Morning Bid: Let the doves sing

A look at the day ahead in European and global markets from Rocky Swift

With US Federal Reserve officials singing a less hawkish tune overnight, Singapore kept the dovish trend rolling with a surprise hold on policy.

All 10 analysts polled by Reuters had expected the Monetary Authority of Singapore to tighten monetary settings on Wednesday. But instead, the MAS kept policy on hold on the view that growth and inflation would ease.

So maybe the energy shock to prices isn’t so bad? Or we perhaps just need more data?

On the data front, the main event is the US Labor Department’s reading for the September consumer price index. Analysts on average estimated a 0.6% month-on-month rise versus 0.4% in August, with annual inflation accelerating to 3.6% from 3.4%.

Additionally, the Fed is due to publish its Beige Book report on how US regional economies are faring as policymakers debate the need for more tightening. New ​York Federal Reserve President John Williams said overnight he still sees one more interest rate hike this year but downplayed the need to lift again in 2027.

Traders see a 77% chance that the Fed will leave its policy rate unchanged at its October 27-28 meeting, up from 51% a month ago, while pricing in about 75 basis points of tightening by late 2027, CME Group’s FedWatch Tool showed.

The chorus of Fed speak continues with Richmond Fed President Thomas Barkin scheduled to participate in a fireside chat in Virginia, while Fed Vice Chair for Supervision Michelle Bowman is due to talk in Bangkok.

The Thai capital is where it’s at this week, with the International Monetary Fund and World Bank carrying on annual meetings there.

Seemingly speaking to France, the IMF’s Rodrigo Valdes said in Bangkok that the body had “dialled up” the urgency of its call for governments to rein in debt. European Central Bank President Christine Lagarde was more direct, saying France needed to solve its debt woes on its own.

Earnings were mixed overnight from Citigroup and other major financial groups. Wednesday brings results from BlackRock, Morgan Stanley and Bank of America, with analysts expecting all three to show increases in the third quarter.

The source of all the inflation concern doesn’t seem to be ebbing. Oil prices climbed in Asian trading following more attacks by Yemen’s Iran-allied Houthis on Saudi Arabia. Iranian officials described new tactics to target ships on the Strait of Hormuz to keep oil prices high.

Elsewhere, China’s export growth topped market forecasts in September, with robust overseas demand helping offset weak consumer spending.

In early European trade, the pan-region Euro Stoxx 50 futures were up 0.36%, German DAX futures rose 0.38%, and FTSE futures edged 0.07% higher.

US stock futures, the S&P 500 e-minis, were up 0.22%.

Key developments that could influence markets on Wednesday:

• US CPI, Fed Beige Book

• Germany: Reopening of 21-year and 30-year government debt auctions

• UK: Reopening of 4-year government debt auction

(By Rocky Swift; Editing by Christopher Cushing)

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