Australia Retail Sales -3.9% On Month In December
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Australia Retail Sales -3.9% On Month In December
South Korea Industrial Production -2.9% On Month, -7.3% On Year In December
Oil prices fell to near 3-week lows on Monday amid concerns about global economic growth and the outlook for oil demand.
Russian President Vladmir Putin's decision to let Russian energy companies decide on pricing pricing and exports issues weighed on oil prices.
Oil prices found some support earlier in the session on reports about a drone strike on an Iranian defense facility over the weekend.
Oil also found some support amid optimism about demand recovery in China after reports said travel in the country recovered sharply during the week-long Lunar New Year holidays.
West Texas Intermediate Crude oil futures for March ended lower by $1.78 or about 2.2% at $77.90 a barrel.
Brent Crude futures were down $2.07 or 2.4% at $84.33 a barrel a little while ago.
Traders are looking ahead to a meeting of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries and its allies (OPEC+) this week. The group is largely expected to maintain production at current levels.
Gold prices drifted lower on Monday as the dollar firmed against other major currencies as markets looked ahead to the Federal Reserve's monetary policy announcement, due on Wednesday.
The dollar index, which was down at 101.66 in the Asian session, gained in strength as the session progressed and was up at 102.15, gaining about 0.25%.
Gold futures for April ended lower by $6.40 or about 0.3% at $1,939.20 an ounce.
Silver futures for March ended up $0.111 at $23.733 an ounce, while Copper futures for March settled at $4.2020 per pound, down $0.0205 from the previous close.
Analysts expecting the U.S. central bank to slow the pace of interest rate hikes to 25 basis points. The focus will be on the accompanying statement to see if there are chances of a soft landing for the economy.
Data on non-farm payrolls for the month of December, and reports on consumer confidence and manufacturing and services sector activity are also due this week.
The European Central Bank and the Bank of England are also scheduled to announce their interest rate decisions this week. The banks are widely expected to raise rates by 50 basis points.
Malaysia Dec Producer Prices -0.3% On Month Vs. +0.6% In November
New Zealand will on Monday release December data for imports, exports and trade balance, highlighting a light day for Asia-Pacific economic activity.
In November, imports were worth NZ$8.54 billion and exports were at NZ$6.68 billion for a trade deficit of NS$1,863 million.
Crude oil prices fell on Friday and pushed the most active crude futures contract to a more than one-week low, amid uncertainty about the outlook for oil demand.
Profit taking after recent gains and indications that oil supply from Russia will see a surge weighed on oil prices.
Oil prices climbed higher earlier in the session, riding on hopes about Chinese economic growth, and data showing a stronger than expected increase in U.S. GDP.
West Texas Intermediate crude oil futures for March ended down $1.33 or about 1.6% at $79.68 a barrel. WTI crude futures shed about 2.4% in the week.
Brent crude futures were down $1.09 or 1.25% at $86.38 a barrel.
According to reports, oil loadings from Russia's Baltic ports are likely to rise by 50% this month as sellers gear up to meet strong demand in Asia.
OPEC and allies are scheduled to meet next week to review crude production levels. The Federal Reserve's monetary policy meeting, scheduled to take place on January 31 and February 1 is eyed as well.
Gold futures settled slightly lower on Friday, but still managed to record a gain for a sixth consecutive week.
The dollar index dropped to a low of 101.58 before rallying to 102.19. However, the index eased to 102.00 subsequently.
Gold futures ended down $0.60 at $1,929.40 an ounce.
Silver futures for March ended lower by $0.398 at $23.622 an ounce, while Copper futures for March settled at $4.2225 per pound, down $0.0450 from the previous close.
On the U.S. economic front, a report from the Commerce Department showed personal income inched up by 0.2% in December after rising by a downwardly revised 0.3% in November.
Economists had expected personal spending to edge up by 0.2% compared to the 0.4% increase originally reported for the previous month.
The data said personal spending dipped by 0.2% in December after slipping by 0.1% in November. The modest decrease matched economist estimates.
The report also said core consumer prices, which exclude food and energy prices, rose by 0.3% in December after inching up by 0.2% in November.
The inflation reading, which is said to be preferred by the Fed, was expected to show another 0.2% uptick.
