Japan Aug Consumer Confidence 36.7 Vs. 37.5 In July
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Japan Aug Consumer Confidence 36.7 Vs. 37.5 In July
Japan Jul Annualized Housing Starts 926K Vs. 866K Last Month
Japan Jul Housing Starts Up 9.9% On Year Vs. 7.3% In June, Consensus 4.8%
China Aug Official Manufacturing PMI 50.1 Vs. 50.4 In Jul, Consensus 50.2
Dutch July Retail Sales +3.4% On Year Vs. +5.4% In June
New Zealand Aug ANZ Business Confidence -14.2 Vs. -3.8 In July
Philippines July Producer Prices +0.8% On Month, Same As In June
Philippines July Producer Prices -1.5% On Year Vs. -2.6% In June
Japan July Jobless Rate 2.8% Vs. 2.9% In June, Consensus 2.9%
Japan July Industrial Production Down 1.5% On Month, Consensus -2.5%
Japan July Industrial Production Up 11.6% On Year
South Korea Jul Industrial Production +0.4% On Month Vs. +2.3% In Jun, Consensus -0.1%
Gold futures settled lower on Monday, but still managed to hold near a four-week high.
A sluggish dollar and lower bond yields helped limit the yellow metal's decline.
The dollar index, which climbed to 92.79, dropped to 9266 around noon.
Gold futures for December ended down by $7.30 or about 0.4% at $1,812.20 an ounce.
Gold futures gained about 1.7% last week.
Silver futures for December ended lower by $0.104 at $24.006 an ounce, while Copper futures for December settled at $4.3755 per pound, up $0.0435 from the previous close.
A report released by the National Association of Realtors on Monday unexpectedly showed a continued slump in pending home sales in the U.S. in the month of July.
NAR said its pending home sales index tumbled by 1.8% to 110.7 in July after plunging by 2% to 112.7 in June. The continued decrease surprised economists, who had expected pending home sales to rise by 0.4%.
Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell struck a dovish tone on monetary policy, during his speech at the Jackson Hole symposium on Friday. He signaled the central bank is in no rush to raise rates. Lower interest rates decrease the opportunity cost of holding non-yielding bullion.
In a virtual speech Friday, Powell said that the central bank is likely to start scaling back bond purchase program this year, but didn't provide timing for withdrawal.
Powell noted that there is "much ground to cover to reach maximum employment," a criteria to begin tapering.
Spain Aug Flash HICP Up 0.4% On Month Vs. -1.2% In July
Austria Jul Producer Prices +8.6% On Year Vs. +6.9% In June
Austria Jul Producer Prices +1.7% On Month Vs. +1.0% In June
Spain Aug Flash CPI Up 0.4% On Month Vs. -0.8% In July
Spain Aug Flash CPI Rises 3.3% Annually Vs. 2.9% In July
Japan's retail sales grew for the fifth straight month in July, data published by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry showed Monday. Retail sales grew 2.4 percent year-on-year in July, faster than the 0.1 percent increase seen in June. This was the fifth consecutive rise in retail sales and also exceeded the economists' forecast of 2.1 percent.
On a monthly basis, retail sales were up 1.1 percent in July, data showed. The recent strength in retail sales is unlikely to last, Marcel Thieliant, an economist at Capital Economics, said. While retail sales recovered further in July, the high frequency data point to a renewed fall in August as the Delta wave intensified, the economist said. The economist forecasts a 0.8 percent sequential drop in consumption in the third quarter.
Dutch July Producer Prices Up 13.9% Y/Y Vs. 12.6% In June
Denmark August Economic Sentiment 114.0 Vs. 115 In July
Estonia July Retail Sales Up 10.0% Y/Y, Down 1.0% M/M
Denmark August Business Confidence Index 113.8 Vs. 115.4 In July
Australia Q2 Company Gross Operating Profits Up 7.1% Q-o-Q Vs. -0.6% In Q1, Consensus +3%
Australia Q2 Business Inventories Rise 0.2% On Quarter Vs. +2.4% In Q1, Consensus 1.3%
Economic sentiment data from euro area and consumer prices from Germany are due on Monday, headlining a light day for the European economic news.
At 3.00 am ET, Spain's INE releases flash consumer price data for August. EU harmonized inflation is forecast to remain unchanged at 2.9 percent.
In the meantime, Swiss KOF leading indicator is due. Economists forecast the index to fall to 125.0 in August from 129.8 in the previous month.
At 5.00 am ET, Eurozone economic confidence survey results are due. The economic confidence index is expected to fall to 117.9 in August from 119 in the previous month. At 8.00 am ET, Destatis is scheduled to release Germany's flash inflation data. Harmonized inflation is seen rising to 3.4 percent in August from 3.1 percent in July.
Dutch Aug Producer Confidence 9.6 Vs. 12.3 In July
Japan Jul Retail Sales +0.4% On Year Vs. +0.1% In Jun, Consensus +2.1%
The U.S. dollar drifted lower against its major rivals on Friday after the Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell indicated that interest rate hikes are unlikely anytime soon.
During his much anticipated speech at the Federal Reserve's annual Jackson Hole symposium this morning, Jerome Powell said the central bank is likely to begin tapering some of its easy-money policies before the end of the year. However, he added that he still feels there's "much ground to cover" before rate hikes.
Powell said the economy has reached a point where it no longer needs as much policy support, indicating the Fed might start reducing the amount of bonds it purchases each month before the end of 2021, provided the economy continues to progress.
The Fed will be carefully assessing incoming data and the evolving risks from the virus crisis while pulling back stimulus measures, Powell noted.
