|
 |
| |
Market Moving News
|
|
|
| |
| News item below are time-delayed, to get the latest news, please try our >> Trial
Offer << |
|
| Intra-day Market Moving News |
| 10 Feb 2026 |
17:25 |
USD/MAJORS... LSEG news, Fed's Hammack says :
- regulators don't have great insight into fast growing private credit
- the U.S. government is on unsustainable fiscal path
- watching for build up of leverage in treasury market
- central bank independence is critical and delivers better outcomes
- Fed is independent and accountable
- many banks still not set up to use discount window, that makes sense for some firms
- Fed wants to make discount window easier to use
- worries inflation could become entrenched in economy, expectations so far contained
- critically important to get 2% inflation
- important to get 2% inflation before changing rates again
|
| |
| 10 Feb 2026 |
14:03 |
USD/MAJORS... LSEG reported growth in U.S. labor costs unexpectedly slowed in the fourth quarter, leading to the smallest annual increase in 4-1/2 years, as softening demand for labor restrained wage gains.
The Employment Cost Index (ECI), the broadest measure of labor costs, rose 0.7% last quarter after advancing 0.8% in the July-September quarter, the Labor Department's Bureau of Labor Statistics said on Tuesday. Economists polled by Reuters had forecast the ECI rising 0.8%.
Labor costs increased 3.4% in the 12 months through December, the smallest gain since the second quarter of 2021. They rose 3.5% in the year through September.
The ECI is viewed by policymakers as one of the better measures of labor market slack and a predictor of core inflation because it adjusts for composition and job-quality changes.
A lackluster labor market is curbing wage growth. The government reported last week that there were 0.87 job openings for every unemployed person in December compared to 0.89 in November. That ratio has dropped from about 1.08 a year ago.
|
| |
| 10 Feb 2026 |
13:40 |
USD/MAJORS... LSEG reported U.S. retail sales were unexpectedly unchanged in December, putting consumer spending and the overall economy on a slower growth path heading into the new year.
The flat reading in retail sales last month followed an unrevised 0.6% increase in November, the Commerce Department's Census Bureau on Tuesday. Economists polled by Reuters had forecast retail sales, which are mostly goods and are not adjusted for inflation.
The Census Bureau is still catching up on data releases after delays caused by last year's government shutdown.
Retail had been strong despite consumers being downbeat about the economy amid higher prices from tariffs and a softening labor market. That has come at the expense of saving, with the saving rate falling to a three-year low of 3.5% in November from 3.7% in October. It has dropped from a peak of 31.8% in April 2020. But household wealth has surged, driven by a strong stock market rally and still-high home prices.
Retail sales excluding automobiles, gasoline, building materials and food services fell 0.1% in December after a downwardly revised 0.2% gain in November. These so-called core retail sales correspond most closely with the consumer spending component of gross domestic product. They were previously reported to have advanced 0.4% in November.
|
| |
| 9 Feb 2026 |
05:37 |
USD/JPY - 156.54... LSEG reported Japanese stocks swept to all-time peaks while super-long bonds quickly reversed early weakness in an apparent vote of confidence in Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's "responsible, proactive" fiscal policy.
The yen initially declined to a record trough against the Swiss franc, but rapidly switched direction after a warning about potential currency intervention from Tokyo.
Takaichi's Liberal Democratic Party won a landslide 316 of the 465 seats in parliament's lower house in Sunday's snap election, giving her a solid mandate to push through big spending and promised tax relief.
But she has repeatedly stressed that her stimulus plans will not blow out the nation's finances, a major concern for markets given Japan already has the developed world's heaviest debt burden.
"The result reduces political uncertainty and strengthens the broader 'Japan is Back' narrative," said Masahiko Loo, senior fixed-income strategist at State Street.
"Investor focus is broadening beyond initial 'Takaichi trade' winners such as exporters, cyclicals, financials and defence."
The Nikkei 225 share average rallied as much as 5.7% to reach an unprecedented 57,337.07, while the broader Topix jumped 3.4% to a record 3,825.67.
|
| |
| 6 Feb 2026 |
14:11 |
GBP/USD - 1.3590... LSEG reported Bank of England Chief Economist Huw Pill said on Friday that the central bank should not be too reassured by the likely return of inflation to near its 2% target in the second quarter of this year as much of this will be due to one-off factors.
