Ivan Colhoun says a lot rests on what Governor Lowe has to say today. The ECB is also playing it cool, but with 2-year German Bund yields climbing higher than the loan rate its clear the markets don’t agree with them either. NAB’s Rodrigo Catril talks through the latest data from Europe and the US, and reasons why equities are so much calmer and why the Aussie dollar has bounced back today. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tuesday 1st February 2022It seems more likely than not that the RBA will announce an end to QEW today. NAB’s Tapas Strickland says core timed mean inflation is running two years ahead of the RBA’s forecasts which suggests a rate rise this year is also likely. The front end of the yield yield curve rose a little in the US after Raphael Bostic argued for a 50 basis point rate rise in March, although he retreated a little form those remarks today. Inflation is rising in Europe, with figures out just in time for the ECB this week, and the BoE will almost certainly raise rates too. So is inflation the only driver now? What if the rates push major economies into a downturn? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Monday 31st January 2021Whilst it was quite a night for Rafael Nadal, Friday had a less positive ending for the Aussie dollar, falling below 70 US cents to its lowest level since mid-2020, despite rising commodity prices. NAB’s Ray Attrill says the sharp fall could be the result of portfolio rebalancing by Aussie investors, which means it could stay low today but recover after month-end. We’ll see. Meanwhile equities bounced back in the US on Friday but markets are still choppy. Wages grew slightly less than expected in the US in Q4 and consumption has slowed, which makes the path for interest hikes a little murkier. All eyes will be on the RBA tomorrow, with markets still expecting rate rises this year. Will the RBA join the group-think? And China takes a holiday this week, we look at the impact that could have on the Aussie dollar, as we welcome in the Year of the Tiger. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Friday 28th January 2022There has been quite a turnaround after the sharp falls in share prices and the rise in bond yields that we saw kicking off during the Jerome Powell press conference after the FOMC yesterday. Today, bond yields have been falling and shares attempted a climb back. So, given the Fed delivered exactly what was expected, why the strong market reaction. NAB’s Gavin Friend says markets were surprised by the hawkishness of the conference, but have perhaps since evaluated the vagueness of what was said. There was no timeline or detail on the number of rate hikes, for example. Today’s GDP numbers for Europe will provide evidence of the sharp contrast with the US, but that is expected to narrow as the year progresses. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Thursday 27th January 2022The FOMC has met and reaffirmed that rates will rise from March. NAB’s David de Garis says it was exactly what the markets were expecting, although the response has been a rise in yields and a fall in equities. Jerome Powell was more reticent to talk about the speed of tightening beyond the next meeting, given the uncertainties that remain. The Bank of Canada will also hike rates soon. Also on today’s podcast, what does the US widening trade deficit mean for their GDP numbers out later today, how will The RBNZ react to today’s inflation numbers, and Brent oil hits $90. Where to from here? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tuesday 25th January 2022Markets have been gearing up for the FOMC meeting this week, but for a while at least tensions over Ukraine seem to have driven a strong risk-off push, with significant falls in share prices, a fall in bond yields and, to an extent, the US dollar seen as a safe-haven. But as the session progressed there was some re-evaluation of the risk, with shares and bond yields regaining some of the lost ground. As to the Fed, NAB’s Ray Attrill says the rising inflation is a major political headache for the Biden administration, so he’ll be eager to see the FDOMC do what it has to do to keep price sunder control. The question is, what will it do to the growth of the economy in the process? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Monday 24th January 2022On today's podcast:Curiously bond yields retreated at the end of last week even though the assumption remains that the Fed will signal a March hike. NAB’s Tapas Strickland says the fall in yields is a response to the sharp sell-off in equities at the end of the week which is, itself, a response to the rising interest rate environment. Locally, the CPI numbers for Australia tomorrow will put the RBA’s timeline for rate rises into sharp focus. Global PMIs today might have less influence given they are influenced by transitory factors, such as lockdowns, and the focus on the Fed. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Friday 21st January 2022Australia’s job numbers were well above expectations yesterday. NAB’s Ivan Colhoun talks about what this means for the RBA, who are still at odds with the market on their timetable for rate hikes. NAB’s David de Garis in London talks about the move up in equities and bond prices this session, suggesting it is likely to be nothing more than a bounce. The expectation is still that the Fed will end QE and move to rate hikes swiftly this year. It’s a less definitive picture in Europe, with the ECB minutes highlighting the divided opinions of the board. UK and Canadian retail numbers are out later today. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Thursday 20th January 2021The sell-off of US bonds has halted, temporarily, but it continues in Europe, particularly in the UK where high inflation numbers will heighten the Bank of England’s resolve to raise rates next month. Canada also reported a higher-than-expected level of CPI, increasing the expectation for a rate rise there next week. In Germany, 10-year bund yields moved into positive territory for the first time since 2019. As NAB’s Gavin Friend says, it’s not just a US dynamic, as central banks attempt to grapple with inflation. But what of Australia? Labour numbers today are expected to show the unemployment rate fall to 4.2%. Given many parts of the world are seeing wage-push inflation, could we see prices rise faster than anticipated? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Wednesday 19th January 2021US bond yields are now at their highest levels for two years, with equities now joining the sell-off, particularly for tech stocks on expectations of rising bank rates. NAB’s Rodrigo Catril says markets oil is also rising sharply on the expected rise in demand in a post-COVID area, or at least a time when we learn to live with the virus. The UK has shown how that can be done, with better-than-expected employment numbers, despite the rising number of cases in late 2021. So, how prepared is Australia to live with COVID? Today’s monthly consumer confidence numbers will give us an indication. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tuesday 18th January 2022Bond yields continue to rise as expectations heighten for faster central bank tightening. As NAB’s Tapas Strickland discusses on today’s Morning Call, the exception is the People’s Bank of China, which lowered rates yesterday on concerns about the spread of Omicron. President Xi has asked other central banks to sit tight, but that seems unlikely. Even the RBA is likely to bring forward its end to QE to next month. Whilst China faces more lockdowns, the rest of the world seems to be opening up The UK seems likely to end its Plan-B restrictions as soon as next week. The Empire Fed Manufacturing survey will be worth looking out for today, particularly after a sharp fall in the ISM Manufacturing Prices Paid Index. Could the supply chain disruption be easing – and maybe inflation was transitory after all? Perhaps. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Monday 17th January 2022The Fed kicks of its schedule of FOMC meetings next week. We know tackling inflation will be front and centre, but as NAB’s Ray Attrill points out, rate hikes are not the only tool they will be using. The minutes from the last meeting also suggest reducing their balance sheet will be part of the plan. Meanwhile, we’ve seen a significant sell-off in bonds, as investors expect a strong economic recovery this year, as Omicron’s impact wanes. Except in China, of course, which continues to pursue a zero-COVID policy, meaning supply chain disruption could remain, adding to inflation. China’s Q4 GDP is the data to look out for today. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Wednesday 22nd December 2021There was a lot more positive sentiment in the markets overnight. NAB’s Rodrigo Catril says it’s all down to Omicron news, with infection rates falling in South Africa and hopes that a pill can stave off the worst for people who catch it. If the news remains as positive as all that, how will markets fare in 2022? How quickly will China bounce back, given their zero-COVID policy will still force shutdowns? What will happen to inflation is consumer demand improves but supply chain bottlenecks remain? What actions will central banks take and will any step too far when it comes to balance sheet reductions? And what will happen with the Great Resignation, if there continue to be many more jobs than people to fill them? One thing we can be certain of, even if COVID dies down next year, uncertainty remains. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tuesday 21st December 2021Energy markets are dominating market moves in the run up to Christmas. Oil prices have fallen significantly on fears that travel demand will fall as Omicron gains strength, whilst gas prices in Europe continue to rise on supply constraints from Russia. Equiites have also been hit hard by the virus uncertainty, on thinner holiday trading. NAB’s Ray Attrill says US numbers are just a couple of weeks behind the UK. And geopolitics is also at play, particularly in Chile and Turkey. Even in the UK Boris Johnson can’t be assured he won’t make it through Christmas without a roasting from his backbenchers. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Monday 20th December 2021Markets are very cautious ahead of the Christmas break, with concerns about the impact of the Omicron strain. The Netherlands has gone into another lockdown and restrictions are being introduced in many other parts of Europe. But that’s not stopping a more hawkish attitude from the FOMC. NAB’s Tapas Strickland says a March hike in the US is a real possibility, with Fed Governor Waller flagging concerns about an “alarmingly high” inflation rate. More discontinuity in supply chains from Omicron could add to inflation concerns, of course. Today, we also discuss rate hikes whilst winding down balance sheets. Could central banks go too far too quickly? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Friday 17th December 2021A rate rise by the Bank of England has surprised many, particularly in an environment of record COVID infections, and a hospitality industry calling for government support as pre-Christmas demand collapses. NAB’s Gavin Friend says it had been clear since August that they wanted to lift rates, the only reason for the delay was a question mark over whether employment numbers would fall after furlough ended, which it didn’t. The ECB gave clearer indications of how they would manage their asset purchase post March. The RBA’s Philip Lowe remains cautionary despite an outstanding set of employment numbers for Australia yesterday. In data releases, PMIs showed a significant fall in services for Europe that is not being seen in the US. A pick-up in housing starts I the US could be taken as a sign that supply chain concerns are easing. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Thursday 16th December 2021The Fed, not surprisingly, are tapering faster as the race is on to lift rates next year. NAB’s David de Garis says the QE ending by March clears the decks, with a revised inflation forecast speeding up the expectations of rises. Markets were expecting a hawkish tilt, so they haven’t been surprised. The Bank of England decision is less easy to read later on, with Britain’s high inflation number overnight offset by the highest number of daily COVID infections since the pandemic began. The ECB follows shortly after that, in a busy day which also sees PMIs across the globe and Aussie employment numbers. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Wednesday 15th December 2021Markets are still pulled in two directions. First there’s the continued uncertainty of the new COVID variant, which might be mild (or not), but is spreading like wildfire in the UK right now and the race is on to have booster jabs across the globe. Then there’s the inflation question and how quickly central banks will respond to it. A sharp increase in producer prices in the US has added to the ammunition for the Fed to move faster, with the next FOMC meeting tomorrow. It is assumed QE will end in March, the question is how many dot points for rate rises are expected next year. Whilst the Fed might predict two, markets are pricing for three. NAB’s Rodrigo Catril says if the FOMC suggests three, the markets might move their expectations to four. It seems whatever the Fed chooses, markets expect more! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tuesday 14th December 2021There’s a little more caution this morning, with equities down, driven by banks, travel and energy, with stay at home stocks doing better. But NAB’s Tapas Strickland points out, the fall in the S&P is on the back of the 67th record high of 2021 on Friday night. He says we shouldn’t expect too many significant moves ahead of the FOMC, ECB and Bank of England later in the week, and little significant news expected before then. Turkey’s central bank has already met, responding to sky high inflation by lowering interest rates. An interesting approach. Whilst rising Omicron cases are adding to the cautious tone. Numbers in the UK have risen sharply again, with the first recorded fatality. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Monday 13th December 2021Markets were trading last week on the basis that the Omicron variant was not as lethal as the Delta strain, even though infections were spreading rapidly. NAB’s Ray Attrill says that’s been the view with central banks too, who are more concerned about inflation than and further impacts from COVID. That said, rising cases in the UK will almost certainly stop the Bank of England from raising rates this week, whilst the FOMC is expected to shorten its taper timeline, finishing in March. It’s a busy week for central banks and more data on Omicron will influence the direction too. Starting with a press conference from the UK’s Prime Minister (for now) shortly after the release of this podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Friday 10th December 2021Things were definitely a bit quieter overnight, with markets stepping back a little as they wait to figure out just what impact Omicron is having, and which way inflation is heading. We get the latest indication on the latter with US CPI number out tonight, but NAB’s Ray Attrill says China’s consistently high producer prices don’t bode well. Also today, how China is trying to stop the appreciation in the Yuan and what to expect from the UK’s GDP number tonight. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Thursday 9th December 2021Even though equity markets have slowed, bond markets are still reflecting positive sentiment around coping with the Omicron strain. NAB’s Gavin Friend says Pfizer has confirmed views that three jabs will guard against serious illness from the new variant, and yet just now the British Prime Minister, where almost a third of the population have had three jabs, has introduced tougher measures to control the spread, including mask wearing at almost all indoor venues, working from home and vaccine passports for larger venues. The Bank of Canada has delayed acting on rising inflation and it seems likely that all central banks will sit on their hands this side of Christmas until more is known about the impacts of Omicron. Yesterday the RBA’s Philip Lowe said he didn’t expect the new strain to delay the recovery, but what makes him think Australia is so unique? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Wednesday 8th December 2021There’s a lot of positive sentiment around this morning. Equities are rising sharply in the US and Europe, oil is up and bond yields are rising. NAB’s Gavin Friend says it’s been driven by the efficacy numbers of a GlaxoSmithKline vaccine, and circumstantial evidence that the Omicron strain might not be that bad for those who have been jabbed. Data wise there were fairly in strong industrial production numbers in Germany, with Chinese imports picking up and the final GDP numbers showing a rise in European consumer spending. In other news, Janet Yellen has been channelling her inner Donald Trump when it comes to tariffs and tensions brew over Ukraine. And NAB’s Ivan Colhoun deciphers yesterday’s RBA meeting. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tuesday 7th December 2021US equites are roaring back, so is oil, with bond yields rising again. This newfound optimism has been driven by policy easing measures from China’s central bank, and less concern about the impact of the Omicron strain. It’s still too early to draw definitive conclusions on the virus, says NAB’s Rodrigo Catril, with reports from South Africa that there is a concerning rise in younger patients. Tougher measures on mandatory vaccines for workers could also ignite more protests that could have the opposite impact on take-ups, which could slow economies, particularly in Europe. Not much is expected from the RBA today, but the build-up of positive data is likely to force a policy change in February. Meanwhile, the jury is still out on the Bank of England next week, but market expectations around a rate rise are falling. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Monday 6th December 2021Markets were far more cautious on Friday. In part there are still concerns about the new Omicron strain, although circumstantial evidence so far is pointing to it being a milder variant. NAB’s Tapas Strickland says tech stocks were hit the hardest, because there’s growing acceptance that the Fed will push ahead with faster tapering, irrespective of tailwinds. Payrolls numbers were weaker than anticipated, but not enough to stop them, it seems. That raises the question, will central banks push ahead with tightening measures before economies have recovered to the detriment of the longer term outlook? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Friday 3rd December 2021Markets have displayed much mor epositive sentiment in the last 24 hours, but its not lasting. Gains in US equities have fallen away a little, and oil prices have risen sharply and fallen back again. NAB’s Tapas Strickland says Omicron news is mixed – it’s certainly spreading quickly but symptoms of those who are vaccinated appear to be mild. US Treasury yields have flattened further as more Fed officials pile on with calls for faster tapering. Oil prices fell sharply mid-session on the news that OPEC would lift supplies next month, but rose again on the news that they would pull back if demand falls because of Omicron. In short, another day of uncertainty all round. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Thursday 2nd December 2021Markets were choppy again overnight, but there is renewed hope with circumstantial evidence that the Omicron variant might be less severe. A WHO press conference suggested that existing vaccines will be enough to prevent many extreme cases, but we’ll still have to wait for the final verdict. NAB’s David de Garis says that was enough for the focus to shift a little to positive data reads out of the US, including a 534k rise in the ADP payrolls number an ISM manufacturing at 61.1 for November. Australia’s better than expected Q3 GDP number has done little to help the Aussie dollar – Dave suggests it has followed the fortunes of the S&P500. Today, the focus will stay with news around the virus and its impact on lockdowns and other contingency measures. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Wednesday 1st December 2021You might have expected that Jerome Powell would use the uncertainty of the new COVID strain to downplay the need to adjust the speed of tapering by the Federal Reserve, but instead, addressing the Congress, he talked up the need for faster tapering, to be discussed at the next FOMC meeting. So, what’s brought about this character transformation? NAB’s David de Garis says he is clearly now far more worried about inflation. The ECB, meanwhile, is happy to keep using the transitory word and believes inflation has just about peaked. Meanwhile, China’s PMIs and prices paid gave a glint of hope that supply chain issues might be easing, albeit very slowly. But progress could be destroyed by the impact of measures to constrain the new variant. The future is as clear as mud and markets today reflect that uncertainty. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tuesday 30th November 2021On today’s Morning Call NAB’s Ray Attrill reminds us that the CSIRO’s Dr Rob Grenfell predicted, back in the middle of the year, that about now we would see a variant of COVID spreading from India or Africa. He now says the situation in South Africa is not a good comparator for Australia, and we should watch how it develops in Europe over the next couple of weeks. In the meantime, markets are playing a waiting game. There was a mild bounce back in equities, bond yields and the US dollar, but volatility will remain, driven by the news cycle. The other unknown is the impact this will have on the speed of a global recovery, with border shutdowns and the like, and the subsequent impact on inflation. Lots of questions for Jerome Powell and Janet Yellen then, in front of a senate hearing today. China’s PMIs will be the numbers to watch today. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Monday 29th November 2021There was a very strong market response to the news of the Omicron virus strain on Friday. Equities were hit hard, currencies ran for the shelter of safe havens and there was a sharp fall in bond yields. How much of this was a knee-jerk reaction amongst the thin trading on the day after Thanksgiving. NAB’s Rodrigo Catril says we can expect Asian markets to follow the US today, before markets settle down, but we can expect volatility for some time as we wait for news that helps assess the risk posed by this new strain. So, what does this mean for central bank tightening? Where will the Aussie dollar head through this turbulent time? What impact will it have on oil and inflation? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Friday 26th November 2021As America gobbles up Turkeys NAB’s Gavi Friend talks through the latest positioning on tightening by central banks. The FOMC minutes suggested a more hawkish approach, and the latest data would suggest that view has been reinforced, but there’s still a disconnect between what the markets expect and the messaging from the Fed. The Riksbank has started to talk about rate rises, but not before 2024. The Bank of England looked certainly to raise rates last month, but it didn’t happen and a rise in December is now looking less certainly. The ECB are continuing down a dovish path, reinforced by their latest minutes overnight. Meanwhile, the RBA is holding firm, even though the bounce back in jobs yesterday (with retail sales data today) suggests a recovery that most nations would be envious off. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Thursday 25th November 2021There were many more positive signs for the US economy overnight, with initial jobless claims at an all-time low. The US dollar remains in favour, with the DXY index reaching a 16-month high. On today’s podcast NAB’s Tapas Strickland says rising inflation concerns are turning even the most dovish FOMC members, with Mary Daly the latest calling for a faster taper to make room for rate rises. Former US Treasury Secretary Larry Summer spoke again about his concerns about the Fed’s delay, worried that they won’t be able to find “a soft landing”. Meanwhile, the Kiwi dollar has been hit hard by the quarter percent rate rise by the RBNZ. Why was there such a sharp response? Plus, the latest on oil, with prices down today, but we can expect more volatility as OPEC takes on their customers. How dare they dip into reserves! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Wednesday 24th November 2021There was a surprise for those expecting the PMI numbers on Tuesday to confirm the widening gap between US and European economic performance. Let’s be honest, the NAB Morning Call team were amongst those who weren’t expecting to see the narrowing of the divide, with Europe doing somewhat better than expected, and the US a little worse than forecast. But NAB’s David de Garis says the US bond yields are still up, the market still wants to hold US dollars in anticipation of a quickening of the taper and earlier rate rises. The RBNZ rate decision today will be watched closely – there’s still an outside chance the rise will be as much as half a percent. And Joe Biden’s attempts to bring down the cost of oil seems to have gone awry. Confirmation of a plan to dig into reserves, not just in the US, has seen oil prices shoot skywards. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tuesday 23rd November 2021The US dollar and bond yields rose on the news that Jerome Powell is to keep the top job at the Fed for another term, with Lael Brainard as deputy. Even though both are doves, NAB’s Ray Attrill says the market still has two or three rate rises priced in for next year. The Aussie dollar has avoided collateral damage from the raising US dollar, helped by the news of border reopenings, that will help foreign workers to return. Today is PMI day, which is expected to give a further clear delineation between the strength of thew US economy versus the woes faced in Europe. The Euro is expected to continue to bear the brunt of any rises in the dollar. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Monday 22nd November 2021The divide between the US and Europe became more pronounced at the end of last week, as NAB’s Rodrigo Catril explains 0n today’s Morning Call. On the one side of the Atlantic there are increasing infections, more lockdowns and, in Austria, mandatory vaccines, with a central bank pushing the line that tightening will only damage the recovery. On the other side, central bankers are talking up the need for faster tapering, presumably so they can move to raise rates sooner. But hardly anyone is moving as fast as New Zealand, with the RBNZ certain to lift rates this week, but by how much? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Friday 19th November 2021US equities have bounced back a little today, but, as NAB’s Gavi Friend describes, it’s been a session without significant event risk or data flow. Equities and bond yields have been stable compared to recent volatility, with the tech sector contributing to equity rises, including news of Apple’s self-drive car. Some companies are also reporting easing of supply chain difficulties. Those issues have certainly been holding back the speed of recovery, evidenced again by higher prices in the Philly Fed’s manufacturing index and a slowdown in the reduction of weekly jobless claims. If supply chains recover and jobs growth picks up, will inflation subside. That continues to be the view of the ECB, with Philip Lane reiterating it again overnight. Europe meanwhile has other issues to contend with – energy supplies, rising COVID cases and a likely trade dispute with the UK. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Thursday 18th November 2021Australian wage growth is in line with expectations, but where to from here? Phil Dobbie asks NAB’s Ivan Colhoun if there’s a chance we’ll see wages escalate in the next few months? The UK’s inflation numbers surprised everyone overnight, reaching 4.2 percent year on year. Does this concrete in a BoE rate rise, or could they do what they did last time and do nothing? David de Garis gives his thoughts. Canada’s inflation is also increasing, but no more than anticipated. US housing starts are down, but there are clear signs they’ll soon pick up. Join us for a Morning Call triple header! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Wednesday 17th November 2021It’s been a positive session overnight, with US retail sales rising and US jobs bouncing back. NAB’s Tapas Strickland says it’s difficult to tell how much of the 1.7% month on month increase in sales is a result of rising prices and how much is more goods sold, but it shows consumers are prepared to spend even with supply constraints and inflation concerns. The UK jobs numbers are particulartly good because they have grown despite the end of a job furlough scheme with 1.1 million people on it. Mostly retained their jobs and there were many extra jobs besides. Is this the ammunition the Bank of England needs for a rate rise next month? Meanwhile Governor Lowe continues to be cautious about rate hikes for Australia, reiterating nothing is likely to happen until 2024, even though the market has priced in 2022. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tuesday 16th November 2021The Euro has lost ground this morning, with concerns over COVID, following lockdowns in Holland and Austria, and rising cases in Germany. There remains a very different attitude between the ECB and the Fed, with Christine Lagarde reiterating that in Europe they are in no rush to tighten policy. China’s activity data provided hope that the country’s economy was stabilising. In the US there will be a lot of focus to see whether tonight’s retail numbers are strong, or will they have been pulled down with falling consumer sentiment? The UK’s employment numbers will be watched keenly by the Bank of England, but NAB’s Rodrigo Catril says it’s too soon to provide the full picture needed to determine rate rises. And President Xi and President Biden meet (virtually) shortly – the start of better relations, perhaps? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Friday 15th November 2021Hot on the heels of the surprising increase in inflation in the US earlier last week, Friday saw an unexpected fall in consumer sentiment. The Michigan survey hit an 11-year low. NAB’s Ray Attrill says previous low readings had been associated with rising COVID cases, but now, as the US seems to be faring somewhat better than Europe, the concern is all about rising prices. It’s a significant issue for the Fed and the US government, with wages rising significantly below the headline inflation rate. To counter being worse off, over 4 million Americans quit their job in one month. In Europe COVID itself remains a concern with restrictions re-imposed in Holland and Austria. Could other countries follow as winter draws near? Today, activity data from China will be keenly watched, and later in the week the wage price index will highlight whether Australia too could become subject to wage-push inflation. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Friday 12th November 2021Markets have been a little more positive over the last 24 hours, with the NASDAQ back on the rise, although a rising US dollar continues to hurt the S&P, and the Aussie dollar has taken another hit. Part of the fall in the Aussie can be attributed to the weaker than expected jobs numbers yesterday, but NAB’s David de Garis says when you unpack the numbers there was plenty of ground for optimism. He says one interesting factor has been the gross rise in jobs in NSW – many people were switching jobs as the lockdown eased. Australia could be witnessing the start of the great resignation seen in other developed countries. The UK’s recovery slowed, with GDP lower than expected, but that’s been offset by falling COVID cases and high uptakes of the third jab. So, what does that all mean for the expectation of rate rises form the Bank of England? