Equities
Global markets were mixed as investors pushed back expectations for an imminent U.S. interest rate hike after yesterday’s weaker than expected jobs report.
TSX futures pointed higher after Canada’s main stock market closed up yesterday amid a gold rally.
U.S. stock markets were closed for the Independence Day holiday.
“The figures challenged the narrative that the [U.S. Federal Reserve] remains on track to hike in the second half of this year,” Westpac analysts wrote in a research report. The tepid jobs data doused traders’ expectations of an imminent rate hike and raised the odds that the Fed will keep rates on hold until October.
Overseas, the pan-European STOXX 600 was up 0.17 per cent in morning trading. Britain’s FTSE 100 fell 0.29 per cent, Germany’s DAX rose 0.25 per cent and France’s CAC 40 gave back 0.05 per cent.
In Asia, Japan’s Nikkei closed 1.47 per cent higher, while Hong Kong’s Hang Seng rose 1.28 per cent.
Commodities
Oil prices were little changed on the holiday-shortened trading week in the U.S. as traders held on to hopes that attempts to secure peace in the Middle East between the United States and Iran would succeed.
Brent futures were up 0.24 per cent to US$71.85 a barrel. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) declined 0.12 per cent to US$68.61 a barrel.
“It’s a case of guarded optimism, with the market wanting to believe the peace efforts will hold, but it’s still hedging its bets until it sees real evidence on the water,” said Tim Waterer, chief market analyst at KCM Trade.
In other commodities, spot gold was up 1.5 per cent at US$4,184.75 an ounce. U.S. gold futures for August delivery gained 1.73 per cent to US$4,197.20.
Currencies and bonds
The Canadian dollar was little changed against its U.S. counterpart.
The day range on the loonie was 70.42 US cents to 70.63 US cents in early trading. The Canadian dollar was down about 1.72 per cent against the greenback over the past month.
The U.S. dollar index, which weighs the greenback against a group of currencies, slipped 0.05 per cent to 100.81. The dollar was pegged at $1.4185.
The euro gained 0.1 per cent to US$1.1446. The British pound advanced 0.04 per cent to US$1.3353.
U.S. bond markets are closed for a holiday.
Economic news
China and Japan services PMIs
Euro area services PMI; France industrial and manufacturing data; Italy retail sales
With Reuters and The Canadian Press