Dolar Mencatat Penguatan Bulanan Tertajam Sejak Januari

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Dolar sedikit lebih tinggi pada hari Senin, memperkuat kinerja terbaik bulanan sejak awal tahun karena investor bersiap untuk menunggu kenaikan suku bunga oleh Federal Reserve, yang banyak diharapkan pada bulan Desember.

Indeks Dolar naik 0,2% pada hari ke level 100,16 akhir Senin di New York. Ini naik setinggi 100,31 pada awal sesi, level tertinggi sejak Maret.

Indeks tersebut naik 3,4% pada bulan November, kinerja bulanan tertajam sejak naiik sebanyak 5% pada Januari, menurut data FactSet.

Pound Inggris diperdagangkan lebih tinggi Senin setelah pembacaan yang kuat pada pertumbuhan ekonomi kuartal ketiga di Inggris Tapi mata uang turun 2,4% terhadap dolar pada bulan November, sebagian besar disebabkan komentar ketua ekonom Bank of Inggris Andy Haldane, yang mengatakan Inggris tidak membutuhkan kenaikan suku bunga dalam waktu dekat.

Pound diperdagangkan pada $ 1,5059 Senin, dibandingkan dengan $ 1,5032 pada akhir Jumat.

Yen turun 2% dari nilai pada bulan November, didorong lebih rendah oleh komentar dari pembuat kebijakan The Fed. Satu dolar dibeli ¥ 123,08 Senin, dibandingkan dengan ¥ 122,76 akhir Jumat.

Dalam perdagangan mata uang lain, yuan China diperdagangkan lebih tinggi pada Senin setelah IMF memutuskan untuk menambah mata uang, yang juga dikenal sebagai renminbi. Satu dolar dibeli sebesar 6,43 yuan pada akhir Senin.(yds)

Sumber: MarketWatch

Gold Futures Advance as U.S. Slower Home Sales Give Bears Pause

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Gold advanced for the first time in three sessions as signs of cooling U.S. housing and manufacturing called into question the extent to which the Federal Reserve will raise interest rates.

Bullion has fallen 10 percent this year on expectations that the Fed will raise interest rates for the first time since 2006 next month. The dollar has also strengthened against the euro as analysts predict the European Central Bank will unveil additional stimulus this week. Higher U.S. rates boost the appeal of the dollar and curb demand for precious metals because they don’t give returns like other assets such as bonds or equities.

Gold futures for February delivery gained 0.9 percent to settle at $1,065.30 an ounce at 1:47 p.m. on the Comex in New York, the first advance since Nov. 24.

Silver futures also gained on the Comex, while platinum and palladium retreated on the New York Mercantile Exchange.

Source: Bloomberg

U.S. Stocks Trim Monthly Gains as Investors Await Policy Moves

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U.S. stocks trimmed monthly gains, with the Standard & Poor’s 500 Index clinging to a slim November increase, as investors prepared for policy decisions from central banks while awaiting a slew of economic data this week.

The S&P 500 advanced 0.1 percent in the month as signs of a strengthening U.S. economy offset concerns that the Federal Reserve intends to raise interest rates this year, throttling back on stimulus that has underpinned the 6 1/2 year equities bull market. The rising prospects for tighter monetary policy boosted financial shares to a 1.7 percent gain in November, while utility stocks tumbled 2.8 percent as their dividend yields lose luster as bond rates rise.

The S&P 500 Index fell 0.5 percent to 2,080.67 at 4 p.m. in New York, capping its first consecutive monthly gains since May.

As investors look for further confirmation that the economy is sturdy enough to handle higher borrowing costs, data today showed contract signings to purchase previously owned U.S. homes rose less than forecast in October, showing residential real estate is cooling heading into the quieter selling season. Other reports this week include manufacturing data tomorrow and the monthly government jobs report on Friday.

Federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellen will speak to Congress on Thursday and the European Central Bank will hold its last policy meeting of the year amid growing speculation the ECB will take additional steps to boost inflation. OPEC members will also meet to discuss oil production.

Source : Bloomberg

U.S. Stocks Slip Amid Retreat in Consumer, Health-Care Shares

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U.S. stocks fell as consumer and health-care companies pared their monthly gains and investors prepared for policy decisions from central banks while awaiting a slew of economic data this week.

The Standard & Poor’s 500 Index fell 0.4 percent to 2,082.82 at 12 p.m. in New York, after rising less than 0.05 percent last week. The gauge is on track for a second consecutive monthly advance. The Dow Jones Industrial Average slipped 62.93 points, or 0.4 percent, to 17,735.56, and the Nasdaq Composite Index lost 0.4 percent.

The S&P 500 has rebounded 12 percent from its low in August as concern eased that a Chinese slowdown would spread. Fed policy makers have signaled the economy is strong enough to withstand the first U.S. interest-rate increase since 2006, and traders are pricing in a 76 percent chance that the central bank will act at the conclusion of its two-day meeting on December 16.

The U.S. benchmark stock index closed on Friday within 2 percent of its record reached in May while alternating between between gains and losses over the last nine sessions, the longest such streak since 2013. Meanwhile, the Russell 2000 Index of small-cap shares is in the midst of its longest rally this year and is at a three-month high. The gauge is on pace for a 3.4 percent increase this month after rallying 5.6 percent in October.

The Chicago Board Options Exchange Volatility Index rose 9.3 percent Monday to 16.52. The measure of market turbulence known as the VIX slipped for a second straight week, paring its first monthly gain since August’s record increase.

Source: Bloomberg

Europe Stocks Climb to Three-Month High on Stimulus Anticipation

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European stocks pulled off a second monthly advance on bets the region’s central bank will increase stimulus at this week’s meeting.

The Stoxx Europe 600 Index rallied to a three-month high, taking its November gain to 2.7 percent. Auto-related shares rose the most on Monday as the weakening euro is seen helping exporters. Economists surveyed by Bloomberg unanimously predict the European Central Bank will expand stimulus on Thursday.

The Stoxx 600 increased 0.5 percent to 385.43 at the close of trading in London, reversing an earlier drop of as much as 0.5 percent. While commodity producers also ended up rallying on Monday, BHP Billiton Ltd. bucked the trend. It extended a seven-year low, after Brazil’s Attorney General said the country will seek as much as 20 billion reais ($5.2 billion) compensation for a dam collapse at an iron-ore venture owned by the company and Vale SA.

The European stock index has rebounded 14 percent since a September low on expectations of further ECB stimulus, coupled with optimism that the global economy is strong enough to withstand higher U.S. interest rates.

Source : Bloomberg