The Commerce Department said the annual rate of growth in core consumer prices slowed to 4.4% in December from 4.7% in November.
A separate report from the National Association of Realtors showed an unexpected rebound in pending home sales in December, while the University of Michigan upwardly revised its reading on consumer sentiment in January.
Australia Export Prices -0.9% On Quarter In Q4; Import Prices +1.8% On Quarter
Australia Producer Prices +0.7% On Quarter, +5.8% On Year In Q4
South Korea Business Confidence Index 66.0 In January Vs. 71.0 In December - BoK
The price of crude oil showed a strong move to the upside during trading on Thursday, adding to the uptick seen in the previous session.
After inching up $0.02 or less than a tenth of a percent to $80.15 a barrel on Wednesday, crude for March delivery jumped $0.86 or 1.1 percent to $81.01 a barrel.
Crude oil benefited from optimism about the outlook for demand following the release of some upbeat U.S. economic data, including a Commerce Department report showing stronger than expected economic growth in the fourth quarter of 2022.
The report said real gross domestic product shot up by 2.9 percent in the fourth quarter after spiking by 3.2 percent in the third quarter. Economists had expected GDP to jump by 2.6 percent.
The Labor Department also released a report showing initial jobless claims unexpectedly dipped to a nine-month low in the week ended January 21st.
Separate Commerce Department reports also showed a spike in durable goods orders and a continued increase in new home sales.
"Crude prices got an unexpected boost from a U.S. economy that doesn't want to break," said Edward Moya, senior market analyst at OANDA. "Another round of US data supported the argument that this economy still could get a soft landing, which is very positive for the short-term crude demand outlook."
He added, "Improving news with China's COVID situation and a resilient US economy should keep oil prices supported above the $80 region."
After closing higher for five consecutive sessions, the price of gold gave back ground over the course of the trading day on Thursday.
Gold for February delivery slid $12.60 or 0.7 percent to $1,930 an ounce after rising $7.20 or 0.3 percent to a nine-month closing high of $1,942.60 an ounce in the previous session.
The pullback by the price of gold came as some upbeat U.S. economic data reduced the precious metal's safe-haven appeal.
An uptick by the value of the U.S. dollar also weighed on gold prices, with the U.S. dollar index inching up 0.22 points or 0.2 percent to 101.87.
Gold prices gave back ground following the release of a Commerce Department report showing U.S. economic activity surged by more than expected in the fourth quarter of 2022.
The report said real gross domestic product shot up by 2.9 percent in the fourth quarter after spiking by 3.2 percent in the third quarter. Economists had expected GDP to jump by 2.6 percent.
The stronger than expected GDP growth reflected increases in private inventory investment, consumer spending, government spending, and non-residential fixed investment.
Meanwhile, the positive contributions were partly offset by decreases in residential fixed investment and exports.
The Labor Department also released a report showing initial jobless claims unexpectedly dipped to a nine-month low in the week ended January 21st.
Separate Commerce Department reports also showed a spike in durable goods orders and a continued increase in new home sales.
South Korea's gross domestic product contracted a seasonally adjusted 0.4 percent on quarter in the fourth quarter of 2022, the Bank of Korea said on Thursday.
That missed expectations for a decline of 0.3 percent following the 0.3 percent increase in the previous three months.
Real gross domestic income increased 0.1 percent on quarter.
On the expenditure side, private consumption fell 0.4 percent as expenditures on goods (household appliances, clothing and footwear) and services (restaurants and accommodation, recreation and culture) decreased.
Government consumption rose 3.2 percent, with increased expenditures on goods and health care benefits. Construction investment expanded by 0.7 percent, as non-residential building construction increased. Facilities investment was up by 2.3 percent, driven by increases in machinery investment.
Exports contracted by 5.8 percent, as exports of goods such as semiconductors and chemical products decreased. Imports declined by 4.6 percent, owing to decreased imports of crude oil and basic metals.
On the production side, agriculture, forestry and fishing rose by 1.5 percent due to increased crop yields. Manufacturing fell by 4.1 percent, mainly due to decreases in computer, electronic and optical products and chemical products.
