EUR/USD
1.15362
0.069%
Gold
4324.20
-0.615%
Oil
80.544
0.149%
USD/JPY
159.396
-0.065%
GBP/USD
1.34933
0.058%
GBP/JPY
215.083
-0.010%
Real-time News
August 14th - Speculative investors are increasingly betting on another rate hike by the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) in November, as inflation remains above the central banks target. Swap market pricing currently estimates a 45% probability of a 25 basis point rate hike by November, up from 38% before Tuesdays RBA rate decision. Trading activity in the November 2026 interbank cash rate futures contract, traded on the Australian Securities Exchange (ASX) derivatives market, rose to a more than three-month high, indicating increased speculative interest. These bets suggest growing market skepticism that the RBAs tightening cycle is not yet over. Although policymakers kept rates unchanged this week, traders will continue to watch upcoming price and employment market data for clues as inflation remains above the RBAs 2%-3% target range.At the close of the morning session, most domestic futures contracts rose. Rapeseed oil and lithium carbonate rose by more than 2%, while industrial silicon, soybean meal, low-sulfur fuel oil (LU), fuel oil, live pigs, synthetic rubber, polysilicon, and coking coal rose by more than 1%. On the downside, palladium fell by more than 3%, silver and platinum fell by more than 2%, and stainless steel (SS) and gold fell by nearly 2%.The local governor said a fire broke out in the port of Ust-Luga, Russia.August 14th - According to foreign media reports, Australian homebuyers continue to reduce borrowing, with new housing loans experiencing their largest drop since the pandemic. Tax reforms and falling house prices have prompted buyers to wait for signs of a market bottom. In the three months to June, new housing loans in Australia fell by 5.2% compared to the first quarter, the largest drop since the end of 2022. Investor borrowing fell by more than 10%, while owner-occupier loans fell by 1.9%. This data confirms the market weakness previously reported by major Australian banks. All three of the countrys major banks reported a significant drop in mortgage applications during the period. With reduced tax incentives diminishing the attractiveness of home purchases for investors, and continued house price declines prompting other buyers to wait for the market to bottom out, housing demand is likely to remain weak. The simultaneous decline in both house prices and loans indicates that Prime Minister Albaneses attempt to curb the increasingly unaffordable housing market through new tax policies is beginning to have an effect.JPMorgan Chase lowered its price target for Honeywell from $262 to $255.