He added that while inflation is solidly around the Fed's 2% target rate, "we have much ground to cover to reach maximum employment," which is the second prong of the central bank's dual mandate and necessary before rate hikes happen.
Powell said some of the factors that pushed inflation higher are starting to abate. "Inflation at these levels is, of course, a cause for concern. But that concern is tempered by a number of factors that suggest that these elevated readings are likely to prove temporary," he said.
In economic releases today, data showed personal income in the U.S. increased by 1.1 percent in July, after a revised 0.2 percent advance in June. Meanwhile, personal spending rose by 0.3 percent in July, after rising by an upwardly revised 1.1 percent in June.
Wholesale inventories in the U.S. increased by 0.6 percent month-over-month to $722 billion in July, cooling from an upwardly revised 1.2 percent rise in June, according to a preliminary estimate.
The personal consumption expenditure price index in the U.S.rose 0.4 perent in July, following a 0.5 percent increase a month earlier.
The University of Michigan's consumer sentiment for the US was revised to 70.3 in August, from a preliminary reading of 70.2.
The dollar index, which slid to 92.63, was last seen at 92.68, down 0.4% from the previous close.
Against the Euro, the dollar weakened to $1.1795 from $1.1753.
The Pound Sterling firmed against the dollar, fetching $1.3761 a unit, compared to $1.3699 Thursday evening.
Against the yen, the dollar weakened, fetching 109.82 yen after having settled at 110.09 on the previous session.
Against the Aussie, the dollar eased to 0.7312 from 0.7237.
The Swiss franc strengthened to 0.9110 a dollar from 0.9178. The Loonie advanced to C$ 1.2618 a dollar from C$ 1.2688 as oil prices rose sharply amid prospects of disruptions in crude production in the Gulf of Mexico region due to the impact of Hurricane Ida.
Crude oil futures settled sharply higher on Friday amid possible near-term disruptions in oil and natural gas operations in the Gulf of Mexico region due to the impact of Hurricane Ida.
According to reports, the hurricane will likely make landfall along the U.S. northern Gulf Coast this weekend.
The dollar's weakness after Fed Chair Jerome Powell said in his speech at the Jackson Hole symposium that the central bank will likely begin to reduce its monthly bond purchases before the end of this year, and that rate hikes are unlikely to happen anytime soon.
West Texas Intermediate Crude oil futures for October ended up by $1.32 or about 2% at $68.74 a barrel. WTI crude futures gained more than 10% in the week.
Brent crude futures were up $1.40 or about 2% at 71.59 a barrel a little while ago.
Traders assessed the prospect of supply outages as energy companies began shutting in production in the Gulf of Mexico ahead of a potential hurricane forecast to hit on the weekend.
BHP and BP said they have begun to stop production at offshore platforms as a storm was brewing in the Caribbean Sea.
The storm is expected to enter the Gulf of Mexico tonight and will be hit by a powerful hurricane this weekend, according to the National Hurricane Center.
Meanwhile, a report from Baker Hughes shows the number of active U.S. rigs drilling for oil increased by five to 410 this week, marking the fourth weekly increase in a row. The total active U.S. rig count climbed by five to 508.
Gold futures settled sharply higher on Friday as the dollar slid after Fed Chair Jerome Powell said a rate hike is unlikely for now.
Powell said during his speech at the Jackson Hole Symposium this morning that the central bank will likely start reducing its monthly bond purchases before the end of this year, and that rate hikes are unlikely to happen anytime soon.
Powell said the economy has reached a point where it no longer needs as much policy support, indicating the Fed might start reducing the amount of bonds it purchases each month before the end of 2021, provided the economy continues to progress.
However, he added that he still feels there's "much ground to cover" before rate hikes.
Concerns over uneven economic recovery and geopolitical tensions too pushed up the demand for the safe-haven asset.
The dollar index dropped to 92.63, losing nearly 0.5%. The yield on benchmark 10-year Treasury notes traded at 1.34%, down from a two-week high of 1.375%.
Gold futures for December ended up by $24.30 or about 1.4% at $1,819.50 an ounce. Gold futures gained about 2% in the week.
Silver futures for September ended higher by $0.512 at $24.062 an ounce, while Copper futures for December settled at $4.3320 per pound, up $0.0725 from the previous close.
In economic releases today, data showed personal income in the U.S. increased by 1.1% in July, after a revised 0.2% advance in June. Meanwhile, personal spending rose by 0.3% in July, after rising by an upwardly revised 1.1% in June.
Wholesale inventories in the U.S. increased by 0.6% month-over-month to $722 billion in July, cooling from an upwardly revised 1.2% rise in June, according to a preliminary estimate.
The personal consumption expenditure price index in the U.S.rose 0.4% in July, following a 0.5% increase a month earlier.
The University of Michigan's consumer sentiment for the US was revised to 70.3 in August, from a preliminary reading of 70.2.
Finland's consumer confidence weakened and industrial morale improved in August, separate survey results showed on Friday.
The consumer sentiment index decreased to 4.0 in August from 4.4 in July, Statistics Finland said.
Among the four components, expectation concerning consumers' own economic at present improved in August and household's expectations concerning own economy in the next 12 months.
Expectations concerning Finland's economy strengthened and intentions to spend money on durable goods increased.
The data was collected from 971 persons between August 1 and 19.
Data from the Confederation of Finnish Industries showed that the manufacturing confidence index rose five points to 22 in August from 17 in July. The reading was above the long-term average of +1.
The construction confidence indicator increased to 5 in August from -3 in July. The reading was weaker than its long-term average of -7.
The service sector confidence indicator fell six points to 15 in August.