Pill - who voted against a rate cut this week - said just as the BoE looked through a temporary inflation hump in 2025 that partly reflected one-off regulatory measures, it should not put too much weight on a dip in inflation to close to 2% which is forecast for April when lower energy prices take effect.
"There is also a risk that we draw too much comfort from the ditch in short-term inflation dynamics created by the downside fiscal measures announced last November, and we lose a little bit of a track of ... the inflation that is going to be the lasting dynamic in price developments that will still be there once all these one-off effects fade out," he said.
Some of the easing in inflation is likely to come from measures included in finance minister Rachel Reeves' budget which was announced in November.
Speaking to businesses, Pill said monetary policy would need to continue to address any persistence in inflationary pressures.
|
| |
| 6 Feb 2026 |
13:33 |
USD/CAD - 1.3660... LSEG reported Canada unexpectedly lost 24,800 jobs in January but the unemployment rate dipped to a 16-month low of 6.5% as fewer people looked for work, Statistics Canada indicated on Friday.
Analysts had forecast a gain of 7,000 jobs and for the unemployment rate to remain unchanged at 6.8%.
Full-time employment in January rose by 44,900 jobs while part time employment fell by 69,700 positions.
The unemployment rate - the lowest since the 6.5% recorded in September 2024 - fell across most major demographic groups, largely reflecting declines in the number of job searchers.
|
| |
| 6 Feb 2026 |
06:32 |
USD/JPY - 156.85... LSEG reported the Bank of Japan must raise interest rates in a timely fashion to prevent underlying inflation from surpassing its 2% target, central bank board member Kazuyuki Masu said on Friday, keeping alive the chance of a near-term rate hike.
Masu said he believes Japan's underlying inflation remains below 2% but is "drawing very close" to that level, as companies and households shed their deep-rooted deflationary behaviour.
"I am convinced that continuing with further policy interest rate hikes will be needed to complete the normalisation of monetary policy in Japan," Masu said in a speech to business leaders in Matsuyama, in western Japan.
The remarks by Masu, a former trade house executive, reflect growing hawkish sentiment within the nine-member board, driven by sustained wage increases, persistently high food prices, and a weak yen, which amplifies import costs.
|
| |
| 6 Feb 2026 |
05:51 |
USD/JPY - 156.71... LSEG news, Bank of Japan board member Masu says :
- BoJ is not behind the curve in dealing with inflation
- not think of particular pace of rate hike
- it's obvious BoJ shouldn't raise rates too quickly in a way that derails Japan's economic recovery
- I'm not saying that food prices are rising in a way that needs immediate policy action
- don't have specific timeframe in mind on how soon BoJ should raise rates to levels deemed neutral to economy
- BoJ should scrutinise economic developments and guide policy in an appropriate way so that underlying inflation moves around 2%
- it would be wrong to have preset idea in mind on how soon to raise rates
- if there is sufficient data that convinces us we should act, then we should act without hesitation
- it's true Japan's negative real interest rate is likely behind rises in property prices
- past pace of our rate hikes won't be any guide to pace of future hikes
- we don't raise rates at any regular, set pace
|
| |
| 5 Feb 2026 |
15:00 |
USD/MAJORS... LSEG news, U.S. JOLTS job openings 6.542 million in December (consensus 7.200 million) (November 6.928 million) - Labor Department
|
| |
| 5 Feb 2026 |
14:44 |
Continues from previous update...
Wage Growth
"Negotiated wage growth and forward-looking indicators, such as the ECB's wage tracker and surveys on wage expectations, point to a continued moderation in labour costs. However, the contribution to overall wage growth from payment over and above the negotiated wage component remains uncertain."
Inflation Expectations
"Most measures of longer-term inflation expectations continue to stand at around 2%, supporting the stabilisation of inflation around our target."
|
| |
| 5 Feb 2026 |
14:43 |
Continues from previous update...
Upside Inflation Risks
"Inflation could turn out to be higher if there were a persistent upward shift in energy prices, or if more fragmented global supply chains pushed up import prices, curtailed the supply of critical raw materials, and added to capacity constraints in the euro area economy. If wage growth moderated more slowly, services inflation might come down later than expected.