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Thursday 11th November 2021The inflation numbers from the US have been eye popping. That’s the description by the Fed’s Mary Daly as US CPI hits 6.2%, a 30 year high. NAB’s Gavin Friend points out that there are still four million people in the US who lost their jobs through COVID who aren’t back in the workforce, and the Fed will continue to use that reasoning for not lifting rates. But markets are likely to revert to their expectations that the bank will be forced to move sooner than it intends. Australia’s labour market data today, for October, will still be held back by lockdowns and the UK’s GDP read for Q3 will provide a useful barometer on an economy whose return is slower than anticipated, and will have taken a knock with increased fuel costs. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Wednesday 10th November 2021There’s been a move away from risk assets. It could just be equity markets running out of steam after a particularly strong rally, but a Financial Stability Report from the fed warning of “perilous lunges for risky assets” probably didn’t help. NAB’s Ray Attrill says it’s hard to join all the dots right now about why the mood has shifted, but inflation continues to be a concern. It was reflected in the NFIB small business report, along with difficulties in obtaining staff. There’s optimism in Australia though, evidenced by the NAB Business Survey yesterday. Today, US CPI will be the focus, along with producer prices from China. Two key numbers for inflation watchers. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tuesday 9th November 2021You’d think markets would be bathed in positivity, particularly in the US, with a string of good news, including infrastructure spending, the COVID pill and the reopening of a lot of international travel. There’s evidence of tiredness in the equity market says NAB’s Rodrigo Catril in today’s podcast, but we’ve been here before and then it takes off again. Bond yields meanwhile are still adjusting to a world in which central banks are not quite so quick to raise rates, whilst coping with a high inflation outlook. On top of all that, Europe has to contend with higher gas prices, rising again, and the danger of a trade war over Brexit. Locally, the NAB business survey is out early this morning (7.30am). Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Monday 8th November 2021You might expect a little more optimism in the markets given Friday’s strong non-farm payrolls data in the US, Pfizer’s news about a pill for COVID sufferers, the passing of Biden’s $1.2 billion infrastructure bill and rising consumer credit in the US. Equity markets are riding high on future hopes, but NAB’s Tapas Strickland says bond markets continue to unwind from expectations on the timing of rate hikes by central banks, in particular the surprise move by the Bank of England last week not to move. Today we also look at Friday’s RBA Statement of Monetary Policy, and look ahead to US CPI and Australian labour market data this week. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Friday 5th November 2021There has been a sharp response in bond yields and currency markets to the Bank of England’s decision not to lift interest rates. Furthermore, Andrew Bailey is suggesting he doesn’t know where everyone got the idea that they would. NAB’s Gavin Friend says the response has been very marked. The fall in yields is pushing riskier assets, hence new highs for the S&P and NASDAQ. Yields could claw back a little as markets assess the possibility of a December hike. Meanwhile, the focus is on tonight’s non-farm payrolls in the US, with indications that it could be a strong number. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Thursday 4th November 2021There weren’t any surprises in from the FOMC this morning. The Fed will cut asset purchases by $15 billion this month, with a further $15 billion in December, and an expectation that it will continue until the middle of next year. But Jerome Powell was again quick to point out that the tapering does not imply “any direct signal on interest rate policy”. Phil Dobbie talks to NAB’s David de Garis about the meeting, and looks at the latest US data that shows further signs of recovery. Tonight all eyes are on the Bank of England, where we can expect a small move up in interest rates. They’ve practically said as much. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Wednesday 3rd November 2021Central banks are still grappling with what to do about inflation. The RBA is reluctant to talk about interest rate hikes anytime soon, because they don’t think inflation will be a big problem. The Fed and the Bank of England take a different view, but how hawkish will they be. Today on the Morning Call NAB’s Tapas Strickland looks back at yesterday’s RBA meeting and looks ahead to the FOMC tomorrow morning, whilst discussing the various attitudes to the dimensions of inflation. Concerns over supply chain disruptions, of won’t be helped by the rise of COVID lockdowns in China , with the Commerce department there asking local authorities to stock up for winter. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tuesday 2nd November 2021For once we are going into an RBA meeting unsure of what the outcome will be. NAB’s Ray Attrill says we have as much chance of predicting a winner in the Cup today as we do forecasting what direction the central bank will take. Meanwhile bond yields in Europe are being driven by the next central bank meeting – will the ECB abandon its PEPP program? Plus, more evidence of the great China slowdown. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Monday 1st November 2021There were more big moves in Australian bond yields on Friday as the RBA failed to buy up the April 2024 bonds that were the focus of its yield curve control (YCC) policy. So does that mean YCC is dead? NAB’s Rodrigo Catril says, yes it is. It has become dysfunctional, given the force we have seen from markets pushing front end yields higher around the globe. It should make for an interesting RBA meeting tomorrow, with more to come from the Bank of England the Fed. All are expected to confirm a policy shift. Meanwhile, evidence of inflationary pressures continue to mount, whilst China’s manufacturing is in contraction. Listen in as Rodrigo explains the rapidly evolving picture, for bonds, economic growth, jobs and inflation. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Friday 29th October 2021Three year bond yields rose well above the RBA’s target of 0.1 percent yesterday, but the central bank didn’t buy any up as part of its yield control. That pushed yields even higher. So will they react today? NAB’s David de Garis doesn’t think the bank will ditch yield control, but it’ll make next week’s policy meeting that much more interesting. Christine Lagarde said there was a lot of soul searching at yesterday’s ECB meeting, where the discussion was all about "inflation, inflation, inflation". In the end they reaffirmed that inflation was a transitory issue and there was no need for the bank to react. Yet Germany and Spain reported the highest inflation rates in decades. Are they doing the right thing? Meanwhile, equites are existing in a different world, rising still higher on the back of strong earnings results. And Facebook is changing its name. Listen in for more details. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Thursday 28th October 2021There have been sharp movements in bond yields, with front end yields rising and falls at the back end. NAB’s Gavin Friend says it reflects expectations that rising inflation will force central banks to raise rates sooner. We saw a higher-than-expected rise in Australian inflation yesterday and 2 year yields rose sharply overnight. Guy Debelle is in front of senate estimates this morning – will he still be arguing the transitory line? Bonds were also impacted by the Bank of Canada, who were more hawkish than expected, and by Rishi Sunak’s UK budget, which included forecasts suggesting a £50 billion drop in debt issuance next year. Tonight, the ECB meets and Q3 US GDP numbers are released. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Wednesday 27th October 2021Former US Treasury Secretary Larry Summers took to Twitter yesterday to challenge Janet Yellen over inflation policy, suggesting the risk of losing control of it is higher than at any time in his career. Today, NAB’s Rodrigo Catril talks more about the rising inflation sentiment, with inflation expectations in the US now at a 13 year high. The expectation of a rate hike is being brought forward around the world, but the RBA (and NAB) are not expecting that to happen in Australia. Will this morning’s CPI numbers change that view? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tuesday 26th October 2021The markets continue to be dominated by rising inflation concerns, including the price of oil. WTI got over $85 today, but has fallen back since. NAB’s Tapas Strickland tells how Saudi Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman has said it’s too early to up production whilst uncertainty prevails. There was an example of that uncertainty as another Chinese province went into lockdown. But equity markets aren’t concerned about such things. The S&P500 hit a new high as share rose on the back of strong earnings and higher commodity prices. And Joe Biden could be a step closer to having a scaled back version of his infrastructure package see the light of day. Listen in to find out why. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Monday 25th October 2021Comments from Jerome Powell added to the volatility in bond markets on Friday. The chair of the Fed reinforced that it was time to taper, but suggested rate rises would have to wait, with more than five million people who were working before the pandemic still unemployed. The labour market needs time to heal, he said. NAB’s Ray Attrill says it shows that he is less inclined to respond to inflation worries until bond purchases are unwound, unlike the Bank of England. Ray also points out how the PMI data for Europe, the UK and US was generally strong, suggesting that stagflation looks like likely. It’s a busy week ahead with the ECB and Bank of Canada meeting, Q3 CPI for Australia and lots of earnings announcements, including Facebook after Monday’s close in the US. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A sharp fall in commodity prices hasn’t dampening inflation expectations, and with it the assumption that central banks will bring interest rates forward. NAB’s David de Garis says it’s been a day when bond markets in particular have particularly been bitten the inflation bug, with pricing suggesting inflation will average three percent over the next five years, even higher in the UK. Two surveys highlighted that supply chain difficulties continue, the Philly Fed’s Business Outlook, and the CBI Optimism Index. The CBI survey showed that two thirds of UK businesses were complaining of supply shortages, the last time it was that high was in January 1975. Oh dear. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Thursday 21st October 2021Equities are rising to new highs as risk sentiment improves on the back of strong earnings results in the US, even though inflation remains an ever-present concern. NAB’s David de Garis says the Fed’s Beige Book, out this morning, highlights how many companies are convinced they can pass on their increased costs, with consumers paying through increased wages. If that’s the case has Jerome Powell been right all along, that inflation is transitory? It remains the subject of intense debate. The head of the Bundesbank has announced his resignation, citing personal reasons, but could it also be his objection to ECB’s delay in tackling inflation? And could the Bank of England’s plans by stymied as COVID infection rates start to rise again, quite significantly. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Wednesday 20th October 2021US equities have had a strong session, although Procter and Gamble weas one of the first major household companies to highlight margin squeeze from supply chain difficulties. Netflix earnings are expected to be strong thanks in part to the success Squid Game. Meanwhile the tentacles of inflation continue to worry policy makers almost the world over – the RBA being one of the few exceptions. The UK CPI numbers are out tonight, but already it seems like a rate rise is (squid) inked in. Phil Dobbie asks NAB’s Ray Attrill whether the Bank of England could regret lifting rates, and whether the lack of movement in longer-dated bond yields suggests investors are thinking the same thing. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tuesday 19th October 2021Bond yields are higher globally as inflation concerns mount. New Zealand’s CPI read (2.2% QoQ) sent 10 year yields up 16 basis points, spilling over to Australia. But NAB’s Rodrigo Catril says the inflationary pressures haven’t yet arrived in Australia which means the RBA will lag other central banks when it comes to rate hikes. Meanwhile, China is showing signs of a significant slowdown in output, with GDP growing just 0.2 percent in the last quarter, and with supply chain disruption, COVID lockdowns and energy shortages unlikely to improve that number could go lower. US data also disappointed. Phil Dobbie asks whether these are the signs of emerging stagflation? Or will corporate earnings give the markets some momentum and show there is growth, even with rising prices? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Monday 18th October 2021Equity markets were buoyed by strong US earnings results and stronger than expected retail sales numbers, but there are many reasons to suggest this confidence might be short-lived, according to NAB’s Tapas Strickland. Corporate earnings have been focused on the finance sector, so results from other sectors will give an indication of the inflation impacts on margins and growth potential. Chinese activity data today and the ongoing Evergrande saga could impact global growth hopes. Then there’s inflation, which continues to grow, with the Fed expected to bring forward its first rate hike and the Bank of England Governor reiterating the need for a rate rise in the UK this year. Paying more for a mortgage is unlikely to boost consumer confidence which is already flagging. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Friday 15th October 2021Markets have taken a more positive outlook overnight, with sharp rises in equities in the US and Europe. NAB’s Gavin Friend says it’s been helped by falling bond yields, showing that there’s less immediate concern about rising inflation. That doesn’t mean the problem has gone away, but company earning results in the US have been positive, and there will be some solace in the fact that the growth in producer prices (PPI) seem to have stalled, albeit at very high levels. On today’s podcast we look at inflation in China (where PPI growth persists), the commodity and supply chain sagas, US jobless claims and yesterday’s employment data from Australia. Today US retail numbers are the data to watch for. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Thursday 14th October 2021US CPI numbers were a little higher than anticipated. NAB’s David de Garis says we did see some support for bond yields, but markets slipped back when it was realised the core inflation number was pretty line-ball with expectations. As we’re seeing around the world, prices are being influenced by fuel, supply chains and wages. This morning’s FOMC minutes contained nothing in the way of surprises – it simply cemented-in the belief that the Fed will start tapering this year through to mid- 2022, but the timing of a rate rise seems less certain. UK GDP was also close to expectations, although manufacturing and construction were well down thanks to the ‘pingdemic’. We also look at China’s trade data on the podcast today and discuss Australia’s employment numbers out this morning. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Wednesday 13th October 2021The IMF released revised forecasts overnight, together with a warning that central banks need to tighten their monetary policy if inflation persists. Inflation concerns are certainly growing, backed with evidence in numerous surveys. 30% of small business owners in the US said they expect to lift wages, according to the latest NFIB survey. The latest jobs data for the US and UK shows how tight the labour market is, adding to fears of an inflation spiral. NAB’s Ray Attrill talks through the numbers and the central bank responses, as well as looking ahead to today’s trade data from China and tonight’s CPI numbers from the US. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tuesday 12th October 2021Fuel prices are rising, with the gas crisis now pushing up oil and coal prices. On today’s podcast NAB’s Tapas Strickland says central banks are now worried about inflation getting “permanently embedded” (Andrew Bailey’s words) and are becoming more hawkish in their outlook. The latest is the Bank of England, where markets are already pricing in a 50 percent chance of a small increase as soon as next month. Bond yields continue to rise on this new attitude by central banks. Also today, does Australia need to reopen its borders to get the economy back on track? Can we fully recover without the return of a migrant workforce? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Monday 11th October 2021Non-farm payrolls numbers from the US on Friday were less than expected, but NAB’s Rodrigo Catril says the numbers weren’t as bad as they seem, because they included an upward revision in the month before. The expectation is that the Fed will push ahead with tapering of bond purchases later in the year, with bond yields rising around the world, to multi-year highs in some cases. Inflation remains a concern, because of supply chain disruption, rising fuel prices and wages. That might be good news for the Aussie dollar iron ore rose 6 percent on Friday – but N AB has downgraded forecasts given the expected strength in the US dollar during this climate of uncertainty. Listen in to find out more. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Friday 8th October 2021Two cans are being kicked. The US debt ceiling can is being kicked into December, but the issues remain. The gas can has been kicked along by a promise of more fuel from Russia, but isn’t Europe’s dependency on Russia part of the problem? Meanwhile, the Bank of England’s new chief economist is warning of inflation for longer. Is he positioning for a rate rise? NAB’s David de Garis talks through the overnight market news, as well as looking ahead to the Financial Stability Review from the RBA today, and tonight’s non-farm payrolls numbers in the US. There are plenty of reasons why this should be a strong set of numbers. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Thursday 7th October 2021The fuel crisis in Europe and the UK is impacting global markets, with shares taking a hit. There’s been no rush to bonds given the impending inflation concerns, worsened by fuel prices, and most currencies are losing against the US dollar, which is possibly the only safe-haven left right now. It’s been a rollercoaster day, says NAB’s Gavin Friend, with energy prices in the driving seat and upending all markets. The problem is, there doesn’t seem to be a short-term resolution. Listen in to find out why. Plus, strong jobs numbers in the USD. Does this foreshadow a strong non-farms payroll number for the US on Friday? And a vote on the US debt ceiling possible in the next few hours. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Wednesday 6th October 2021The currency markets suggest there’s a risk on mood this morning, with the US dollar gaining on the Japanese Yen and Swiss Franc. Strong non-manufacturing ISM numbers in the US have helped with that. But oil prices continue to rise too, adding to inflation concerns. Yet tech stocks have risen as well. NAB’s Rodrigo Catril joins Phil Dobbie to help explain market positions this morning, on the day that the RBNZ is expected to lift interest rates, despite expectations that the country will face many more COVID cases as the policy switches to one of living with the virus. US jobs will be the focus for the second half of the week, starting with ADP employment numbers tonight. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tuesday 5th October 2021Oil prices rose quickly this morning after OPEC+ announced they would stick with their earlier plans of rising production in November by 400 thousand barrels a day. At one stage Brent and WTI were both up more than 3 percent. NAB’s Ray Attrill says it was a surprising response, because there wasn’t a particular expectation that they would rise production. Nonetheless it has added to inflation concerns, and raised more talk about stagflation – will the price increases dampen demand and slow the jobs recovery? It’s a dilemma for central banks and governments. So far though, inflation isn’t having a big reaction on production. The manufacturing ISM in the US was strong n Friday, so was consumer spending. Markets will be watching the data today to see whether demand from the services sector is continuing to push ahead. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Friday 1st October 2021There’s a fair bit to chew on today, with commodity currencies helped by word from China that they must secure enough energy for winter, whatever the cost. The US has managed to agree an interim budget for now, but the debt ceiling remains an issue and will remain so until the very last minute. Jerome Powell pontificated in his congressional hearing about what to do if high inflation persists, but NAB’s Gavin Friend says nothing that was said deflects from the expectation that rate rises in the US are still a long way away. The US dollar has stalled its steady growth for now, in part because of the rise in commodity currencies, but will it resume its steady path? Maybe Europe will come to the fore. After all, they don’t have to debate spending packages, they already have one. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Thursday 30th September 2021Markets are much calmer this morning. Equities have managed to climb a little, with the biggest moves in currencies and commodities. NAB’s David de Garis says there’s debate about whether we’re heading to reflation, deflation or stagflation, or all of the above. The Aussie dollar lost more ground, but the pound is taking more of a hammering as fuel shortages will almost certainly be hitting the growth outlook there. Over the Atlantic the debt ceiling is looming, but the short-term issue is passing some sort of budget today, so the government can carry on spending tomorrow. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Wednesday 29th September 2021It seems like it was a fairly heated Senate Banking Committee meeting in the US overnight. Flags were raised about whether Jerome Powell will win another term as Governor of the Fed, given the background of yesterday’s resignations and with one Democrat Senator overnight calling him ‘dangerous’. The US debt ceiling is also causing concern, with it being used as a bargaining chip for the moderation of Biden’s spending plans. NAB’s Tapas Strickland says we have been here before so the market is not overly concerned about the lack of progress, just yet. We also discuss how the Fed are likely to push ahead with tapering even if employment doesn’t pick up, how China’s growth this year is likely to be hit by rolling power outages, signs that Australia will bounce back quickly out of lockdown and the future for Evergrande. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tuesday 28th September 2021It seems markets are still trading on the hawkishness of central banks, particularly the Fed, where we’re seeing bond yields significantly higher and tech stocks weakening. Commodity prices are also pushing higher globally, with Brent Crude now close to $80 a barrel. NAB’s Gavin Friend in London says these extra costs, plus supply constraints make it highly unlikely that the Bank of England will lift interest rates next year, no matter what Governor Andrew Bailey suggests. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Monday 27th September 2021Last week was a very volatile week, driven by the uncertainty over Evergrande, the unexpected hawkishness of central banks, continued concerns over supply chains and the emerging fuel crisis in the UK and Europe. This week you can add the USD debt ceiling to the list of concerns. NAB’s Ray Attrill says without a stop gap funding resolution we could be going into the weekend with government shutdowns. Also today we look at the German election over the weekend, which could see the government split three ways. And will the Aussie dollar gain ground as “freedom day” in NSW approaches? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Friday 24th September 2021There’s been a big shift to risk-on overnight, with equities rising and bonds falling, pushing yields much higher in the US and across Europe. But why? The risk of Evergrande remains and with the Fed eyeing jobs data, a rise in weekly jobless claims was hardly a good sign this morning. NAB’s Gavin Friend says part of it is a reaction to the clearer roadmap for the Fed, assuming the next payrolls numbers are strong. Markets were also responding to the Bank of England, who expect inflation in the UK to reach 4 percent this year and that could strengthen the case for “modest tightening of monetary policy”. But if prices are rising because of supply constraints, does a rate hike really make sense? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Thursday 23rd September 2021As expected, the Fed didn’t give a specific date for the start of tapering, but suggested it should all be done by the middle of next year. NAB’s David de Garis says the bank has also moved forward its expectations for rate rises, with the board split on a rise as soon as next year. The Norges Bank is well ahead of them tonight, likely to be the first G20 central bank to lift rates since the pandemic started. The Bank of England meets today too, and inflation concerns will be front and centre, particularly with the crisis in fuel prices. Meanwhile markets were buoyed by the news that Evergrande will pay bondholders, so that can has been kicked down the road for now. Oil has risen as inventors in the US fell faster than expected. And lots of PMI reads today. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Wednesday 22nd September 2021Markets are still concerned over the Evergrande debacle, although equities and currencies and bonds have all calmed down a little overnight. China has been on holiday so far this week, so today could provide news on the government’s response before the develop defaults on its bond interest payments. There will be strong interest I the Fed tomorrow morning, of course, but it seems unlikely that they will announce tapering of their asset purchases just yet. NAB’s David de Garis says they will prefer to see another standout jobs report. Also today, can we expect more moves in oil, with the EIA stockpile report tonight. And the OECD has revised growth forecasts down and inflation expectations up. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tuesday 21st September 2021Markets have been running for cover overnight over fears that a default by Evergrande could spread beyond the Chinese property sector to the rest of the world. NAB’s Ray Attrill talks through the response, which has seen equities ditched in favour of bonds, and the money markets running to the Yen and Swiss Franc. But it’s the pound that has fared the worst overnight as their energy crisis continues, which has its own multi-industry contagion. By the time you listen in RBNZ Assistant governor Christian Hawkesby will have given a speech that could impact markets locally, particularly if he gives hints on the size of the expected rate rise. And the Canadian election results will start coming in later today, but there’s every chance it’ll be down to the wire and we won’t know for sure till later in the week. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Monday 20th September 2021There’s more caution in the markets as we kick off a week doinated by central banks – the US Fed, BoE, BoJ, Swiss National Bank, Riksbank, Norgesbank all meeting, but NAB’s Tapas Strickland says it’s the US Fed that has markets on a bit of a holding pattern. There will be particular interest in the mapping of dot points this week. On the podcast there’s discussion about the flattening US yield curve, reasons for the weak retail numbers in the UK, Europe’s gas crisis, and the impact of a potential default by Evergrande in China this week. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Friday 17th September 2021There was a lot of movement overnight, with US equities falling, then regaining some of the losses in late trade. Most currencies fell against a rising US dollar, but even some of those were pared back as the session progressed. The fall in equities happened despite a rise in US retail numbers, when sales were expected to fall. NAB’s Gavin Friend says markets clearly didn’t know which way to take it. There have, of course, been other surprises in the last 24 hours. Australian employment numbers fell more sharply than anticipated and NZ GDP was stronger than expected, both supporting the relative stance of their respective central banks. There are lots of swings and roundabouts on the road to recovery it seems, creating a lot of investor confusion. Today was one of those days. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Thursday 16th September 2021There’s a little more optimism in the markets this morning, particularly in US equities. NAB’s Tapas Strickland says there’s no overarching good news, suggesting there’s a strong element of ‘buying the dip’. Which could mean it’s all reversed tomorrow! In fact, the news out of China was largely negative, with industrial production, fixed asset investment and retail sales all below expectations. The huge debts of the Evergrande Group are also likely to see authorities tightening financial controls on the construction industry. Inflation was more than expected in the UK and Canada, and will, in both cases, add fuel to the argument that their central banks will raise interest rates at least once next year. Locally, Australia’s employment data will be the numbers to watch, although they are a little out of date. US retail sales will also be one to watch. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Wednesday 15th September 2021Inflation in the US has slowed. Is this a win for those arguing it is all transitory? Phil Dobbie asks NAB’s Rodrigo Catril what this means for the Fed and expectations of tapering. Market moves aren’t just a reaction to the US CPI, there’s also a risk-off mood driven by increasing cases of COVID in China which could cause further supply disruption. The Aussie dollar is still weak after Philip Lowe’s dovish speech at lunchtime yesterday. UK jobs numbers were strong but there are still a million job openings to be filled, by who? And today we’re expecting to see weaker activity numbers from China. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tuesday 14th September 2021Markets are a little mixed ahead of today’s US CPI numbers. But, just how important are these numbers when the Fed is far more focused on returning the country to full employment. NAB’s Tapas Strickland says supply-led inflation is allowing the Fed to be more accommodative for longer. Oil prices hit a six week high overnight, based on supply constraints and OPEC’s expectations for increased demand. Besides US inflation numbers, the focus later will be on UK jobs numbers and, at lunchtime, a speech by the RBA’s Philip Lowe. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Monday 13th September 2021Talks between Biden and Xi on Friday added to market concerns. NAB’s Rodrigo Catril says it was the realisation of how long it would take to resolve issues, if ever. A US investigation into Chinese state subsidies also added to the malaise. On top of that, inflation (driven by supply constraints) and the speed of economy recovery remain two other major concerns. On the price side, US PMIs were higher than expected on Friday, whilst UK GDP growth was slower than expected in July. Rodrigo says there are so many factors making the data very noisy. But if the caution is lifting the US dollar at the expense of the Aussie, is there anything that will change that in the near term? