Global Markets: Stocks hit record ahead of U.S.-China trade deal, dollar gains
By Herbert Lash NEW YORK (Reuters) - Bond yields edged higher while a gauge of global equity markets hit a record high on Monday, lifted by optimism over the planned signing this week of a U.S.-China trade deal and hopes the start of the U.S. corporate earnings season will not disappoint.
By Herbert Lash
NEW YORK (Reuters) - Bond yields edged higher while a gauge of global equity markets hit a record high on Monday, lifted by optimism over the planned signing this week of a U.S.-China trade deal and hopes the start of the U.S. corporate earnings season will not disappoint.
Gold prices fell almost 1% ahead of the signing at the White House on Wednesday of the Phase 1 trade deal and as a de-escalation in U.S.-Iran tensions in the Middle East reduced bullion's safe-haven appeal.
U.S. and euro zone government bond yields rose as the trade deal marks a major step in ending a dispute that has cut global growth and boosted demand for such safe-haven assets as bonds, gold and currencies like the Japanese yen and Swiss franc.
MSCI's gauge of stocks across the globe <.MIWD00000PUS> gained 0.45%, topping a record set Friday, while emerging market stocks rose 0.96%. The benchmark S&P 500 <.SPX> and tech-heavy Nasdaq composite <.IXIC> indexes also hit fresh highs on Wall Street.
The United States is planning to lift its designation of China as a currency manipulator, Bloomberg reported, citing people familiar with the matter, a move that added to the positive mood among investors.
Middle East tensions rose after the United States killed a top Iranian general on Jan. 2 in Baghdad, knocking global stocks off a rally spurred in late 2019 on hopes a trade deal would be signed. Markets have rebounded as both Tehran and Washington desisted from further escalation after Iran retaliated for the killing with an missile attack on U.S. troops in Iraq.
Investors are waiting for corporate results that start in earnest this week with large U.S. banks, including Citigroup Inc
"It's put up or shut up time," said Joe Saluzzi, said co-manager of trading at Themis Trading in Chatham, New Jersey. "We've priced in a big rally, we expect growth and now it's time to see it. If we have a good earnings season then it will be great."
The Dow Jones Industrial Average <.DJI> rose 53.41 points, or 0.19%, to 28,877.18, the S&P 500 <.SPX> gained 18.72 points, or 0.57%, to 3,284.07 and the Nasdaq Composite <.IXIC> added 80.48 points, or 0.88%, to 9,259.34.
Facebook Inc
The pan-European STOXX 600 index <.STOXX> lost 0.18%.
Renault SA
Other European automobile stocks <.SXAP> were also down, after China's top auto body reiterated predictions that sales were likely to shrink for the third consecutive year in 2020.
In currency markets, the offshore Chinese yuan
The dollar index <.DXY> fell 0.01%, with the euro
Oil prices fell about 1% as Middle East tensions eased and investors turned their focus to lackluster seasonal demand following a bearish U.S. report last week of a large increase in gasoline stocks.
Brent crude
Gold, considered a safe haven during political and economic turmoil, rose last week to an almost seven-year peak of $1,610.90 an ounce after a U.S. drone strike killed a top Iranian commander in Baghdad and Iran launched missiles against U.S. troops in Iraq in retaliation.
U.S. gold futures
(Reporting by Herbert Lash; Editing by Alison Williams and Richard Chang)
This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed.
also read
France, Germany to agree to NATO role against Islamic State - sources | Reuters
By Robin Emmott and John Irish | BRUSSELS/PARIS BRUSSELS/PARIS France and Germany will agree to a U.S. plan for NATO to take a bigger role in the fight against Islamic militants at a meeting with President Donald Trump on Thursday, but insist the move is purely symbolic, four senior European diplomats said.The decision to allow the North Atlantic Treaty Organization to join the coalition against Islamic State in Syria and Iraq follows weeks of pressure on the two allies, who are wary of NATO confronting Russia in Syria and of alienating Arab countries who see NATO as pushing a pro-Western agenda."NATO as an institution will join the coalition," said one senior diplomat involved in the discussions. "The question is whether this just a symbolic gesture to the United States
China's Xi says navy should become world class | Reuters
BEIJING Chinese President Xi Jinping on Wednesday called for greater efforts to make the country's navy a world class one, strong in operations on, below and above the surface, as it steps up its ability to project power far from its shores.China's navy has taken an increasingly prominent role in recent months, with a rising star admiral taking command, its first aircraft carrier sailing around self-ruled Taiwan and a new aircraft carrier launched last month.With President Donald Trump promising a US shipbuilding spree and unnerving Beijing with his unpredictable approach on hot button issues including Taiwan and the South and East China Seas, China is pushing to narrow the gap with the U.S. Navy.Inspecting navy headquarters, Xi said the navy should "aim for the top ranks in the world", the Defence Ministry said in a statement about his visit."Building a strong and modern navy is an important mark of a top ranking global military," the ministry paraphrased Xi as saying.