U.S. business activity cooled to a four-month low in April amid weaker demand across manufacturing and services sector. The lower activity contributes to a slight easing in inflation.

Business activity in the Eurozone expanded rapidly in April, led by a strong recovery in the service sector which offset declines in manufacturing. According to a PMI survey the growth was particularly noticeable in Germany and France, the two largest economies in the zone. Despite the mixed results in manufacturing, overall economic optimism remained high and employment growth reached its highest rate since June of the previous year.

The U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is expects to approve a rule banning noncompete agreements, which are often required for workers across various sectors, on the grounds that these agreements restrict employee mobility and suppress wages. This move, seen as a measure to enhance worker flexibility and potentially boost wages by nearly $300 billion annually, has faced strong opposition from major business groups that argue ‘noncompetes’ protect trade secrets and promote competitiveness.

The 6M Euribor is unchanged at 3.85% compared to previous business day. The 10Y Swap increased with 2 basis points to 2.81% compared to previous business day.

In the attachment, today’s market data on money and capital market rates as well as other rates are presented.

Consumer confidence in the eurozone continued to improve in April, although remaining negative, according to preliminary figures from the European Commission. The index rose from -14.9 in March to -14.7 mid-April. While this increase is a positive sign, consumer confidence still remains fragile due to persistent economic uncertainties.

The Netherlands cannot afford fiscal and financial stimulation of the housing market given the acute housing shortage, says Paul Hilbers of the IMF. He emphasizes that The Netherlands needs to build more houses but also gradually phase out mortgage interest tax relief and further restrict borrowing norms for homebuyers. These measures could help alleviate pressure on the housing market and ensure long-term economic stability.

The dollar edged slightly lower on Monday amid reduced concerns about the situation in the Middle East. The euro/dollar stood at 1.0639 on Monday end of day, versus around 1.0620 on Friday due to concerns about escalation of hostilities between Israel and Iran. U.S. macroeconomic data later in the week will be the focus of the markets, especially the preliminary figure for economic growth in the US in the first quarter and the inflation figure in the PCE report on US household incomes and expenditures on Friday.

The 6M Euribor increased with 1 basis point to 3.85% compared to previous business day. The 10Y Swap decreased with 2 basis points to 2.79% compared to previous business day.

In the attachment, today’s market data on money and capital market rates as well as other rates are presented.

In March, retail sales in the United Kingdom remained unchanged, contrary to economists’ expectations of a 0.3% increase. Sales volumes had increased by 0.1% in February, with previously reported zero growth being revised.

German producer prices decreased by 2.9% year-on-year in March, marking a less pronounced decline compared to February. Energy prices declined by 7.0% year on year, while producer prices increased by 0.2% on a monthly basis.

Despite escalating tensions in the Middle East oil prices declined by approximately 3% last week. Although the likelihood of escalation is currently deemed low, markets remain concerned about the potential disruption to oil supply due to geopolitical tensions.

The 6M Euribor is unchanged at 3.84% compared to previous business day. The 10Y Swap is unchanged at 2.81% compared to previous business day.

In the attachment, today’s market data on money and capital market rates as well as other rates are presented.

Brussels recently expressed concern about potential negative consequences of telecom mergers for competition and consumer interests. The European Commission emphasizes the importance of maintaining healthy competition in the telecom sector as a driver of innovation and ensuring alternatives for consumers. These developments come at a crucial time as telecom companies in Europe are considering mergers and acquisitions as a strategy to strengthen their market position and gain a competitive advantage.

Data reported by Statistics Netherlands revealed that unemployment in the Netherlands decreased in March. The number of unemployed individuals stood at 371,000 last month, compared to 379,000 the previous month. As a result, the unemployment rate decreased from 3.7 percent in February to 3.6 percent in March, matching the percentage from January.