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Friday 10th September 2021As NAB’s Gavin Friend vehemently predicted on yesterday’s Morning Call, the ECB has announced that they will cut back purchases under their Pandemic Emergency Programme. It reflects the optimism in Europe, which is not currently matched in the US, where equities are down on the realisation that the recovery is taking time, largely driven by supply constraints that could be with us for a lot longer. There was positive news on jobs, with the weekly initial jobless claims at their lowest level since the pandemic began. US PPI, Canadian unemployment rate, UK monthly GDP and NZ credit card spending are the numbers to look for today. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Thursday 9th September 2021As expected, there were no moves from the Bank of Canada overnight, but NAB’s Gavin Friend says the same will not be true for the ECB tonight. They will cut back on bond buying, he says. In fact, it’s taken longer than expected. Currency markets have been fairly quiet, with most moves happening in equities, which have adopted a more cautious air. The Fed’s Beige Book reflected some of this caution, with many consumers wary of eating out or going on holiday for fear of catching the Delta variant. There’s a rising delta between jobs advertised and employment, with the JOLTs figures showing 10.9 million openings in the US. Boris Johnson pushed ahead with his bold move of lifting taxes in the last few hours, running the risk of slowing a recovering economy. Today, Aussie weekly payrolls, China’s CPI and a speech from the RBA’S Guy Debelle. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Wednesday 8th September 2021The RBA is pushing ahead with its tapering of bond purchases, just as predicted on The Morning Call, but the bank is doing it in a very dovish fashion. There won’t be any further cuts in the quantity until February next year. Does that suggest the RBA is seeing a slower recovery? NAB’s Rodrigo Catril reads between the lines in the RBA statement yesterday, and looks at why the US markets are showing so much caution on the return from the Labor Day holiday. Plus, China’s surprise trade numbers and a look ahead to the Bank of Canada tonight. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tuesday 7th September 2021The RBA meets today and the big question is, will they push on with their tapering schedule, reducing weekly purchases from $5b per week to $4b. NAB’s Ray Attrill says that they will, but there are concerns about the optics of making a move when the economy is in lockdown. The same question applies to the ECB later this week. Central banks have a direction they want to take, but the timing is being determined by the rise in COVID cases. On that, a rate hike by the RBNZ is looking even more likely, as the country starts to ease restrictions as cases are contained. Equities in Europe were up today, and will likely rise in the US as they return from the Labor Day holiday. That too is likely to be a response to the Fed delaying tapering, topping up the punchbowl for a while longer. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Monday 6th September 2021Non-farm payrolls grew well below market expectations I the US on Friday, and are certainly not the substantial progress the Fed has been looming for. Today on The Morning Call NAB’s Tapas Strickland looks at the market response to the payrolls numbers, and other signs that the global recovery might be slowing. Is it just a transitory phase? With that in mind, what will the RBA do about tapering its bond buying, and will the ECB still ease off its purchase under its PEPP? Both meet this week, and the Fed’s Beige Book is out midweek to, to help provide some colour on the state of the US economy right now. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Friday 3rd September 2021There seems to be a lot resting on tonight’s non-farm payrolls numbers from the US. Phil Dobbie asks NAB’s Gavin Friend what the reaction will be if the numbers come in softer or stronger than anticipated? The weekly jobless claims overnight were encouraging, showing the lowest number of new claims since the pandemic began. Whilst equities and bonds have been relatively subdued in the wait, there’s even more movement in currencies, with the Aussie dollar managing to climb back over 74 US cents. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Thursday 2nd September 2021The ADP employment numbers in the US normally play second fiddle to the non-farm payrolls, but they are out a day earlier, and overnight they only came half way to meeting expectations. NAB’s Gavin Friend says they rarely show any correlation with Friday’s numbers, but they do reflect concerns about growth inhibited by supply chain disruption. The ISM numbers also reported a reduction in employment. On today’s podcast we also look at yesterday’s GDP numbers for Australia, which were a big surprise, but less relevant with most of the population now in lockdown with no clear end date in sight. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Wednesday 1st September 2021Markets have lost their optimism overnight. China’s PMIs came in softer than expected and Canada’s GDP, expected to grow, actually fell. Add falling consumer confidence in the US and there;s plenty of numbers for those looking at the glass half full. Inflation reared its ugly head again too, with Europe’s CPI read much more than anticipated, which could present a headache for the ECB, who had signalled that their emergency bond buying would continue through to next year. Ina amongst all of this, the Aussie and Kiwi dollars rose. NAB’s Ray Attrill says it’s telling as to how much pessimism and bad news was already priced into both these currencies. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tuesday 31st August 2021It’s been a quiet session overnight and NAB’s Tapas Strickland says its likely to be a quiet week in the run up to non-farm payrolls on Friday, which will give us all a clearer understanding on the speed of the US jobs recovery. The continued high COVID case numbers, a drop in air travel and the threat of an EU ban on non-essential travel from the US haven’t dented market enthusiasm, with the S&P reaching yet another record high. Locally today more GDP partials, which should give us enough data to determine whether tomorrows Q2 GDP number will be negative or positive. China’s PMI numbers will be watched keenly, whilst Chinese authorities will be keeping an eye on computer gamers! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Monday 30th August 2021The Fed chair Jerome Powell didn’t indicate any timing for tapering, as we predicted several times last week on The Morning Call. Yet the markets still reacted. Phil Dobbie asks NAB’s Rodrigo Catril what was said that was interpreted as a more dovish stance than expected. Can the markets maintain their optimistic outlook with a more cautious Fed, and with some data suggesting growth might be slowing. With NSW recording its highest infection rate so far yesterday, and Victoria staying in lockdown beyond Thursday, can the Australian dollar hold the gains it made late last week? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Friday 27th August 2021Market sentiment has been hit by the explosions in Kabul this morning, but NAB’s David de Garis says the response has been fairly limited. It certainly hasn’t knocked currencies and equities out of their trading ranges. No, the real focus today will be on what Jerome Powell says at tonight’s virtual Jackson Hole Symposium. Even though more hawkish members of the Fed are pushing for tapering sooner rather than later, it’s still likely that Powell will retain a wait and see approach. There’s still too much uncertainty to assume jobs will keep bouncing back at the rate we saw in the last non-farm payrolls. The next report is only a week away. Whilst the NSW Premier talks about easing restrictions, the national cabinet meets today to nut out a COVID strategy. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Thursday 26th August 2021Market optimism continued overnight, with US equities again hitting new highs and commodities climbing sharply too. That's helped the Aussie dollar again today. NAB’s Rodrigo Catril says the sentiment is being driven by infection rates starting to subside in the US. Phil Dobbie asks how fragile this optimism could be, if number were to rise again. The ECB’s Philip Lane painted a positive picture, suggesting the Delta variant won’t impact the European recovery story because fatalities and serious illness have been contained by the vaccine. He also indicated, whether through PEPP or another vehicle, they’ll be providing favourable financing conditions through to next March, at least. It’s very different to the direction being taken by the Fed, but more on that in tomorrow’s podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Wednesday 25th August 2021The tide of optimism seems to have set in, with another day of rising commodity prices and a strengthening Aussie dollar. Rising iron ore prices and zero new cases in China have also helped the Aussie, as the country gets to grips with life with COVID after lockdown. NAB’s Tapas Strickland says politicians are becoming more explicit about living with the virus, with Gladys Berejiklian expected to announce on Thursday some easing measures for those vaccinated. In New Zealand a rate hike in October is very likely, with the RBNZ signalling that the delay was to do with the timing of the lockdown and little more. Australian construction work data for Q2 is out today – if the number undershoots expectations, it could be enough to push Q2 GDP into negative territory. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tuesday 24th August 2021There’s been a swift turn in market sentiment, with US equities pushing new highs and oil bouncing back sharply. NAB’s Rodrigo Catril says there are early signs that the rise in COVID cases in the US might have peaked, whilst the official approval of the Pfizer and BioNTech vaccines might encourage more people to come forward for the jab. PMIs told a less positive story, with services growth slowing in the US and, for now, Europe seemingly showing more growth. Amongst all the commotion, bond markets remaining quiet, waiting for any hint of policy direction from Jerome Powell at this Friday’s virtual Jackson Hole symposium. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Monday 23rd August 2021Equities recovered in the US at the end of last week as markets responded to comments from Robert Kaplan, President of the Dallas Fed. NAB’s Ray Attrill says the FOMC member has changed his hawkish stance, now admitting the Delta variant was dampening demand and that could slow the speed of tapering by the central bank. In Asia it’s a different story, with equities hit by further evidence of increased regulation, mixed with the slowdowns associated with a zero COVID approach that is hitting supply and production. Locally, of course, rising infection numbers and extended lockdowns will continue to hurt the Aussie economy. Today PMIs for the Eurozone, the UK and Australia will give an indication of the relative rate of recovery around the world, although possibly, a little out of date given how quickly the global situation is changing. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Friday 20th August 2021There are more concerns over the global growth story, with commodity prices falling and the Aussie dollar one of the hardest hit currencies this morning. NAB’s David de Garis says China’s growth is one of the biggest concerns. Phil Dobbie asks whether expectations were set too high. COVID case rises continue to play on uncertainty, with another report showing how the efficacy of vaccines can quickly deteriorate, hence the need for booster shots. Debates over the time of the Fed’s tapering continues, but it’s unlikely we’ll hear more at Jackson Hole next week. Aussie employment numbers yesterday might have surprised on the upside, but it wasn’t as strong as the headline would suggest and, in any case, it won’t last with lockdowns continuing. Once again, COIVD cases for NSW, Victoria and NZ will be the most important numbers of the day today. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Thursday 19th August 2021The RBNZ didn’t push interest rates up yesterday, in light of the national lockdown. NAB’s David de Garis says the decision has been pushed back to October, all being well. It all depends on COVID numbers of course. Australia’s jobs numbers today are less relevant than usual given that they only covered the start of the NSW lockdown – the real numbers of concern will be infection rates. The FOMC minutes highlighted the divide that exists in the Fed on the speed of tapering, with Bullard suggesting tapering should be pushed back to next year, but finished in time for a rate hike later in the year. All this is putting markets on hold, with shares taking a knock and bond yield hardly moving. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Wednesday 18th August 2021With New Zealand in lockdown will the RBNZ still push ahead with its expected rate rise today? NAB’s Rodrigo Catril says central banks take a mid-term view, and the inflation and housing pressures remain, so it’s likely they will stick with the plan, but by no means certain. US markets took a confidence hit as retail sales and the NAHB housing index both came in much lower than expected. There was further evidence of rising costs, which were also reflected in the UK’s employment numbers yesterday. Today UK inflation data is out, plus Australia’s wage price index, and the FOMC minutes. And that RBNZ decision. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tuesday 17th August 2021Markets remain unsure as to the speed of the global recovery, but there’s mounting evidence that the full extent of the rebound will be delayed. That’s obviously the case in Australia, but the US we reported on Friday’s falling consumer sentiment, overnight the Empire State manufacturing index underwhelmed. This will increase the focus on US retail sales today. Overnight, though, the response has been to data from China, where retail sales, industrial production and fixed asset investment – were all weaker than anticipated, with the unemployment rate ticking up a little too. NAB’s Ray Attrill talks through NAB’s revised forecast for China’s growth. Locally the RBA minutes are out today, but they are somewhat out of date, given the change in circumstances. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Monday 16th August 2021The US dollar lost a lot of ground on Friday, with Treasury yields falling, both on the back of a much weaker than expected consumer confidence report in the US. NAB’s Tapas Strickland says this is the lowest read since the pandemic began. So, will treasury yields bounce back? Supply concerns have been exacerbated by the temporary closure of one of the world’s busiest container ports, after just one COVID case. Could a zero-COVID policy from China lead to much more disruption in coming months? Locally lockdowns look set to continue for longer, but the expectation is that the economy will bounce back quickly afterwards, provided we don’t see a significant rise in unemployment. Activity numbers from China today will give an indication of the extent of the slowdown in the recovery of the global economy. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Friday 13th August 2021There was very little movement in the markets overnight, with thing trading during the northern summer, compounded by any significant news. Bond yields have edged higher, with another successful auction, whilst equities have ground higher, with new highs for the S&P. NAB’s Gavin Friend says we’re at the point of the month when things quieten down. Even news of more regulation from China did little to impact markets. UK GDP was strong and US jobless claims fell, but these, and other data points overnight, came as no surprise to anyone. So a quiet day. Enjoy it while it lasts. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Thursday 12th August 2021US CPI eased in July. NAB’s David de Garis says it was helped by less pressure on used car prices and airline fares, whilst food prices remain elevated. It means the Fed can focus on reaching their employment target, whatever that target is. In a speech overnight Raphael Bostic suggested it wasn’t just about hitting full employment, it was also about fixing the inequality brought about by the pandemic. Meanwhile, the market is sold on the idea of tapering starting sometime in the next few months. At home, consumer confidence fell, but optimism is greater amongst those who have had the jab. UK GDP numbers are out today and will be better than last time, simply because it covers a period when lockdowns eased. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Wednesday 11th August 2021Markets are a little more optimistic today, but there seems little rhyme nor reason. NAB’s Ray Attrill says oil has bounced back, seemingly ignoring yesterdays concerns about slowing demand from China in light of COVID cases and lockdowns, even though the situation is only getting worse. The NAB Business Survey demonstrates the extent of the situation in Australia. Could a protracted lockdown see the RBA reverse its decision to introduce tapering next month? Generally, markets are looking for direction. Even the passing of Biden’s Infrastructure Bill through the senate has seen very little response. Will the US CPI numbers today provide some direction? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tuesday 10th August 2021The UN chief has called the latest IPCC report on climate change “a code red for humanity”. The shorter timeframes for rising temperatures has not had any market influence. NAB’s Tapas Strickland says, instead, the focus has been split between how quickly the Fed will introduce tapering, and concerns over whether the recovery will slow, with rising cases and more lockdowns. Oil has fallen further as flight numbers fall and the anticipation of less travel for the remainder of the year increases. Today the NAB Business Survey will reflect the lockdowns in Sydney and beyond, which Tapas points out, are likely to extend beyond the assumptions in the RBA’s latest forecasts. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Monday 9th August 2021There was a strong market reaction to Friday’s non-farm payrolls in the US, which NAB’s Rodrigo Catril says was at the top end of a broad range of expectations. The question is, does this represent the substantial progress that the FOMC is looking for before tapering bond purchases. It depends on which Fed member you are listening to. We’ve seen the response to the jobs numbers in equity markets, bond yields and the strengthening of the US dollar. That’s contributed to a weaker Aussie and Kiwi dollar, which could take another hit from weaker trade data from China over the weekend. So, will the Aussie recover? Protracted lockdowns will have an impact, with NAB at odds with the RBA on near term growth. How quick the recovery, obviously depends on vaccine rates. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Friday 6th August 2021I amongst the mixed data from the US – including signs that the job recovery is slowing - and the varied opinions of central bankers, take a look at what’s happening in Germany. Factory orders came bouncing back in June and Google mobility data is showing most people are heading back to work. NAB’s Gavin Friend says this adds to the strong GDP numbers last week. The extent to which these surpassed US growths hasn’t been given enough consideration, he says. Also today, the Bank of England ups its inflation forecast to 4% by the end of the year and all eyes will be on the non-farms payrolls data tonight – with a wide range of predictions, so take your pick! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Thursday 5th August 2021The New Zealand unemployment rate has fallen sharply, adding more to the expectation that the RBNZ will lift interest rates next month. NAB’s David de Garis says the markets have now priced it in at more than 100 percent. US jobs, however, are taking longer to recover. The ADP employment report saw far fewer new jobs than expected. Although all eyes are on the more credible non-farm payrolls number on Friday, the ADP report did knock the S&P off its record high. Today, the Bank of England meets, although we can’t expect them to be signalling anything of significance. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Wednesday 4th August 2021Central banks seem to be taking a very optimistic view of the rate of recovery right now. The RBA has decided it will push ahead with its tapering of asset purchases, despite the protracted Sydney lockdown. The RBNZ’s Governor Orr has as good as said that the central bank will lift interest rates next month. The direction taken by the US Fed will be dependent on jobs numbers, making the non-farm payrolls data all that more important at the end of the week. Meanwhile US equities have bounced back as investors take stock of strong corporate earnings. NAB’s Tapas Strickland says 88% of S&P 500 companies have reported a positive earnings surprise for Q2. Of concern, though, are rising infection rates in China. Mass cancellation of flights has been influential in the fall in oil prices again overnight. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tuesday 3rd August 2021There was a sharp drop in Treasury yields soon after the release of the ISM Manufacturing numbers from the US. The expectation was that they would rise slightly, but they actually fell. Although still in expansionary territory NAB’s Rodrigo Catril says it adds to the narrative that the speed of recovery is slowing. It was compounded further with weaker Caixin PMI manufacturing numbers from China. At home the RBA is fully expected to reverse its plans to start tapering its bond purchases from September, as NSW focuses more on increasing the vaccine rate as the only way out of lockdown. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Monday 2nd August 2021Iron ore prices fell below U$200 on Friday as China indicated that they would be cutting demand. It hit the Aussie dollar on Friday, which was already suffering as virus cases mounted in several parts of the country and no immediate escape plan for the Sydney lockdown. Today, Phil Dobbie asks NAB’s Ray Attrill whether the Aussie dollar could fall to 73 cents again this week, or lower, and whether that’s such a problem, given it has spent much of the last few years below that level. Also today, how Friday’s data showed that Europe is gaining momentum over the US on the recovery race. And mixed messaging from the Fed, but tapering is not likely to start anytime soon. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Friday 30th July 2021Markets have had a chance to absorb the dovish sentiment from the Fed yesterday and take stock of mixed data overnight. On the surface US GDP numbers looked weaker than anticipated, but a chunk of that was influenced by lower inventory and trade numbers. NAB’s Gavin Friend explains how consumption and investment was actually much higher than anticipated. He says we can expect a strong GDP read for the Euro are later today, where vaccine levels are picking up. Markets have also been soothed from conciliatory messages from China regarding overseas investors. The Aussie dollar showed slower growth on the back of a weaker US dollar, as the question remains, how long will the Sydney lockdown really last? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Thursday 29th July 2021There was a tame response to the FOMC statement this morning, but a more marked reaction during the press conference that followed. NAB’s David de Garis says the turning point was Powell’s remark that there was some ground to cover when it came to reaching full employment. Also on today’s podcast, discussion on yesterday’s Aussie CPI numbers, and how the widening trade deficit has seen a downgrade to US GDP expectations later today. And the US infrastructure bill might finally be voted on, but we’ll explain why markets are unlikely to be too interested. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Wednesday 28th July 2021Whilst US equities edged to all-time highs, the real yields on US Treasuries sank to new lows. NAB’s Rodrigo Catril talks about how expectations for tapering by the Fed could be pushed back, as the recovery slows. The take-up of vaccines in the US isn’t helping, with the seven-day average of daily jabs now at the lowest level since early January. In the UK infection rates are falling – but still very high – but hospitalisations are increasing. Whilst in the Sydney region lockdowns are likely to last longer, with almost 400k people claiming disaster payments, according to today’s AFR. So, plenty of reason for caution, and the waiting game is on for the response from the Fed later this week. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tuesday 27th July 2021Whilst US equities edged to all-time highs, the real yields on US Treasuries sank to new lows. NAB’s Rodrigo Catril talks about how expectations for tapering by the Fed could be pushed back, as the recovery slows. The take-up of vaccines in the US isn’t helping, with the seven-day average of daily jabs now at the lowest level since early January. In the UK infection rates are falling – but still very high – but hospitalisations are increasing. Whilst in the Sydney region lockdowns are likely to last longer, with almost 400k people claiming disaster payments, according to today’s AFR. So, plenty of reason for caution, and the waiting game is on for the response from the Fed later this week. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Monday 26th July 2021Last week markets were pulled between concerns over the rise of the Delta variant and the encouragement of strong corporate earnings data. This week could go either way, with significant earnings to come, and mixed opinions on the direction the virus will take. In today’s podcast NAB’s Tapas Strickland looks at the latest vaccine efficacy numbers and the influence on the Aussie dollar. Which was one of the biggest losers last week. We also look at the PMIs from Friday shows, which suggest Europe might have the edge on the US for growth. And the American economy has something else to contend with, slower population growth. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Friday 23rd July 2021Equities have been helped by earnings results and a little less COVID concern. On the macro front US jobless claims rose unexpectedly, but NAB’s Gavin Friend says a lot of it will be to do with seasonal adjustments related to the annual auto-tooling shutdowns. The ECB held its first meeting since it’s new straight 2 percent target, but little will change in the short term. The UK economy could be hit by track and trace ‘pings’ that are spreading like wildfire. Aussie payrolls numbers yesterday reflected the current shutdowns, which are likely to go on for much longer. Over the water New Zealand has its first day without QE – we look at the market response. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Thursday 22nd July 2021The rebound from the COVID concerns at the start of the week is now complete, with bond yields rebounding further overnight, equities bouncing higher and commodities on the rise. NAB’s David de Garis talks about how businesses are seeing the recovery happen, even where he is in London. Globally, it seems the expectation is that COIVD won’t hinder a global recovery, particularly as vaccine numbers rise. So what does that mean for the ECB today, particularly if growth is expected to rise and their outlook remains dovish? And Brexit is back, struggling over the NI border issue that was never resolved, perhaps because there isn’t an answer. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Wednesday 21st July 2021Curiously, much of the negative market reaction at the start of the week has seen a reversal in the last 24 hours, even though the reasons for the concern remain. The Delta variant continues to spread, vaccination rates have slowed, and case numbers are rising. Phil Dobbie asks NAB’s Ray Attrill if he can explain the switch in direction, with the response far stronger for equities than it is for bond traders. They also discuss the next moves for the RBA, with more lockdowns across Australia, and what to expect from the ECB tomorrow. Plus, Aussie retail sales numbers are out today. However poor they are for June, we know July will be worse. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tuesday 20th July 2021There’s not been a lot of economic data around, but markets have dipped sharply on the back of rising COVID cases. NABs Tapas Strickland says its being driven by the preponderance of the Delta variant. Oil is also down, in part because of the OPEC deal discussed yesterday, but also expectations of a slower global economic recovery and less international travel. Further tensions with China are adding to the uncertainty, with the US now implicating Chinese nations in the hacking of Microsoft servers earlier in the year. This will add to the tensions between Australia and China. A quiet day today, with the RBA minutes from a meeting that won’t have reflected the growing global concerns, which could delay the bank’s decision of when to taper asset purchases. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Monday 19th July 2021OPEC reached a deal of sorts over the weekend which will see supplies increase incrementally over the next few months. NAB’s Rodrigo Catril said markets had been expecting a deal of this magnitude, so it has done little (so far) to oil prices. Meanwhile, COVID caution continues to rein over the markets, with a stronger US dollar and a weaker Aussie. US retail numbers were strong on Friday, but we discuss Google data which suggests store visits are plateauing below pre-COVID levels in most parts of the world. New Zealand’s strong inflation numbers at the end of last week cemented the likelihood of action by the RBNZ, and this week will be the ECB’s first change to issue guidance reflecting its new strategy. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Friday 16th July 2021Markets returned to a more cautious outlook overnight, with US equities losing ground and bond yields falling. As NAB’s David de Garis explains, its difficult to find any particular reason for the change in sentiment, other than a return to concerns over COVID and the speed of economic recovery. There wasn’t anything in day two of Jerome Powell’s testimonies to cause concern and US data overnight was largely positive. The Aussie dollar felt the impact of the mood of the day, even though there was a very strong set of employment numbers yesterday. The UK’s employment numbers told a different story. And data from China suggest the slowdown is not as bad as feared, but likely to be enough to spark more stimulus from the PBoC. Today, the NZ CPI read will be the focus of attention. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Thursday 15th July 2021There’s a world of difference in the approaches being taken by central banks in response to the COVID recovery. NAB’s Gavin Friend talks through some of them, starting with the RBNZ announcing bond buying will end next week, leaving the door open for rate rises as soon as August. The Bank of Canada is also tapering its asset purchases. Yet, as inflation rises, the Fed’s Jerome Powell has been reiterating to Congress that tapering will not start anytime soon. The UK also saw inflation rise yesterday, but the BoE is not in any hurry to change direction, neither is the RBA. Who’s got the right idea? Today we will see jobs numbers for Australia and the UK, plus the weekly unemployment claims for the US, and a heap of data from China, including Q2 GDP. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Wednesday 14th July 2021US inflation has surprised again. It was expected to ease back after the 5% jump last month, but this time its higher still. Phil Dobbie asks NAB’s Tapas Strickland whether this will be enough for the Fed to be forced into tapering sooner than intended, or is it still transitory? As luck would have it, Jerome Powell is talking to Congress later today, so maybe we’ll get an inkling of a change in timelines. Also today, decisions from RBNZ and the Bank of Canada, two central banks in more of a hurry than most. Plus, China’s trade numbers, the NAB business survey and the Bank of England’s stability review. