Investing.com - Here are the top five things you need to know in financial markets on Monday, July 11:
1. Global stocks rally on Japan stimulus hopes
Global stocks rallied on Monday, as investors cheered increased prospects for more monetary stimulus from Japan and as Friday’s upbeat U.S. employment data continued to boost optimism over the strength of the world’s biggest economy
Asian shares rallied to a four-week high, bolstered by election results in Japan and Australia. Japan's Nikkei climbed 4%, its biggest daily gain since early February, as Prime Minister Shinzo Abe flagged a fresh fiscal stimulus package after his ruling coalition won a landslide victory in the Upper House.
Meanwhile, European stocks opened sharply higher, with Germany's DAX rising more than 1%, on hopes of a large-scale economic stimulus from the Bank of Japan and after U.S. nonfarm payrolls data on Friday blew past expectations.
Elsewhere, U.S. stock index futures pointed to more gains at the open on Monday morning, with the S&P 500 poised to reach an all-time high, joining a global equity rally.
2. Yen tumbles as markets anticipate more BoJ stimulus
The yen sank across the board on Monday as traders reacted to Sunday's election win by the ruling Japanese coalition, which fed hopes that Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's economic policies, such as fiscal stimulus, would progress.
The coalition’s firmer grip means policymakers can more easily approve a bigger fiscal stimulus package to spur the economy. A stimulus package of at least 10 trillion yen ($97.9 billion) is expected.
The dollar jumped to 102.21 after sliding to as low as 99.99 yen on Friday in the wake of the U.S. jobs report. It last stood at 102.19, up 1.6% on the day (USD/JPY). Against the euro, the yen dropped 1.5% to 112.74 (EUR/JPY).
3. U.S. Q2 earnings season kicks off
This week marks the start of second-quarter earnings season. 11 S&P-listed companies and two Dow components are set to report this week, with earnings ramping up the following week.
Alcoa (NYSE:AA) will report after the market closes on Monday. JPMorgan Chase (NYSE:JPM), Wells Fargo (NYSE:WFC), Citigroup (NYSE:C), BlackRock Inc (NYSE:BLK) and Yum! Brands (NYSE:YUM) are scheduled to report results at the end of the week.
Second quarter earnings overall are expected to decline 4.7%, the fourth straight quarter of negative earnings.
4. Oil drops to 2-month lows on rising U.S. drilling activity
Oil prices declined on Monday, falling to two-month lows amid signs of an ongoing recovery in U.S. drilling activity.
U.S. crude fell to as low as $44.55 a barrel, a level not seen since May 11. It last traded at $44.83, down 58 cents, or 1.28%, while Brent lost 48 cents, or 0.98%, to $46.28 a barrel.
Oilfield services provider Baker Hughes said late Friday that the number of rigs drilling for oil in the U.S. increased by 10 last week to 351, marking the fifth increase in six weeks.
The renewed gain in U.S. drilling activity fueled speculation that domestic production could be on the verge of rebounding in the weeks ahead, underlining worries over a supply glut.
5. Markets see a 24% chance of Fed rate hike in 2016
Despite Friday's blowout U.S. jobs report, markets remained skeptical about the odds of a Fed rate hike this year. Futures are currently pricing in just a 24% of a rate hike by December.
Market players pushed back expectations for the next Fed rate hike due to recent uncertainty surrounding global growth in wake of Britain’s vote to exit the European Union last month.