The Fort Worth Press - Stock markets drift lower as traders prepare for big week

USD -
AED 3.673042
AFN 68.266085
ALL 93.025461
AMD 389.644872
ANG 1.80769
AOA 912.000367
ARS 997.22659
AUD 1.547988
AWG 1.795
AZN 1.70397
BAM 1.85463
BBD 2.025224
BDT 119.861552
BGN 1.857551
BHD 0.376464
BIF 2962.116543
BMD 1
BND 1.344649
BOB 6.930918
BRL 5.79695
BSD 1.002987
BTN 84.270352
BWP 13.71201
BYN 3.282443
BYR 19600
BZD 2.02181
CAD 1.41005
CDF 2865.000362
CHF 0.887938
CLF 0.035528
CLP 975.269072
CNY 7.232504
CNH 7.23645
COP 4499.075435
CRC 510.454696
CUC 1
CUP 26.5
CVE 104.561187
CZK 23.965904
DJF 178.606989
DKK 7.07804
DOP 60.43336
DZD 133.184771
EGP 49.296856
ERN 15
ETB 121.465364
EUR 0.94835
FJD 2.27595
FKP 0.789317
GBP 0.792519
GEL 2.73504
GGP 0.789317
GHS 16.022948
GIP 0.789317
GMD 71.000355
GNF 8643.497226
GTQ 7.746432
GYD 209.748234
HKD 7.785135
HNL 25.330236
HRK 7.133259
HTG 131.85719
HUF 387.22504
IDR 15898.3
ILS 3.744115
IMP 0.789317
INR 84.47775
IQD 1313.925371
IRR 42092.503816
ISK 137.650386
JEP 0.789317
JMD 159.290693
JOD 0.709104
JPY 154.340504
KES 129.894268
KGS 86.503799
KHR 4051.965293
KMF 466.575039
KPW 899.999621
KRW 1395.925039
KWD 0.30754
KYD 0.835902
KZT 498.449576
LAK 22039.732587
LBP 89819.638708
LKR 293.025461
LRD 184.552653
LSL 18.247689
LTL 2.95274
LVL 0.60489
LYD 4.898772
MAD 9.999526
MDL 18.224835
MGA 4665.497131
MKD 58.423024
MMK 3247.960992
MNT 3397.999946
MOP 8.042767
MRU 40.039827
MUR 47.210378
MVR 15.450378
MWK 1739.225262
MXN 20.35475
MYR 4.470504
MZN 63.903729
NAD 18.247689
NGN 1665.820377
NIO 36.906737
NOK 11.08797
NPR 134.832867
NZD 1.704318
OMR 0.384524
PAB 1.002987
PEN 3.80769
PGK 4.033
PHP 58.731504
PKR 278.485894
PLN 4.096724
PYG 7826.086957
QAR 3.656441
RON 4.725204
RSD 110.944953
RUB 99.872647
RWF 1377.554407
SAR 3.756134
SBD 8.390419
SCR 13.840372
SDG 601.503676
SEK 10.978615
SGD 1.343704
SHP 0.789317
SLE 22.603667
SLL 20969.504736
SOS 573.230288
SRD 35.315504
STD 20697.981008
SVC 8.776255
SYP 2512.529858
SZL 18.240956
THB 34.842038
TJS 10.692144
TMT 3.51
TND 3.164478
TOP 2.342104
TRY 34.447038
TTD 6.810488
TWD 32.476804
TZS 2667.962638
UAH 41.429899
UGX 3681.191029
UYU 43.042056
UZS 12838.651558
VES 45.732111
VND 25390
VUV 118.722009
WST 2.791591
XAF 622.025509
XAG 0.033067
XAU 0.00039
XCD 2.70255
XDR 0.755583
XOF 622.025509
XPF 113.090892
YER 249.875037
ZAR 18.18901
ZMK 9001.203587
ZMW 27.537812
ZWL 321.999592
  • RBGPF

