Markets mixed ahead of important reports - 15.5.2020

The Dollar strengthening continues today ahead of April retail sales report expected to show sales drop accelerated to 12% over month from 8% in March. The live dollar index data show the ICE US Dollar index, a measure of the dollar’s strength against a basket of six rival currencies, added 0.1% Thursday depite report initial jobless claims jumped another 2.98 million last week. Both GBP/USD and EUR/USD continued sliding yesterday with both pairs lower currently ahead of German GDP report expected to show German economy shrank in first quarter. Both USD/JPY and AUD/USD reversed sliding yesterday but are lower currently.

Futures on three main US stock indexes are mixed currently after a rebound Thursday. Earnings season is nearing the end with another batch of companies including Foxconn, Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group and Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group reporting quarterly results today. Stock indexes in US recovered most of previous session losses on Thursday led by banking shares: the three main US stock indexes recorded gains ranging from 0.9% to 2.6%. European stock indexes are rising today after ending solidly lower Thursday led by auto stocks. Asian indexes are mixed today after President Trump said White House is considering barring Chinese stocks trading on US exchanges unless they follow US accounting rules. However Australia’s All Ordinaries ASX 200 Index gained 1.4% while Shanghai Composite slipped 0.1%.

Brent is extending gains today. Oil prices rallied yesterday despite the International Energy Agency forecast world demand for crude will drop by 21.5 million barrels a day this month. However the IEA upgraded its estimate for 2020 demand drop forecasting global crude demand will fall by 8.6 million barrels a day versus its April forecast for a fall of 9.3 million barrels a day. The US oil benchmark West Texas Intermediate (WTI) futures ended sharply higher yesterday: June WTI gained 9% and is higher currently. July Brent crude closed 6.7% higher at $31.13 a barrel on Thursday.