The retail trade confidence grew seven points to 18 in August, which was above the long-term average of -1.
Singapore Jul Producer Prices +1.8% On Month Vs. +1.1% In June
Singapore Jul Producer Prices +11.6% On Year Vs. +9.6% In June
Malaysia's exports rose more than expected in July, data from the Department of Statistics showed on Friday.
Exports grew 5.0 percent year-on-year to MYR 97.3 billion in July. Economists had expected a rise of 9.7 percent.
Imports grew 24.0 percent annually to MYR 83.6 billion in July. Economists had forecast a increase of 19.4 percent.
The trade surplus totaled MYR 13.7 billion in July, which was below the expected level of MYR 20.0 billion, the agency said.
On a monthly basis, exports declined 18.6 percent in July and imports decreased 7.7 percent.
Finland Aug Industrial Confidence 22 Vs. 17 In July
Finland Aug Consumer Confidence 4.0 Vs. 4.4 In July
Japan Tokyo Aug CPI -0.4% On Year Vs. -0.3% In July
Malaysia July Imports Up 24.0% On Year, Consensus +19.4%
Malaysia July Exports Up 5.0% On Year, Consensus +9.7%
Malaysia July Trade Surplus MYR 13.7 Billion, Consensus MYR 20.0 Billion
The U.S. dollar gained ground against its major rivals on Thursday as traders looked ahead to the Jackson Hole symposium for more insights about the Fed's plan to scale back bond purchase program.
The Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell is expected to provide some hints on the central bank's tapering timeline.
Comments from Fed officials at the meeting may impact the outlook for monetary policy following recent indications the central bank plans to begin scaling back asset purchases this year.
Traders also reacted to President of the St. Louis Fed James Bullard's comments that he is of the view that the central bank should start tapering bond purchases in the fall and finish the process by the first quarter of next financial year. He has also called for a rate hike by end 2022.
Meanwhile, the Kansas City Federal Reserve President George said the Fed should start trimming its monthly bond purchases "sooner rather than later" even though the delta variant poses a risk to the US economic outlook.
First-time claims for U.S. unemployment benefits edged slightly higher in the week ended August 21st, according to a report released by the Labor Department on Thursday.
The report said initial jobless claims inched up to 353,000, an increase of 4,000 from the previous week's revised level of 349,000.
Economists had expected jobless claims to tick up to 350,000 from the 348,000 originally reported for the previous week.
Meanwhile, a report from the Bureau of Economic Analysis said the US economy advanced an annualized 6.6 percent on quarter in the second quarter, slightly higher than an earlier estimate of 6.5 percent. However, the increase was below the 6.7 percent increase analysts had forecast.
The dollar index climbed to 93.08, gaining nearly 0.3%
Against the Euro, the dollar firmed to $1.1752 from $1.1772.
The Pound Sterling weakened against the dollar, and was fetching $1.3700 a unit a few minutes before the end of the session, compared to $1.3763 Wednesday evening.
The Yen edged down marginally to 110.08 a dollar.
Against the Aussie, the dollar strengthened to 0.7237 from 0.7276.
The Swiss franc slid to 0.9179 a dollar from 0.9138. Data from Swiss Federal Statistical Office showed non-farm payrolls in the country increased by 0.6% year-on-year to 5.126 million in the second quarter of 2021, after a 0.6% decline in the previous three-month period.
The dollar was firm against the Loonie at C$1.2685, compared with the previous close of C$1.2593, as crude oil prices drifted lower on demand worries.
Crude oil futures settled notably lower on Thursday amid worries about outlook for energy demand due to a surge in coronavirus cases in several countries.
The return of output in Mexico also weighed on oil prices. Pemex said it has restored nearly 20% of the more than 400,000 bpd in oil production it lost due to a fire that erupted on an offshore platform on Sunday.
West Texas Intermediate Crude oil futures for October ended down by $0.94 or about 1.4% at $67.42 a barrel.
WTI futures had gained about 1.2% on Wednesday after data from Energy Information Administration (EIA) showed crude inventories in the U.S. fell by about 3 million barrels in the week ended August 21, falling for a third straight week.
Brent crude futures are currently down $1.03 or 1.45% at $70.25 a barrel.
Meanwhile, according to reports, Royal Dutch Shell and Chevron have started evacuating non-essential personnel from offshore U.S. Gulf of Mexico platforms ahead of a storm expected to enter the Gulf this weekend.
According to the National Hurricane Center, the storm could become a major hurricane and strike the U.S. Gulf Coast by Sunday.
Gold futures settled higher on Thursday, recovering after early weakness as traders looked ahead to the outcome of the Jackson Hole symposium for clues on the timing of a tapering of monetary stimulus.
Fed Chairman Jerome Powell is expected to indicate that the central bank will slow monthly purchases of Treasury and mortgage-backed securities.
However, a firm dollar limited the yellow metal's upside. The dollar index climbed to 93.08, gaining nearly 0.3%.
Gold futures for December ended up by $4.20 or about 0.2% at $1,795.20 an ounce, well off the session's low of $1,781.30.
Silver for September ended lower by $0.225 or about 1% at $23.550 an ounce, while the most active Copper futures contract for December, settled at $4.2595, down $0.0165 or 0.4% from the previous close.
On the economic front, first-time claims for U.S. unemployment benefits edged slightly higher in the week ended August 21st, according to a report released by the Labor Department.
The report said initial jobless claims inched up to 353,000, an increase of 4,000 from the previous week's revised level of 349,000. Economists had expected jobless claims to tick up to 350,000 from the 348,000 originally reported for the previous week.