In the United States, the number of new applications for unemployment benefits remained stable in the week ending April 13, according to data from the US Department of Labor. The number of new claims was steady at 212,000, in line with analysts’ expectations, who had predicted a level of 215,000. The four-week moving average also remained stable at 214,500, indicating ongoing stability in the labor market. However, the number of continued claims for benefits increased to 1,812,000 in the week ending April 6, up by 2,000 compared to the previous week, which could fuel concerns about economic resilience.

The 6M Euribor is unchanged at 3.84% compared to previous business day. The 10Y Swap increased with 4 basis points to 2.81% compared to previous business day.

In the attachment, today’s market data on money and capital market rates as well as other rates are presented.

In March consumer prices in the eurozone rose by 2.4 percent on an annual basis, according to the final figures from Eurostat released on Wednesday. Inflation was 2.6 percent in February. Core inflation, an important measure for the ECB, stood at 2.9 percent year-on-year in March, down from 3.1 percent in February. Core inflation excludes volatile prices for energy, food, alcohol, and tobacco. On a monthly basis, consumer prices in the eurozone increased by 0.8 percent and core prices by 1.1 percent in March.

Consumer prices in the United Kingdom rose slightly more than expected in March, according to figures published by the Office for National Statistics (ONS). On an annual basis, prices increased by 3.2 percent, while economists had anticipated a rise of 3.1 percent. In the previous month, the price level had risen by 3.4 percent. On a monthly basis, prices increased by 0.6 percent, after a rise of 0.8 percent a month earlier. A rise of 0.5 percent had been expected.

Crude oil inventories in the United States rose more than expected last week, according to figures released Wednesday by the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA). For the week ending on April 12, crude oil inventories increased by 2.7 million barrels to 460.0 million barrels. An increase of 600,000 barrels had been projected. Gasoline inventories decreased by 1.2 million barrels to 227.4 million barrels, compared to an anticipated decrease of 1 million barrels. Stocks of heating oil and diesel, dropped by 2.8 million barrels to 115.0 million barrels, whereas economists had forecast a drop of 0.4 million barrels. The capacity utilization of refineries decreased from 88.3 percent to 88.1 percent, although a slight increase to 88.9 percent had been expected.

The 6M Euribor increased with 2 basis points to 3.84% compared to previous business day. The 10Y Swap decreased with 4 basis points to 2.77% compared to previous business day.

In the attachment, today’s market data on money and capital market rates as well as other rates are presented.

The UK labour market is showing signs of cooling with core wage increases slowing down and unemployment rates rising, but concerns persist due to sustained high wage growth and increasing workforce inactivity, raising doubts about near-term interest rate cuts by the Bank of England.

Global recession risks have largely been mitigated, but the global economy is expected to experience only modest growth, according to German government sources citing upcoming International Monetary Fund forecasts; structural reforms are deemed necessary due to unsatisfactorily low growth projections for the medium term.

Canada’s annual inflation rate slightly increased to 2.9% in March, fueled by rising fuel costs, while core inflation measures showed signs of easing for the third consecutive month, suggesting the possibility of a mid-year interest rate cut by the Bank of Canada if these trends continue.

The 6M Euribor decreased with 5 basis points to 3.82% compared to previous business day. The 10Y Swap increased with 6 basis points to 2.81% compared to previous business day.

In the attachment, today’s market data on money and capital market rates as well as other rates are presented.

The Chinese economy exceeded expectations in the first quarter, growing by 5.3 percent annually, higher than the predicted 5.0 percent. On a quarterly basis, China showed growth of 1.6 percent. Beijing’s target for economic growth this year is around 5 percent, indicating that China is steadily progressing towards achieving its economic goals.

Confidence among American homebuilders remained stable in April, with the NAHB Housing Market Index staying unchanged at 51. While this indicates positive sales conditions, concerns persist over factors such as mortgage rates and inflation. This could be a determining factor for the future dynamics of the housing market in the United States.

