European markets and US futures mixed and eyeing US House of Representatives
FXstreet.com (Barcelona) - The German DAX 30 (+0.10%), the Swiss SMI 20 (+0.82%) and the Dutch AEX 25 (+0.08%) are slightly higher today, but the French CAC 40 (-0.33%), the Italian FTSE MIB (-0.73%), and the Spanish IBEX 35 (-0.38%) move lower, while the British FTSE 100 trades flat.
The highlights of the day have been UK jobless claims, BoE minutes and Prime Minister Cameron's speech on UK-EU relations.
Claimant count dropped from -8.9K to -12.1K in December, improving and much better than the 0K consensus. The ILO unemployment rate dropped from 7.8% to 7.7% in November, but average earnings eased from 1.7% to 1.4% (excluding bonus), and from 1.8% to 1.5% (including bonus), as expected.
Cameron considered the EU as a mean to an end and not the end in itself, but he doesn't wish to retreat nor he wants the UK to drift towards an EU exit, despite the competitive crisis in Europe and the UK acute democratic deficit. The UK PM points to restrictive labour markets and excessive regulation as some of the main problems, and calls for the completion of the single market in the EU, flexibility as the second principle to adapt to all countries wishes, a leaner, less bureaucratic EU, and a bigger role for EU national parliaments. The UK-EU referendum should be held in 2017.
The non-EU trade balance in Italy showed a widened surplus in December, from ¬1.855B (revised from ¬1.889B) to ¬3.322B. France released its Business Climate figure, falling from 89 to 86 in January, disappointing a more optimistic consensus view of a rise to 90.
Futures for the American S&P 500, Nasdaq 100 and Dow Jones 30 are signaling a mixed opening ahead of a very light economic calendar, with investors mostly eyeing headlines coming from the US House of Representatives, as they may accept the Republicans' initiative for the automatic increase of the debt ceiling until 18th May.
The highlights of the day have been UK jobless claims, BoE minutes and Prime Minister Cameron's speech on UK-EU relations.
Claimant count dropped from -8.9K to -12.1K in December, improving and much better than the 0K consensus. The ILO unemployment rate dropped from 7.8% to 7.7% in November, but average earnings eased from 1.7% to 1.4% (excluding bonus), and from 1.8% to 1.5% (including bonus), as expected.
Cameron considered the EU as a mean to an end and not the end in itself, but he doesn't wish to retreat nor he wants the UK to drift towards an EU exit, despite the competitive crisis in Europe and the UK acute democratic deficit. The UK PM points to restrictive labour markets and excessive regulation as some of the main problems, and calls for the completion of the single market in the EU, flexibility as the second principle to adapt to all countries wishes, a leaner, less bureaucratic EU, and a bigger role for EU national parliaments. The UK-EU referendum should be held in 2017.
The non-EU trade balance in Italy showed a widened surplus in December, from ¬1.855B (revised from ¬1.889B) to ¬3.322B. France released its Business Climate figure, falling from 89 to 86 in January, disappointing a more optimistic consensus view of a rise to 90.
Futures for the American S&P 500, Nasdaq 100 and Dow Jones 30 are signaling a mixed opening ahead of a very light economic calendar, with investors mostly eyeing headlines coming from the US House of Representatives, as they may accept the Republicans' initiative for the automatic increase of the debt ceiling until 18th May.
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