Macroeconomic Analysis At The Conference

(Reuters) - The United States created jobs at the fastest pace in nine months in January and the unemployment rate unexpectedly dropped to a near three-year low, giving a boost to President Barack Obama. Nonfarm payrolls jumped 243,000, the Labor Department said on Friday, as factory jobs grew by the most in a year. The jobless rate fell to 8.3 percent - the lowest since February 2009 - from 8.5 percent in December. The gain in employment was the largest since April and it far outstripped the 150,000 predicted in a Reuters poll of economists. It hinted at underlying economic strength and lessened chances of further stimulus from the Federal Reserve. "More pistons in the economic engine have begun to fire, pointing to accelerating economic growth. One of the happiest persons reading this ...

Fundamental Analysis EUR Euro Zone's investor confidence for this month improved more than expected but remained in the negative territory for the sixth month in line. Sentix index added 2.9 points to minus 21.1 this month from minus 24 in December, reported Sentix market research group. Experts predicted the index to gain 0.5 points to minus 23.5. USD US employers managed to exceed expectations in creating new jobs adding more than 200,000 new jobs in December. The unemployment rate declined to 8.5%, hitting three-year low while the salaries and working hours jumped. Better than expected results follow increase in manufacturing activities and improved consumer confidence thus signaling on economic recovery of the US. GBP The U.K. government will host a series of conferences and ...

Weekly Focus: The Soft Period is Coming to an End Market Movers ahead * US new home sales and existing home sales are expected to rebound and revised GDP and consumption data could - if anything - show modest upward revisions. * The most notable US figures will arrive in the first week of the new year. We expect ISM (due on 3 January) to fall back somewhat, but remain well above 50. * ECB's last 12-month operation worth EUR97bn matures on 23 December. Excess liquidity may decline and there is upside risk to short rates. * Euro area monetary developments will be published on 29 December. We expect that money supply growth remains subdued, but look for improvements in loan flows. * Bank of England Minutes on Wednesday will most likely show the usual 3-way split (7-1-1) ...

Weekly Market Commentary Overview The Fed has upped the stakes by announcing another $600 billion in a second round of quantative easing and reinvesting $250 billion of maturing mortgage-backed securities. Result: carnage for some currencies. Kiwi up 3.3% this week alone to $0.7976, Aussie a new record $1.0183, Swiss CHF0.9550 and Cable $1.6300. Most emerging market currencies are at their strongest since Lehman's collapse in 2008, the Brazilian real almost at its strongest in a decade (1.668 per greenback) prompting squeals from Brazil's finance minister and central banker. On this all sorts of things priced in dollars soared, spot Gold to a record $1,394.06, Silver $26.62 (highest since the Bunker-Hunt's short squeeze of 1980), ICE Sugar a new record 32.30 cents per pound (almost ...