"The planned boost in defence and infrastructure spending could also cause inflation to pick up over the medium term."
Downside Inflation Risks
"Inflation could turn out to be lower if tariffs reduce demand for euro area exports by more than expected, and if countries with overcapacity increase further the exports to the euro area. Moreover, a stronger euro could bring inflation down beyond current expectations. More volatile and risk-averse financial markets could weigh on demand, and thereby also lower inflation."
Underlying Inflation
"Indicators of underlying inflation have changed little over recent months and remain consistent with our 2% medium-term target."
"The outlook for inflation continues to be more uncertain than usual on account of the volatile global policy environment."
|
| |
| 5 Feb 2026 |
14:42 |
Continues from previous update...
Still In Good Place
"I would certainly argue that we are in a good place and inflation is in a good place. "
Exchanged Rate Discussed
"I just want to remind you, and this will not come as a surprise, that we do not target an exchange rate in terms of policy target. But we also recognise that it is important for growth and inflation outlook, both.
"So, for that reason, we always keep a close eye on exchange rate developments, and the Governing Council discussed this matter today.
"What we observed collectively is that the dollar has depreciated measurably against the euro, but not in the last few days, but since March 2025.
"We concluded that the impact of exchange rate appreciation since last year is incorporated in our baseline, okay, but of course, as I said, we always monitor whether the impact is passing through."
Stronger Euro
"A stronger euro could bring inflation down beyond current expectations, more volatile and risk averse, financial markets could weigh on demand and thereby also lower inflation."
|
| |
| 5 Feb 2026 |
14:41 |
EUR/USD - 1.1810... LSEG reported the European Central Bank left interest rates unchanged as expected on Thursday and offered no clues about its next move, reinforcing market bets that policy will remain steady for some time as the bloc enjoys steady growth and near-target inflation.
Following are highlights of ECB President Christine Lagarde's comments at a news conference after the policy meeting.
AI Investment Impact On Inflation
"The really interesting thing from our perspective is how it will impact productivity and how it will contribute or not to inflation, depending on the level of improved productivity.
"There is a little bit of that, but it's going to take a while to unleash."
Checklist For Boosting Growth
"I will send (a letter) to each of the leaders of the European Union, to the President of the European Commission, and to the President of the European Council.
"This is our checklist of what we regard as very much likely to enhance growth, to improve productivity and to really unleash the talent of Europe.
"We believe that whether it's the savings and investment unions, the digital euro and the tokenized wholesale central bank money, the deepening of the EU single market, the fostering of innovation and protection of open strategic autonomy, or simplifying legislation and strengthening core institutional framework on these five accounts, we hold views.
"We cannot deliver it all. We are delivering monetary policy and compliance with our mandate, but we strongly feel that significant reforms have to be either deepened, accelerated, in order to deliver on what is the potential of Europe."
|
| |
| 5 Feb 2026 |
14:07 |
EUR/USD - 1.1813... LSEG news, ECB's President Lagarde says :
- decision unanimous
- we are in broadly balanced situation in terms of risks
- we have no exchange rate target
- recognized that fx is important
- keep close eye on fx
- we discussed fx today
- we observed that dollar depreciated measurably but not in last few days
- dollar has fluctuated in a range since last summer
- impact of fx rate incorporated into baseline
- current range is very much in line with overall average for as long as euro has been around
|
| |
| 5 Feb 2026 |
13:59 |
EUR/USD - 1.1812... LSEG news, in post-ECB rate decision press conference, ECB's President Lagarde says :
- growth driven by services, notably in IT and COMs
- manufacturing resilient
- construction momentum picking up
- government spending should contribute to domestic demand
- business investment should strengthen further
- firms increasingly investing in digital tech
- indicators of underlying inflation have changed little
- indicators consistent with target
- forward looking indicators and surveys point to continued moderation in labour costs
- most measures of longer term inflation expectations stand around 2%
- euro area faces volatile policy environment
- uncertainty could weigh on demand
- friction in international trade could disrupt supply chains, weaken exports
- planned fiscal spending boost could drive up growth by more than expected
- inflation could turn out to be higher if there is a persistent upward shift in energy prices
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Top 
