Fragile Calm Returns
Fear levels are subsiding across financial markets after a week that shattered the typical August calm. The safe-haven yen and Swiss franc are tumbling against a recovering dollar, Treasury yields are edging upward, equity futures are pushing higher ahead of the North American open, and measures of financial stress are reverting toward levels that prevailed ahead of the July non-farm payrolls report. Last week’s moves are now seen as an overreaction. After the Institute for Supply Management’s services index rebounded and weather-related distortions were removed in last week’s initial claims data, the consensus has shifted toward expecting a continued deceleration...