What mattered last week:
- A negative week for the benchmark U.S. stock index the S&P 500 as the spread of Covid-19 in countries outside of China increased including Japan, South Korea, and Iran.
- Despite China cutting interest rates and announcing new stimulus measures designed to offset the Covid-19 shutdown.
- Apple warned it would miss revenue targets for the March quarter with other companies expected to soon follow suit as a result of Covid-19.
- Japanese GDP for Q4 shrank by a larger than expected 6.3% annualized due to the impact of a sales tax rise and a devasting typhoon.
- Chinese stimulus and flight to safety flows combined to send the price of key commodities gold, crude oil, and iron ore higher.
- The Australian unemployment rate rose from 5.1% to 5.3% and heighten expectations of a an RBA rate cut in coming months.
- Locally the ASX200 finished the week unchanged near 7140 as prospects of an RBA interest rate cut were offset by concerns over the impact of Covid-19.
- In FX, the USDJPY experienced a five standard deviation rally, while the AUDUSD fell below .6600c for the first time since March 2009.
For the week ahead, the key events are:
Australia: Construction work (Wednesday), Capex Q4 (Thursday), private sector credit (Friday).
- Capex Q4 (Thursday): The market is looking for a rise of 0.2% in Q4, however with the survey having been undertaken during the bushfires and onset of Covid-19, there are downside risks to this number. More importantly, we will get a first look for Capex plans for 2020–21.
December half earnings season continues with reports from companies including Rio Tinto, Woolworths, Flight Centre, and the A2 Milk Company.
New Zealand: Retail sales (Monday), balance of trade and ANZ business confidence (Thursday), ANZ Roy Morgan consumer confidence (Friday).
China: NBS manufacturing and non-manufacturing PMI’s (Saturday).
Japan: Unemployment, retail sales, industrial production (Friday).
U.S.: S&P Case -Shiller Home price index, CB Consumer confidence (Tuesday), new home sales (Wednesday), durable goods orders (Thursday), personal spending and income, Chicago PMI (Friday).
Canada: Wholesale sales (Monday), GDP Q4(Friday).
- GDP Q4 (Friday): After a dovish shift from the BoC in January, Fridays GDP print will be a closely watched number. The expectation is for a sluggish print of +0.3% annualized, which will leave open the door for a rate cut from the BoC in April.
Euro Area: German IFO survey (Monday), EA economic sentiment index (Thursday), German employment, and inflation as well as EA flash inflation (Friday).
UK: Nationwide housing prices (Thursday), GFK Consumer confidence (Friday).