The latest round of employment data showed the unemployment rate fell by 0.2 percentage points for April, as JobKeeper’s expiry proved to have no “discernible impact” on employment between March and April.
European stocks rise on strong earnings, US retail sales and bank numbers in focus
Posted 5 hours agoSharePrint
European stocks are charging higher after the US earning season kicked off on the right foot. US banks are often considered a proxy for the broader economy. As a result, their earnings are strong drivers of sentiment.
The upbeat numbers served to reinforce expectations of a strong US economic recovery. If the world’s largest economy is performing well, this is good news for the global economy and risk sentiment.
The European economic calendar is quiet this morning, with in-line inflation data from Germany providing little impetus.
December 17, 2020 - Written by John Cameron
GBP/AUD Exchange Rate Rangebound as Brexit Talks Make ‘Good Progress’, according to EU
The Pound to Australian Dollar (GBP/AUD) exchange rate continues to trend higher today after the Bank of England (BoE) held interest rates at 0.1% despite an uncertain economic outlook.
At the time of writing the GBP/AUD exchange rate is currently fluctuating around AU$1.784.
The BoE’s Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) said in the report:
‘The outlook for the economy remains unusually uncertain. It depends on the evolution of the pandemic and measures taken to protect public health, as well as the nature of, and transition to, the new trading arrangements between the European Union and the United Kingdom.’