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On February 25th, HP (HPQ.N) stated that its full-year earnings may reach the lower end of its previously forecast range due to tariffs and rising memory chip prices. The stock fell approximately 7% in after-hours trading after closing at $18.20 in New York. Over the past 12 months, the stock has fallen by 48%. HP and other device manufacturers are facing the dual challenges of rising memory chip prices and supply shortages as consumers buy new computers to replace outdated devices and acquire new AI capabilities. The company stated that the memory issue will persist throughout the fiscal year and may extend into the next. HP said it is raising product prices, working to bring in more suppliers, and adjusting some products to reduce memory demand. The company said today that it has made progress in these areas, including completing the certification of new suppliers. HP announced the launch of a multi-year cost-cutting plan aimed at saving the company $1 billion annually by 2028.Japans corporate services price index rose 2.6% year-on-year in January, up from 2.60% in the previous month.Japans corporate services price index fell 0.5% month-on-month in January, compared with 0% in the previous month.February 25th - Traders in the US futures and options markets are increasingly betting that the Federal Reserve will continue to cut interest rates next year rather than raise them. The spread of the Covered Overnight Financing Rate (SOFR) futures, which is closely linked to Fed policy expectations, is inverting significantly – indicating that traders are beginning to anticipate a longer period of central bank easing. Previously, traders had been betting that the Fed would cut rates twice by 25 basis points before the end of this year and then resume rate hikes in 2027. However, the increasingly heated debate surrounding the impact of artificial intelligence on the labor market has prompted them to reassess this expectation. Jack McIntyre, portfolio manager at Brandywine Global, stated, "The question is how AI will cause inflation. The only aspect of AI that could potentially cause inflation is the construction of data centers and the associated energy demand." Meanwhile, in the spot market, traders lack confidence in how to allocate US Treasuries. JPMorgan Chases latest client survey (for the week ending February 23rd) shows that neutral positions have reached their highest level since the end of 2024.February 25th - New revisions to Japans corporate governance guidelines could release some of the $840 billion in cash held by listed companies and fuel a new wave of buying in the Japanese stock market. The Financial Services Agency (FSA) will submit draft rules to an expert panel on Thursday, requiring companies to verify the efficiency of their cash usage, with the aim of implementing this change this year. Despite significant improvements in corporate governance in recent years, Japanese companies still have a large amount of idle cash on their balance sheets. Investing these funds in higher-yielding projects could potentially enhance the attractiveness of the Japanese stock market to investors. Sho Nakazawa, equity strategist at Morgan Stanley Mitsubishi UFJ Securities, stated, "This revision will make it easier to anticipate increased allocations to growth sectors, as well as more stable growth in share buybacks and dividends," which in turn could lead to capital inflows from overseas investors. Analysts have long argued that excessive cash holdings by Japanese companies are one of the factors hindering improvements in return on equity (ROE), a key metric closely watched by stock investors, which has caused Japans ROE to lag behind its Western counterparts.

The NZD/USD exchange rate is under pressure as investors anticipate crucial US developments

Alina Haynes

Dec 12, 2022 15:37

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Beginning with a high of 0.6411 and a low of 0.6382, the NZD/USD exchange rate is down 0.25 percent, sliding from its previous high of 0.6411 to its previous low of 0.6382. To date, though, it has been the best-performing G10 currency month.

 

ANZ Bank analysts commented, "NZD seasonality is normally positive in December, but while it has that plus rising interest rates on its side, there are no guarantees that it will emerge undamaged from this week's several central bank meetings."

 

The Federal Open Market Committee is due to meet this week, and market participants anticipate a hawkish result. The US producer price index for November was somewhat higher than anticipated, bolstering the case for the Federal Reserve to raise interest rates in the future, albeit at a slower rate.

 

TD Securities analysts estimate that the FOMC will raise rates by 50 basis points at its meeting in December, putting the target range for the Fed funds rate to 4.25 percent to 4.50 percent. "By doing so, the Committee's inflation-adjusted monetary policy stance would move into the restrictive zone. In September, we think that the FOMC will indicate that they will have to shift to a higher-than-expected terminal rate.

 

ANZ Bank analysts stated, "Our key concern is what this may do to the USD, which has been under pressure as the "pivot" narrative has gained traction amid signs of ongoing US inflation."

 

"NZ variables will also play a role, with the HYEFU and GDP due this week," but they are likely to be overwhelmed (again!) by volatility and the global climate.

 

In other news, the US consumer inflation report on Tuesday will set the tone for markets prior to the Federal Reserve meeting. Economists forecast a fall in core inflation to 6.1% in November from 6.3% in October.