Electricity, gas and water supply was up by 1.0 percent, due to increased gas supply. Construction expanded by 1.9 percent, owing to increases in building construction. Services grew by 0.8 percent, led by transportation and storage and finance and insurance services.
On an annualized basis, GDP expanded 1.4 percent - also shy of forecasts for a gain of 1.6 percent and slowing from 3.1 percent in the third quarter.
For all of 2022, South Korea's GDP expanded 2.6 percent.
On the expenditure side, construction and facilities investment declined and the growth of exports and imports slowed while private consumption grew.
On the production side, while manufacturing growth slowed, the growth of services slightly expanded.
Real GDI decreased by 1.1 percent. As the terms of trade worsened due to factors such as a rise in the price of crude oil, real GDI fell short of real GDP.
Also on Thursday, the Bank of Korea said that consumer confidence improved in January with a consumer confidence index score of 90.7 - up from 90.2 in December.
Consumer sentiment for current living standards was one point lower at 82, and the future outlook was unchanged at 85.
Consumer sentiment related to future household income was one point higher at 96, and future household spending was two points higher at 110.
Consumer sentiment concerning current domestic economic conditions was unchanged at 51, and the outlook was two points lower at 60.
The expected inflation rate for the upcoming year was 3.9 percent.
South Korea will on Thursday release preliminary Q4 numbers for gross domestic product, highlighting a modest day for Asia-Pacific economic activity.
GDP is expected to contract 0.3 percent on quarter and expand 1.5 percent on year after picking up 0.3 percent on quarter and 3.1 percent on year in the three months prior.
Singapore will provide December data for industrial production, with forecasts suggesting a decline of 1.1 percent on month and 6.9 percent on year. That follows the 1.2 percent monthly decline and the 3.2 percent yearly drop in November.
Hong Kong will see December figures for imports, exports and trade balance. In November, imports were down 20.3 percent on year and exports slumped n annual 24.1 percent for a trade deficit of HKD27.1 billion.
Finally, the markets in Taiwan and China remain closed on Thursday for the Lunar New Year holiday, while the Australian bourses are shuttered got Australia Day.
The value of the U.S. dollar has fluctuated over the course of trading on Wednesday as traders look ahead to the release of some key economic data in the coming days.
After seeing some strength in early morning trading, the U.S. dollar index has moved modestly lower and is currently down 0.28 points or 0.3 percent at 101.64.
The greenback is trading is 129.56 yen compared to the 130.17 yen it fetched at the close of New York trading on Tuesday. Against the euro, the dollar is trading at $1.0915 compared to yesterday's $1.0887.
The volatility on the day comes as traders look ahead to reports on fourth quarter GDP, durable goods orders and weekly jobless claims due to be released on Thursday as well as reports on personal income and spending and consumer sentiment due to be released on Friday.
The data could impact the outlook for the economy and interest rates ahead of next week's Federal Reserve meeting.
After failing to sustain an early move to the upside, treasuries showed a lack of direction over the course of the trading session on Wednesday.
Bond prices bounced back and forth across the unchanged line before closing roughly flat. The yield on the benchmark ten-year note, which moves opposite of its price, edged down by less than a basis point to 3.462 percent.
The choppy trading on the day came as traders look ahead to the release of some key U.S. economic data in the coming days.
Reports on fourth quarter GDP, durable goods orders and weekly jobless claims are due to be released on Thursday, while reports on personal income and spending and consumer sentiment are due to be released on Friday.
The data could impact the outlook for the economy and interest rates ahead of next week's Federal Reserve meeting.
Traders largely shrugged off the results of the Treasury Department's auction of $43 billion worth of five-year notes, which attracted well above average demand.
The five-year note auction drew a high yield of 3.530 percent and a bid-to-cover ratio of 2.64, while the ten previous five-year note auctions had an average bid-to-cover ratio of 2.40.
The bid-to-cover ratio is a measure of demand that indicates the amount of bids for each dollar worth of securities being sold.
On Tuesday, the Treasury revealed this month's auction of $42 billion worth of two-year notes also attracted strong demand.
Gold futures settled higher on Wednesday, gaining for a fifth straight session, as the dollar drifted down amid rising hopes the Federal Reserve will slow the pace of interest rate hikes.
