Headlines:

Markets:

  • CAD leads, JPY lags on the day
  • European equities higher; S&P 500 futures up 0.5%
  • US 10-year yields up 4.9 bps to 3.241%
  • Gold flat at $1,823.73
  • WTI crude up 1.5% to $111.19
  • Bitcoin up 0.4% to $20,975

It was a relatively quiet session with little on the agenda to really shake things up. Risk tones held steadier throughout with equities rising and that saw bond yields tick higher while the Japanese yen slumped on the session.

In terms of data, we saw German GfK consumer sentiment fall to its weakest on record while French consumer confidence dropped to its softest since July 2013. That didn't spoil the mood in stocks though, with European indices holding modest gains of around 1% across the board.

US futures also pushed higher after a more pensive start to the day, with S&P 500 futures seen up around 21 points now.

That is seeing the dollar keep more mixed amid a rise in yields with EUR/USD seeing some back and forth action with the high touching 1.0605 before retreating to 1.0565 at the moment. GBP/USD also made a bit of a round trip from 1.2260 to 1.2290 before falling back to 1.2230 and holding just above that now.

USD/JPY made the gradual ascend from 135.30 to 136.30 and is holding just above 136.00 for the moment.

Meanwhile, the loonie and aussie are seeing modest gains amid the better risk appetite with USD/CAD down 0.3% to 1.2835 and AUD/USD up 0.3% to 0.6945 at the moment. The gains are rather measured although USD/CAD is down to fresh two-week lows with higher oil prices also helping. WTI crude is up 1.5% to above $111 on the day.

It's all about the risk mood still before we get to month-end trading, as markets continue to digest and work out central bank motives in general. Euro area inflation data will be a key focus point in the days ahead, so that could see more action in the euro and European bond yields in weighing up the ECB July decision.