Equities advance after Fed pledge of more purchases of corporate debt - 16.6.2020

The Dollar weakening persists today . 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, lost 0.5% Monday despite the data showing the New York state manufacturing activity decline halted - as evidenced by Empire State index’s increase of 48 points to a reading of negative 0.2 in June, with any reading below 0 indicating a contraction in factory activity. Both GBP/USD and EUR/USD reversed their sliding Monday despite sharply steeper than forecast decline in euro-zone trade surplus for April. Both pars are higher currently. USD/JPY halted its climb yesterday while AUD/USD continued rising with both pairs advancing currently.

Futures on three main US stock indexes are sharply higher currently. Stock indexes in US extended gains Monday supported by the Federal Reserve announcement it would expand the scope of its $750 billion emergency corporate debt loan program to include individual corporate bonds: the three main US stock indexes posted gains ranging from 0.6% to 1.4%. European stock indexes are rising currently after a rebound on Monday led by travel and leisure shares. Asian indexes are recovering currently led by Nikkei as US eased restrictions on passenger flights by mainland Chinese airlines to the US after China said it would permit more passenger flights by US airlines.

Brent is extending gains today. Oil prices ended higher on Monday against the background of Energy Information Administration forecast oil production from seven major US shale plays will decline 93,000 barrels per day in July. The US oil benchmark West Texas Intermediate (WTI) rose 2.4% Monday. August Brent crude climbed 2.6% to $39.74 a barrel on Monday.