The dollar index drifted down to 101.92 this morning, and despite recovering to 102.02 subsequently, faltered again and was last seen at 101.62, down nearly 0.3% from the previous close.
Gold futures for February ended higher by $7.20 or about 0.4% at $1,942.60 an ounce, the highest settlement in about nine months.
Silver futures for March ended up $0.192 at $23.941 an ounce, while Copper futures for March settled at $4.2445 per pound, down $0.0040 from the previous close.
The focus is now on the fourth-quarter U.S. GDP data due Thursday, which could set the tone for the Fed's Jan. 31-Feb. 1 policy meeting.
Australia Consumer Prices +1.9% On Quarter, +7.8% On Year In Q4
Consumer prices in New Zealand were up 7.2 percent on year in the fourth quarter of 2022, Statistics New Zealand said on Wednesday.
That was unchanged from Q3 and exceeded expectations for 7.1 percent.
Individually, prices rose 8.0 percent on year for housing, 11 percent for food and 8.4 percent for transportation.
On a seasonally adjusted quarterly basis, inflation rose 1.4 percent - slowing from 2.2 percent in the three months prior but beating forecasts for 1.3 percent.
Individually, prices rose 1.3 percent on quarter for housing, 1.8 percent for food and 3.4 percent for recreation.
New Zealand CPI +1.4% On Quarter, +7.2% On Year In Q4
France Jan Business Confidence 103 Vs. 102 In Dec, Consensus 102
Despite staying positive during much of the day's trading session, crude oil futures settled lower on Wednesday amid concerns about a possible U.S. recession.
Concerns about interest rates weighed as well on oil prices after St. Louis Fed President James Bullard commented that the central bank needs to quickly hiked interest rates above 5%.
West Texas Intermediate Crude oil futures for February ended lower by $0.70 or about 0.9% at $79.48 a barrel.
Brent crude futures were down $1.13 or 1.33% at $84.79 a barrel a little while ago.
Oil prices surged higher earlier in the day after OPEC forecast that Chinese demand for oil is on track for a bounce.
OPEC said on Tuesday in its monthly report that Chinese oil demand would rebound this year due to the recent relaxation of the country's COVID-19 containment measures.
OPEC also sounded an optimistic note on the prospects for the world economy in 2023, saying a stronger Chinese economy would drive global growth.
The International Monetary Fund's First Deputy Managing Director Gita Gopinath said in a message from Davos that global growth will improve in the second half of this year and into 2024.
The total value of electronic card retail sales in New Zealand was down 2.5 percent on month in December, Statistics New Zealand said on Wednesday - after rising 0.3 percent in November.
Individually, spending for durables fell 5.7 percent, while fuel was down 4.3 percent, apparel fell 4.7 percent, motor vehicles sank 2.9 percent and consumables eased 1.5 percent.
The non-retail (excluding services) category decreased by NZ$25 million (1.3 percent) from November 2022. This category includes medical and other health care, travel and tour arrangement, postal and courier delivery, and other non-retail industries.
The services category was down NZ$7.1 million (2.0 percent). This category includes repair and maintenance, and personal care, funeral, and other personal services.
The total value of electronic card spending, including the two non-retail categories (services and other non-retail), decreased from November 2022, down NZ$104 million (1.2 percent).
New Zealand Electronic Card Retail Sales -2.5% On Month In December
The U.S. dollar turned in a mixed performance against its major counterparts on Tuesday, with traders assessing the recent data from across the globe and speculating about the Bank of Japan's policy stance.
The New York Federal Reserve released a report showing a significant contraction in regional manufacturing activity in the month of January.
The New York Fed said its general business conditions plunged to a negative 32.9 in January from a negative 11.2 in December, with a negative reading indicating a contraction. Economists had expected the index to climb to a negative 4.5.
The dollar index, which dropped to 101.94 around mid morning, recovered subsequently and was last seen at 102.40, up nearly 0.2% from the previous close.
Against the Euro, the dollar firmed to 1.0791 after having weakened to 1.0871 earlier in the day.
The dollar is down against Pound Sterling at 1.2286, dropping from 1.2196.
