SHANGHAI, May 29 - This is a roundup of global macroeconomic news last Friday night and what is expected today.
The dollar eased on Friday but remained on track for a third straight weekly gain, as markets raised bets on higher-for-longer interest rates to curb sticky inflation and nervously awaited a resolution to last-ditch U.S. debt ceiling talks.
Data released on Thursday showed that the number of Americans filing new claims for unemployment benefits increased moderately last week to 229,000, coming in lower than expectations.
Stocks extended their downward slide as the debt limit debacle continues to worry investors. The S&P 500 slid 0.73%, the Dow dropped 0.77% and the Nasdaq Composite gave up 0.61%.
Stocks in the U.S. rallied Friday, with all indexes closing above 1% as investors hoped for a debt ceiling deal (in hindsight, it appears their hopes weren’t misplaced). European markets traded higher too. The Stoxx 600 index rose 1.2%, juiced by tech stocks surging 3%.
Oil prices ticked up last Friday as U.S. officials appeared close to striking a debt ceiling deal, and as the market weighed conflicting messages on supply from Russia and Saudi Arabia ahead of the next OPEC+ policy meeting.
It is unclear whether the European Central Bank can lower price growth to its 2% target within two years and inflationary pressures remain persistent in the bloc, Croatian policymaker Boris Vujcic said on Friday.
The pan-European Stoxx 600 lost 0.6% as a flash reading of the region’s Purchasing Mangers’ Index showed declines in manufacturing.