Massive week for markets

March 18, 2019

It shapes up as quite a big week for markets, with plenty of crucial economic data set for release.

The EURUSD showed some volatility in Friday trading but was able to add some value to round out the week. The pair opened at $1.13017 and dropped to session lows of $1.12962 in the opening hour. The pair then climbed to $1.13285 mid-session before falling to near-session lows of $1.12990. The euro surged off that price, peaking at $1.13436 just two hours later. It could not hold onto those loft heights, giving up some of those gains in the back end of the week. It is currently trading at $1.13221. The GBPUSD also made some gains on Friday after opening the day at $1.32398. The pound was steady in early trading before dipping to a low of $1.32009 mid-session. The pound climbed off those lows and hit highs of $1.32992 late in the day. It stayed near those highs and is currently trading at $1.32909.

The Dow looked set for a negative session until a late rally put paid to that. The index opened at 25,691.50 and climbed to 25,858.79 mid-session. The Dow then tumbled over the next three hours to hit lows of 25,644.61. The Dow turned it around, piling on the points quicker than it lost them as it surged to a high of 25,928.49. It gave up some of those gains and is currently trading at 25,831.41. The Dax ended the week strongly, capping off a great week for the German index. It opened at 11,602.45 and fell to early lows of 11,571.68 in what some traders thought might be a trend down. However, the Dax rallied off that low, hitting highs of 11,719.46 two hours later. It ebbed and flowed in late trading before closing at 1,688.53.

The week ahead is set to be a big one for markets, with a number of key pieces of economic data being released, while there is another Brexit parliamentary vote slated for the early hours of Wednesday morning. The data released today and the most important this week includes:

Today – Japanese Trade Balance and Revised Industrial Production, UK Rightmove HPI, European Trade Balance and German Buba Monthly Report, Canadian Foreign Securities Purchases

Tuesday – Australian Monetary Policy Meeting Minutes, UK Average Earnings Index

Wednesday – UK Parliament Brexit Vote, UK CPI

Thursday – US Federal Funds Rate, FOMC Statement, Press Conference & Economic Projections, UK Official Bank Rate, Monetary Policy Summary & Asset Purchase Facility, EU Economic Summit, UK Retail Sales, Australian Unemployment Rate & Employment Change, NZ GDP, SNB Monetary Policy Assessment, Libor Rate & Press Conference

Friday – German & French Flash Services PMIs, German & French Flash Manufacturing PMIs, Canadian CPI & Core Retail Sales

 

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