Here are the top five things you need to know in financial markets on Monday, April 18:
1. Oil tumbles after lack of agreement among major producers
Crude slumped on Monday as major oil producers failed to come to an agreement to freeze production levels on Sunday.
Blame was primarily placed on Saudi Arabia who refused to make a deal without an agreement from Iran who had made clear it would not stop production until it returned to pre-sanction levels. Iran did not even attend the meeting.
U.S. crude oil futures fell 2.88% to $40.51 at 10:54AM GMT, or 6:54AM ET, while Brent oil traded down 2.37% to $42.08.
2. Japanese stocks slump as earthquakes halt factories
A powerful 7 magnitude quake hit southern Japan in the early hours of Saturday forcing many factories to suspend production.
The Nikkei 225 tumbled on worries that halted production would hit exporters’ bottom line.
3. Osborne warns that Brexit will cost families £4,300 a year
Britain’s chancellor of the exchequer George Osborne claimed on Monday that the U.K. leaving the European Union (EU), known as Brexit, would leave the country “permanently poorer”.
He suggested that voting in favor of the Brexit in the June 23 referendum on EU membership would shrink the British economy by 6% by 2020, costing every household the equivalent of £4,300 a year.
“The conclusion is clear for Britain’s economy and for families: leaving the EU would be the most extraordinary self-inflicted wound,” Osborne wrote in a piece for the Times ahead of the publication of the Treasury’s report on Monday.
4. Fed speakers and IMF chief ahead
With no major macroeconomic reports scheduled for release on Monday, investors will eye comments from Federal Reserve (Fed) officials and the managing director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), Christine Lagarde.
New York Fed president William Dudley will give opening remarks at a conference on trans-Atlantic divergence as 12:30GMT, or 8:30AM ET.
Minneapolis Fed chief Neel Kashkari will participate in a Q&A at 16:30GMT, or 12:30ET.
Boston Fed president Eric Rosengren will give a lecture on monetary policy and issues facing the U.S. central bank at the Central Connecticut State University School of Business at 23:00GMT, or 19:00ET.
IMF chief Christine Lagarde will answer questions on the global economy via Twitter at 17:00GMT, or 13:00ET.
5. Brazilian congress votes to impeach president Dilma Rousseff
The lower house of Brazil cast 367 votes of 513 to impeach president Dilma Rousseff over allegations of illegally using funds from state-owned banks to cover up the budget deficit.
The motion will now go to the upper house and was expected to pass.
Brazilian assets had risen in expectation of Rousseff being toppled with hopes that a more free-market friendly leader would be appointed in her place.