By Marc Jones LONDON (Reuters) – The dollar hit a nine-year high and stocks worldwide headed for their first back-to-back rise of the year on Thursday, encouraged by expectations for a U.S. rate increase and new stimulus this month from the European Central Bank. Steadier oil prices also encouraged risk appetite and helped nudge U.S. Read More
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Stock futures are higher at the moment after stronger than expected retail sales in Germany sparked a rally in the Dax (^GDAXI) and Brent crude oil. Let’s just stop for a moment and unpack that lede. It’s accurate. German retail sales grew by 1% last month. On the margin that’s good. Heaven knows we’ve talked Read More
By Hideyuki Sano TOKYO (Reuters) – Asian shares slumped on Tuesday as sliding oil prices and political uncertainty in Greece forced investors out of riskier assets and into the safety of government bonds, while the euro wallowed near nine-year lows. MSCI’s broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan <.MIAPJ0000PUS> fell 1.4 percent, giving up half Read More
LONDON (Reuters) – The euro started 2015 with another downward lurch, hitting a 4-1/2 year low against the dollar on clear indications that the European Central Bank will soon embark on outright money-printing. Yields on government bonds issued by the euro zone’s heavily indebted southern member states – which the bank would be expected to Read More