Market Brief, North America

An uneasy calm is settling on currency markets as traders brace for a “shock and awe” campaign on the policy front when Donald Trump takes office for a second time this afternoon. Ten-year Treasury yields are under pressure after last week’s softer-than-feared inflation and retail sales numbers, the dollar is retreating against most of its rivals on reports of a “very good” call between Trump and Chinese president Xi Jinping over the weekend, and the euro and pound are advancing on a narrowing in cross-Atlantic rate differentials. Price action in currency markets could intensify shortly after the inauguration ceremony concludes....

Global financial markets are still in an ebullient mood after yesterday’s US consumer price index report showed core inflation rising by less than had been feared in December. The dollar reversed lower, ten-year Treasury yields dropped as much as 15 basis points across the curve, and equity markets soared through yesterday’s session, with only small adjustments occurring in this morning’s trading activity. We’re not sure this degree of relief is justified. Taken in combination with this week’s producer and import price data releases, it looks as if underlying inflation is stabilising just below the 3-percent level—well above pre-pandemic averages—with the...