Against the Japanese currency, the dollar is down, fetching 128.17 yen a unit, compared with the previous close of 128.57 yen. It is widely speculated that the Bank of Japan might call for an exit from its decade-long ultra-loose monetary policy on Wednesday.
The dollar is weak against the Aussie with the AUD/USD pair at 0.6990.
Against Swiss franc, the dollar weakened to CHF 0.9218 from CHF 0.9262.
The dollar was down slightly against the loonie at C$1.3391, compared with previous close of C$1.3409.
Data from Statistics Canada showed Canada's annual inflation rate fell to 6.3% in December of 2022, the least since February 2022 and below market expectations of 6.4%, compared to the 6.8% in November and further declining from the 1983-high of 8.1% from June.
On a monthly basis, the Canadian CPI declined by 0.6%, the most since April 2020.
Crude oil futures settled higher on Tuesday on expectations of a jump in demand for fuel after data showed the Chinese economy saw better than expected growth last year.
West Texas Intermediate Crude oil futures for February ended higher by $0.32 or about 0.4% at $80.18 a barrel, the highest settlement since December 30, 2022.
Brent crude futures were up $2.34 or 2.76% at $86.80 a barrel a little while ago.
Official data showed that China's GDP grew an annual 2.9% in the fourth quarter, faster than the 1.8% increase economists had expected.
Nonetheless, this was weaker than the 3.9% expansion seen in the third quarter. In the whole year of 2022, GDP growth was 3%, missing government's target of around 5.5%.
Separate data showed that China's retail sales dropped only 1.8% annually in December, much better than economists' forecast of -8.6%.
Industrial production climbed 1.3% from last year, bigger than the 0.2% expected growth.
During January to December 2022, fixed asset investment advanced 5.1% from the last year, again better than the 5% expected expansion.
The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) has left its forecast for global oil demand growth unchanged in its monthly report. The agency noted that the outlook "remains surrounded by uncertainties including global economic developments, shifts in COVID-19 containment policies, and geopolitical tensions."
Treasuries recovered from initial weakness but moved back to the downside over the course of the trading session on Tuesday.
Bond prices moved roughly sideways going into the close, ending the day in negative territory. As a result, the yield on the benchmark ten-year note, which moves opposite of its price, rose by 2.4 basis points to 3.535 percent.
The lower close by treasuries may have reflected lingering concerns about the outlook for interest rates ahead of the release of some key U.S. economic data in the coming days.
On the U.S economic front, the New York Federal Reserve released a report showing a significant contraction in regional manufacturing activity in the month of January.
The New York Fed said its general business conditions plunged to a negative 32.9 in January from a negative 11.2 in December, with a negative reading indicating a contraction. Economists had expected the index to climb to a negative 4.5.
Trading on Wednesday may be impacted by reaction to a slew of U.S. economic data, including reports on producer prices, retail sales and industrial production.
Norway December Exports Up 28.1% Y/Y; Imports Rise 14.7%
Australia Has A$13.201 Billion Trade Surplus In November
The total number of building permits in issued New Zealand was up a seasonally adjusted 7.0 percent on month in November, Statistics New Zealand said on Thursday - following the 11.0 percent decline in October.
In November, there were 4,649 new dwellings consented, including: 1,837 stand-alone houses; 1,827 townhouses, flats, and units; 535 apartments; and 450 retirement village units.
On a yearly basis, permits rose 3.2 percent to 50,209.
The annual value of non-residential building work consented was NZ$9.4 billion, up 13 percent from the year ended November 2021.
Gold futures failed to hold early gains and settled just marginally up on Wednesday, with traders looking ahead to the crucial U.S. inflation data, due on Thursday, for clues about the Federal Reserve's likely take on interest rates.
After Fed Chair Jerome Powell refrained from commenting on rate policy at a symposium, investors now await the release of U.S. inflation data on Thursday for additional clues on the rate outlook.
Fed Governor Michelle Bowman said on Tuesday that she expects more interest rate increases ahead to achieve a sufficiently restrictive federal funds rate and keep it at that level for some time.
The dollar index, which climbed to 103.48 in the European session, dropped to 103.17 around mid morning, before edging up to 103.30, up marginally from the previous close.
