Market News

The weather may be warming up but economists are not quite certain how the markets are headed. Some see an increase in consumer confidence and a healthier housing market as a sign of a rebound in growth and hiring.

This week opens quietly, with most of Europe and the Western world on holiday, with the exception of the U.S.A. and Canada. Following the holiday, it should be a fairly significant week as it opens the month, as usual, with central bank statements and actions for the USD, JPY, GBP and AUD

Greek Finance Minister Yanis Varoufakis will meet International Monetary Fund Managing Director Christine Lagarde in Washington on Sunday to discuss a set of planned reforms that Athens hopes will unlock much-needed bailout funds.

Despite the geopolitical turmoil in the rest of the Middle East, Israel's stock market continues to be a stellar outperformer.

Disappointing economic data out of the US which showed a decline in the key manufacturing sector hinted of a possibly significant slowdown of the US economy during the first quarter.

The dollar nursed modest losses on Thursday, having suffered a setback on fresh signs that the U.S. economy slowed significantly in the first quarter a factor that could delay the Federal Reserve's decision to begin hiking interest rates.

The US Dollar edged lower in European trading after a disappointing Tankan survey, a report which shows business sentiment in Japan, which paradoxically gave the safe haven Japanese Yen a boost even as it weighed on Japanese equities.

Greece failed to reach an initial deal with the European Union and the IMF to unlock aid after the creditors dismissed a package of reforms from Athens as ideas rather than a concrete plan, officials said on Tuesday.

As the end of this quarter draws to a close, the common currency Euro is poised to record its single worst quarter ever.

Confidence in the euro zone’s economy rose for a fourth straight month in March to its highest since July 2011, a European Commission survey showed on Monday, suggesting the weak euro and lower oil prices are spurring the recovery.

In spite of the recent Federal Reserve policy decision which was surprisingly and decidedly dovish, the head of the US central bank, Janet Yellen, confirmed over the weekend that the Fed could begin gradually raising interest rates later in the year.

Economists and investors are anxious about the March U.S. labor market report due out in the next week which could be the deciding factor in when the Federal Reserve will spring its first interest rate hike.

This week does not look like it is going to be especially eventful. Nearly all western countries, with the notable exception of the U.S.A., will be going on public holiday this Friday for Easter. This is a major holiday and we can expect to see a falling-off of volumes in the financial market towards the end of the week.

Federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellen is in an unpleasant position these days facing a market uncertain of where it is heading in the near future.

Asian stocks were mixed on Friday as rising tensions in the Middle East obscured the investment outlook, while the dollar rebounded.