In economic news from eurozone, a survey showed that the outlook amongst consumers in Germany is deteriorating heading into September.
Gfk forward looking consumer confidence index dropped from -0.4 to -1.2, marking the worst reading in three months as accelerating inflation and rising COVID-19 cases made consumers more hesitant to buy.
Ireland's consumer confidence improved in August, as households were increasingly concerned about the economic outlook, results of a survey showed Friday.
The KBC Bank consumer sentiment index rose to 86.5 in August from 84.9 in July.
"The gains in the August survey largely reflected improved 'macro' developments with little follow-through and this may suggest the continued absence of any broadly based 'feel-good factor' in terms of household finances," the KBC Bank said.
Among the six sub-indexes, two of the survey declined in August.
Switzerland Q2 Employment Up 0.6% Y/Y, 0.2% Q/Q
Germany Sept GfK Consumer Confidence -1.2 Vs. -0.4 In August, Consensus -0.7
At 2.00 am ET Thursday, Germany's Gfk consumer confidence survey results have been released. The euro changed little against its major rivals after the data.
The euro was trading at 129.44 against the yen, 1.0760 against the franc, 0.8555 against the pound and 1.1767 against the greenback around 2:04 am ET.
At 2.00 am ET Thursday, Germany's Gfk consumer confidence survey results are due. The forward-looking consumer sentiment index is expected to fall to 0.7 in September from 0.3 in August.
Ahead of the data, the euro traded mixed against its major rivals. While the currency rose against the pound, it held steady against the rest of major rivals.
The euro was worth 129.44 against the yen, 1.0759 against the franc, 0.8555 against the pound and 1.1769 against the greenback as of 1:55 am ET
Singapore July Industrial Production -2.6% On Month Vs, -2.6% In June, Consensus -0.3%
Singapore July Industrial Production +16.3% On Year Vs, +28.0% In June, Consensus +20.2%
Ireland Aug Consumer Confidence 86.5 Vs. 84.9 In July
After exhibiting some strength early on in the session, the U.S. dollar turned easy and lost ground against most of its major rivals on Wednesday.
In addition to digesting the durable goods orders data for the month of July, traders looked ahead to the upcoming Jackson Hole symposium, where Fed policymakers are expected to detail the timeline for tapering of the bank's bond-buying program.
data released by the Commerce Department showed durable goods orders edged down by 0.1% in July following a 0.8% increase in June. Economists had expected orders to decrease by 0.3%.
Excluding a steep drop in orders for transportation equipment, durable goods orders climbed by 0.7% in July after rising by 0.6% in June. Ex-transportation orders were expected to increase by 0.5%.
The dollar index, which advanced to 93.13 in the European session, dropped to 92.81 later.
Against the Euro, the dollar weakened to $1.1774, falling from $1.1759.
The Pound Sterling firmed against the dollar, fetching $1.3763 a unit, compared to $1.3729 Tuesday evening.
The yen weakened to 109.99 a dollar from 109.68. Final data from the Cabinet Office showed Japan's leading index, which measures the future economic activity, rose to 104.1 in June from 102.6 in May, as estimated.
Against the Aussie, the dollar drifted down to 0.7276 from 0.7258.
The Swiss franc declined marginally to 0.9137 a dollar. The Swiss investor sentiment index declined by 50.6 points from the previous month to -7.8 in August, falling into negative territory for the first time since March of 2020, a report from Credit Suisse & CFA Society Switzerland said. Meantime, the assessment of the economic situation increased to 60.5 in August from 37.2 in July.
The loonie was little changed at 1.2589 a dollar a little while ago. Data from Statistics Canada showed wholesale sales in Canada likely fell 2% month-on-month in July, declining for a second straight month.
Crude oil futures settled higher on Wednesday, extending gains to a third straight day, after data showed a drop in U.S. crude inventories last week, and fuel demand rose to the highest level since March 2020.
West Texas Intermediate Crude oil futures for October ended up by $0.82 or about 1.2% at $68.36 a barrel.
According to the data released by the Energy Information Administration (EIA), crude inventories in the U.S. fell by 3 million barrels in the week ended August 21.
The data also showed gasoline stockpiles dropped by 2.2 million barrels last week, and stockpiles rose by 600,000 barrels.
The EIA data also showed the four-week average of fuel supply in the U.S. climbed to almost 21 million barrels per day, the highest level since March 2020.
The American Petroleum Institute's latest crude oil inventory data released on Tuesday showed a draw of 1.622 million barrels for the week ending August 20.
The data also said gaoline stockpiles dropped by about 1 million barrels last week.
After three successive days of gains, gold futures settled lower on Wednesday as the dollar stayed a bit firm with traders looking ahead to the upcoming Jackson Hole Symposium.
At the annual Jackson Hole central bankers monetary-policy symposium, Fed Chairman Jerome Powell is likely to indicate when the bank might start tapering its bond-buying program.
The dollar index advanced to 93.13 in the European session, but pared gains subsequently and slipped into the red by mid afternoon. It was last seen at 92.82, down marginally from the previous close.
Gold futures for December ended down $17.50 or about 1% at $1,791.00 an ounce, recording their biggest single-day drop in percentage terms in about two weeks.
Silver futures for September ended lower by $0.119 or 0.5% at $23.775 an ounce, while Copper futures for September settled at $4.2675 per pound, gaining $0.0095 or about 0.2%.
On the economic front, data released by the Commerce Department showed durable goods orders edged down by 0.1% in July following a 0.8% increase in June. Economists had expected orders to decrease by 0.3%.
