Market Information Wednesday 8 March 2023

Dutch households spent more in January than in January 2022. This was revealed on Wednesday by figures reported by Statistics Netherlands. Households spent 6.2% more in the first month of this year than in January 2022. In December, the year-on-year increase was still 9.9%. In January 2022, non-essential stores and the service sector were still struggling with severe covid measures.

The U.S. central bank may raise interest rates at a faster pace to reduce inflation, according to Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell. At a Senate hearing Powell referred to data from January that shows that inflation in the U.S. is no longer decreasing. Last month, the Fed raised its benchmark interest rate by a quarter percentage point to a range of 4.50% to 4.75%.

Oil prices fell 3.6% Tuesday in response to weak import figures from China and the prospect of more interest rate hikes by the Federal Reserve. It was the steepest drop in two months. The April futures for a barrel of West Texas Intermediate crude fell to $77.58 on the New York Mercantile Exchange.

The 6M Euribor increased with 1 basis point to 3.36% compared to previous business day. The 10Y Swap decreased with 5 basis points to 3.23% 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.