2/2/15 NewsAustralia cuts rates after long calm; Aussie dollar dives After almost a year and a half of holding its policy interest rate unchanged, the Reserve Bank of Australia cut by a quarter percentage point Tuesday, citing weak inflation and a stronger-than-desired currency. The move put the cash rate at a historic low of 2.25%. With the interbank market having priced in a 60% chance of a cut, according to Reuters, the Australian dollar fell sharply on the news, dropping to 76.72 U.S. cents from 78 U.S. cents just before the announcement. Stocks rose, meanwhile, with the S&P/ASX 200 up 1.1%, extending its pre-decision gain of 0.3%. In comments accompanying the move, RBA Gov. Glenn Stevens said that the consumer price index "recorded the lowest increase for several years in 2014," and " it appears likely that inflation will remain consistent with the target over the next one to two years," given weak growth in labor costs. Meanwhile, Stevens repeated the RBA view that the Australian dollar remained "above most estimates of its fundamental value, particularly given the significant declines in key commodity prices."
--I expect them to begin QE within the next 2-3 years
China debt party nears the end of road As China enters its third year of slowing growth, there is growing concern the debt reckoning cannot be kicked down the road any longer, and the days of almost unlimited risk-free credit are coming to a close, writes Craig Stephen.
--China is much more fragile than most people think
Demand for residential mortgages continues to softenDemand for residential loans continued to weaken, despite the fact that banks have made it easier to get a mortgage, according to a survey released by the Federal Reserve Monday. “Weakening demand for residential loans...is broadly consistent with the weakening in home sales activity in recent months,” said Millan Mulraine, deputy head for U.S. research at TD Securities.
--I believe we've been in another housing market bubble for the past 1-2 years, it may pop this year alongside the stock market. IF the fed does decide to increase interest rates this year I would then expect housing prices to drop even further.
Euro Parity with Dollar by Year-End A stronger-than-expected reaction to the European Central Bank’s asset-purchase program and increased risks of a crisis to the euro bloc have added to the pace of the common currency’s downward trajectory, says Barclays’ currency research group in a note to clients.
The bank predicts the euro will weaken to $1.08 by the end of June, and to $1.05 by the end of September. But Barclays anticipates that by the end of the year the euro will be trading at a 1-to-1 ratio with the dollar for the first time since 2002, the year it entered circulation as a physical currency. That forecast is down from Barclays’ earlier prediction that the euro would trade at $1.07 by the end of 2015
--But aiming for 2% inflation is good! Right?