Excluding a steep drop in orders for transportation equipment, durable goods orders climbed by 0.7%in July after rising by 0.6% in June. Ex-transportation orders were expected to increase by 0.5%.
Business confidence data from Germany is due on Wednesday, headlining a light day for the European economic news.
At 3.00 am ET, Spain's INE publishes producer prices for July. Prices had increased 15.3 percent annually in June.
At 4.00 am ET, German ifo business confidence survey results are due. The business sentiment index is seen falling to 100.4 in August from 100.8 in the previous month. At 6.00 am ET, the Confederation of British Industry releases monthly Distributive Trades survey results for August. The retail sales balance is seen falling to 20 from 23 in July.
Japan June Lagging Index 93.4 Vs. 92.3 In May
Japan June Coincident Index 94.5 Vs. 92.1 In May
Japan June Leading Index 194.1 Vs. 102.6 In May
Malaysia July Inflation 2.2% Vs. 3.4% In June, Consensus 2.9%
New Zealand posted a merchandise trade deficit of NZ$402 million in July, Statistics New Zealand said on Wednesday.
That follows the downwardly revised NZ$245 million trade surplus in June (originally NZ$261 million).
Exports jumped NZ$760 million or 15 percent on month to NZ$5.75 billion, down from the upwardly revised NZ$5.96 billion in the previous month (originally NZ$5.95 billion).
Imports spiked NZ$1.6 billion or 35 percent on month to NZ$6.16 billion, up from the upwardly revised NZ$5.71 billion a month earlier (originally NZ$5.69 billion).
New Zealand Imports NZ$6.16 Billion, Exports NZ$5.75 Billion In July
New Zealand Trade Deficit NZ$402 Million In July
New Zealand will on Wednesday release July figures for imports, exports and trade balance, highlighting a light day for Asia-Pacific economic activity.
In June, imports were worth NZ$5.69 billion and exports were at NZ$5.95 billion for a trade surplus of NZ$261 million.
Australia will see Q2 figures for construction work done, with forecasts suggesting an increase of 2.5 percent on quarter - up from 2.4 percent in the three months prior.
Japan will see final June results for its leading and coincident economic indexes; the previous readings were 102.6 and 92.1, respectively.
The U.S. dollar turned in a subdued performance on Tuesday amid easing prospects of the Federal Reserve tapering its bond buying program anytime soon.
The Commerce Department released a report this morning showing a rebound in U.S. new home sales in the month of July.
The report showed new home sales increased by 1% to an annual rate of 708,000 in July after slumping by 2.6% to an upwardly revised rate of 701,000 in June.
Economists had expected new home sales to jump by 3.6% to a rate of 700,000 from the 676,000 originally reported for the previous month.
Investors await a highly-anticipated speech by Fed Chairman Jerome Powell during the virtual Jackson Hole Symposium on Friday for more clarity on the Fed's tapering timeline.
The dollar index, which slid to 92.81 in late morning trades, recovered to 92.97 by noon, but faltered again and was last seen hovering around 92.90, down 0.07% from the previous close.
Against the Euro, the dollar weakened to $1.1758.
The Pound Sterling firmed up a bit against the dollar, fetching $1.3731 a unit, compared to $1.3722 Monday evening.
Against the Yen, the dollar was little changed at 109.69 yen.
The dollar slipped to 0.7258 against the Aussie, losing nearly 0.7%. The Swiss fran slightly weak at 0.9129 a dollar.
Meanwhile, the Loonie firmed to 1.2591 a dollar, gaining from around 1.2655, riding on oil's gains.
Business sentiment in South Korea ebbed in August, the latest survey from the Bank of Korea showed on Wednesday with a business confidence index score of 95.0 - down from 97.0 in July.
The outlook for the following month rose by 4 points to 96.
In the non-manufacturing sector, the BSI on business conditions for August was 81, up 2 points from the previous month. The outlook for the following month also rose by 3 points to 81.
The Economic Sentiment Index (ESI)-a composite of the BSI and the CSI (Consumer Survey Index) - for August was 105.3, up 1.4 points from July.
South Korea Business Confidence Index 95.0 In August - BoK
Crude oil prices moved higher on Tuesday, extending gains to a second straight session, as concerns about outlook for energy demand eased a bit amid signs of falling coronavirus infections in China, India and some other countries.
The U.S. drug regulator's decision to grant full approval to the Pfizer/BioNTech SE COVID-19 vaccine, and a subdued dollar too contributed to oil's uptick.
Oil prices were also supported by a fire on an oil platform off Mexico on Sunday, which resulted in the shutdown of 125 wells in the field and likely reduce daily output of oil equivalents by 421,000 barrels.
West Texas Intermediate Crude oil futures for October ended up by $1.90 or nearly 3% at $67.54 a barrel.
Brent crude futures were up 2.17 or 3.19% at $70.54 a barrel a little while ago.
The full FDA approval of Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccine is expected to boost economic recovery and fed demand for fuel.
Speaking from the White House, U.S. President Biden called the approval a key milestone in the nation's fight against COVID. He stressed that inoculation saves lives and that those awaiting final FDA approval no longer have a reason to delay.
Traders now await weekly crude inventories data from the American Petroleum Institute (API) and U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA). While the API's report is due later today, the EIA is scheduled to release its inventory data Wednesday morning.
Gold futures settled higher on Tuesday as the dollar stayed subdued with traders looking ahead to the annual Jackson Hole Symposium for clues about Fed's policy moves.
The dollar moved in a very tight range amid improved risk appetite after U.S. authorities gave full approval for the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID vaccine.
The dollar, which slipped to 92.81 in late morning trades, subsequently recovered to 92.92.
