Morning Briefing: Markets wait for jobs data, oil continues lower

Markets wait for jobs data, oil continues lower... Fed could start unwinding balance sheet next month...

Morning Briefing: Markets wait for jobs data, oil continues lower
Steve Randall
Markets wait for jobs data, oil continues lower
US jobs data is the focus of world markets Friday and analysts are calling for a strong gain and wage rises.

Meanwhile, the slide for oil prices has continued overnight with concern growing over OPEC producers’ output.
Also in focus are reports of a deepening of the investigation into the Trump campaign’s alleged links with Russia.

Asia’s main stock market indexes closed mixed with Hong Kong and Seoul gaining. Sydney was lower amid reports that Commonwealth Bank is being investigated over a possible breach of money laundering rules. The bank denies the claims and says it will file its defense.

European markets are trending higher as earnings season continues. Various data releases show a mixed picture of the Eurozone economy.

Wall Street and Toronto are expected to open higher. US and Canadian jobs data is due.
 

 

Latest

1 month ago

1 year ago

 

North America (previous session)

US Dow Jones

22,026.10 (+0.04%)

+2.55%

+20.02%

TSX Composite

15,191.96 (-0.48%)

+0.41 %

+4.56%

 

Europe (at 5.00am ET)

UK FTSE

7,482.90 (+0.11%)

+1.71%

+11.02%

German DAX

12,185.93 (+0.26%)

-2.02%

+19.14%

 

Asia (at close)

China CSI 300

3,707.58 (-0.54%)

+2.42%

+15.82%

Japan Nikkei

19,952.33 (-0.38%)

-0.40%

+22.75%

 

Other Data (at 5.00am ET)

Oil (Brent)

Oil (WTI)

Gold

Can. Dollar

51.61

(-0.77%)

48.64

(-0.80%)

1275.40

(+0.08%)

U$0.7957

 

Aus. Dollar

U$0.7973



Fed could start unwinding balance sheet next month

US jobs data could lead to the Federal Reserve beginning the reduction of its large balance sheet as soon as next month.

With a strong labour report expected Friday including more jobs and higher wages, analysts are predicting that the Fed will then start to cut back its bond portfolio.

A poll of economists by Reuters is calling for 183,000 new jobs for July, after the 222,000 added in June.

LATEST NEWS