Market Brief, North America

A hint of cautious optimism is creeping into currency markets this morning after a raft of activity gauges suggested that the global private sector is proving surprisingly resilient in the face of the US trade onslaught. The dollar is trading sideways, yields are up slightly, and North American equity futures are pointing to continued selling pressure, but this appears largely contained in the technology sector, with broader measures looking relatively stable. The euro and British pound are both holding steady against the dollar after preliminary August purchasing manager indices popped higher, outperforming expectations for a modest improvement. In the euro...

It’s quiet. Too quiet. Most major currency pairs remain trapped in tight price ranges this morning as volumes fall, but the dollar is firming slightly as traders hedge themselves against an unexpectedly-hawkish message from Jerome Powell at Friday’s meeting in Jackson Hole, and Treasury yields are pushing modestly higher. Although technology stocks are paring their losses after yesterday’s swoon, broader equity indices look set to print slightly lower at the open. The British pound is almost unchanged even after inflation climbed to an 18-month high, topping market forecasts and seemingly complicating the Bank of England’s easing plans. According to an...