Gold futures for December ended up by $2.20 or 0.1% at $1,808.50 an ounce, closing about $1,800 for a second straight day, and the higest finish in nearly three weeks.
Silver futures for September closed higher by $0.238 at $23.894 an ounce, while Copper futures for September settled at $4.2580 per pound, up $0.0210 from the previous close.
On the economic front, the Commerce Department released a report this morning showing a rebound in U.S. new home sales in the month of July.
The report showed new home sales increased by 1.0 percent to an annual rate of 708,000 in July after slumping by 2.6 percent to an upwardly revised rate of 701,000 in June.
Economists had expected new home sales to jump by 3.6 percent to a rate of 700,000 from the 676,000 originally reported for the previous month.
Germany Q2 GDP Up 1.6% Q/Q Vs. -2.0% In Q1, Flash 1.5%
Germany Q2 GDP Up 9.8% Y/Y Vs. -3.3% In Q1, Flash 9.2%
Finland July Jobless Rate 7.1% Vs. 7.5% In Last Year
Finland July Producer Prices Up 14.8% Y/Y, 3.4% M/M
The total volume of retail sales in New Zealand was up a seasonally adjusted 3.3 percent on quarter in the second quarter of 2021, Statistics New Zealand said on Tuesday - accelerating from 2.8 percent in the three months prior.
The total value of retail sales rose 4.0 percent on quarter (NZ$1.1 billion).
By industry, the largest movements were: electrical and electronic goods retailing - up 6.9 percent; food and beverage services - up 5.6 percent; motor vehicle and parts retailing - up 3.1 percent; pharmaceutical and other store-based retailing - up 7.5 percent; and accommodation - up 11.4 percent.
On a yearly basis, retail sales surged 33.3 percent after gaining 6.6 percent in the previous three months.
Consumer confidence in South Korea dipped slightly in August, according to the latest survey from the Bank of Korea's sentiment index, which came in with a score of 102.5 - down from 103.2 in July.
Consumer sentiment regarding current living standards and their future outlook were unchanged at 91 and 96, respectively.
Consumer sentiment related to future household income was one point higher than in July at 96, and that concerning future household spending was one point lower than in the previous month, at 107.
Consumer sentiment concerning current domestic economic conditions was five points lower than in the previous month, at 77, and that concerning future domestic economic conditions was two points lower than in the previous month, at 90.
The expected inflation rate for the following year was 2.4 percent.
New Zealand Retail Sales +3.3% On Quarter, +33.3% On Year In Q2
South Korea Consumer Confidence Index 102.5 In August - BoK
New Zealand will on Tuesday release Q2 figures for retail sales, highlighting a light day for Asia-Pacific economic activity. In the previous three months, retail sales were up 2.5 percent on quarter and 6.8 percent on year.
Thailand will provide July numbers for imports, exports and trade balance. Imports are expected to spike 43 percent on year, slowing from 53.75 percent in June. Exports are called higher by an annual 19.7 percent, down from 43.82 percent in the previous month. The trade surplus is pegged at $0.94 billion, down from $0.95 billion a month earlier.
The U.S. dollar, which rose to an over 2-month high last week, came off that level on Monday as concerns about Fed taper faded a bit after data showed a slowdown in U.S. business activity in August.
According to preliminary estimate, the IHS Markit US Services PMI declined to 55.4 in August, falling for a third straight month, from 59.9 in July. Economists had expected the reading to come in at 58.3.
The IHS Markit US Manufacturing PMI fell to 61.2 in August from 63.4 in July, below market forecasts of 62.5. The IHS Markit US Services PMI dropped to 55.2 in August, falling for a third month, and from an all-time high of 70.4 in May.
Data from National Association of Realtors (NAR) said existing home sales in the US increased by 2% month-on-month to 5.99 million in July, beating forecasts for a rise to 5.83 million.
The dollar index slid to 92.95, down by about 0.6%.
Against the Euro, the dollar weakened to $1.1746, giving up nearly 0.4%. Eurozone private sector logged one of the strongest growth seen over the past two decades in August as the further reopening of the economy underpinned expansion in the services activity, flash survey results from IHS Markit showed.
The flash composite output index declined to 59.5 from a 15-year high of 60.2 in the previous month. The reading was forecast to fall marginally to 59.7.
The Pound Sterling strengthened against the dollar, climbing to $1.3724, more than 0.7% up from Friday's close. The UK private sector growth eased sharply in August largely due to staff shortages and supply chain issues, flash survey results from IHS Markit and the Chartered Institute of Procurement & Supply showed.
The flash composite output index decreased to a six-month low of 55.3 in August from 59.2 in July. The score was forecast to drop to 58.4.
Against the Japanese currency, the dollar eased to 109.69 yen from 109.79.
Against the Aussie, the dollar weakened to 0.7213 from 0.7132.
The Swiss franc firmed to 0.9124 against the dollar. The Loonie strengthened to 1.2648 a dollar as crude oil prices climbed sharply.
Crude oil futures settled sharply higher on Monday, snapping a seven-day losing streak and posting their biggest single-session gain in percentage terms in about five months.
Optimism about growth, and a weak dollar contributed to oil's sharp uptick.
West Texas Intermediate Crude oil futures for October ended down by $3.50 or about 5.6% at $65.64 a barrel, snapping their longest losing streak in nearly two years. WTI crude futures shed about 9% last week.
Brent crude futures gained $5.37 or about 5.5% to $68.75 a barrel.
Oil prices tumbled last week amid rising worries about outlook for energy demand due to a surge in coronavirus cases and possible fresh lockdown measures in several countries across the world.