    61.8400

    61.84

    +100%

  • SCS

    -0.0400

    13.23

    -0.3%

  • BCC

    -0.2600

    140.09

    -0.19%

  • AZN

    -1.8100

    63.23

    -2.86%

  • GSK

    -0.6509

    33.35

    -1.95%

  • BTI

    0.9000

    36.39

    +2.47%

  • RELX

    -1.5000

    44.45

    -3.37%

  • NGG

    0.3800

    62.75

    +0.61%

  • CMSC

    0.0200

    24.57

    +0.08%

  • RIO

    0.5500

    60.98

    +0.9%

  • CMSD

    0.0822

    24.44

    +0.34%

  • BCE

    -0.0200

    26.82

    -0.07%

  • JRI

    0.0235

    13.1

    +0.18%

  • RYCEF

    0.0400

    6.82

    +0.59%

  • VOD

    0.0900

    8.77

    +1.03%

  • BP

    -0.0700

    28.98

    -0.24%

Stock markets drift lower as traders prepare for big week
Stock markets drift lower as traders prepare for big week / Photo: © AFP/File

Stock markets drift lower as traders prepare for big week

Equity markets in Asia and Europe slipped Monday at the start of a key week for equities as the Federal Reserve prepares to lift interest rates again and some of the world's biggest companies report earnings.

Text size:

While the US central bank is widely expected to hike borrowing costs by 75 basis points, traders will be poring over policymakers' views on the outlook for the world's biggest economy as they try to rein in inflation while nurturing growth.

The decision comes a day before second-quarter gross domestic product data is released, with some observers warning it could show a second successive contraction, which is considered a technical recession.

All three main indexes on Wall Street ended last week with a loss, ending a three-day rally, following a big data miss on the crucial services sector.

Asia and Europe fared little better, with Tokyo, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Sydney, Taipei, Mumbai, Manila, Jakarta and Wellington all in the red, while London, Paris and Frankfurt dropped in early trade.

There were small gains in Singapore, Bangkok and Seoul.

Investors are also awaiting the release of earnings from business titans Apple, Amazon and Google parent Alphabet.

The figures will provide a clearer idea about the impact of surging inflation and rising interest rates on consumer spending and companies' bottom lines.

But analysts remain cautious about the outlook, while attention on trading floors turns from rising prices to economic growth, with some saying a slowdown could allow banks to ease up on their monetary tightening.

Fed chiefs have already said their main priority was bringing inflation down from four-decade highs, even at the expense of growth.

"We still see further downside for risky assets as recession fears accumulate and central banks remain committed to fighting inflation at the expense of growth," said Standard Chartered strategist Eric Robertsen.

And Stephen Innes at SPI Asset Management added: "While rising jobless claims, softer home sales, and a buildup in gasoline inventory show the Fed front-loading rate hikes are causing a slowdown and bringing inflation under control, the issue is at what cost."

Others warned that while inflation could begin to ease, the Fed could still push borrowing costs to around five percent and were unlikely to lower rates as soon as many traders hope.

The economic slowdown -- and the expected hit to demand -- continues to put pressure on oil prices, with both main contracts well down Monday.

Crude has given up most of the gains seen since Russia's invasion of Ukraine, and Vandana Hari, of Vanda Insights, said she saw further losses.

"While prices have been volatile, I expect renewed downward pressure on crude," she said, adding that the Fed decision "will likely serve as a fresh reminder of the economic headwinds ahead".

- Key figures at around 0810 GMT -

Tokyo - Nikkei 225: DOWN 0.8 percent at 27,699.25 (close)

Hong Kong - Hang Seng Index: DOWN 0.2 percent at 20,562.94 (close)

Shanghai - Composite: DOWN 0.6 percent at 3,250.39 (close)

London - FTSE 100: DOWN 0.3 percent at 7,258.20

Euro/dollar: DOWN at $1.0206 from $1.0220 on Friday

Pound/dollar: UP at $1.2008 from $1.1998

Euro/pound: DOWN at 85.00 pence from 85.07 pence

Dollar/yen: UP at 136.40 yen from 136.05 yen

West Texas Intermediate: DOWN 1.6 percent at $93.22 per barrel

Brent North Sea crude: DOWN 1.3 percent at $101.88 per barrel

New York - Dow: DOWN 0.4 percent at 31,899.29 (close)

-- Bloomberg News contributed to this story --

W.Lane--TFWP