The Federal Reserve’s index for the industry in the New York region showed improvement in March, although less than expected. The index rose from -20.9 to -14.3, but remained negative, signalling ongoing pessimistic outlooks. Such regional economic indicators are often used as predictive measures for broader national economic trends.

The 6M Euribor increased with 1 basis point to 3.87% compared to previous business day. The 10Y Swap increased with 8 basis points to 2.75% compared to previous business day.

In the attachment, today’s market data on money and capital market rates as well as other rates are presented.

According to preliminary figures from the University of Michigan consumer confidence in the US declined in April, marked by a decrease in confidence in both the current economic situation and future expectations. Also, inflation expectations increased, contributing to lower confidence.

in February British industrial production grew 1.1 percent on a monthly basis, compared to an expected increase of 0.1 percent, according to data from the UK’s Office for National Statistics. The growth followed a downward revision in January, when production declined by 0.3 percent.

In March, German inflation continued to decrease, with an annual inflation rate of 2.2 percent and a decline in core inflation from 3.4 to 3.3 percent, as definitively reported by Destatis. On a monthly basis, German prices rose by 0.4 percent in March, in line with earlier preliminary figures.

The 6M Euribor increased with 3 basis points to 3.86% compared to previous business day. The 10Y Swap decreased with 9 basis points to 2.67% compared to previous business day.

In the attachment, today’s market data on money and capital market rates as well as other rates are presented.

The European Central Bank (ECB) left official rates unchanged on Thursday and is expected to lower interest rates in June in response to concerns about economic growth and conditional upon declining inflation in the Eurozone. It is predicted that the inflation target of 2.0 percent will be reached by 2025.

Producer prices in the United States were found to have risen at a slower pace on a monthly basis. Prices increased by 0.2 percent compared to the previous month, following a 0.6 percent rise in February. Excluding the volatile prices of trade, food, and energy, core producer prices in the US increased by 0.2 percent last month, after a 0.3 percent increase in February.

The number of new applications for unemployment benefits in the US declined more than predicted last week. There were 211,000 new applications, representing a decrease of 11,000 compared to the expected 216,000 applications.

The 6M Euribor decreased with 4 basis points to 3.83% compared to previous business day. The 10Y Swap increased with 5 basis points to 2.76% compared to previous business day.

In the attachment, today’s market data on money and capital market rates as well as other rates are presented.

Consumer prices in the United States rose more than expected in March. This was evident from figures released on Wednesday by the U.S. Department of Labor. Consumer prices increased by 3.5 percent on an annual basis in March, compared with 3.2 percent a month earlier. Economists had anticipated inflation to be at 3.4 percent. Core inflation, which is adjusted for food and energy prices, was 3.8 percent on an annual basis, the same as the previous month. Economists had forecasted a core inflation rate of 3.7 percent. On a monthly basis, both consumer and core prices rose by 0.4 percent. This was likewise 0.4 percent a month earlier.

The Dutch industrial sector produced less in February as well, but the decline was less than in January. This was revealed on Wednesday by data from Statistics Netherlands. The output, adjusted for calendar effects, decreased by 2.3 percent on an annual basis. This marks the eighth consecutive month of declining production. The production decrease was 4.8 percent on an annual basis in January. Industrial producers were slightly more negative in March compared to February. Manufacturers were less positive about the expected activity and more negative about their inventories.

U.S. crude oil inventories increased last week. This was shown from figures released Wednesday by the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA). In the week ending on April 5, crude oil inventories rose by 5.8 million barrels to 457.3 million barrels. Gasoline inventories increased by 0.7 million barrels to 228.5 million barrels. Inventories of heating oil and diesel rose by 1.7 million barrels to 117.7 million barrels. Refinery utilization rates decreased from 88.6 percent to 88.3 percent.

The 6M Euribor increased with 2 basis points to 3.87% compared to previous business day. The 10Y Swap increased with 6 basis points to 2.71% compared to previous business day.

In the attachment, today’s market data on money and capital market rates as well as other rates are presented.