Global equities rose today despite persistent worries about the COVID-19 Delta variant.
Meanwhile, investors await more clarity from the Fed on the tapering timeline as the Delta variant of the coronavirus continues to spread across the globe, forcing countries to impose nationwide as well as local lockdown.
Iran had last week tightened curbs to contain the spread of the virus.
New Zealand extended a national COVID-19 lockdown on August 23, while Australia imposed strict lockdown in two of its biggest cities Sydney and Melbourne.
China has taken a zero-tolerance approach towards containing new infections.
Gold prices moved higher on Monday, pushing the most active gold futures contracts to a firm close at a near 3-week high, as the dollar shed ground.
Traders looked ahead to the upcoming Jackson Hole Symposium, scheduled to take place virtually on Friday. Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell's speech at the symposium is likely to provide clues about when the central bank will start tapering its asset buying program.
The dollar index dropped to 92.99, losing more than 0.5%, amid increased risk appetite. Investors also reacted to Dallas Fed President Robert Kaplan's comments on Friday that he might reconsider the need for an early start to tapering if the virus harms the economy.
Gold futures ended up by $22.30 or about 1.3% at $1,806.30 an ounce, the highest settlement since August 5.
Silver futures for September ended higher by $0.544 or about 2.4% at $23.656 an ounce, while Copper futures settled at $4.2370 per pound, gaining $1.000 or 2.4%.
In economic news, Eurozone private sector logged one of the strongest growth seen over the past two decades in August as the further reopening of the economy underpinned expansion in the services activity, flash survey results from IHS Markit showed.
Singapore July Inflation 2,5% Vs. 2.4% In June
Estonia July CPI Up 14.8% Y/Y, 4.0% M/M
Dutch August Consumer Confidence -6 Vs. -4 In July
The manufacturing sector in Japan continued to expand in August, albeit at a slower rate, the latest survey from Jibun Bank showed on Monday with a manufacturing PMI score of 52.4.
That's down from 53.0 in July, although it remains above the boom-or-bust line of 50 that separates expansion from contraction.
New order inflows saw a sustained increase, although the pace of growth was the slowest since January, while severe supply chain disruption hampered the receipt of inputs for production.
Nonetheless, manufacturers were confident that demand would continue to increase, with expectations regarding future output remaining strong, which encouraged firms to increase staffing levels at the quickest pace since January 2020. That said, the overall degree of optimism was the softest for 13 months.
The survey also showed that the services PMI fell from 46.4 in July to 43.5 in August, while the composite slipped from 48.8 in July to 45.9 this month.
Japan Composite Index 45.9 In August - Jibun
Japan Services PMI 43.5 In August - Jibun
Japan Manufacturing PMI 52.4 In August - Jibun
The manufacturing sector in Australia continued to expand in August, albeit at a much slower rate, the latest survey from Markit Economics showed on Monday with a 14-month low manufacturing PMI score of 51.7.
That's down from 56.9 in July, although it remains above the boom-or-bust line of 50 that separates expansion from contraction.
New orders and output both fell into contraction territory, ending the 13-month growth streaks across both indices. While the lingering disruptions from the COVID-19 pandemic affected both demand and production, firms also reported that supply issues had constrained output. Indeed, suppliers' delivery times continued to lengthen, and at the most severe pace since April 2020.
Price pressures eased slightly in August, though both input costs and output charges continued to increase at rates well above their respective survey averages. Firms were generally cautious with regards to their input inventories, which were broadly unchanged from July, but held a slightly more positive view towards output in the next 12 months.
The survey also showed that the services PMI fell from 44.2 in July to 43.3 in August, while the composite slipped from 45.2 in July to 43.5 this month.
Australia Composite PMI 43.5 In August - Markit
Australia Manufacturing PMI 51.7 In August - Markit
Australia Services PMI 43.3 In August - Markit
Australia will on Monday see August results for the manufacturing, services and composite PMIs from Markit Economics, highlighting a modest day for Asia-Pacific economic activity. In July, their scores were 56.9, 44.2 and 45.2, respectively.
Japan will see August results for the manufacturing, services and composite PMIs from Jibun Bank; in July, their scores were 53.0, 47.4 and 48.8, respectively.
Singapore will release July figures for consumer prices; in June, overall inflation was flat on month and up 2.4 percent on year, while core CPI rose 0.6 percent on year.
Taiwan will provide July numbers for unemployment, industrial production and retail sales. In June, the jobless rate was 4.76 percent, industrial production jumped 18.37 percent on year and retail sales tumbled an annual 13.3 percent.
The U.S. dollar climbed to a near 10-month high on Friday, as uncertainty about the pace of global economic recovery due to surging coronvirus cases pushed up the demand for the safe-haven currency.
The dollar's cause was supported by Fed taper talks as well. However, the greenback retreated and pared its gains as the day progressed.
The dollar index rose to 93.73 in early New York session, but turned weak subsequently and slid to 93.44, down 0.14% from the previous close.
Against the Euro, the dollar weakened to $1.1704, after having firmed to $1.1665 earlier in the day.
The Pound Sterling recovered to $1.3625 a unit, from a low of $1.3602. Data showed a surprise fall in U.K. retail sales last month. Sales volumes fell by 2.5% from June, marking the biggest drop since January when Britain returned to lockdown.
The Yen was slightly weak against the dollar at 109.81. Official data showed overall consumer prices in Japan were down 0.3% year-on-year in July. That missed expectations for a flat reading following the downwardly revised 0.5% contraction in June.
Against the Aussie, the dollar gained marginally, recovering to 0.7140 from 0.7147.