Gold futures for February ended higher by $2.40 at $1,878.90 an ounce, off the day's high of $1,890.90 an ounce, the highest level in eight months.
Silver futures for March ended down $0.184 at $23.481 an ounce, while Copper futures for March settled at $4.1660 per pound, gaining $0.0885.
The inflation data, due on Thursday, is expected to show a slowdown in the annual rate of consumer price growth and could have a significant impact on the outlook for interest rates.
New Zealand ANZ Commodity Prices Fall 0.1% On Month Vs. -4.0% In November
Australia will on Wednesday release November numbers for retail sales, highlighting a modest day for Asia-Pacific economic activity. Retail sales are expected to rise 0.6 percent on month after slipping 0.2 percent in October.
Australia also will provide Q4 figures for consumer prices, with forecasts suggesting an annual increase of 7.0 percent - up from 6.9 percent in the three months prior.
Japan will see November results for its leading indexes; in October, it was at 98.6.
South Korea will release December data for unemployment; in November, the jobless rate was 2.9 percent.
Malaysia will provide November numbers for industrial production with forecasts suggesting an increase of 3.0 percent, slowing from 4.6 percent in October.
Oil futures settled higher on Tuesday, gaining for a fourth straight session, amid expectations energy demand will pick up after China decided to reopen its economy.
U.S. government's forecast that global petroleum consumption will hit a record next year, helped as well.
West Texas Intermediate Crude oil futures for February ended higher by $0.49 or about 0.7% at $75.12 a barrel.
Brent crude futures are up $0.52 or 0.66% at $80.21 a barrel.
The U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) says in its Short-Term Energy Outlook that it expects global consumption of liquid fuels will reach 102.2 million barrels per day next year.
Investors also looked aead to weekly oil inventory data from the American Petroleum Institute (API) and Energy Information Administraion (EIA).
The API's report is due later today, while the EIA is scheduled to release its inventory data Wednesday morning.
Tokyo Overall Consumer Prices +4.0% On Year In December; Core CPI +4.0%
South Korea Has $0.62 Billion Current Account Deficit In November
Ireland Dec Construction PMI 43.2 Vs. 46.8 In November
The total number of building permits issued in Australia in November was down a seasonally adjusted 9.0 percent on month in November, the Australian Bureau of Statistics said on Monday - coming in at 13,898.
That missed expectations for a decline of 4.0 percent following the 6.0 percent contraction in October.
On a yearly basis, permits tumbled 15/1 percent after sinking 6.4 percent in the previous month.
Permits for private sector houses fell 2.5 percent on month and 13.4 percent on year to 9,142, while permits for private sector dwellings excluding houses tumbled 22.7 percent on month and 21.0 percent on year to 4,423.
The total value of building approved fell 1.5 percent on month in November, following a 0.4 percent fall in October.
Australia Building Approvals -9.0% On Month, -15.1% On Year In November
Australia will on Monday release November numbers for building approvals, highlighting a light day for Asia-Pacific economic activity. In October, approvals were down 6.0 percent on month and 6.4 percent on year.
Also, the markets in Japan are closed on Monday for Coming of Age Day and will re-open on Tuesday.
Crude oil prices pared early gains and settled flat on Friday as fears of a global recession raised concerns about the outlook for energy demand.
Data showing a contraction in U.S. service sector activity in the month of December, concerns about rising Covid cases in China, and insistence on Covid tests by several countries for visitors from China weighed on oil prices.
Oil futures shed ground despite the dollar turning weak amid easing concerns about Fed policy tightening after data showed a drop in U.S. wage growth in the month of November.
Oil prices surged higher earlier in the session on optimism surrounding China's reopening and expectations of further stimulus measures.
West Texas Intermediate Crude oil futures for February settled at $73.77 a barrel, up just 10 cents from the previous close. The contract rose to a high of $75.47 a barrel in late morning trades before paring gains.
Brent crude futures dropped $0.18 to $78.51 a barrel.
Both WTI Crude futures and Brent Crude futures shed more than 8% in the week.
Data from the Labor Department showed that non-farm payroll employment jumped by 223,000 jobs in December after surging by a revised 256,000 jobs in November.