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tuesday 13th July 2021US stocks hit new highs as Q2 earnings season kicks off. NAB’s said it also reflects a recovery from Asia emanating from China’s easing of reserve requirements. China will be a focus today, too, with the release of trade data. US CPI is also out today. Could a combination of weaker earnings reports, a fall in trade to and from China and/or a higher-than-expected CPI dampen the mood? The other significant news overnight has been Christine Lagarde’s Bloomberg interview were she spoke about PEPP continuing in some form from 2022. Will we see central banks taking a more dovish stance as COVID numbers continue to raise concern? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Monday 12th July 2021For most of last week markets grew increasingly cautious about the spread of the Delta variant and fears of further lockdowns in major economies, Australia included. On Friday, though, that all changed, with bond yields rising, equities breaking new highs, the US dollar back on the rise, but the Aussie also doing well along with other commodity currencies. This morning, NAB’s Ray Attrill looks for reasons behind the shift in sentiment, including better credit numbers from China and a more extensive and sharper than expected cut in the reserve requirement ratio for Chinese banks. So, has the mood shifted? It’s a busy week ahead, including US CPI numbers, which markets have been particularly sensitive too recently. Who’s to say caution doesn’t swiftly return on the back of more virus news. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Friday 9th July 2021Is it below 2 percent or at 2 percent? The ECB has made subtle changes to its inflation target, but has flatly rejected the Fed approach of average inflation targeting. NAB’s David de Garis explains what’s changed in the ECB’s approach. Plus words from Philip Lowe yesterday about the RBA’s reluctance to shift policy until unemployment is (much) lower. Plus, oil up as US supplies fall, and the reflation trade takes a breather as COVID concerns rise. Listen in for the detail. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Thursday 8th July 2021The FOMC minutes were released this morning, but a more significant central bank release could be out later in the day. Christine Lagarde is said to be released the outcome of the ECB’s extensive strategy review. NAB’s Gavin Friend talks to Phil Dobbie about what’s likely to be in it and how much of it could be market changing. The Fed minutes meanwhile, had little impact on the markets, which continue to exercise caution as further data suggests a slowdown in the speed of the global economic recovery. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Wednesday 7th July 2021Bond yields have fallen markedly as markets adopt a more cautious air. NAB’s Rodrigo Catril says it’s being driven by a number of factors, including weaker than expected ISM services numbers from the US and factory orders from Germany. The main concern in the ISM was the employment data which dropped below 50, reinforcing the belief that there is a constraint in the availability of labour. A more controlling influence from China, the growth of a more virulent COIVD strain and the uncertainty over an OPEC deal have all added to the caution. So will a strong JOLTs number and the minutes of the last FOMC meeting do anything for turn the sentiment around today? There’s also discussion on yesterday’s RBA meeting, which left the door open to earlier rate rises and tapering of QE, driven by data not dates. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tuesday 6th July 2021Boris Johnson has told the UK public that they are just two weeks away from removing their masks, getting back to work and forgetting about social distancing. Within reason. Is this why the pound had such a strong day today, on what’s been a quiet session with the US holiday. Today, we know something will change with the RBA. That’s why Philip Lowe has scheduled a press conference this afternoon. But what exactly will be decided? NAB’s Ray Attrill talks through the possibilities. More importantly, what will cause the market to react? And oil rises sharply as OPEC+ talks fall apart. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Monday 5th July 2021Not too strong not too light, that seems to be the view of the non-farm payrolls in the US on Friday. It wasn’t strong enough to signal change in the Fed’s direction says NAB’s Tapas Strickland. At the current pace, he said, it would take eight months to get back to the pre-pandemic level for payrolls. There’s also discussion about changes expected from the RBA tomorrow. It’s been well signalled that there will be policy changes. Tapas says, given the improvements in the Australian economy, the need to run QE at $100 billion every six months is not there anymore. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Friday 2nd July 2021Markets have been treading water all week waiting for the non-farm payrolls data, particularly in bond yields which hardly moved at all in the last 2 4hours. NAB’s Gavin Friend says there’s been a lot of data for markets to chew over too, some of it below expectations, some of it over. Markets are clearly looking for direction and hoping that payrolls will provide it. In the podcast we also look at yesterday’s manufacturing, trade, dwellings and job vacancy numbers from Australia – all good, although the Aussie dollar was one of the weaker currencies overnight. Why? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Thursday 1st July 2021As we’ve mentioned before, central bank speakers are having little influence on the markets since the sharp response to the last FOMC meeting. As David de Garis says on today’s podcast, investors should wait for the evidence, with the non-farm payrolls on Friday the next significant cab off the rank. The ADP numbers overnight were down on April, and could be revised down further, as is often the case. There’s also discussion about weakness in the Aussie dollar, despite the iron ore price, Andy Haldane’s parting words from the Bank of England and uncertainty over China’s growth. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Wednesday 30th June 2021Markets have largely moved sideways, pulled between rising confidence numbers in the US and Europe, and concerns about rising cases of the Delta strain. As NAB’s Rodrigo Catril explains, the Conference Board’s labour market differential index, which looks at the ratio between those who see jobs as being plentiful and this finding them hard to get, came in at the highest level since 2000. Also today, discussion on Christine Lagarde’s green plans for Europe, the direction of the Chinese economy and house price concerns. Today, Australian Private Sector Credit will be of interest along with the ADP jobs numbers for the US. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tuesday 29th June 2021A little more cautiousness has crept back into the markets says NAB’s Tapas Strickland, although it might be as much to do with the prelude to the non-farm payrolls numbers at the end of the week as it is to do with rising infection rates as lockdowns. On today’s podcast we look at vaccine numbers and what needs to happen to see economies can on full footing. Plus, Tapas’ taker on yesterday’s Intergenerational Report for Australia. Germany’s CPI numbers will be watched closely today, as do all inflation numbers lately. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Monday 28th June 2021With Sydney suddenly flung into lockdown, Phil Dobbie asks NAB’s Ray Attrill what the market reaction will be today. One immediate repercussion will be we won’t hear anything from the RBA ahead of next week’s meeting. Markets also open today with the weekend news that Joe Biden has backtracked on his latest stimulus bill. It’s not such a done-deal after all. There’s also discussion about the path the markets take having retraced their response to the FOMC meeting the week before last, particularly when there remain so many known unknowns. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Friday 25th June 2021Joe Biden has struck a deal to push ahead with his infrastructure plan – a much reduced version. That’s helped US equities today. Ahead of that, it was a mixed day on the markets says NAB’s Gavin Friend, as Fed speakers gave mixed views on the duration of inflation and the Fed’s likely response. Data was also mixed, with weekly jobless claims not falling as much as hoped and durable goods orders a little weaker than expected. The Bank of England, who might have been a little more hawkish, actually took a very dovish stance. The data form Europe was largely positive and today the US personal income and spending will be of interest, along with the core PCE deflator, but, there again, we already know prices are rising. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Thursday 24th April 2021The crawl back from last week’s FOMC surprise is more or less complete. As NAB’s David de Garis points out, Treasury yields are back to where they were just before the Fed met. Equities are back to on the rise and commodities and being driven higher by demand and supply constraints. The reflation trade is back. On today’s podcast we go through the plethora of PMIs from Europe and the US, with more data from Europe today. The Bank of England meets later. The heavily-vaccinated UK population seem to be adapting to life with the virus. Could that influence the outlook for the Bank of England later on? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Wednesday 23rd June 2021Jerome Powell has been giving is testimony on Capitol Hill and he, like all the Fed speakers over the last 24 hours, has been trying his hardest to calm the markets and reassure them that inflation won’t last, so the Fed won’t be tapering soon or bringing forward rate increases. It seems to be working, with another day of a weakening US dollar and rising equities. This week tentatively suggests that the global reflation trade is not dead, says NAB’s Ray Attrill on today’s podcast. Plus, loads of PMIs today, for Australia, Europe and the US, we look at the winners and losers. And the first words from the RBA since those strong jobs growth numbers last week. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tuesday 22nd June 2021Well, we did say it was a rather extreme reaction to the FOMC meeting last week. NAB’s Tapas Strickland says the market moves overnight suggest the response was overdone, as markets partially unwound, with the US dollar falling, the yield curve steepening again, US equities up and the Aussie dollar on the rebound. So, what’s driven this rethink and will it last? Will Jerome Powell have an influence on it all when he speaks in front of a US government committee later? On today’s podcast we also examine yesterday’s Australian retail numbers, dissect what Christine Lagarde had to say from the AECB, and look ahead to what’s on today. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Monday 21st June 2021The US dollar continued to rise at the end of last week., hitting a two-month high, after the surprisingly bullish outlook from the Fed, but is the Aussie dollar paying too high a price? NAB’s Rodrigo Catril says the Aussie is in the middle of the storm, with the unwinding of the reflation trade pushing US equities and commodities lower. The Aussie dollar broke through a few technical levels at the end of the week, will it pick back up? Today we discuss movements in currencies and bond yields at the end of the week and what the week has in store for us. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Friday 18th June 2021The US dollar continued to rise yesterday, after the hawkish comments from the Fed. As David de Grais discusses on today's podcast, it’s impetus was enough to squash any positive currency response to Australia’s employment numbers and New Zealand’s GDP read yesterday, both of which were way higher than anticipated. And yet Philip Lowe continued to set the expectation that Australian rates wouldn’t rise until 2024. The road to recovery isn’t straight forward though, with US unemployment claims rising last week and Britain’s infection rate rising sharply, despite the vaccines. UK retail sales will garner a bit of attention today. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Thursday 17th June 2021At the FOMC meeting this morning the Fed upped their growth and inflation forecasts, twit the dot plots pointing to rate rises as soon as 2023. It’s a much more hawkish meeting than had been anticipated although, NAB’s Gavin Friend wonders whether enough has changed in the Fed’s forecasts to warrant such a shift. UK CPI is another indicator that exceeded expectations. We’re getting that a lot lately. Today’s Australian employment data is also discussed in today’s podcast, along with Philip Lowe’s speech in Toowoomba later on. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Wednesday 16th June 2021The FOMC meeting is just a day away are markets are being cautious, with little movements in bonds or equities. A weaker than expected set of retail sales numbers has added to the uncertainty. But is there any uncertainty around what the FOMC will say. NAB’s Tapas Strickland says under the hood the retail numbers had some positives, including more evidence of the rotation from goods to services. We also look at the rising price of oil, and the fall in other commodities. Coming up, other than the FOMC meeting, we’ll see China’s retail sales numbers, CPI for the UK and Canada and New Zealand’s balance of payments and current account. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tuesday 15th June 2021Oil has hit a two-year high. This morning NAB’s Ray Attrill explains why oil prices could continue to rise. Are we heading for $100 oil? Also, why bond yields are rising again ahead of an FOMC meeting this week where little is expected to happen. And troubling times for Boris Johnson, fighting the EU over the NI protocol, pacifying the US President and announcing a 4 week delay to next week’s planned lifting of all COVID restrictions. On today’s podcast we also look ahead to the RBA minutes, US retail sales and UK employment numbers. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Friday 11th June 2021US CPI was a higher than expected, but the Market seems to have taken it largely in its stride, although it’s helped push equities higher today. NAB’s David de Garis said the market will be more interested in what the Fed might say next week, after a couple of disappointing payrolls numbers. Meanwhile, the ECB, upped their forecasts but didn’t talk of tapering, except to say they weren’t going to rush into it. And world leaders are in Cornwall to talk about the global approach out of the pandemic, including a belt and road initiative to rival Chinas. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Thursday 10th June 2021Bond yields have fallen further overnight, in some cases to levels not seen for several months. NAB’s Tapas Strickland says it could be market positioning, although it could also be related to growing acceptance that any inflation that occurs is transitory. That’s not how the Bank of England’s Andy Haldane sees it though, and China’s PPI numbers shows supply costs are rising. Yet the RBA’s Christophe Kent sees any significant rise in inflation, temporary or otherwise, as being some way off for Australia. This mix of views on where inflation is heading globally will be fuelled further by the latest US CPI number out later today. Plus, what to expect from the ECB. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Wednesday 9th June 2021Inflation fears have eased further, says NAB’s Gavin Friend, with bond yields pushing lower and market volatility easing. That’s despite the JOLTs (job openings) numbers in the US which were high enough for everyone to have a job, but its clear to attract workers companies will have to lift their wages. That was evidenced in the NFIB small business survey overnight too. Meanwhile, in the UK the focus is on rising house prices – BoE chief economist Andy Haldane described the market as “on fire” – and the worsening dispute with the EU on the Northern Ireland border. The Europeans are worried that British sausages could find their way onto the continent, stopping them could also mean the Northern Irish could be sausage-free. This is a story that won’t go away. It’s a slow burner, with lots of sizzle to follow (sorry). Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tuesday 8th June 2021If the non-farm payrolls gave the markets a Goldilocks moment on Friday – with jobs numbers that weren’t too hot or too cold – then maybe markets are already starting to question whether it was exactly what was needed. As NAB’s Ray Attrill points out, US CPI numbers later in the week, and the expectations of them, could tip the balance a little. But, could the speed of recovery also be a concern? The US is showing growth, and it’s likely the JOLTs numbers today will show there are lots of job openings, but will they be filled? And why are China’s exports down? Could it be to do with supply constraints, or could it be lack of demand, particularly when much of Asia is facing increasing lockdowns and restrictions. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Monday 7th June 2021Not too good, not too bad, that seems to have been the market response to the non-farm payrolls numbers out of the US on Friday. NAB’s Rodrigo Catril says it reinforced the view that the labour market was recovering in the US, but not so fast that it would prompt tapering discussions. The result has been a sharp fall in Treasury yields and a pick-up in risk assets. It’s a different story in Canada, but as discussed in today’s podcast, it’s all a question of timing and lockdowns. The G7’s agreement in principle to a 15% minimum corporate tax was another highlight at the end of last week, but there’s still a long way to go. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Friday 4th June 2021On today’s podcast NAB’s Gavin Friend talks through a session that has been in two parts. First off there was the response to a series of strong numbers from the US, including a standout set of employment numbers from the ADP. This positive news added to speculation that the Fed would taper soon rather than later, with the Fed’s Robert Kaplan suggesting they might need to take their foot off the pedal sooner. Stocks regained some of their losses when reports emerged that Joe Biden might compromise on the size of his increase to corporate tax. Tonight the focus will be on the non-farm payrolls numbers out of the US. If they are strong then pressure will mount for a swifter move from the Fed. Or at least that’s what the markets will expect. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Thursday 3rd June 2021If there’s one takeout from the Fed’s Beige Book overnight, aside from the continued improvement in the US recovery, it was the rising concern about input costs. Even though it’s seems to be accepted wisdom that price pressures from supply chain disruption will be transitory, there’s the question about how that disruption will impact the jobs recovery. NAB’s David de Garis says that makes this week’s non-farm payrolls on Friday particularly important, which explains why markets are lacklustre today, across almost all asset classes. Only oil is showing any significant move forward. Listen in for a description of how markets are travelling, just don’t expect any big numbers. Not today. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Wednesday 2nd June 2021The RBA didn’t steer from its earlier stance that it was too soon to be looking at any changes in policy right now. Those who were expecting a more hawkish attitude will have been disappointed. The real surprise yesterday was the strength of the GDP partials in Australia, in particular a record current account surplus. NAB’s Rodrigo Catril says that will translate to a higher GDP number today. Elsewhere, Europe posted final PMIs for May, which have been revised upwards, and the US reported a high ISM manufacturing read. Hardly surprising then, that oil is on the rise, with Brent hitting pre-pandemic levels. But with India still in trouble, Iran ready to up their production, and uncertainty over lockdowns the world over, isn’t $71 oil a little premature? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tuesday 1st June 2021Markets have been understandably quiet with the US and UK on holiday. China delivered its PMIs, with the manufacturing read a little below expectations, and non-manufacturing a little higher than expected. NABs Tapas Strickland says the new orders component of manufacturing suggests demand might be starting to level off. The rising Yuan is clearly a concern for the PBoC who announced measures to tackle it, whilst Chinese authorities are now permitted families to have three children. Whilst Monday was quiet, there’s a plethora of data today, including pre-GDP partials for Australia, the Eurozone’s CPI, Canada’s GDP, US ISM, and China’s Caixin PMIs. Plus, of course, the RBA. No big announcements are expected but what will be the tone they adopt? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Monday 31st May 2021It was an early start to month-end on Friday, with the US and UK off on holiday today. NAB’s Ray Attrill says there were a lot of intra-day currency moves late in the day on Friday, some of which will be down to asset managers managing their hedge ratios. There was little movement in other asset classes, even with a higher-than-expected inflation read, mainly because it wasn’t the same scale as the CPI shock earlier in the month. It might be a quiet start to the week, but it’s a busy week, including the RBA tomorrow and non-farm payrolls in the US on Friday. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Friday 28th May 2021Three central bankers argued for a more rapid tightening of monetary policy overnight. The Bank of England’s Gertjan Vlieghe argued a scenario where rates in the UK could rise as early as Q2 next year, although NAB’s David de Garis says markets might have overreacted to what was a far more nuanced argument. The pound is the big winner in the major currencies overnight. The ECB’s Jens Weidman expressed concerns about monetary policy being pushed too far to tackle income distribution, whilst the Fed’s Robert Kaplan wrote an article outlining how the US labour market might be tighter than many have thought, with people stepping out of the workforce for early retirement, for example. Tonight, the Biden administration releases its budget papers, with forecasts, and the long awaiting PCE deflator – although with so much uncertainty around the transitory nature of inflation, or otherwise, there’s a question mark on just how valuable this read will be. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Thursday 27th May 2021The RBNZ surprised many yesterday by indicating that there could be an interest rate rise as soon as next year, which bolstered the Kiwi dollar and it hasn’t really come back down to earth. They are a little more guided in Europe, though, where the ECB mentions at every turn that tapering won’rt happen soon, let alone a rate rise. This morning Phil Dobbie asks NAB’s Rodrigo Catril whether two central banks can really pursue such different paths when the push comes to shove, particular as the RBA and RBNZ tend to be aligned? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Wednesday 26th May 2021Okay, we know The US dollar has fallen again, with rises in the Euro, and a shift up in the Yuan, but will it stick? NAB’s Ray Attrill says there have been conflicting reports from China as to whether the country would benefit from a stronger currency, or not, but the belief is it will continue to rise which could add more strength to the Aussie dollar over time. In the US house sales were well down, but it seems to be a factor of supply shortages mixed with rising construction costs weakening demand. It’s being seen as another temporary inflation measure, with further falls ion bond yields overnight suggesting the transitory inflation story is even more widely accepted. Today the RBNZ policy statement – can they remain so dovish in light of the local data? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tuesday 25th May 2021Equities are back on the rise and bond yields are falling, slightly, as investors seem to have accepted the line of most central banks that inflation is only transitory. The Bank of England’s Chief Economist is one of the few dissenters, but as NAB’s Gavi Friend points out, he has always been hawkish, and he is about to walk out the door anyway. Nonetheless, the inflation debate continues and attitudes could quickly switch. Meanwhile, the Aussie dollar hasn’t gained as much as the NZ dollar from the weakening US dollar, in part because of more noises for China on the need to control speculation in commodities. Today Aussie merchandise trade figures, plus the weekly payrolls report, and the German IFO report. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Monday 24th May 2021There was a strong set of numbers at the end of the week; PMI reads were generally good, UK retail bounced back and vaccines, we’re told, will do a good job against the current mutations of COVID-19. But the Euro lost ground on Friday as Cristine Lagarde refused to commit to any schedule for talking tapering, whilst support for tapering sooner rather than later is gathering some momentum in the US. Inflation continues to be a hot topic, with more evidence of rising costs in the PMIs. NAB’s Tapa Strickland says the survey highlights how many companies are expecting to pass the costs on. What will rising prices and a string economic recovery do for Biden’s hopes for a massive infrastructure spending program? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Friday 21st May 2021Equities bounced back in the US and Europe as markets re-evaluated the comments about the timing of tapering in this week's FOMC minutes. The US dollar is also lower, along with bond yields. NAB’s Gavin Friend points out that this is the third turnaround Thursday in a row. Will it become habit forming? On today’s podcast more discussion about differing attitudes to inflation, plus a look at yesterday’s job numbers in Australia and a look ahead to today’s flash PMI numbers for many parts of the world. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Thursday 20th May 2021The FOMC minutes gave away more than expected, with the Fed suggesting it might be appropriate at some point to discuss a plan to adjust the pace of asset purchases, if the economic recovery continues. Lots of caveats there, but markets responding pushing 10 year Treasury yields up 5 basis points quickly afterwards. NAB’s David de Garis says the mere mention of tapering was enough to evoke a response, with inflation also back in full focus. Also today, Bitcoin lost almost a third of its value, before making most of it back again, after China announced a ban on financial institutions facilitating any transactions into or out of the currency. There’s also discussion on today’s Aussie employment numbers – NAB is more bullish than consensus on this, expecting the unemployment rate today. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Wednesday 19th May 2021It’s been a mixed session for US equities overnight, whilst bonds headed sideways. The main move has been the further decline in the US dollar, falling below 90 on the DXY index for the first time since January and not far from the lows of 2018. NAB’s Gavin Friend says the move down is being driven by the reopening in Europe ,without the US labour market volatility, plus the fall in real yields. Also on today’s podcast, discussion on yesterday’s RBA minutes, tomorrow’s FOMC minutes and whether a US-Iran nuclear will add a sizeable chunk of extra oil on the global markets. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tuesday 18th May 2021US shares fell sharply today as investors once again weighed up inflation concerns. The only new data to support rising prices was the Empire State Manufacturing Index, which showed an all-time high for prices paid and future prices. NAB’s Tapas Strickland says it’s the tech sector that has been hit the hardest, perhaps because of overvaluation concerns and the fear of a Fed that has to raise rates aggressively if it’s behind the curve on inflation. Also on today’s podcast discussion of the RBA minutes later today, China’s retail numbers yesterday and the UK’s employment data later on today. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Monday 17th May 2021Share markets are riding high again in the US despite a triple whammy of disappointing reports. First, retail sales ex-auto fell 0.8 percent in April, secondly consumer sentiment fell from 88.3 to 82.8, and finally inflation expectations have risen to the highest level in a decade. NAB’s Rodrigo Catril says investors are buying the Fed’s line that the recovery will see fluidity in numbers and rises in inflation are transitory. But we should also be looking at vaccination numbers, lockdowns and COVID infection rates to understand which economies will bounce back the fastest. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Friday 14th May 2021USA equities came bouncing back today after yesterday’s sharp response to the higher than anticipated CPI numbers. Topday, investors clearly decided to look beyond any temporary price rises and look to the great re-opening story. The news that there were less than expected jobless claims last week will have helped to drive the expectation that the worst is over and the US economy is reopening. That was reflected in the rise of cyclical stocks in particular and further evidence was provided in the New York Fed’s Weekly Economic Index. Today, eyes will be on the US retail numbers for April and the Michigan Uni Consumer Sentiment Index. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Thursday 13th May 2021US CPI numbers came in on the high side today, and markets have reacted swiftly, with equities falling sharply and the bond sell-off pushing Treasury yields up, although not quite as high as late March when inflation fears were at fever pitch. Phil Dobbie asks NAB’s David de Garis whether the market is over-reacting. After all, it’s one month, it includes the base effect of last year’s lockdowns and the core number is not too far from the Fed’s target range. It could easily settle down in a month or two. The UK could be next to see this supply driven inflation ramp up, with the GDP numbers showing a significant rise in March, even before lockdown was fully eased. There’s only one focus for the markets right now and nobody is exactly sure how it will play out. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Wednesday 12th May 2021Equities have taken a tumble again in the US, with the falls broader than just tech stocks. Europe too has seen sharp falls. This risk off mood is being driven by increasing inflation concerns, as evidence mounts that supply restraints are pushing up producer prices, which will eventually be passed on to the consumer. NAB’s Gavin Friend says vertigo is another factor, shares have risen so much this year that investors are worried. There’s also discussion on the Australian budget, China’s rising PPI numbers and why the rise in European bond yields this morning? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tuesday 11th May 2021Inflation expectations continues to influence markets, with NAB’s Rodrigo Catril explaining why it has such a marked impact on tech stocks. Inflation in supply chains is a theme around the world, and tonight’s PPI numbers from China are expected to give another clear indication. The pound has had a string session as Britain prepares for more lockdown easing – and Boris Johnson promising the return of hugging – from next Monday. Locally, the focus will be the Federal Budget, and the implications for the RBA of a smaller deficit and less bond issuance. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Monday 10th May 2021US non-farm payrolls markedly undershot market expectations on Friday, with just 266 thousand new payrolls, versus the expectation of close to one million. NAB’s Tapas Strickland says some argue that the $300 a week jobless supplement is delaying the return to work. Nonetheless, investors took it as a sign that government stimulus would continue and that the Fed’s program would continue on schedule, with no moves until a string of months with strong recovery in jobs numbers. In Australia all eyes will be on the revised government deficit in the Federal Budget tomorrow. Can the RBA continue with the current scale of bond buying if the government is issuing less of them? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Friday 7th May 2021The Bank of England has upped its forecasts for the growth of the UK economy this year – from 5 percent a few months ago, up to 7.25 percent. The recovery is booming, it seems, but let’s not get carried away, said BoE Governor Andrew Bailey. NAB’s David de Garis looks at the implications of the new forecast on their policy decisions moving forward. The RBA has also been in the spotlight, with Guy Debelle talking in Perth last night and suggesting that inflation forecasts were of less interest to the bank than the inflation that was actually being experienced. Tonight non-farms payrolls will be the focus in the US, where the economy is also bouncing back and jobs will be part of it, but just how quickly? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Thursday 6th May 2021The Fed’s board continues to talk down the prospect of tapering, pushing the argument that price rises will be transitory. There was more evidence of prices being hit by supply chain issues in the services ISM numbers in the US this morning. It might be a different story in the UK. NAB’s Gavin Friend says its line ball as to whether the Bank of England will highlight the prospect of tapering this year. Guy Debelle might add some thoughts on the timeline for the RBA’s bond buying when he talks in Perth this afternoon. The UK also goes to the polls today, with the question of whether an increase in the SNP vote could force the case for another Scottish independence referendum. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Wednesday 5th May 2021Janet Yellen surprised the markets this morning suggesting that it might be necessary to raise interest rates to stop the economy from overheating. A call to be made by the Federal reserve, not the Treasury Secretary. Initial market reaction was paired back as the reading of the intent and timing of the comments was watered down. Meanwhile, shares fell in the UK and Europe, although big -tech fared worse than cyclicals. The RBA has upped their growth forecasts for Australia, and cut their unemployment rate expectations, whilst the RBNZ’s Financial Stability Report will be looked at with keen interest to see the influence of a housing market running hot. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tuesday 4th May 2021Demand is outstripping supply on both sides of the Atlantic. That fact shone through in today’s US manufacturing ISM, which, whilst still well over 509, at 60.7 it is quite a bit down on March, with a rising number of backorders and increasing material costs. It’s a similar story in Europe, where manufacturing PMIs for April have been revised down a little. NAB’s Rodrigo Catril says there is little doubt that inflation is coming, the question is, for how long and how deep? The RBA meets today, their statement will foreshadow the forecasts in Friday’s Statement on Monetary Policy. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Monday 3rd May 2021What data there was on Friday was largely good news, apart from the horrific turn of events in India. In the US, though, reads on consumer sentiment and Chicago’s PMI came out stronger than expected. Yet markets turned a little sour at the end of the week, with equities sharply down, and commodity prices falling. NAB’s Tapas Strickland says month-end positioning will be partially to blame, along with concerns about market valuations. Another positive indicator for the US was a 21 percent surge in personal income in the US. Will this flow through to stellar GDP growth in Q2, and if so, what does this do t the prospects for Biden’s next stimulus package or for the Fed’s resistance to tapering? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Friday 30th April 2021It’s been a choppy session for US stocks, even though the news on the economy was largely positive and earnings results have been strong. Still, equities generally pushed higher, with the S&P500 getting over the 42,000 level. Commodities have also been rising sharply, with copper breaking $10,000 momentarily. NAB’s David de Garis talks about how supply chain issues are pushing prices higher, particularly the supply of chips which is slowing car production in the US AND Japan. Commodities generally are impacting the prices paid for producers the world over. The big questions is, how long will this go on for? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Thursday 29th April 2021Excuse the American pluralisation, but “long ways to go” is the Fed’s Jerome Powell’s take on the path to recovery for the American economy, and the reason that rates won’t be lifting anytime soon, and the easing of bond purchases are, supposedly, also some way off. There were small movements in the market, says NAB’s Ray Attrill, mostly from the press conference rather than the FOMC statement. Also today, why housing subsidies partially account for Australia’s lower than anticipated CPI numbers yesterday. Plus, the problem with the US’s rising trade deficit, and how we can expect Australia’s terms of trade to rise even more later today. And the first look at earnings results for Apple and Facebook. Spoiler alert, both very strong. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Wednesday 28th April 2021Markets are treading water ahead of the FDOMC meeting tomorrow morning, but there’s been a sudden rise in bond yields in the US which, NBA’s Rodrigo Catril, suggests inflation is still a concern, as optimism around a vaccine driven recovery escalates. But inflation is less of a concern in Australia - we get the CPI numbers today, Rodrigo tells us what to expect. There’s also discussion around what the Fed will say tomorrow morning, and why share prices aren’t always responding to earnings results which are generally beating expectations. Tesla, Microsoft and Alhabet are the latest to outperform. Has the market reached a peak for now? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tuesday 27th April 2021Equities are on the rise again as risk sentiment rises following largely positive data, including the PMIs talked about in yesterday’s Morning Call. Data over the last 24 hour shas been a little more subdued, with Germany’s IFO survey pulled down by lower expectations, and the US durable goods orders softer after the cancellation of Boeing aircraft orders. Nonetheless, the mood is generally positive, says NAB’s Gavin Friend, with Europe now getting into gear on vaccination rollouts and most S&P companies I the US have beaten their earnings estimate and copper – which is tied to the global reflation trade – is now at a decade high. The stars are aligned, for now, but the situation in developing nations – and in particularly in India – are a stark reminder that the problem won’t go away until the disease is tackled everywhere. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Monday 26th April 2021Markets were on a positive frame of mind at the end of the week, with a strong set of PMIs in the US and Europe, which helped push equities still higher in America. But how much is too much? Phil Dobbie asks NAB’s Tapas Strickland whether some of this is being driven by a fear of missing out. Meanwhile, with all the positive news, how long can the Fed continue to argue the need for such high levels of bond purchases and years of low interest rates? Will there be any hint that a change in direction is even being considered, when the Fed meet this week? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Friday 23rd April 2021Shares in the US have fallen this morning on news of a sizeable hike in capital gains for wealthy Americans. Although not officially released, NAB’s Gavin Friend explains how the rumour was enough to send shares falling, after a fairly positive start to the session. The ECB was asked whether they would follow Canada’s lead in tapering bond purchases sooner, but there won’t be anyu change until the June 10th meeting. Then the ECB might change its approach, depending on progress on containing the virus. Todays, it’s a day for PMIs, with the flash numbers for April for the Eurozone, Germany, the UK and the US. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Thursday 22nd April 2021The Canadian dollar has been boosted by the Bank of Canada markedly increasing their growth forecasts for this year, bringing forward the expected date of rate rises and introducing tapering from next week. NAB’s David de Garis says markets were expecting a tapering announcement, but were taken by surprise by the size of the growth revision, with the country in the midst of the third wave of the pandemic. On the podcast today we also look at New Zealand’s CPI read and what it can tell us about Australia’s inflation numbers next week, plus we look ahead to the ECB meeting tonight. And yesterday’s Australian retail numbers was largely a rebound in growth for WA and Victoria, but it seems cafes and restaurants may have led the charge. Is Australia heading for an avocado on toast led recovery? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Wednesday 21st April 2021There’s a cautious mood in the markets right now, with US stocks down, with smaller caps hit particularly hard. NAB’s Ray Attrill discusses whether this is all down to a revaluation of the speed of the economic recovery. Could the tightening of credit be responsible for this? It’s hard for businesses to recover without borrowing. There’s also discussion of yesterday’s RBA minutes and the expectations for Australia’s retail numbers out this morning. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tuesday 20th April 2021US equities dipped a little overnight, pulling back from record highs. NAB’s Tapas Strickland says there does seem to be a habit for a selloff whenever equities climb above the S&P500 200-day moving average. Will it all bounce back? Well, the vaccine news remains positive, with big reductions on cases in countries where vaccines have been rolled out extensively. That’s why we’re seeing strength in the Euro and Sterling today. But what about the Aussie dollar? Is it losing its momentum? It’s another quiet day ahead, with the RBA minutes not expected to reveal much, and earnings results for United airlines and IBM. Plus Apple are announcing something new. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Monday 19th April 2021There’s still plenty of positive sentiment around as the US, UK and Europe continue to vaccinate at pace. Europe has picked up pace and now jabbed 20 percent of its adult population. The Fed’s Christopher Waller said the economy is “set to rip”, with 6.5 percent growth this year. Yet, despite all the positive news, we have been seeing a decline in bond yields. In today’s Morning Call NAB’s Rodrigo Catril suggests it might be because concerns over inflation have been overdone and the market is coming round to the message that the Fed is trying to deliver that any rises will be transitory. Bitcoin dropped 15 percent in value on Friday, with unsubstantiated reports that the US might be clamping down on money laundering. Today is fairly quiet for data releases, with US earnings reports the only numbers of any consequence. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Friday 16th April 2021The news was largely positive overnight. Retail sales in the US were better than expected, initial jobless claims were down, the Philly Fed and Empire Manufacturing Surveys were strong – yet bond yields fell sharply in the US, spreading across much of Europe. It’s not the response you’d expect. NAB’s Ray Attrill says bond analysts had been expecting a period of consolidation, but perhaps not quite so much in one day, particularly surrounded by such positive economic data. The Aussie dollar has been one beneficiary of the positive sentiment surrounding that data, and there could be more to come if the numbers out of China are strong, including Q1 GDP, March Industrial Production, Retail Sales and Fixed Asset Investment, all out later on today. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Thursday 15th April 2021Equities came back off the highs we saw on Tuesday/Wednesday, but their decline didn’t reflect the sentiment in the market. In fact, a four percent rise in oil has been a better indicator, along with the strength of the Aussie dollar. NAB’s David de Garis says we have sen a rotation out of the tech stocks, but the banks have generally been doing well, helped by better than expected earnings results. Our local currency has been bolstered by yesterday’s consumer confidence read, with high hopes for today’s employment data for Australia. Today there will be a lot of attention paid to US retail sales – will they add to the positive vibes? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Wednesday 14th April 2021It’s been a session with mixed messages. Inflation is showing up in data, including higher than expected CPI in the US yesterday. We’re seeing it in input prices in the NAB Business Survey too, Of course central banks continue to say that any rise will be transitory, but are the markets convinced? Meanwhile, the global recovery that will give rise to that inflation could be temporarily stalled as the Johnson and Johnson vaccine deployment has been halted in the US and in Europe, where it was is expected to inoculate a quarter of all adults. Phil Dobbie talks to NAB’s Rodrigo Catril about the day’s market action. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tuesday 13th April 2021It’s been a fairly quiet session overnight, with bond auctions garnering a little less interest than last time, and more to come today. We also get CPI numbers for the US today. NAB’s Ray Attrill says the market is well prepared for a big jump in the yearly reading, but a significant upside surprise could raise questions about how transitory the rises are. Fed’s Bullard spoke about the potential to look at tapering of asset purchases when the US vaccine rate reaches 75% of the population. That’s assuming having the jab results in lower infection rates – Brazil is struggling to contain an outbreak after rolling out a vaccine with a low efficacy rate. NAB’s Business Survey is out today as well. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Monday 12th April 2021Equities in the US finished Friday on new highs, ahead of corporate earning this week and despite a rise in bond yields. NAB’s Tapas Strickland says a lot of the optimism is being driven by vaccine optimism, as President Biden once again brings the dates of his vaccine targets forward. The spectre of rising inflation continues to hang over markets, particularly as PPI prices rose last week. But Jerome Powell sued his 60 minutes appearance on US TV to again make the point that any rise in inflation would be transitory. Nonetheless, a poll of economists are expecting a rate rise at least a year ahead of the Fed’s schedule. Aussie jobs data will be a focus this week, along with China’s aggregate financing data. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Friday 9th April 2021Australia has become the latest nation to express concern about the use of the Astra Zeneca vaccines on young people, except here young is anyone under 50. N AB’s Tapas Strickland says it’s unlikely to slow down the speed of the vaccine rollout, but it could have consequences in Europe. Jerome Powell offered little new when he spoke on an IMF panel overnight, talking down the prospect of sustainable inflation. But the ANZ business survey for New Zealand showed rising inflation expectations. Phil Dobbie asks, what does the RBNZ do if inflation is maintained above its target rate, whilst the rest of the world doesn’t? And CPI numbers of China will be worth looking out for later today. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Thursday 8th April 2021It’s been one of the quietest sessions for some time. The FOMC said nothing that surprised markets, and Janet Yellen detailing how they would pay for the $2.25 trillion infrastructure package was met with a similar muted response. NAB’s Gavin Friend suggests the markets are considering a bit of rebalancing, particularly when it comes to Europe. Even if they are slower to recover the difference between the US and Europe will only be a few months. The destination is the same. The pound struggled today as an announcement was made about limiting use of the Astra Zeneca vaccine for the under thirties. Generally, though, the word ‘lacklustre’ sums up market action overnight. Sadly, the only currency to see significant losses was the Aussie dollar. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Wednesday 7th April 2021There were no significant market moves overnight. The US dollar has fallen a little further, bond yields are down and equities have cooled somewhat. NAB’s David de Garis says, maybe markets are taking Jerome Powell’s words to heart that it’s a long road ahead and the Fed is going to stay the course. That’s certainly the line echoed by the RBA yesterday even though, like the US, the news is largely positive. Vaccination rates continue to be a determinant of economic recovery, with Canada’s President Trudeau announcing a third wave on his home soil, where the number of people having the jab remains very low. FOMC minutes are out tomorrow; we’ll talk about those, hot off the press, tomorrow morning. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tuesday 6th April 2021US equities have been boosted by a string of positive data. The ISM manufacturing read at the end of last week bounced back sharply, and the services number reached a new record high this morning. Plus, non-farm payrolls on Friday also punched the lights out. NAB’s Ray Attrill says even though shares responded, Treasury yields are actually lower than they were before this swathe of positive numbers and the US dollar has fallen, indicating it is responding negatively to risk sentiment at the moment. Today the RBA meets, job vacancy numbers are out for Australia and the Caixin Services PMI is out in China. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Thursday 1st April 2021Joe Biden and Treasury Secretary Yellen are about to give the details of their long-awaited infrastructure spending plan, but NAB’s Tapas Strickland tells Phil Dobbie that most of the detail has already been released. And the response to the markets has clearly been favourable, with share prices reaching new highs overnight. Bond yields have also been rising. They also discuss Australia’s residential building approvals, US jobs data and China’s rising PMIs. Tapas explains how a slower recovery in Europe could actual be good for the Chinese economy. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Wednesday 31st March 2021US 10 year Treasury yields hit a 14 month high overnight, as the US dollar rose higher. Phil Dobbie asks NAB’s Ray Attrill how much of today’s movement can be attributed to end of month and end of quarter rebalancing? And how much of a reaction can we expect after Joe Biden announces his infrastructure plan later tonight – which could cost anything from US$2.2 to 4 trillion. There are plenty of moving parts to influence markets, from the total size of the package to how it will be funded – government debt or taxation. There could also be a response to jobs numbers from the US today and on Friday. The Fed’s Raphael Bostic has predicted a million jobs a month over summer, if that happens sooner it could put pressure on bond yields over the long weekend. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tuesday 30th March 2021NAB’s Gavin Friend says, early in the session the fire-sale of $20 billion of stocks held by Archegos Capital was all everyone was talking about. But, as it became clear there was little further contagion, attention shifted to the floating of the Ever Given and the easing of lockdowns. The focus now, he says, is on price pressures, starting today as German reports preliminary inflation numbers for March. There will be a lot of attention focused on Joe Biden’s infrastructure proposal, with reports that the total spend could be as much as $4 trillion. Weekly Australian payrolls numbers are out today, but Thursday’s job vacancies data will garner much more interest. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Monday 29th March 2021There was quite a bit of optimism in the air on Friday as we career towards the end of the month and the end of the quarter this week. NAB’s David de Garis says this could account for some of the volatility we saw at the end of the week, with Goldman Sachs selling off $10.5 billion in stocks. Nonetheless, shares were up after a late in the session rally, which carried through to Asia. So, could there be more volatility in this shortened week? There will be a lot of attention on jobs numbers (in Australia and the US), whilst the blockage in the Suez will cause supply concerns. An attempt late Sunday to float the stranded vessel failed and now it seems the only way forward is to start removing containers, which will take time. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Friday 26th March 2021It’s been another mixed session. NAB’s Gavin Friend says, on the one side there’s the tantalising prospect of an economic reopening in the northern hemisphere that is almost touchable, but there’s also the issues around vaccine production and, in Europe, concerns about how many people are prepared to take it. Equity markets are subdued, with another move away from tech stocks. Interest in the 7 year bond auction in the US was better than last time, but still cautious. Whilst most Fed speakers reiterate that, even though economic growth might be higher than expected by the year end, interest rates won’t budge till 2024, although Bostick predicts a much shorter timescale. Jo Biden, meanwhile, has doubled his forecast for the number of jabs in American arms in his first 100 days in office. And oil prices rose again as the Suez Canal remains closed, possibly for days, maybe even weeks. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Thursday 25th March 2021There’s a realisation emerging, says NAB’s Gavin Friend, that even though countries are pressing ahead with vaccine role outs, the speed of recovery might be slower than envisaged. The political wrangles over vaccines supplies from the EU have added to this feeling, with a risk-off mood returning slowly to markets. Oil rose sharply as an oversized ship has blocked the Suez Canal – expectations that it might quickly be moved have gone because, well, it’s still there. There’s a lot of bonds being auctioned in the US in the next 24 hours to keep a watchful eye on, and Joe Biden gives his first press conference, focusing on geopolitics and the Build Back Better infrastructure plans. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Wednesday 24th March 2021Market sentiment has switched in the last 24 hours, with concerns that the economic recovery from COVID-19 might be slower than anticipated. The airline industry will feel some of the hurt, with European summer holidays likely to be off the agenda for most Brits. Janet Yellen and Jerome Powell were also guarded in their comments about the pace of recovery in the US, when they spoke to the House Financial Services Committee. The New Zealand dollar was the currency hit the hardest. NAB’s David de Garis says much of the fall is to do with government measures to try and restrict house price inflation, moving demand from investors to home buyers. Watch the PMIs tonight for signs of a widening gap between the European and UK economies, as Britain takes the jab many times faster than their cousins over the channel. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tuesday 23rd March 2021There were big rises in US shares overnight, with the NASDAQ rising 1.7% in this session, helped by a moderate fall in Treasury yields. NAB’s Tapas Strickland says news of a higher than expected infrastructure spending plan also helped boost equities. Reports suggest as much as $3 trillion will be spent, a mere $1 trillion more than had been anticipated. Trials of the Astra Zeneca vaccine in the US also came up with very positive results, which could lead to approval, with the bonus of perhaps encouraging more Europeans to take the vaccine. The slow rollout is adding to the number of new cases in Europe and in parts of the US, which could slow the speed of economic recovery. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Monday 22nd March 2021The Fed will push on with ending its lower capital requirements held against Treasurys, sticking with a schedule that will see the so-called supplementary-leverage ratio (SLR) ending on 31st March. Although not unexpected, NAB’S Rodrigo Catril says it risks weakening the appetite for bonds at a time when there is a much higher issuance doing down the pipeline. He explains why markets calmed down a little later I the Friday session. Today we can expect some response to President Erdogan’s decision to sack Turkey’s central bank governor for having the temerity to raise interest rates. Otherwise, it could be a fairly quiet start to the week. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Friday 19th March 2021There was more reaction to the FOMC meeting today, with bond yields rising sharply. Oil has also risen a lot as tensions mount between the US and Russia. Biden referring to Putin as a “killer” doesn’t seem to have gone down too well, and now with the threat of sanctions from the US there are fears Russia will up oil production in response to impact the US shale oil industry. The Bank of England followed the same script as the FOMC overnight, expecting a faster recovery but, just like the Fed, they are going to let the economy run hot before they contemplate a rate rise. As NAB’s David de Garis points out, the UK would relish the idea of the economy running hot anytime soon. In Australia labour market data was a big upside surprise, with unemployment down to levels not forecast to be reached for a year. Perhaps today’s retail numbers will also be welcome news. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Thursday March 18th 2021The Fed has upped its growth expectations for the US economy, driven by the fiscal support and the vaccine rollout. But Fed Chair Powell says they are still expecting to keep interest rates low through to 2023, and they are not even talking about starting to talk of tapering of their QE activity anytime soon. He also said inflation was expected to pick up in the shorter term, but this would be transitory. Phil Dobbie asks NAB’s Gavin Friend whether the markets are convinced on this. Plus, what to except from NZ GDP this morning, and Australia’s labour market data from the ABS today. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Wednesday 17th March 2021There wasn’t much movement in shares, bond yields or currencies overnight, despite weaker retail numbers out of the US. It’s a different story for Australia with strong jobs data yesterday ahead of the official ABS Labour market data later in the week. NAB’s David de Garis says the RBA has suggested that many big companies have already made their adjustments on employment levels ahead of the end of JobKeeper, so there is a reduced risk of any sort of shock as the scheme closes. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tuesday 16th March 2021The fear of blood clots from injections means use of the Astra Zeneca vaccine has been suspended in an increasing number of European countries, slowing down the rollout, whilst the UK pushes ahead, reaching almost 40 percent of the population so far. This issue of lagging behind is not just impacting the economy, but is also playing into the strength of the Euro, says NAB’s Rodrigo Catril. Generally though it’s been a quiet session, with minimal movement sin bond yields, shares and currencies, ahead of the FOMC meeting later in the week. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Monday 15th March 2021Bonds yields rose sharply again on Friday, with 10 year Treasuries reaching their highest level since February last year. NAB’s Tapas Strickland says the inflation break-even component actually fell slightly, as the Michigan Consumer Sentiment survey showed inflation expectations had fallen slightly. Meanwhile the cyclical rotation theme continues as the vaccination rollout accelerates in the US and UK. It’s a different story in Europe, of course, with Italy returning to lockdown today as infection numbers rise sharply, with Germany heading in the same direction. The FOMC will be the main focus this week, along with Aussie retail sales and employment numbers. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Friday 12th March 2021Asset markets continue to be drawn by bond markets, says NAB’s David de Garis, on today’s podcast. With stimulus coming down the line, and jobs data showing further signs of recovery, you might have expected increased inflation concerns, but yesterday’s CPI figures seem to have calmed those concerns for now. But the ECB is still kicking into action, promising a faster bond buying spree under its pandemic emergency purchase programme, with Christine Lagarde concerned about the rate of recovery. Europe, of course, continues to suffer from a slow vaccine rollout – reaching 10% of the population in France so far, compare to 36 percent in the UK. Britain’s trade numbers will be interesting today, not because of COVID, but to se the impacts of Brexit on trade with Germany and the rest of Europe. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Thursday 11th March 2021The US 10 years notes auction this morning was a little softer than anticipated, but saw yields higher than last time. But NAB’s Gavin Friend says the story of the day was really the softer US inflation numbers, which saw yields pull back and helped stocks rise, with more rotation away from tech stocks. Meanwhile Philip Lowe from the RBA has been pushing back on market pricing, suggesting rates won’t rise until 2024, saying they would need to see wage gains sustainably above three percent. Whilst the RBA concerns are growing pains, the ECB has a different issue, says Gavin, because of their delayed response to the vaccine. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Wednesday 10th March 2021Shares have reverted to a focus on tech in the US with a sharp rise in tech stocks. In fact, almost everything is a reversal on yesterday, with the US dollar weakening, the Aussie dollar strengthening, and bond yields falling. Chinese shares have stopped their decent, perhaps the alleged injection of cash from the government worked, for now. The expectation that the global recovery will be strong was reinforced by revised OECD forecasts and a record high for business confidence in yesterday’s NAB Business Survey. The inflation fixation right now means all eyes will be on the US and China CPI numbers tonight, as well as listening in to see what the RBA’s Philip Lowe has say on rising bond yields. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tuesday 9th March 2021Us Treasury yields pushed steadily higher overnight, reaching 1.6 percent for 10 year Treasuries. These higher rates have loosened the appetite for tech stocks in the US and Europe, with the NASDAQ falling further. NAB’s Rodrigo Catril says the speed of the rise in bond yields has taken markets by surprise, and a period of consolidation seems reasonable, particularly as the injection of the $1.9 trillion stimulus, which has prompted the rise, has been expected for some time. The Aussie dollar has been impacted, along with EM currencies. The Bank of England’s Andrew Bailey is perhaps the first central bank governor to highlight that an inflation fuelled rate rise is as much a risk as having to lower rates if the recovery is slower than anticipated. Talk about an each way bet! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Monday 8th March 2021The US senate has passed the $1.9 trillion stimulus package, so it will almost certainly become law this week. Phil Dobbie asks NAB’s Ray Attrill whether this will add to inflation concerns, particularly as oil is also racing ahead thanks to the OPEC+ decision last week to hold off on easing supply cuts. China’s trade figures over the weekend are another sign that the global economy is quickly getting back up to speed, as where US jobs numbers on Friday, although Janet Yellen has been quick to point out you shouldn’t jump to conclusions over the lower unemployment rate. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Friday 5th March 2021Bond yields are on the rise, in the US and in Australia – for very similiar reasons. Jerome Powell failed to reassure markets that the Fed had a plan to cope with rising yields. As NAB’s David de Garis explains, the Fed governor was saying the Fed had the tools to use if conditionals materially changed, just as conditions were materially changing! In Australia markets were clearly hoping for more bond buying from the RBA, so when they went returned to their previous buying level, markets were disappointed and bond yields rose again. All of this, of course, driven by inflation fears, for which a spike in oil prices hasn’t helped help. The timing couldn’t have been worse from OPEC+, who failed to agree on easing production cuts. Tonight we get non-farm payrolls numbers in the US and China’s National People’s Congress is on over the weekend. There’s a bit going on. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Thursday 4th March 2021Bond yield have been rising sharply overnight. This time it’s being driven not just by optimism about the speed of the global recovery, but also by the likelihood that the UK government will be issuing around £50b higher than the market expected. Chancellor Rishi Sunak has extended the furlough program through to September, along with other assistance measures. This latest jump in yields couldn’t be timelier with Jerome Powell speaking later today, no doubt reiterating the point that the Fed sees no reason to be concerned about inflation. US jobless claims will also be of interest later on – they were down last week, but the ADP employment numbers told a different story last night, with fewer jobs around. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Wednesday 3rd March 2021All eyes will be on Australia’s GDP read this morning, which NAB’s Ray Attrill says is expected to be close to 3% growth QoQ, driven by consumer spending. The warnings yesterday from China’s banking regulator, Mr Guo Shuqing, that the US and Europe face bubbles from excessive leverage haven’t had any lasting impact. The RBA continued to provide guidance that rate rises weren’t likely until 2024 and made it clear that the $4 billion purchases announced on Monday were simply a bring forward, so we can assume they will be compensated by lesser purchases to keep the schedule on-track. Tonight the US ADP employment numbers will be a focal point ahead of non-farm payrolls at the end of the week. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tuesday 2nd March 2021The RBA might have left itself with very little to say today, having upped their bond buying in response to the sharp rise in yields last week. With bond yields still significantly higher than they were at the beginning of the year Phil Dobbie asks NAB’s Tapas Strickland what else the RBA can do as the Aussie economy finds itself in a better position than most developed nations. The return to normal overnight, with equities back on the rise, has been partially fuelled by stronger than anticipated ISM manufacturing numbers for the US. In fact, most data lately has been on the upside. The Euro is one of the weaker currencies today, perhaps because of an expectation that the ECB too will increase their bond-buying. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Monday 1st March 2021Friday saw a reversal in the bond sell-offs earlier in the week, seeing 10 year yields in the US falling back top 1.4%. Phil Dobbie asks NAB’s Rodrigo Catril whether the RBA can ignore this volatility this morning, particularly as they were arguably slow to respond last week, eventually buying up $7 billion of bonds. What impact will Biden’s $1.9 trillion stimulus package have, even if it does get whittled down by $400 million or so this week? And there’s rising concerns about inflation, particularly in Europe. If we are to keep volatility under control we really need to see data which shows a gradual economic improvement, without upside surprises. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Friday 26th February 2021Despite the increasing dovishness of central bankers the markets have been selling government bonds like they are going out of fashion. That’s resulting in huge increases in bond yields in around the world, but particularly in the US and Australia. It’s the pace of the move in yields that’s grabbing attention, says NAB’s Gavin Friend in London. Some are also expecting inflation sooner rather than later, evidenced by a rise in yields on shorter term US treasury notes. Spending data tonight could add fuel to this burst of optimism if it suggests there’s more pent-up demand in the US economy. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Thursday 25th February 2021As the reflation trade continues to push bond prices lower and commodities higher, central bankers are fighting amongst themselves as to who can sound the most dovish. That’s helping push equities a little higher this morning. The Fed’s Jerome Powell and BoE’s Andrew Bailey were both in front of parliamentary committees overnight, each suggesting rates would stay low and any rising inflation was transitory for now. NAB’s David de Garis says the RBNZ was toeing the same party line, suggesting the outlook remains highly uncertain. Today the weekly claims numbers for the US will highlight the strength (or otherwise) of the jobs recovery. By the way, for those who think this is ridiculous title for an episode, doves do fight each other, sometimes to the death, but normally when they are trying to impress hens, not water down inflationary fears. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Wednesday 24th February 2021Many believe the RBA didn’t go far enough on Monday, buying up a $1 billion of bond purchases in the face of sharply rising bond yields. NAB’s Tapas Strickland points to speculation in the AFR today that the RBA will come out swinging today and tomorrow, buying up more state and federal government debt to make up for the shortfall. Elsewhere, US equities are generally down, driven largely by tech stocks and other rotational shares. They did get a bounce, however, when Jerome Powell gave his testimony to the senate, reiterating that the Fed was still a long way from its targets. It was a similar party line from the Bank of Canada overnight. Today, the RBNZ is the next central bank of the marks, and they’ll be treading a careful line, trying not to inflate the Kiwi dollar, but with the global reflation trade there’s not much they can do to stop it. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tuesday 23rd February 2021Australian 10 year bond yields have nudged 1.65 percent for the first time since May 2019. NAB’s Rodrigo Catril says the market was clearly disappointed by the RBA’s resolve to deal with the sharp rise in yields. Meanwhile, US Treasury yields have also been on a roller coaster. It’s been the same situation in Europe, although the yields have dropped back now. The COVID bounce back story continues to push commodities higher too, which is why we’re seeing the Aussie dollar edging even closer to the 80 US cent mark. The pound has also had a strong session, in part perhaps because of Boris Johnson’s lockdown escape route, although his chosen path is very slow and cautious. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Monday 22nd February 2021There was a big rise in the Aussie dollar and the pound on Friday, both reaching multi-year highs. NAB’s Ray Attrill says rising commodity prices are the single biggest influence on the Australian dollar and the prediction that it could reach 80 US cents by midways through the year could be realised before the end of the first quarter. The pound meanwhile is going strong on an expedited vaccine rollout program, which offset the poor retail sales numbers last week. In the US yields rose sharply. Inflation continues to be a concern, although the technical indicators are that this concern is easing. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Friday 19th February 2021There have been big falls in US equities overnight after higher than anticipation jobless claims, showing its not a smooth recovery for the US. Bond yields on both sides of the Atlantic suggest there are inflation concerns but, as NAB’s David de Garis suggests, it’s difficult to draw definitive conclusions when most inflation signs have been in the goods sector where there have been significant supply disruptions. Markets seem most enthused about the UK right now, where 16.5 million people have been jabbed and Boris Johnson will be announcing his escape plan from lockdown on Monday. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Thursday 18th February 2021There was a strong bounce back in US retail sales in January, helped by the arrival of $600 into most people’s bank accounts. NAB’s Gavin Friend says this is a clear sign of the positive impact of the government’s fiscal stimulus, something that won’t be lost in the negotiations for the next round of support measures. Inflation continues to be a debating point in the US, but the UK’s CPI data today shows it’s far from being an issue there just yet. The Bank of England continues to talk up the UK recovery, helped by the high level of personal savings. We also look at the latest FOMC minutes, out only moments ago. And at home, we can expect a strong increase in jobs, helping Australia claw back the losses made last year. Tonight it’s US jobs numbers and housing starts. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Wednesday 17th February 2021Equities were mixed in the US overnight, but the S&P did manage to claw out a new record high, whilst the NASDAQ fell. The biggest movements, though, have been in treasury yields, particularly in the longer end of the curve. Phil Dobbie asks NAB’s Rodrigo Catril where the money is going, if it is leaving government bonds and not piling into equity markets. The new high for Bitcoin might be part of the answer, as the ECB’s Gabriel Makhlouf likening it to Tulip speculation in Holland 300 years ago. US retail sales and the FOMC minutes are two highlights over the next 24 hours, along with the UK’s inflation numbers. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tuesday 16th February 2021America has been off work for Presidents Day, but that hasn’t stopped markets optimistically looking to a world where COVID-19 isn’t centre stage. The reflation trade continues unabated. Overnight we saw the US dollar drift lower, the Aussie climbing and the pound showing strength as the vaccine rollout continues at pace. NAB’s Ray Attrill says the weakness in the Yen was also the result of good news, a higher than anticipated Q4 GDP result for Japan. One downside is the continued rise in oil, which has been accentuated by increased demand from blisteringly cold weather in Texas. Today, Australia’s weekly wages and payrolls data will be the most anticipated numbers locally. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Monday 15th February 2021There’s absolutely no surprise that Donald Trump has been acquitted in Washington, which means he could stand for office again. It also means a number of Republicans felt their voters are still aligned to the former President, so will that make life harder for Joe Biden to drive the agenda? That’s a question Phil Dobbie puts to NAB’s Tapas Strickland this morning. Plus, a rise in equities and bond yields, driven by strong earnings and stimulus hopes, mixed with inflation concerns. Which will retreat first? It’s gong to be a quiet day today in international markets with the US on holiday, along with China and Hong Kong. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Friday 12th February 2021It’s been a relatively quiet 24 hours with only slight market moves, with traders absorbing the dovish outlook presented by Jerome Powell at the Economics Club this time yesterday/. NAB’s Gavin Friend says the Euro has held its own despite EU forecasts which have downgraded growth to 3.8 percent, from 4.2 percent. They expect the UK to do somewhat worse, not just because of the virus but also Brexit. Remember that. US China relations won’t immediately return to pre-Trump levels, with Jo Biden hooking up on the phone to President Xi, making it clear that human rights remains a concern and tariffs would remain in place. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Thursday 11th February 2021Markets have been fairly subdued on the back of soft inflation numbers in the US, and as investors hold off for any revelations from Jerome Powell as he addresses the Economic Club of New York. As it turned out he echoed the words of the Riksbank Governor – central banks, it seems., are in no rush to pull back on purchases or raise interest rates until full employment has returned. They’ll even let the economy run hot for a while to ensure lower paid jobs also return. But, as NAB’s David de Garis explains, inflation seems a way off yet, with soft numbers from the US and China. But metal prices are indicating an expectation that demand will pick up soon, however, with oil adding to its post-pandemic high. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Wednesday 10th February 2021The Euro gained on two fronts overnight. First, Super Mario Draghi looks set to run the Italian government, and is likely to announce his cabinet today. Secondly, we’ve seen a sharp rise in credit growth in China. NAB’s Ray Attrill says this extra juice to the Chinese economy has helped the Euro, simply because Germany will benefit from export demand fuelled by credit. Meanwhile, inflation numbers are out for the US later today. Phil Dobbie asks whether a higher number could add to the concerns that the stimulus package, it the lands when the economy is recovering, jobs are returning and savings are being spent, could overheat the economy. A nice problem to have, perhaps. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tuesday 9th February 2021Janet Yellen shrugged off concerns about the Biden stimulus package unleashing inflation on the US economy. As NAB’s Tapas Strickland discusses on today’s podcast, it continues to be the stumbling block for the deal and inflation talk has influenced markets for another day. As an interesting aside, Elon Musk has announced Tela will buy $1.5 billion in Bitcoin, and will accept Bitcoin payments for cars in the future. Vaccines continue to be rolled out at speed in the US and the UK, and there is positive evidence from Israel that its working, although doubts remain about the efficacy of the Astra Zeneca vaccine against the South African strain. And WA is the envy of the world, heading to an election next month with a budget surplus! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Monday 8th February 2021Friday’s non-farm payrolls numbers in the US surprised on the downside. NAB’s Rodrigo Catril says a big downward revision to the December numbers also disappointed. The good news is that this softer set of numbers adds impetus to Joe Biden’s drive to push through his $1.9 trillion stimulus package. One sticking point is concerns, even from some Democrats, about whether this extra money injected into the economy will be inflationary. The steepening yield curve is pointing to heightened inflation expectations. In other news over the weekend Mario Draghi has managed to secure support in Italy, whilst news is mixed about the efficacy of some vaccines to the newer strains of the virus. Plus, a look at the data highlights to look out for this week. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Friday 5th February 2021Today’s moves reinforce the emerging story of two destinies. The UK and the US are well ahead of Europe on vaccine rollouts, and that seems to be the major focus of markets right now. The pound was also helped by a very hawkish stance taken by the Bank of England governor, who is expecting a strong recovery in the second half of the year driven by record savings. NAB’s Gavin Friend says this is all a change in the base case from the beginning of the year when it was assumed the US would be at the back of the recovery queue. Locally there will be a lot of interest in RBA Governor Philip Lowe’s parliamentary testimony, particularly as the AFR today leads on speculation of a raging bull in stocks and housing driven by the expectation of continuing low interest rates. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Thursday 4th February 2021New Zealand’s labour force data yesterday showed a strong fall in unemployment, possibly down to NAIRU levels. Phil Dobbie asks NAB’s Ray Attrill whether this means inflation could soon emerge and does this mean the RBNZ is the first central bank to seriously think about a post-pandemic rate rise? It’s a very different story in Australia, with Philip Lowe yesterday reinforcing the dovish tone set by the RBA on Tuesday. Strong US data and reflation expectations have pushed oil to the highest level since the pandemic began, even as US reserves fell less than expected. And Mario Draghi is back on the scene. He has accepted an invitation to form government in Italy and there’s been a sharp reaction in local equities and bonds. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Wednesday 3rd February 2021All eyes and ears will be on Philip Lowe’s speech today, following the very dovish outlook from the RBA yesterday. Despite our expectation on yesterday’s podcast that they would taper their QE program, NAB’s Rodrigo Catril explains how they are extended it by another $100 billion, even though the economy is doing well and the fiscal position is improving. It was a big surprise, he says. In other news, the markets have returned to whatever is normal these days, as the influence of Redditt day traders subsides, for now. There are lots of services PMI numbers today which will give a good indication of how Europe, China, the UK and USA are travelling. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tuesday 2nd February 2021In normal times an episode like the Reddit induced short squeeze would eventually see markets return to normal. Normal today, of course, is a market driven by COVID-19 news, whether it’s the valuation of stay-at-home stocks like Amazon and Apple (both due to report tomorrow), or the latest vaccine rollout news. NAB’s David de Garis says the market is also getting more interested in the inflation story, after a big rise in the prices paid element of the US ISM manufacturing numbers. Today, the RBA meets. The question is, what will they do about QE – will they extend it, and if so, by how much? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Monday 1st February 2021Equities were hit hard on Friday as the Reddit warriors made their mark. NAB’s Tapas Strickland says the regulators response is to side with the retail investors, eager to investigate trading freezes by brokerages, like the Robin Hood app. Normally you might have expected Friday to see some positive sentiment in markets, with a strong batch of US data. Two new vaccines have come o the scene too, as the spat between Europe and the UK dies down a little over the distribution of Astra Zeneca doses. Today Scott Morrison will address the Press Club, when he will talk of more fiscal discipline, arguing the government can’t write a blank cheque forever. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Friday 29th January 2021US equities have bounced back after a day influenced by speculative trading on retail platforms, like Robin Hood, with investors spurred on by chatter on Reddit. The app has stopped trading on eight of the stocks today, with prices readjusting themselves. Phil Dobie asks NAB’s David de Garis whether the new administration in the US could see this as an opportunity for more regulation of the finance sector. This Main Street versus Wall Street battle was certainly more entertaining than the Fed yesterday, with the press conference adding little to what was discussed on yesterday’s podcast. In other news US Q4 GDP figures show the rate of recovery has slowed, whilst NAB consumer spending analysis for last week shows consumption is bouncing back quickly, although it obviously isn’t hitting all sectors. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Thursday 28th January 2021The markets have so far been unmoved by the DOFMC announcement, perhaps because it said so little. No move in rates or QE and a reliance on vaccine news before taking further steps, but NAB’s Rodrigo Catril suggests the Fed will be on standby to do more if necessary. There has been a bevy of bad news from Europe, with German consumer confidence well down, rising concerns about the impact of a lower US dollar, slow vaccine deployment and now, a feud with the manufacturer over delivery timelines. One ECB member also suggested that the market was underestimating the potential for the bank to lower rates further. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Wednesday 27th January 2021The IMF has upped their forecasts for global growth but, as NAB’s Tapas Strickland suggests on this morning’s podcast, markets don’t tend to pay a lot of attention to these numbers. There’s been more interest in the prospect of a stock bubble in China and the question of whether the PBoC will respond. Not too much is expected from the FOMC meeting today, but there is news that the ECB is to take the Euro exchange rate more seriously. They don’t want to see the US dollar keep falling. NAB is expecting inflation to be a little higher than consensus today – we explain why. We also look ahead to the NAB business survey and the US earnings season. And why one stock has been elevated by a woollen helmet for Elon Musk’s dog. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Monday 25th January 2021Markets turned sharply to a risk-off mood at the end of last week, on the realisation that vaccine roll outs will take longer than hoped whilst infections are growing. NAB’s Ray Attrill says there were too many bad news stories on Friday to offset the optimism of those looking forward to the sunny uplands of a post-COVID world. There was also mixed news with PMI reads at the end of the week; Europe fared relatively well, the US saw improvements, but the UK was nothing short of a disaster. That’s on top of the news from the UK PM that the new strain is not only more infectious it’s more deadly, with fears that the other new strain (from South Africa) might also be more resistant to vaccines. Ass we said, many bad news stories. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Friday 22nd January 2021The ECB changed nothing overnight, with President Lagarde saying risks remained on the downside. NAB’s Gavin Friend says German bond yields rose as she suggested the full extent of the €1.85 trillion Pandemic bond purchase might not be required, although she also said it might, or there might even be a requirement for more. There’s also discussion on the impact of Joe Biden’s first day in office, and Janet Yellen’s words on China and currency manipulation. Australia jobs numbers didn’t disappoint, and today is PMI day, for the UK, Europe and the US. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Thursday 21st January 2021Former President Donald Trump often remarked about how his administration saw record highs in US equities. If the President has any control over that, Joe Biden can make the same claim, with new highs on the NASDAQ and S&P500 right from his first moment in office. Today we look at the risk-on mood of inauguration day and ask will it last. Could a bad set of weekly employment numbers later on dampen the mood? Plus, rising infection numbers in China, largely ignored by the markets so far. Phil Dobbie also asks NAB’s Tapas Strickland what we can expect from employment numbers in Australia today. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Wednesday 20th January 2021It’s Inauguration Day, or it will be when Wednesday eventually ticks round in the US. Lady Gaga will sing the National Anthem before Biden moves into the Oval Office and works his way through his executive orders. Ahead of that, we’ve heard from Janet Yellen, the nominee to be Treasury Secretary who said the administration needs to act big to help those struggling through the COVID crisis. Phil Dobbie talks to NAB’s Ray Attrill about the market reaction to her words. They also look at bank earnings and rising confidence in Germany, as well as looking ahead to the UK’s CPI figures later, plus the Bank of Canada meeting tonight. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tuesday 19th January 2021Markets are looking through the prospect on any unrest on inauguration day, but the more immediate question is what with the President do today? Reuters is reporting he is withdrawing licences from any companies working with Huawei, is anything else in the offing? NAB’s Tapas Strickland says it doesn’t really matter too much what the President does, because it can always be undone in the days that follow. The bigger question is what will Biden’s attitude be to China? There’s also discussion on today’s podcast about yesterday’s GDP numbers for China, expectations for the ECB meeting this week and political unrest in Italy. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Monday 18th January 2021Markets responded at the end of the week to Joe Biden’s proposals for stimulating the US economy. As NAB’s Rodrigo Catril points out in today’s Morning Call, markets questioned the President-Elect’s ability to implement his pandemic relief spending plan while Biden also noted everyone will have to pay their fair share. Soft US data and US banks underperformance didn’t help sentiment either. A safe-haven bid lifted the USD and weighed on longer dated UST yields. Otherwise, the continuance of disturbing infection rates for COVID-19 quell optimism everywhere, with the UK stepping up it’s measures on inbound travellers. There’s also discussion about Australia’s housing market – could prices really rise by 30 percent in the next few years? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Friday 15th January 2021Bond yields were already on the rise before Fed chairman Jerome Powell talked down the likelihood of any easing in bond purchases this year. NAB’s Gavin Friend says he indicated the Fed would look through any short-term rise in inflation as a reason to make changes. This has added to a positive market sentiment today, despite a disastrous rise in US jobless claims, up from 784k to 965k in one week. There’s also discussion today on the ECB minutes, German GDP, NAB’s payments data and an exodus from the UK. Today, all eyes will be on what Joe Biden has to say. It’s a busy first week back! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Thursday 14th January 2021An ensuing impeachment of the US President continues to be of little concern to the markets, with more focus on the words coming from central bankers. NAB’s Tapas Strickland talks about the continued fall in bond yields, as Fed speakers downplay the prospect of tapering of bond purchases later this year, aided by subdued US inflation numbers. All eyes will be on Joe Bidens stimulus plans and how much extra money he plans to pump into the economy. Meanwhile, Aussie job numbers have gone through the roof and Italy's government is on the verge of collapse. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Wednesday 13th January 2020With yields rising there’s been a question mark over whether the appetite for treasury bonds is falling, ahead of trillions expected in new government debt. On today’s podcast NAB’s Rodrigo Catril says the issuance of Treasuries this morning indicates the opposite may be true, with yields falling – the first decline since the beginning of the year. There’s also discussion on the easing of loans in China, the latest tit for tat measures between China and Australia, and what to expect from US inflation numbers tonight. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tuesday 12th January 2020Bond yields continue to rise In the US as markets prepare for an expected multi-trillion dollar stimulus package from the President-elect. We’ve seen bond yields hit new highs, as equities start to fall. Phil Dobbie asks NAB’s Gavin Friend whether political uncertainty is behind any of these moves, including a fall in equities, admittedly from record highs on Friday. Meanwhile, Aussie retail sales looked strong yesterday, although the US dollar-strength saw the Aussie dollar lose ground. Could tensions with China also be playing into that weakness? Maybe the issue will go away when Donald Trump leaves the White House. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Monday 11th January 2021The Morning Call is back, and the new year has kicked off in a very different place. The blue-wave wasn’t written in stone, but with control of the Senate the Democrats should find it easier to roll out more substantial stimulus measures, so does that mean the US economy will recover faster? Phil Dobbie talks to NAB’s Ray Attrill about the response in the bond markets, with Treasury yields rising markedly. But is there a risk that the expectation of a US recovery is overblown – after all COVID numbers continue to rise and there’s still a gargantuan task in rolling out vaccines. Given all that’s been going on, how have NAB’s forecasts changed over the last few weeks? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tuesday 22nd December 2020You might have expected a positive market response as the US politicians reach agreement on a fiscal stimulus bill, particularly as Europe became the latest region to approve a vaccine. NAB’s Ray Attrill talks through how sentiment has rapidly switched direction. Investors have tended to look through short term concerns for the optimistic longer-term outlook, when COVID-19 is but a distant memory. But the rise in numbers in the UK and fears of the new strain that spreads faster has led to a sudden realisation that the short-term downside might last longer than expected. Then there’s Brexit – check back next week on that one. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Monday 21st December 2020There’s a strong expectation that the US fiscal stimulus deal will be resolved in the next few hours. NAB’s Rodrigo Catril says the news will be good for risk assets helping equities recover and reflected in emerging market currencies. It’s a different story in the UK, of course, where the new strain of COVIDS-19 has seen London, large parts of southeast England and Wales moved into lockdown, and many European countries stopping flights from the UK. That’s being compounded with the lack of movement on a post-Brexit deal, but could the turn-for-the-worse on COVID force the UK and EU to reach a deal quickly, to cope with the other matter at hand? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Friday 18th December 2020The post-Brexit trade deal and the US fiscal stimulus deal have been pushed back time and time again, but we really are at the point of no return. NAB’s Gavin Friend says there will be a deal in both instances, and the markets are priced accordingly. The US fiscal stimulus deal might mean politicians meet over the weekend, whilst UK MPs, already on their Christmas break, could be pulled back after their roast turkeys to sign off on their deal. Central banks have been squeezing in their final meetings of the year – the Bank of England unsurprisingly pessimistic, but the Swiss National Bank and the Norges Bank, both more upbeat. There’s also discussion on yesterday’s unemployment numbers for Australia, and the mid-year budget update yesterday. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Thursday 17th December 2020The US dollar slid overnight as US retail sales figures for November were released. The numbers “were grim” says NAB’s Gavin Friend on today’s Morning Call podcast. Sentiment turned more positive as the session progressed, with rising hopes that a fiscal stimulus deal is imminent. There’s also hope that a UK-EU trade arrangement is getting close, with Ursula von der Leyen saying there is a path to a deal. The FOMC met and announced no changes to interest rates or bond buying. Their forecasts see this year a little less bleak for GDP, and a big stronger than previously forecast for 2022. The Bank of England is also expected to sit on its hands tonight too. The US weekly job numbers are also worth watching – new jobless claims have been rising recently. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Wednesday 16th December 2020Equities have climbed higher in the US and in Europe on the hopes that two deals will be struck this week. NAB’s Rodrigo Catril talks about the market response to a tweet from the BBC’s Nicholas Watt, suggesting there was a buzz around Brexit talks and a resolution could be close. There’s also renewed hope that the text for a fiscal stimulus deal will be agreed in the US. We might hear progress on both of those in the next few hours … or maybe not! Aside from all that, tomorrow morning’s question will be, what next from the FOMC? There’s some discussion on that in today’s podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tuesday 15th December 2020The markets lost some of their mojo today. They kicked off well as the US starts its vaccination program, but the UK health secretary upset the apple cart by announcing that the rise in infections in and around London has been attributed to a new, faster-spreading variation of the virus. As NAB’s Ray Attrill point out, there is no suggestion that vaccines won’t be responsive to the new strain, but it could mean we see more lockdowns and restrictions – as evidenced by Germany, London and, potentially, New York. There’s hope a fiscal stimulus deal will be reached in the US this week, with the wording for a potential bill to be released in the next few hours. China’s activity numbers will be the main data point today. Oh, and Brexit talks continue. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Monday 14th December 2020The inoculation program in the US has ambitious targets. NAB’s Tapas Strickland says the aim is to have given the jab to 75% of the population by June. Even so, markets were a little subdued on Friday, as infection numbers continued to rise in the US and across Europe. Germany has announced its most pronounced lockdown so far, starting Wednesday. Meanwhile, Brexit hopes linger on, with Sunday’s deadline pushed back and negotiations continuing. That’s helped cable this morning, even though Boris Johnson has reiterated no-deal remains the most likely outcome. There’s also discussion on today’s podcast about the US stimulus, the FOMC meeting this week, Australia’s MYEFO and the rising price of iron ore. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Friday 11th December 2020Even though a hard deadline has been set for Sunday for the UK-EU trade deal, there’s no guarantee it will all end there. NAB’s Gavin Friend says a no-deal could weaken the pound and soften the Aussie dollars chances of maintaining its position over 75 US cents. The ECB has announced more bond buying, whilst the EU has managed to broker a deal to pass its budget, including the Recovery Fund, using the age-old EU technique of kicking the can down the road. The US is also obfuscating on the fiscal stimulus package as virus numbers continue to rise. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Thursday 10th December 2020As we recorded this morning’s podcast Ursula von der Leyen and Boris Johnson were meeting over dinner to discuss the progress of the UK-EU trade deal. NAB’s Rodrigo Catril predicts there will be no definitive outcome tonight, but it remains unlikely that the UK will accept what the Europeans are putting on the table. The EU will also have difficulties tomorrow as it tries to pass its budget and the Recovery Fund. More significant for us is the outcome of the ECB meeting. Rodrigo says any indication for how long the central bank continues its bond buying program will have repercussions for the RBA. US equities saw sharp falls today as infection rates rise and the passage of a stimulus deal this year seems to be slipping away. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Wednesday 9th December 2020The UK has started injecting people with the COVID vaccine. If only they could inject compromise in the UK and EU negotiators who remain a long way from reaching a deal. The chances are slim according to Michel Barnier, as Boris Johnston travels to meet Ursula von der Leyen Wednesday night (Thursday morning AEDST). No deal, plus the potential blocking of the EU budget by Poland and Hungary could make for a very disappointing EU summit at the end of the week. Meanwhile,. There’s no progress on a fiscal stimulus package in the US, but as NAB’s Tapas Strickland points out, even if there is a smaller than anticipated deal, it’ll be the bridge to a larger deal after Joe Biden takes office. On today’s podcast there’s also discussion on yesterday’s NAB business survey and today’s China GDP ands PPI figures. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tuesday 8th December 2020The UK-EU trade deal really is going right down to the wire – and the wire itself keeps getting pushed back. On today’s Morning Call NAB’s Rodrigo Catril says the decision to hold a face to face meeting between Boris Johnson and Ursula von der Leyen means the decision will be reached in coming days, not in the next few hours. We might see a version of the $908b fiscal stimulus package in the US in a short while, though, although even here differences remain. Locally, yesterday’s downgrading of NSW and Victoria’s credit rating will push up borrowing costs, but the states will emerge from COVID-19 better placed than most parts of the world. Today’s NAB Business Survey will show how much confidence there is in the economy right now. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Monday 7th December 2020US equities reached new highs again on Friday even though the jobs numbers were lower than anticipated. NAB’s Ray Attrill says the logic is that the disappointing numbers heighten the prospect of an agreement being reached on a fiscal stimulus deal. But its not there yet. It’s the same with a UK-EU trade deal. After cancelling talks on Friday they were back at it on Sunday, but Ray reckons the chance of a deal being struck is now 60 percent at best. Expect a lot of European market action late ri the week, with the EU summit, plus an ECB meeting where they are likely to up their bond-buying program. Today China’s trade numbers are the most significant data releases. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Friday 4th December 2020OPEC+ has struck a deal to slowly increase oil production from next month, rather than letting the production cuts fall off a cliff. NAB’s Tapas Strickland says they will also monitor progress and make adjustments accordingly. That’s helped the oil price this morning, but the two other deals on the table remain in limbo. Talks over the post Brexit EU-UK trade deal remain in gridlock. The pound has remained resiliently strong, although it’s lost a little ground as doubt creeps in over last minute talks. The US fiscal stimulus deal seems to be edging slowly forward, although the size of it might be reduced in the rush for a compromise. Meanwhile equity markets have hit new highs as investors see through the rise in US infections, hospitalisations and fatalities, and ignore weaker ISM numbers. Perhaps tonight’s non-farm payrolls are a less important too. It’s less about the “now” and more about the “what next”. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Thursday 3rd December 2020The UK is the first country to approve the Pfizer BioNtech vaccine and will start jabbing people with it next week. That’s kept Brexit off the front pages in the UK, even though the pound has taken a sharp hit as talks don’t seem to have progressed much at all. NAB’s Ray Attrill talks about Australia’s GDP numbers which technically mean we are out of recession, but unemployment and annual GDP suggest otherwise. He also talks about Philip Lowe’s comments about following the world on future QE decisions, softer jobs numbers in the US and what to look out for today, including the Caixin Services PMI. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Wednesday 2nd December 2020There’s a positive vibe about this morning, pushing equities higher and Treasury yields have seen a sharp rise too. NAB’s Tapas Strickland says it's down to a number of factors – stronger than expected Caixin PMI numbers from China, fast-tracking of vaccines, news that US stimulus talks are back on the table and reports that UK-EU trade negotiations have entered the tunnel. The only downside today has been a delay in reaching an agreement by OPEC – they'll try again on Thursday. Today we see the numbers for Australia’s Q3 GDP, which is expected to bounce back sharply. The RBA didn’t have much to say yesterday, avoiding any signals around whether it will extend, stop or reduce its QE program. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Monday 30th November 2020The pound has already recovered the losses it made on Friday, when Brexit rhetoric was ramped up on both sides of the English Channel. Over the weekend, though, reports suggest talks have been far more productive, tackling the last sticking point of fishing rights, and there’s a real possibility that a deal could be reached in the early part of this week. NAB’s Rodrigo Catril says the deal could include a new transition period, just for fish! Meanwhile, relations between Australia and China remain tense, even if it is having little influence on currencies or equities just yet. Today’s China PMI numbers will confirm how well the country is doing, compared to the rest of the world right now. But it’s been an incredibly strong month for global equities, spurred on by vaccine news, even though US infection rates continue to rise. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Friday 27th November 2020There are some questions over the numbers provided in phase three of the Astra Zeneca vaccine trial. NAB’s David de Garis says the concern is over the age of participations in the subset who achieved the highest level of efficiency. The makers claim a rerun of trials won’t slow progress, although some believe it could delay entry into the US. The ECB’s Philip Lane expressed concern about tightened of credit standards which could impede the European recovery. Meanwhile, lockdowns are being extended in parts of Europe. And on a quiet day in the markets, the pound is lower, with another day passing without any Brexit progress. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Thursday 26th November 2020It’s Thanksgiving today in the US and markets have been cautious ahead of the holidays. Vaccine hopes have been pushed aside after Wednesday’s post first-wave high for COVID fatalities in the US. There was also a string of disappointing data, including a rise in unemployment claims for the second week in a row. NAB’s Ray Attrill gives us his reaction to the FOMC meetings, hot off the press. Plus, the UK's Rishi Sunak paints a glum picture for the UK economy, but manages to avoid mentioning Brexit. A quiet data for global data, but at home private capex number, with a wide variety of opinions on what they’ll actually come out at. And what’s going on with the Kiwi dollar? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Wednesday 25th November 2020President Trump made an appearance before cameras today to boast about the rise in equities, with the Dow breaking 3,0000 for the first time. NAB’s Rodrigo Catril tells Phil Dobbie it’s in part down to the relief that the Biden administration has now been given access to the handover process for the White House. It’s mixed with continued optimism around vaccines, which is seeing stocks that have suffered, like airlines, starting to bounce back. Oil is also back to pre-pandemic prices. The news that Janet Yellen is likely to be Treasury Secretary has also has a positive impact, whilst in New Zealand the request from the Finance Minister for the RBNZ to consider control house prices as part of its remit has seen sharp moves in bonds and the NZ dollar. Meanwhile, COVID numbers in the US continue to cause concern, even though it seems to have slipped the concern of investors right now. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tuesday 24th November 2020Astra Zeneca announced the results of their trials, with efficacy up to 90 percent with a drug that is cheaper to produce and easier to distribute. Yet the markets were cautious in their response, although equities are on the rise and tech stocks are taking a back seat. NAB’s David de Garis talks through the response, with the US dollar also spurred on by better than expected Markit PMI numbers for the US. Donald Trump is still in the White House and trying to build a western alliance to play it tough against China, although the response has been somewhat muted. The pound has strengthened on Brexit hopes even though there’s been no specific news. And it’s the Victoria budget today, with a focus on infrastructure spending. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Monday 23rd November 2020NAB has revised its forecasts for growth in the Australia economy. NAB’s Tapas Strickland talks us through it, plus Josh Fryenberg’s plans to boost invest from larger corporations. Meanwhile, markets continue to respond to COVID-19 infection rates, punishing equities in the US, with growth switching to Europe. There’s been a spat between the US Treasury and the Fed with Steve Mnuchin wanting to see the Fed return unused funds from emergency lending programs. And stand by for a Brexit deal – something has to happen this week, surely. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Friday 20th November 2020Schools out for winter in New York as COVID cases in the US continue to rise, with the country passing a quarter of a million deaths from the virus. Phil Dobbie talks to NAB’s Gavin Friend about how the markets are more focused on the short-term economic hit than the longer-term vaccine fuelled positive outlook The short-term hit was demonstrated, however, by a sharp increase in unemployment claims in the US. The reverse was the case in Australia yesterday, but worsening relations with China add another dimension to local markets. And Brexit talks have been delayed by a senior negotiator on the EU side contracting COVID-19, but Gavin reckons we can still expect positive news next week and the pound is behaving as though that is the case. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Thursday 19th November 2020Markets continue to be torn between the good news and the bad news. On the positive side, Pfizer is set to apply for emergency authorisation for its COVID-19 vaccine. NAB’s David de Garis says you’d have expected the news to have created more of a risk-on mood but, on the negative side, infection rates continue to rise. The spike in South Australia, with the six day statewide lockdown, has shown Australia is not immune. Beyond the virus, there’s hope that a UK-EU trade agreement will be announced next week, and the world is preparing for a different political outlook as the Biden administration gets set to move into the White House. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Wednesday 18th November 2020There was no new vaccine news overnight and the markets seemed a little disappointed by that, with equities down and a move to government bonds. But NAB’s Tapas Strickland says this respite could be short lived, with the results of the Oxford vaccine trials imminent. Meanwhile, there seems to be less of a temptation to take an overly negative view despite the rising COVID-19 cases and sluggish retail sales in the US. The pound has been helped by positive talks around Brexit, although it’s unlikely any deal will be reached this week. And central banks are suggesting that financial regulators are stopping investors dipping into their savings. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tuesday 17th November 2020Markets have been lifted higher on further vaccine news, with Moderna saying their trials have shown 94.5 percent effectiveness. NAB’s Rodrigo Catril says markets are pricing in the positive news that we could have vaccines distributed early next year, whilst ignoring the bad news of rising infection rates, particularly in the US. There’s also discussion on today’s podcasts about comments from the RBA’s Philip Lowe yesterday, with a focus on the labour market and the need to contain the strength of the Aussie dollar. Plus, the latest on Europe’s recovery plans and Japan’s trade numbers and US retail numbers due out later today. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Monday 16th November 2020Last week was a volatile one, but markets enthusiasm stemming from the hope of a vaccine led the charge, with some shifting of focus on equity markets. That said, infection numbers continue to rise, particularly in the US, where the President has flatly stated there will be no lockdowns so long as he’s in charge. NAB’s Ray Attrill says the push-pull effect of vaccine news versus COVID data will drive the markets again this week, with the added diversion of Brexit. There’s an EU Summit this week and Boris Johnson’s chief advisor Dominic Cummings left No. 10 on Friday, which some are reading as a sign that the UK will take a more conciliatory approach and a deal could be forthcoming. Perhaps. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Friday 13th November 2020This week’s earlier optimism over a possible vaccine for COVID-19 has disappeared completely, with equities falling and bond prices rising. NAB’s Gavin Friend says rising COVID numbers in the UK and Europe have provided a dose of reality, with almost 33.5k cases in the UK on Thursday, despite a national lockdown. Numbers are also rising sharply in the US with the possibility that schools will close again in New York. The pound has taken the hardest hit today. Phil Dobbie asks Gavin how much of that is to do with a lack of progress on Brexit? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Thursday 12th November 2020Even though the markets continue to respond positively to the hope of a vaccine, central bankers seem to be taking a more cautious tone. NAB’s David de Garis said the tone set by the ECB’s Christine Lagarde was one of concern, at their central banker’s conference. The RBNZ also continued to present a dovish outlook – despite New Zealand’s low infection rates – but the expectation of negative interest rates has diminished significantly. There’s push and pull factors at play – on one side the vaccine hopes, on the other, what’ll happen in the meantime, with the virus still raging. The UK reached the sombre milestone of 50,000 fatalities today. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Wednesday 11th November 2020Those vaccine hopes continue today, even though there were warnings from Fed officials that the economy still faced ongoing impacts from COVID-19, with structural differences highlighting the need for the fiscal stimulus that now seems unlikely to happen this year. NAB’s Rodrigo Catril says there’s also some caution over the vaccine news, and a response to antitrust action against Amazon ramping up in Europe. On today’s podcast there’s also discussion on yesterday’s NAB Business Survey, which showed business confidence picking up, and today’s RBNZ meeting – will they be less dovish that many had anticipated? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tuesday 10th November 2020The markets have scarcely had time to respond to the news that Joe Biden is the next President of the United States than we’re it with the (potentially bigger) news that Pfizer have successfully completed stage three of their COVID-19 vaccine trials, with an astonishing 90% success rate. NAB’s Ray Attrill talks through the market’s response, which includes rising equities in the US and Europe, higher bond yields, a bounce in oil prices. Phil Dobbie asks whether this will alter the approach taken by the Fed and other central banks, starting with the RBNZ tomorrow. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Monday 9th November 2020There’s still a chance that in January the Democrats will take control of the Senate. Until then, President Trump is still in charge and the US faces rising COVID cases without a fiscal stimulus. Larry Kudlow suggested that Friday’s non-farm payrolls were so strong there isn’t a need for support but NAB’s Tapas Strickland says high-frequency data suggests the job recovery is slowing. Similarly, China reported a big increase in exports, but can that last if demand for goods is subdued by the continued strength of the pandemic. It’s a quiet week this week, except for the President’s legal challenges on the election result, but markets are not likely to respond to the sideshow. Similarly, there’s no market reaction to Brexit talks, even though the clock is ticking louder now. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Friday 6th November 2020Depending on which news source you choose, Biden has either 253 or 264 electoral college votes. We’re likely to find out today, but Donald Trump’s legal challenges could delay the confirmation of the result. Markets have adopted a risk-on stance, with the hope that there will be fiscal stimulus to counter the impacts of COVID, but other progressive policies, including tax rises, would be challenged in the Senate. Elsewhere, the Bank of England coordinated the injection of extra funds into the UK economy, with extra bond buying coinciding with the extension of the furloughed workers’ scheme. In Europe there’s hope that the EU can progress with the implementation of the Recovery Fund. NAB’s David de Garis says it highlights the need for the same fiscal and monetary coordination in the US, as COVID cases rise and the jobs recovery stalls. Today though, the Fed, offered nothing new. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Thursday 5th November 2020US equities have climbed as the US goes through Wednesday without a clear winner in the election. It seems likely Biden will win, with five key states still undecided and millions of votes still to be counted. The Senate looks less clear and NAB’s Gavin Friend suggests this explains the behaviour of the bond markets, without the fear of unbridled fiscal spending. Conversely, of course, a delayed election result also delays the passage of any further fiscal stimulus package. Will that influence the Fed’s decision on Thursday – one of two central banks making announcements (the other is the Bank of England). Important those these meetings are, all eyes will remain on the vote counts, and whether President Trump is serious in his proclamation to challenge the result (if he loses). Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Wednesday 4th November 2020The RBA announced cuts to interest rates and a step up in bond buying yesterday. NAB’s Tapas Strickland says, as other banks follow, there won’t be any influence in the strength of the Aussie dollar. Americans are voting right now, with record numbers of postal and early votes, which could delay the outcome, or speed it up. Although there’s a clear expectation than Biden will win, and the Democrats regain control of the Senate, nobody is entirely sure what will happen over the next 24 hours. Meanwhile the expected mega-listing of the Ant Group has been delayed and Brexit talks have left both sides exhausted. Aside from the US election, payrolls for Australia will be the numbers to watch today. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tuesday 3rd November 2020Markets flipped from Friday’s share and bond sell-off, with more optimism a day or two out from what is expected to be a Biden victory. NAB’s Ray Attrill also points to very strong manufacturing numbers published for the US, which will have been an encouraging sign for investors too. Ahead of the US election though, there’s a Melbourne Cup to be won, and a decision to be made by the RBA, which will include rate cuts and more bond buying. Phil Dobbie asks Ray why the RBA needs to be taking such a strong stance when Australia is faring better than most places when it comes to tackling the pandemic. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Monday 2nd November 2020After the markets finished with a strong equities and bond sell-off on Friday, expect a busy week, with the RBA, the Fed and Bank of England all meeting, with the difficult job of determining how to see the economy through rising infection numbers. Then there’s the non-trivial matter of the US election tomorrow. Will we hear the results by Wednesday? NAB’s Rodrigo Catril says there’s a very strong chance that we won’t. The big question for the RBA tomorrow, will be whether they announce an increase to QE at the longer end of the curve. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Friday 30th October 2020Markets turned around again, with equities rising sharply. How much of it is the anticipation of Q3 tech company earnings results after the US close, how much of it is the strong bounce back in US GDP and how much is the anticipation of a clear outcome in next week’s US election? Phil Dobbie asks NAB’s Gavin Friend how he reads the market right now, and what are his thoughts on the ECB meeting which did little, but promised a lot more next time. Meanwhile virus numbers rise, there are more restraints on the economy in France and Germany – and could the UK be forced to go further next week too? Next week will be quite a week. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Thursday 29th October 2020US equities have been hit hard today, the third day of losses, with the US dollar rising. NAB’s David de Garis said the markets hit the decks running as they opened in Europe, running away from risk. There’s growing concerns about the rising COVID infection rates, and, more significantly, rises in death rates in Europe and the US. Macron could be about to announce a significant lockdown of the French economy soon. Meanwhile, although Biden is still expected to win the US election next week, there are growing concerns about how clear the win will be, and whether President Trump will contest the result. If central banks have run as far as they can, the only injection for COVID-hit economies will come from fiscal measures. That was the gist of the message from the Bank of Canada, and is likely to be echoed by the ECB today. This morning the NAB business survey will give an invaluable read on expectations for Q3, whilst the US GDP numbers later on will show the extent of the country’s bounce back. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Wednesday 28th October 2020There’s a risk that next week’s US election is more contestable than we might have considered a week ago. NAB’s Tapas Strickland says late surge polling could fall in the President’s favour. A poll in the US has also demonstrated just how many American’s would take to the streets if their preferred candidate didn’t win. Through rising COVID numbers into the mix, and it’s not surprising that the markets continue to struggle to find certainty right now. On the data front, US durable goods orders looked strong, as did industrial profits in China. And newspapers are reporting that Australia is heading out of recession on the back of the RBA’s Guy Debelle’s comments to Senate Estimates yesterday, but in reality his comments were more guarded than that. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tuesday 27th October 2020Markets are displaying classic risk-off moves today – with equities down, bond prices up and the US dollar the safe haven currency of choice. The reasons are clear – COVID cases continue to rise, a US stimulus won’t happen in a hurry and although the expectation of a Biden victory is clear there’s still the uncertainty of an election in a week’s time. NAB’s Rodrigo Catril talks through the moves, with the bad news overshadowing the good news – like Melbourne’s economy reopening tomorrow, and Astra Zeneca’s latest vaccine trial news. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Monday 26th October 2020Last week finished with US stocks down, the US dollar down and the price of bonds down. Normally, if the sentiment is risk off and equities are down, you’d see the US dollar rise. The fact that didn’t happen demonstrates the US dollar is in a down trend, says NAB’s Ray Attrill on today’s Morning Call. Short term we can expect markets to continue to be influenced by election polls, Brexit hopes and COVID-19 statistics. The idea of a stimulus deal in the US remains a tiny glimmer of hope, but Nancy Pelosi might be the only person left hoping. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Friday 23rd October 2020In a few hours Joe Biden and Donald Trump go head to head in the last election debate. NAB's Gavin Friend says equities have picked up some momentum later in the session, possibly not because of lingering hopes of a pre-election stimulus deal, but more on a Biden victory that could secure a more sizeable deal than would ever be agreeable to fiscally conservative Republicans. The UK has added more support payments for workers as COVID cases continue to rise, there and across Europe. A newspaper report claims Michel Barnier sees fish as the only sticking point for Brexit, which suggests a deal is closer than ever. And PMIs for Europe, the UK and the US will give an indication on to what extent the service sector has stalled in its recovery. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Monday 22nd October 2020Talks are back on. Safter setting a deadline of Tuesday, Nancy Pelosi is continuing talks with the Republicans with a view to getting a stimulus package agreed for the US by the weekend. And after giving each other the cold shoulder for the first half of the week, the UK and EU are back to talking about a Brexit deal, meeting every day now until the issue is resolved. “This is the final run in”, says NAB’s David de Garis on today’s Morning Call podcast. If successful it could boost the pound, but the risk goes both ways. Meanwhile rising COVID numbers continue to cause concern and oil prices have taken a hit after a surprise rise in gasoline inventories in the US. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Wednesday 21st October 2020Equities are higher in the US again today. NAB’s Tapas Strickland says it is largely on the back of continued hope that a stimulus deal will be struck. If not now, perhaps after the election with the possibility that the Democrats also win control of the senate. There’s also optimism around a vaccine and US housing data bounced back, showing more underlying strength in the US economy. Tapas is asked why US equites continue to significantly outperform those in Europe, Australia and other parts of the world. There’s also talk about the RBA minutes and yesterday’s Australian jobs data, plus the high demand for the ERU’s first ’social bonds’. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tuesday 20th October 2020Markets are waiting to see the outcome of two on again off again decisions, both with sizeable economic consequences. Boris Johnson declared that Brexit talks were over, but NAB’s Ray Attrill says the markets clearly don’t believe him, with the pound one of the strongest currencies today. Stateside, equities are subdued as the deadline for a pre-election stimulus deal draws closer. Meanwhile the Aussie, which should be benefiting from a falling US dollar and a stronger Yuan, refuses to budge as markets come to terms with the next moves from the RBA. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Monday 19th October 2020After a fairly volatile week markets were calmer on Friday on the back of positive retail numbers from the US. NAB’s Rodrigo Catril says Republicans could use it as an excuse not to support further stimulus measures. There was little market reaction to Boris Johnson’s threats to walk away from Brexit negotiations, perhaps because ‘walking away’ has been shown to mean ‘keep talking’. Jacinda Ardern’s election victory is unlikely to see a market response because it too was entirely expected. Today’s GDP numbers from China will show how their economic recovery continues, whilst any volatility this week is likely to be driven by rising COVID-19 numbers, news of related government restrictions, Brexit talks and the US election circus. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Friday 16th October 2020There’s a strong risk off mood in the air, which has pushed the US dollar higher and hit stocks. Phil Dobbie asks NAB’s Gavin Friend whether markets are now accepting that COVID-19 cases are rising and that will stall attempts at an economic recovery. It certainly seems to be the case in Europe, with more stringent controls being introduced in Paris and London and cases rising in Germany too. Weekly jobless numbers pointed to a further slowdown in the US. At home, a very dovish Philip Lowe signalled where the RBA is heading in November – lower rates and more bond buying seems likely. NZ goes to the polls at the weekend, but it’s unlikely Jacinda Ardern has called the removalists. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Thursday 15th October 2020Philip Lowe, the Governor of the RBA, is talking this morning. NAB’s David de Garis tells us what to expect in terms of signalling for future stimulus measures. Stimulus is off the cards for now in the US, but listening to President Trump speaking at the Economic Society of new York you’d have to wonder why they need it. They’ve had the smallest economic contraction and fastest recovery of any major western nation, he said. He left out China, of course, because their economy really has had a V-shaped recovery, demonstrated further by increased loans reported yesterday and, hence, a larger money supply, that should boost their GDP further. In Europe, rising infection rates and lockdown fears continue to cause uncertainty, whilst Brexit talks will continue beyond the EU meeting this week. The pound continues to be highly volatile to it all, choosing today to rise in the side of optimism. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Wednesday 14th October 2020The Aussie dollar has taken a hit twice in the last twenty-four hours. NAB’s Rodrigo Catril says the first hit came on reports that China was to stop importing Australian coal, a significant worsening of trade relations. The second hit came as the US dollar rose and equities fell as the last vestiges of hope for a stimulus deal seemed to disappear. There’s also caution around earnings results, with banks so far producing good results but not much optimism looking ahead. The pound has had a worse night though, as Brexit talks continue to produce no results, unemployment numbers were worse than expected, COVID cases have risen further and the opposition leader is calling for another full national lockdown. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tuesday 13th October 2020The US senate is seemingly preoccupied with pushing through Amy Coney Barrett as Supreme Court nominee, casting aside any bandwidth for fiscal stimulus talks. Yet US equities have bounced higher today. NAB’s Ray Attrill says there’s no clear logic for enthusiasm amongst share investors, except for the hopes that a Biden win will see more fiscal stimulus; but it would also mean more regulation for tech companies, and they’ve been leading the charge overnight. Equally as curious, the pound has risen despite rising COVID cases, more lockdown measures and no Brexit progress. It’s perhaps easier to explain the fall in the Aussie and NZ dollars, pulled down with the PBoC’s measures to reduce the value of the Renminbi. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Monday 12th October 2020The US dollar hit a two and a half year low on Friday, whilst the Chinese Yuan showed big gains. NAB’s Tapas Strickland said the dollar fell on expectations of a Biden victory, which could see increase government spending to tackle the economic impacts of COVIDS-19. The Yuan gained ground as the Caixin Services PMI came in strong. This week was to be the week when a Brexit deal would finally be agreed, but why rush into these things? Talks are likely to continue into November. This week Australian investors will be looking to RBA’s Philip Lowe’s speech on Thursday for suggestions about the easing policy that is likely to be introduced in the November meeting. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Friday 9th October 2020Donald Trump continues to talk about a stimulus deal, even though he said it had been shelved. But NAB’s David de Garis reckons its highly unlikely anything will be done before the election, an election with Joe Biden stands an increasing chance of winning. The minutes of the September ECB meeting showed concern over the EUR exchange rate, which could present “a risk to both growth and inflation”. Today’s GDP numbers for the UK are likely to show some growth in August as the hospitality industry kicked back into gear, but pubs and restaurants are facing more closures now as infection numbers rise. And the NZ dollar has been losing ground as the RBNZ Assistant Governor raised expectations for negative interest rates next year. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Thursday 8th October 2020There’s been a market rebound on the hope that some sort of stimulus deal in the US is still possible before the election, but will it really happen? Phil Dobbie asks NAB’s Tapas Strickland whether the rising likelihood of a Biden victory is also an influence. The FOMC minutes haven’t shifted markets much this morning, so was there anything surprising in there? There’s also discussion in today’s podcast on last night’s Australian Federal Budget. There’s plenty of stimulus, but has the government got it right on growth forecasts? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Wednesday 7th October 2020There’s been a strong reaction in the equity and currency markets to Donald Trump’s sudden decision to stop talks about a fiscal stimulus, even though he tweeted about the need for it whilst in hospital over the weekend. NAB’s Rodrigo Catril wonders whether he’s serious, or is it a last minute bargaining tactic? It comes after the Fed’s Jerome Powell warned that too little fiscal support would lead America to a weak recovery. All this at a time when Biden seems to be pulling away in the polls. Meanwhile, the RBA and Australia government are more in-tune on the need for stimulus to create and retain jobs, whilst the ECB is sounding more dovish. And Brexit talks – the reports are mixed. Deadlines are getting pushed back. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tuesday 6th October 2020As the President prepares to leave for the White House there’s still hope that a deal will be reached to pass version 2 of the Heroes Act, adding more stimulus to the US economy. Phil Dobbie asks NAB’s Gavin Friend if that’s what’s driving the risk-on mood today, or is it the news that the President will be out of hospital soon? Gavin suggests the rising gap in the polls will also be driving the mood, removing the uncertainty perhaps of a drawn out election process. The President told people not to be afraid of COVID in a recent tweet, which could mould his campaign message from now on. The non-manufacturing ISM read has added to the plethora of strong(ish) data from the US. It’s a busy day for Australia today, with the RBA meeting and the Federal Budget tonight. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Monday 5th October 2020Friday was certainly a gamechanger. The US President went into hospital without a clear picture of his condition. Now, it seems he could be returning to the White House as soon as today. So, do the markets take back some of their risk concerns, and focus on the positives of the situation? That’s a question Phil Dobbie puts to Ray Attrill in today’s Morning Call podcast. One positive could be that Republicans are more prepared to reach a deal on a stimulus package. Friday’s non-farm payrolls in the US on Friday were largely ignored by the markets, but showed a slowing in jobs recovery. The pound strengthened on Friday on hopes that talks over Brexit will step up, but there’s still a lot of ground to be covered in a very short period of time. And locally, we’re one day away from the next RBA meeting and the budget, but markets are more likely to be eyeing Washington than hanging out for words from Josh Frydenberg. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Friday 2nd October 2020Equities in the US rose overnight despite a stalemate on the fiscal stimulus package. Optimists insist there is some hope that a deal will be reached but, as NAB’s David de Garis puts it, the whole thing is being held back by philosophical differences. The pound has had a choppy day today, with little progress on the Brexit talks. The EC has started legal proceedings against the UK with regard to their Internal Markets Bill, giving the UK Prime Minister a month to respond. By then you’d hope a trade deal will be reached, but there’s no guarantee the two parties will go into tunnel talks. Non-farm payrolls from the US will be the major bit of new data tonight, the weekly jobs numbers released last night showed the claw back in employment is slowing and many US companies have announced major layoffs this week. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Thursday 1st October 2020No sell off in equities after that yelling match that was apparently a presidential election debate. In fact, equities have been helped by some strong data from the US and continued hope on a stimulus deal, although enthusiasm for that waned somewhat later in the session. Elsewhere, the Bank of England’s Andy Haldane criticised the Chicken Licken mentality. NAB’s Gavin Friend says it’s a curious comment given the sharp rise in COVID-19 cases in the UK. The pound has gained more as the UK potentially gave some ground in the Brexit negotiations, and the Aussie dollar boosted by rising commodity prices and strong PMI numbers from China. The US manufacturing ISM and weekly jobless claims will be numbers to look out for tonight. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Wednesday 30th September 2020Despite a big jump in confidence in the Conference Board numbers for the US, there’s not much optimism in the markets today. NAB’s David de Garis says, as the virus refuses to settle down, the lack of a fiscal stimulus deal – the so-called Heroes Act – will be playing on markets (hence the title of today’s podcast, a homage to the 1970’s punk band The Stranglers). There’s also the pre-debate nerves, with Trump and Biden battling it out in the next few hours. Oil has taken a hit today, again because of COVID concerns and the realisation that demand will be slow to pick up. Today, China’s PMI numbers and RBA credit numbers will be of interest to Aussie investors. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tuesday 29th September 2020US and European equities rose sharply, with rising confidence seeing a fall in the US dollar and a rise in the Aussie. The reports that the US President has paid very little in tax might provide some fodder for Joe Biden in the TV debate and NAB’s Tapas Strickland says it could influence undecided voters. Whichever way you look at it, it’s going to be a messy election. Meanwhile, the pound has gained in hopes of a Brexit deal, which has offset any concerns about further lockdowns in the UK. The gains in the Aussie dollar will be partially influenced by an expectation that the RBA won’t cut rates next week, waiting instead till November. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Monday 28th September 2020COVID19 cases continue to rise in Europe, with numbers in the UK and France now well above the first wave. Yet, whilst there’s very little in the way of new data to influence the markets this week, there’s plenty of non-COVID politics; the President’s nomination of Amy Comey Barrett for the Supreme Court, the first Presidential election debate mid-week, and the start of another round of Brexit talks, with hopes increasing that a deal will be struck. NAB’s Ray Attrill talks through a week which will be less about economic data and more about geopolitics – and virus numbers of course. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Friday 25th September 2020Equities were rising again in the US overnight on the hopes that a stimulus deal would be struck between the GOP and Democrats, but as optimism turned to reality, prices fell, the US dollar regained some of its strength and bond yields weakened. NAB’s Gavin Friend says it demonstrates how markets are clinging to any good news in amongst what’s a pretty bleak picture right now. The pound gained a little ground as the Chancellor Rishi Sunak unveiled the follow-up to the furlough scheme, but its clear many workers will not be covered and unemployment will rise. Have we reached the end of the road for sizeable bailouts from governments? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Thursday 24th September 2020NAB had forecast that the Aussie dollar would reach 74 US cents by the end of the year. It did earlier this month but, as global risk sentiment rises, it is rapidly losing ground. On his first day back from holidays, NAB’s Ray Attrill is asked whether he still thinks the Aussie will regain strength, given the hit it has been taking this week? How much of it is down to the easing expectations for the RBA? The risk-off mood is being driven by rising virus concerns and louder voices from the Fed on the need for a fiscal stimulus which looks less likely by the day. To add to global concerns, flash PMI numbers for Europe show a service sector in contraction, putting the kibosh on rapid recovery hopes. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Wednesday 23rd September 2020In the US Jerome Powell spelt out very clearly in his testimony before Congress that more fiscal stimulus was needed and had been assumed by many board members in their policy predictions. Meanwhile, in Australia Guy Debelle has hinted that more monetary easing might be round the corner. Tapas Strickland says NAB has revised its rates forecast and explains some of the reasoning behind it. It’s been a bad day for the pound, as infections rise further and more restrictions are imposed on the public. A swag of PMIs are out today for Europe and the US, which will give a clearer idea of how each economy is traversing the economic impacts of the pandemic. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tuesday 22nd September 2020Concerns over the impact if a second wave in the US and Europe seem to be gathering momentum, driving investors to government bonds and safe-haven currencies. NAB’s Gavin Friend says banking stocks have added to the slide today following an investigation into how some big banks failed to stop money laundering up to three years ago. The US election is adding to uncertainty. But it’s the rising virus numbers that are the real concern and what else, if anything, central banks can do about it. All eyes will be on Jerome Powell’s testimony on the Fed and on Guy Debelle’s speech today, to see the direction the RBA is planning to head. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Monday 21st September 2020As COVID-19 cases rise in many parts of the world, and more restrictive measures likely in the UK and Europe, there’s the question of what more central banks can do to help stabilise the global economy? NAB’s Rodrigo Catril says this should be an interesting week in that respect, with central bank speakers out in force, including Jerome Powell facing a two-day grilling by the Senate and the Congress in the US. Meanwhile, uncertainty is hurting the share markets, which took a tumble on Friday. The pound could be a casualty this week with Boris Johnson set to announce more restrictions for the UK public on Tuesday, whilst, conversely, Victoria’s infection rates are falling and NZ is likely to ease measures from tonight. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Friday 18th September 2020It’s been a topsy turvy session overnight, that’s seen equities slide even though a day ago the FOMC was signalling years of near zero interest rates. NAB’s Gavin Friend says by extending the expected period of low rates investors dwelled more on the negative impacts of the virus. There was some optimism that a deal would be struck to provide more fiscal stimulus in the US, but despite the President’s calls for Republicans to be prepared to spend more, a deal still seems unlikely. In the UK the pound also twisted and turned, driven up by optimism over a Brexit deal from Ursula von der Leyen and driven down by talks of negative interest rates from the Bank of England. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Thursday 17th September 2020US interest rates will be lower for longer – that’s the takeout from today’s FOMC meeting. So, what are the implications of three, perhaps four years, of near zero rates? A question put to NAB’s Rodrigo Catril in today’s Morning Call podcast. How concerned should we be about deflation, with figures in the UK today showing a 0.4 percent fall in August? There’s also discussion on today’s labour market data for Australia, GDP numbers for Q2 for New Zealand and what to expect from the Bank of Japan and the Bank of England later on. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Wednesday 16th September 2020Equities are on the rise again in the US. NAB’s Gavin Friend says it has been driven by a flurry of M&A activity, alongside vaccine hopes and reasonable activity numbers from China, which showed retail sales turning positive for the first time this year. Compared to that, US data was decidedly mixed, with the pace of recovery seeming to slow. The FOMC meeting tomorrow morning will present a dovish view, says Gavin, with the possibility of downgrading some of their economic forecasts. On the podcast there’s also discussion on yesterday’s RBA minutes and why the latest UK employment numbers should be taken with a pinch of salt. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tuesday 15th September 2020Shares climbed in the US today on the hope that Pfizer will have a vaccine ready by the end of the year. It’s a promise made by their CEO at the weekend and touted by the US President. The US dollar fell, with the NZ dollar the main beneficiary. NAB’s Rodrigo Catril says speculation is mounting that the RBA will buy more government bonds to bring interest rates down, which accounts for a why there’s been less interest in the Aussie dollar. Plus, more volatility for the pound, and activity numbers from China today will help determine whether consumer confidence has come back yet. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Monday 14th September 2020It’s just over six months since the COVID-19 pandemic was declared and we’re all still unsure about how it will all end. NAB’s Tapas Strickland said we can expect some optimism today as the Oxford University-Astra Zeneca trials resume, and that could help the Aussie dollar gain some ground? But could it also hit tech stocks, who have been enjoying their moment in the sun as home workers have been more reliant on technology. The tech bubble will be tested this week with a significant number of IPOs in the US. On today’s podcast there’s also discussion on the latest inflation numbers in the US ahead of this week’s FOMC meeting, the UK’s delayed recovery, China’s credit growth and Japan’s new Prime Minister. Plus a look ahead to the RBA meeting tomorrow. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Friday 11th September 2020The pound lost further ground today as the EU objected to a new government bill that would unilaterally overturn the Withdrawal Agreement. NAB’s Gavin Friend says observers have been aghast at the actions of the UK government and that’s being felt in the pound. But has the weakened pound held back the Euro? The ECB’s Christine Lagarde signalled that the ECB was watching the rising exchange rate, but it was not a target for the central bank. Does that give the currency permission to rise higher? Meanwhile, uncertainty remains in US equities, falling markedly today, with the US dollar holding its own, most likely because of the Sterling effect. Weekly jobs numbers in the US also disappointed a little. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Thursday 10th September 2020There’s been a rebound in risk sentiment which NAB’s Tapas Strickland has been driven by a buy-the-dip mentality, with opinions still divided as to whether tech stocks remain over-valued. Meanwhile the US dollar has fallen again, boosting the Aussie dollar and the Euro. The rising value of the Euro of late will be of particular concern to the ECB which meets later – higher priced exports could hinder Europe’s recovery. The pound meanwhile is finding it hard to keep up as Brexit uncertainty remains and concerns over rising COVID infections, with new restrictions imposed in the UK today. All that said, the data over the last 24 hours has shown largely positive signs of recovery. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Wednesday 9th September 2020US equities have had a third session with substantial falls. NAB’s Gavin Friend says the damage is largely confined to the tech sector but there is evidence that it could be broadening to a fuller risk-off mood. The reasons for the uncertainty are clear, beyond irrational exuberance, we have increasing rhetoric from Donald Trump over China, expanding on his earlier decoupling comments; Boris Johnson is turning up the heat on Brexit negotiations, threatening to change the withdrawal agreement, even if it means breaching international law; and COVID-19 cases continue to rise. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tuesday 8th September 2020A drop in the pound was the only significant market move today, driven by threats from Boris Johnson to walk away in mid-October if he doesn’t get the Brexit deal he wants. Normally such remarks are taken as brinkmanship as negotiations near the finish line, but today there was a market reaction – perhaps because there’s little else to go on. Data from Australia today will give a clear indication of the impact of the Melbourne lockdown on other states – the NAB Business Survey for August and the weekly payrolls numbers. NAB’s Tapas Strickland also talks through a Bloomberg survey showing the expectation for further rate cuts and increased bond buying from the RBA. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Monday 7th September 2020US jobs data on Friday helped the equities market to regain a little composure as it fell for the second day. It also saw Treasury yields rise sharply, steepening the curve. NAB’s Rodrigo Catril proffers his opinion on how much of this is a short-term response and how much the start of a longer-term shift. The Fed’s Jerome Powell said on Friday that the recovery ”will get harder from here”. There’s also the discussion on the impact on the Australian economy of the extension to the Melbourne lock-down announced yesterday. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Friday 4th September 2020There have been massive falls in US equities, particularly tech stocks. NAB’s David de Garis says thin trading in summer can always create sharper moves, but there’s little doubt a correction was overdue and tech stocks have borne the brunt of it. There’s been no encouraging news to divert attention – the Services ISM number came in lower than expected, with the employment component still in contraction. The weekly jobless claims numbers remain persistently high, with non-farm payrolls providing more detail tonight. And the Fed’s Charles Evans has suggested it’ll take more than two years to see a full recovery. The biggest victim of this negative mood – other than retail investors feeling the equity hit – is the Australian dollar. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Thursday 3rd September 2020The US dollar managed a slight recovery in the overnight session, which has also seen continued growth in US equities, echoed across the Atlantic. On today’s podcast Phil Dobbie asks NAB’s Ray Attrill why the positive sentiment when the data we’re seeing isn’t so positive? ADP employment numbers were softer than expected and the Fed’s Beige Book suggested the recovery in the US is slowing. They also discuss yesterday’s GDP numbers for Australia and the whole gamut of services PMI numbers out later today. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Wednesday 2nd September 2020Deflation in Europe comes as no surprise, just as the shift in the Fed’s monetary policy seems likeold news, but NAB’s Gavin Friend explains how the markets are still adjusting to it. Data releases have largely been positive, with a higher than expected increase in the USA ISM, and the Caixin PMI for China is at its highest level since 2011. So, what can we expect from Australia’s GDP numbers for Q2? Will they signal that the RBA, and the government, needs to do more to help the economy recover? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tuesday 1st September 2020The Australian and NZ dollars reached two-year highs in the overnight session, with the US dollar declining further. Phil Dobbie asks NAB’s Rodrigo Catril whether the trend will continue, wand whether we could see the Aussie reach 80 US cents late next year. There’s also discussion on Warren Buffet’s investments in Japan, Richard Clarida’s explanation on the Fed’s policy change and how the rate of US COVID-19 fatalities seems to be reacting sluggishly to the fall in cases. Plus, what to expect from the RBA today and the US ISM manufacturing number tomorrow morning. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Monday 31st August 2020NAB’s Ray Attrill says the US dollar bore the brunt of Friday’s reflective thinking on Jerome Powell’s Jackson Hole speech. He says, if the market believes the Fed will run inflation up to 3%, then real US interest rates would be lower and higher inflation should force the currency down over time, hence the response. But isn’t this somewhat hypothetical when inflation has struggled to get anywhere near 3 percent? There’s also discussion about US confidence data, China’s ISM numbers today and the impact of Shinzo Abe’s resignation announcement. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Friday 28th August 2020Jerome Powell used his virtual address to the Jackson Hole Symposium to announcer the Fed’s strategy of targeting an ‘average’ 2% inflation rate, a subtle change that is likely to keep interest rates lower for longer. NAB’s David de Garis says that lower rates will help to propel investment once confidence returns, but it’ll take a while to eat into the current spare capacity. Meanwhile another million people signed for unemployment benefit in the US, business confidence seems to be picking up in Europe and the ABS provided confirmation that private capex in Australia was way down in Q2. Of course, the Q3 numbers will be a lot more interesting. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Thursday 27th August 2020There’s continued optimism in the markets, with equities reaching new highs again, helped on by better than expected durable goods orders in the US, and despite rising US-China tensions and the potential impact of Hurricane Laura. NAB’s Rodrigo Catril also discusses the continued interest in Australian bonds and the impact on GDP of yesterday’s construction numbers and today’s private capex read. Plus, what will be said at the virtual Jackson Hole, which kicks off today. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Wednesday 26th August 2020The US dollar is down again this morning, with equities up and touching new highs again. More significantly, we’ve seen sizeable increase in government bond yields in the US and Europe. NASB’s David de Garis talks through the factors at play, including hope that the US China trade relationship will continue as planned in the phase one deal, and concerns that a bigger supply of bonds in the pipeline could be inflationary. Meanwhile the IFO numbers from Germany gave ground for some optimism, despite rising COVID-19 cases in the country. Yet consumer confidence in the US has fallen, even as home sales increase 13%, to levels not seen since the subprime crisis. Good news or bad? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tuesday 25th August 2020US equities reached new highs again, with big gains also in Europe. NAB’s Rodrigo Catril says investors are back to reacting to the vaccine hopes, with President Trump announcing he will fast track roll-outs in the US – faster than a ‘traditional’ administration. Meanwhile, NZ’s retail numbers yesterday fell significantly during Q2 as expected – so will they pay the price for a protracted lockdown? And will German IFO numbers today confirm that the European economy is recovering at a slower rate than the US? Plus, Australia’s payroll data today will show the early impacts of the Victorian lockdown. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Monday 24th August 2020Europe’s PMI’s disappointed markets on Friday, whereas the US numbers were better than expected, helping to lift equities to new highs (again). The UK provided mixed news, with string PMIs offset by a week of Brexit negotiations that led nowhere. Donald Trump is pushing out all the stops on a virus and cure for COVID-19, with announcements expected today on one, if not both. NAB’s Ray Attrill talks through all of this, and reports that the take-out from the National Cabinet Meeting on Friday was that States and Territories should do more to fund Australia’s recovery. In the week ahead, the meeting of central bankers at Jackson Hole should provide a steady stream of news and views. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Friday 21st August 2020US equities continue to rise, even though the jobless claims numbers rose last week. Phil Dobbie asks NAB’s Gavin Friend, at what point will they appear to be overvalued? There’s also discussion on bond movements, the continued fall in the Kiwi dollar, even against a weaker US dollar today, and the rise in the pound. There’s lots of PMIs released today – services and manufacturing for the UK, Germany, the Eurozone and the US – what will they tell us about the shape of the global recovery? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Thursday 20th August 2020There’s no doubt about it, there was disappointment from investors after the minutes of the recent FOMC meeting were released. There was hope that there would be some indication of how the committee would be arriving at a forward guidance for Fed strategy, but nothing. As NAB’s David de Garis says, Jerome Powell had suggested that their strategic review – that was interrupted by the COVID-19 outbreak - was well advanced and details would be released soon. Clearly not this soon, and equities fell back a little on the lack of new news. There’s a clearer picture on the direction of the RBNZ, with an expectation that interest rates will be in negative territory next year. There’s discussion of that on today’s podcast, plus the China-Australia fracas and US unemployment and stimulus (or lack of). Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Wednesday 19th August 2020US stocks continue to rise to record highs, helped today by strong housing starts and building permits. Phil Dobbie asks NAB’s Tapas Strickland whether there’s too much optimism about the rate of recovery and that’s showing in overvalued assets, including stocks and gold. Maybe the FOMC minutes will bring us down to earth tomorrow morning, although the news that Nancy Pelosi has indicated she’ll agree to go halfway on a fiscal stimulus deal might add to market enthusiasm. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tuesday 18th August 2020The US dollar continues to fall, pushing the Aussie dollar higher this morning. The dovish tone set by the RBNZ – plus a delayed election – means the NZ dollar hasn’t seen the same level of growth. In fact, NAB’s Ray Attrill points out in today’s Morning Call, the Aussie-NZ dollar cross is at a two year high. That’s not all, US equities are hitting new levels too, even though the idea of any sort of fiscal deal seems to have fallen off the table and growth slowed markedly in the latest NY Empire Manufacturing Index. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Monday 17th August 2020Lockdowns have been extended in Victoria and Auckland, even as COVID-19 cases ease. But, NAB’s Rodrigo Catril, says hotspots around the world are becoming a bigger concern, hence the continued uncertainty in markets – although equities continue to perform close to record highs. With so much focus on the virus it’s not surprising that US China trade talks have been called off for the foreseeable future, with little market impact on the news. More interesting, perhaps, will be the Democrat Convention that kicks off today. What impact will their policies have? Can anything stop the slide in the US dollar right now? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Friday 14th August 2020Jobs data is confusing right now. How much is it influenced by government stimulus activity? Well, not much in the US right now because an agreement still hasn’t been reached, but weekly new claims are below a million for the first time since March. In Australia unemployment has risen to 7.5%, before the Melbourne lockdown. NAB’s Gavin Friend talks through the data, and the market reaction, with equities still high and the bond sell-off continuing even as the US Treasury auctions off a heap more of them. And will Auckland stay in lockdown? Also today, a slew of performance data from China and US retail sales. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.