The Swiss franc firmed to 0.9169 a dollar, gaining more than 0.2%, while the Loonie recovered from a low of 1.2951 a dollar, to $1.2830.
Data from Statistics Canada showed retail sales climbed 4.2% in June compared to a month earlier. However, the data showed retail sales likely fell 1.7% in July. Retail Sales in Canada increased 6.2% in June of 2021 over the same month in the previous year.
Retail Sales Excluding Autos in Canada increased 4.7% month-on-month in June, the first increase in three months.
Crude oil futures drifted lower on Friday amid worries about outlook for energy demand due to spikes in coronavirus cases and possible fresh restrictions on movements in several countries.
A stronger dollar amid China's crackdown on the once high-flying technology firms and rising prospects of tighter monetary measures from the Federal Reserve also weighed on crude oil prices.
West Texas Intermediate Crude oil futures for September ended down by $1.37 or about 2.2% at $62.32 a barrel, on the expiration day.
New front-month contract, WTI crude futures for October shed $1.36 or about 2.1%. WTI futures have now shed about 10.4% in seven sessions.
Brent crude futures were down $1.37 or 2.07% at $65.08 a barrel.
According to a report released by Baker Hughes, the total count of U.S. active drilling rigs increased by three to 503 this week.
Drilling rigs targeting crude oil rose by 8 to 405 after rising by 10 in the previous week. Gas rigs fell by 5 to 97 this week. The total count is roughly double the 254 rigs actively drilling a year ago.
After ending the previous session firmly positive, treasuries moved back to the downside during the trading day on Friday.
Bond prices initially showed a lack of direction but slid into the red as the session progressed. As a result, the yield on the benchmark ten-year note, which moves opposite of its price, rose by 1.8 basis points to 1.260 percent.
The weakness that emerged among treasuries came as stocks on Wall Street showed a notable move to the upside on the day.
With the upward move on the day, stocks have regained ground following the sharp pullback seen during trading on Tuesday and Wednesday.
The major averages fell to their lowest levels in almost a month amid concerns about the outlook for monetary policy following the release of the minutes of the latest Federal Reserve meeting.
The Fed minutes indicated most officials were in favor of beginning to scale back the central bank's asset purchase program later this year.
However, there was some disagreement about the timing of tapering asset purchases, and analysts have pointed out that some disappointing economic data has been released since the July meeting.
Uncertainty about the outlook for monetary policy may lead traders to keep a close eye on upcoming economic data ahead of the Fed's next meeting in September.
Unfortunately, the economic calendar for next week is relatively light, although traders are likely to keep an eye on reports on durable goods orders and personal income and spending.
Gold futures edged up marginally on Friday even as the dollar continued to find some support amid Fed taper talks.
Surging coronavirus cases, and geopolitical concerns following the developments in Afghanistan where the Taliban has taken control, prompted investors to lean towards the safe-haven commodity.
The dollar index, which rose to 93.73, subsequently retreated to 93.44. It was last seen at 93.53, down marginally from the previous close.
Gold futures for December ended up by $0.90 or about 0.05% at $1,784.00 an ounce. Gold futures gained 0.3% in the week.
Silver futures for September ended lower by $0.118 at $23.112 an ounce, while Copper futures for September settled at $4.1370 per pound, up $0.0960 from the previous close.
The dollar strengthened across the board earlier in the day as China's crackdown on the once high-flying technology firms and rising prospects of tighter monetary measures from the Federal Reserve dented risk sentiment.
A rout in Chinese technology giants deepened today after Chinese authorities passed a major data protection law, along the lines of Europe's Global Data Protection Regulation, making it harder and costlier for tech firms in China to access and use consumer information.
Retail sales and the public sector borrowing figures from the UK are due on Friday, headlining a light day for the European economic news.
At 2.00 am ET, the Office for National Statistics releases UK retail sales and government borrowing figures. Retail sales are forecast grow 0.4 percent on month in July, following a 0.5 percent rise in June.
The UK budget deficit is seen narrowing to GBP 11.03 billion in July from GBP 22.02 billion in June.
In the meantime, producer prices from Germany and GDP data from Norway are due. Economists forecast Germany's producer price inflation to rise to 9.2 percent in July from 8.5 percent in June.
At 4.00 am ET, current account data is due from Greece and retail sales data from Poland.
At 6.00 am ET, Ireland's wholesale price figures are due for July.
China Holds One-year Loan Prime Rate At 3.85%
China Maintains Five-year Loan Prime Rate At 4.65%
New Zealand credit card spending declined for the second month in July, the Reserve Bank of New Zealand said on Friday.
Credit card spending decreased 0.6 percent on a monthly basis in July, following a 1.0 percent decline in June. Spending declined for second straight month.
On a yearly basis, growth in credit card spending rose to 6.9 percent in July from 6.4 percent in the previous month.
Domestic card billing grew 1.9 percent on month after falling 3.7 percent a month ago.
New Zealand Jul Credit Card Spending +6.9% On Year Vs. +6.4% In June
Overall consumer prices in Japan were down 0.3 percent on year in July, the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications said on Friday.
That missed expectations for a flat reading following the downwardly revised 0.5 percent contraction in June (originally up 0.2 percent).
On a seasonally adjusted monthly basis, overall inflation was up 0.2 percent - matching forecasts and slowing from 0.3 percent in the previous month.
Core CPI, which excludes volatile food costs, was down 0.2 percent on year - exceeding expectations for a decline of 0.4 percent following the downwardly revised 0.5 percent drop a month earlier (originally up 0.2 percent).
Core CPI was up 0.4 percent on month.