Economists had expected employment to shoot up by 200,000 jobs compared to the addition of 263,000 jobs originally reported for the previous month.
The unemployment rate edged down to 3.5% in December from a revised 3.6 percent in November. The unemployment rate was expected to come in unchanged compared to the 3.7% originally reported for the previous month.
Annual wage growth slowed to 4.6% in December from 4.8% in November. Easing wage growth reduced worries over the Fed's rate-hike trajectory.
Data from the Institute for Supply Management showed that U.S. service sector activity unexpectedly contracted in the month of December.
The ISM said its services PMI tumbled to 49.6 in December from 56.5 in November, with a reading below 50 indicating a contraction. Economists had expected the index to edge down to 55.0.
Japan Dec Services PMI Rises To 51.5 From 50.3 In Nov, Consensus 51.7
The U.S. dollar climbed higher against its major rivals on Thursday after data showing a bigger than expected increase in the nation's private sector employment supported expectations for further interest rate hikes from the Federal Reserve in the upcoming months.
Data released by the payroll processor ADP this morning showed that private sector employment jumped by 235,000 jobs in December after surging by an upwardly revised 182,000 jobs in November.
Economists had expected employment to jump by about 150,000 jobs compared to the addition of 127,000 jobs originally reported for the previous month.
The dollar's uptick was also due to the minutes from the Fed's December meeting. The minutes showed that the policymakers cautioned against loosening policy too soon, and supported keeping interest rates higher for some more months.
Data released by the Labor Department this morning showed initial jobless claims slipped to 204,000 last week, a decrease of 19,000 from the previous week's revised level of 223,000. Economists had expected jobless claims to come in unchanged compared to the 225,000 originally reported for the previous week.
A separate report released by the Commerce Department showed the U.S. trade deficit narrowed significantly more than expected in the month of November.
The dollar index, which surged to 105.27, was last seen at 105.12, up 0.84% from the previous close.
Against the Euro, the dollar settled at 1.0523 from around 1.0600.
The dollar firmed to 1.1911 against Pound Sterling from above 1.2050, while settling at 133.40 yen, strengthening from around 132.50 yen.
Gold futures snapped a four-session winning streak and ended lower on Thursday as the dollar climbed higher against other major currencies.
The dollar firmed, riding on hawkish Fed minutes that suggested the central bank will hold rates at higher levels, and data showing a bigger than expected jump in U.S. private sector employment in the month of December.
The dollar index surged to 105.27 in late morning trades, and despite easing to 104.99, was firmly placed in positive territory with a gain of over 0.7%.
Gold futures for February ended down $18.40 or about 1% at $1,840.60 an ounce, after having settled at a near 7-month high at $1,859.00 an ounce on Wednesday.
Silver futures for March ended lower by $0.540 at $23.424 an ounce, while Copper futures for March settled at $3.8210 per pound, down $0.0805 from the previous close.
Payroll processor ADP's report today showed private sector employment in the U.S. jumped by much more than expected in the month of December, rising by 235,000 jobs in December after surging by an upwardly revised 182,000 jobs in November.
Economists had expected employment to jump by about 150,000 jobs compared to the addition of 127,000 jobs originally reported for the previous month.
While the stronger than expected job growth points to continued strength in the labor market, the data has added to concerns about the outlook for interest rates.
Edward Moya, Senior Market Analyst at The Americas OANDA, says the ADP private payrolls report and weekly jobless claims reminded traders that the labor market is nowhere near cooling.
Moya says that the economy is clearly weakening, but the labor market stays steady. "It should start to weaken and jobless claims will climb much higher starting next week," he says.
China will on Thursday see December results for the services PMI from Caixin, highlighting a modest day for Asia-Pacific economic activity. In November, the PMI score was 46.7.
Singapore will provide November numbers for retail sales; in October, sales were up 0.1 percent on month and 10.4 percent on year.
Thailand will release December data for consumer prices, with forecasts suggesting an increase of 6.00 percent for overall inflation - up from 5.55 percent in November. Core CPI is pegged at an annual 3.26 percent, up marginally from 3.22 percent in the previous month.
Japan will see December figures for household confidence and monetary base. In November, the consumer confidence index score was 28.6, while the monetary base dropped 6.4 percent on year.