In Asia stocks rose on Monday and the dollar dragged itself off its lowest levels in nearly a month after U.S. non-farm payrolls showed the slowest job growth in more than five years, quashing expectations for a near-term U.S. interest rate hike. The Nikkei fell 1.4% to 16,404.93. Exporters languished, with Toyota Motor Corp (NYSE:TM) falling 1.5%, Honda Motor Co(NYSE:HMC) declining 2.7% and Panasonic Corp. (T:6752) skidding 2.6%.
The USD/JPY fell to 106.84 yen in Asian trade on Monday. The EUR/USD was down 0.2% at $1.1340, after nosing up to $1.1375 earlier. Sterling fell 0.8% to $1.4393.
Brent crude oil prices rose to $50 a barrel on Monday, lifted by a plunge in the U.S.-dollar that could spur demand, just as ongoing attacks on oil infrastructure in Nigeria tighten supplies. International Brent crude futures were trading at $50.03 per barrel, up 0.8% from their last settlement. U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude futures were up 1% at $49.11 a barrel.
In the US, stocks finished lower on Friday, led down by financial shares, after a surprisingly weak jobs report prompted doubts about the U.S. economy and its ability to sustain a near-term interest rate hike. The S&P 500 lost 0.29%, to 2,099.13. Broadcom (NASDAQ:AVGO) rose 4.9% after the chipmaker reported better-than-expected quarterly profit and revenue. The U.S. economy created the fewest number of jobs in more than 5-1/2-years in May as manufacturing and construction employment fell sharply. Non-farm payrolls increased by only 38,000 jobs last month, well below economists’ forecast for an increase of 164,000.
In Bond Markets U.S. Treasury debt yields tumbled on Friday, as prices rallied after data showed the world’s largest economy created the fewest jobs in more than five years in May, quashing expectations that the Federal Reserve would raise interest rates this summer. Benchmark 10-year Treasury notes were up 31/32 in price for a yield of 1.703 percent, from 1.805 percent late on Thursday. U.S. 30-year bonds rose more than a point, yielding 2.519 percent, from 2.583 percent on Thursday. U.S. five-year notes gained 20/32, with yields falling to 1.230 percent from 1.357 percent the day before.
Economic Calendar
- 17:30 GMT+1 US Fed Chair Yellen Speaks
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