Macro Roundup (Mar 6)

SHANGHAI, Mar 6 (SMM) – This is a roundup of global macro-economic news last night and what is expected today.

Last night

With the US dollar hovering around the 90 level as the trade war simmers, base metals saw mixed trading. SHFE aluminium inched up, LME copper and tin rose slightly, while both SHFE and LME zinc dropped some 2% due to the jump in inventories.

The Sentix investor confidence index for the eurozone in March slid to 24 due to investors' concerns about the rising US trade protectionism and disappointment at Germany’s new cabinet.

The annual rate of retail sales in eurozone in January registered a 2.3% increase as non-food products sales grew sharply, especially online sales.

The US services purchasing managers' index (PMI) by Markit in February recorded a new high since August 2017 at 55.9, and the non-manufacturing PMI by the Institute for Supply Management (ISM) for February exceeded last year’s average and approached a 10-year high at 59.5, suggesting that US economy expands firmly in the first quarter.

Day ahead

The monthly rates for US durable goods orders and factory orders in January are two key factors to watch today.

In the short term, we expect the US dollar to continue to hover at 89.9 with resistance, and base metals to remain rangebound.

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