Macro Roundup (Apr 9)

SHANGHAI, Apr 9 (SMM) — This is a roundup of global macroeconomic news last night and what is expected today.

The U.S. dollar dipped to a two-week low against a basket of currencies on Thursday, tracking Treasury yields lower, after data showed a surprise rise in U.S. weekly jobless claims.

While the increase likely understates rapidly improving labor market conditions as more parts of the U.S. economy reopen and fiscal stimulus kicks in, it was bad enough to knock down the greenback.

The dollar index measuring the greenback against a basket of six currencies was 0.35% lower at 92.091, its lowest since March 23.

The Labor Department reported first-time claims for the week ended April 3 totaled 744,000, well above the expectation for 694,000 from economists surveyed by Dow Jones.

On Wall Street, U.S. stock futures moved higher in overnight trading on Thursday after the S&P 500 notched a fresh record in the regular session.

Dow futures rose about 65 points. S&P 500 futures gained 0.25% and Nasdaq 100 futures rose 0.35%.

The major averages rose on Thursday, bolstered by gains in technology stocks. The Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 57 points, helped by a near-2% gain in Apple’s stock.

The S&P 500 climbed 0.42% and closed at a record high for the second day in a row.

The Nasdaq Composite was the relative outperformer, gaining more than 1% as Amazon, Netflix, Microsoft and Google-parent Alphabet all closed higher.

Oil prices fell on Thursday after official figures showed a big increase in U.S. gasoline stocks, causing concerns about demand for crude weakening in the world’s biggest consumer of the resource at a time when supplies around the world are rising.

Brent crude eased 47 cents, or 0.7%, to $62.70 a barrel. U.S. oil settled 17 cents, or 0.28%, lower at $59.60 per barrel.

While crude stocks in the United States fell more than forecast by analysts, gasoline inventories jumped sharply, also against expectations, the Department of Energy said on Wednesday.

Oil inventories dropped by 3.5 million barrels last week to nearly 502 million barrels, while gasoline stocks increased by 4 million barrels, against expectations of a decline, to just over 230 million barrels, as refiners ramped up production before the summer driving season.

Gold prices climbed to their highest level in more than a month on Thursday as the dollar and U.S. yields dropped and the Federal Reserve’s reiteration of its dovish policy stance also lifted bullion’s appeal.

Spot gold rose 1.11% to $1,756.56 per ounce, having earlier hit its highest since March 1 at $1,758.45. U.S. gold futures settled up about 1% at $1,758.2.

German industrial orders rose in February on the back of strong domestic demand, data from the Federal Statistics Office showed.

Chinese inflation data is expected to be released, with the consumer price index and producer price index for March set to be out at around 9:30 a.m. HK/SIN.