Inflation hits 2.4% rate in Eurozone leaving the central bank with few options
Inflation in the Eurozone hit an annualized rate of 2.4% in January where the European Central Bank’s target is close to but not above 2%.
Inflation in the Eurozone hit an annualized rate of 2.4% in January where the European Central Bank’s target is close to but not above 2%.
Currency traders and hedge funds have switched the direction of their bets on the euro. The tide is now flowing strongly in favor of the single currency.
Today, January 13, Spain sold almost $4 billion in bonds and Italy sold $8 billion in their first debt auctions of 2011. The high demand for the offerings was an encouraging sign that Spain and Italy aren’t about to go the way of Greece and Ireland. At least not yet.
Today’s auction of $780 million of 10-year Portuguese government bonds saw plenty of demand and an interest rate far lower at 6.716% than projected by the worst-case scenario. Last Friday, January 7, yields on the Portuguese 10-year bond hit 7.14%, an interest rate that Portuguese officials called unsustainable.
The MSCI Emerging Markets Index was down another 1% as of 1:40 in London today. Leading losers—all down more than 1%– include Indonesia, Thailand, the Philippines, the Czech Republic, and Poland.
The euro fell yesterday to $1.3070 on news that Fitch Ratings has put Greek debt on review for possible downgrade to junk bond status.
The euro initially climbed to $1.336 on news that the European summit had reached agreement on a permanent mechanism to back up governments suffering from a debt crisis. And then the currency gave back all its gain, sinking to $1.3148, as markets realized that the “agreement” contained no progress on the issues that have divided the Eurozone.