New Zealand have eased back the social distancing requirements every so slightly this week. PM Ardern speaking to the media now. – Says must remain vigilant
Blogs
Australia March quarter inflation due Wednesday 29 April 2020 – preview
Australia's CPI has been tracking below the RBA target band for many years now. Q1 2020 will be no different … but does it even matter? The focus from the Reserve Bank of Australia is providing liquidity, stimulus and stability to the market in the face of the coronavirus outbreak, not on hitting the CPI […]
Coronavirus – ICYMI: Japan will extend its entry ban to Russia and 13 other countries
Japan is to prohibit entry to foreign travellers from a further 14 countries including Russia, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates – Announced yesterday by PM Abe. The strengthening of border controls is to help the country contain the spread of the coronavirus.
Japan Jobless (Unemployment) rate for March: 2.5% (expected 2.5%)
Japan Jobless rate for March: 2.5% Job to applicant ratio for March 1.39 A slight increase in the u/e rate in Japan as the coronavirus outbreak bites. Goldman Sachs have mentioned their analysis suggests a bigger hit to the Japanese labour market from the virus than the GFC – due to heavy loss of jobs […]
Australia consumer sentiment – ANZ/Roy Morgan survey 85 (prior 84.2)
Weekly consumer confidence survey ANZ comments: See here for global coronavirus case data
China to swoop in to buy aerospace company Embraer?
I noted earlier in Boeing news that the proposed takeover the Brazilian firm has fallen through UBS have noted that China may be interested in buying up Embraer's commercial planes
Trump on North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un – "I hope he's fine"
US President Trump was asked if he had any update on Kim's health. Full comment: – I suspect Trump has better info on Kim than the media (assuming Trump has read, or at least scanned, his daily intelligence briefing). Those are guarded remarks, wishing him well, hoping he is well. He did refer to […]
US press reports Boeing says it may have cut workforce by up to 35%
: Boeing management has told officials of the company's white-collar union that, due to the staggering business downturn from the coronavirus pandemic, it needs to cut the workforce
ICYMI – the new NAFTA, USMCA goes into effect July 1
Overnight new out of the Americas: – The United States on Friday formally notified Congress that Mexico and Canada have taken the necessary steps to comply with the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement
USD/JPY sellers remain in near-term control but downside still limited at 107.00
Still no way through below 107.00 for USD/JPY See here for global coronavirus case data The pair is largely consolidating around 107.20-30 after yet another failed attempt to try and break below the 107.00 level in overnight trading.