Investing.com - Here are the top five things you need to know in financial markets on Friday, June 16:
1. Global equities mixed as stocks try to shake off tech worries
Global equities saw mixed trade on Friday as equities attempted to shake off yet another round of worries surrounding tech stocks that led Wall Street to a negative close in the prior session.
U.S. futures pointed to a recovery in New York in Friday’s session. At 5:56AM GMT (9:56GMT), the blue-chip Dow futures rose 0.11%, S&P 500 futures gained 0.09% and the Nasdaq 100 futures edged forward 0.08%.
Elsewhere, European stocks moved higher on Friday following news of fresh bailout funds for Greece. At 5:56AM GMT (9:56GMT), the European benchmark Euro Stoxx 50 rose 0.20%, the DAX gained 0.29%, the CAC 40 traded up 0.61% while London's FTSE 100 advanced 0.51%.
Earlier, Asian stocks saw a mixed close as China’s Shanghai Composite ended lower on the back of the tech rout in the U.S., but Japan’s Nikkei benefitted from a yen sticking to two-week lows as the country’s central bank left monetary policy unchanged.
2. Dollar slips lower ahead of economic reports, Fed speaker
The dollar slipped lower against other major currencies on Friday, pulling away from a recent two-week high as investors were preparing for a fresh batch of U.S. data due later in the day.
At 5:57AM GMT (9:57GMT), the U.S. dollar index, which measures the greenback’s strength against a trade-weighted basket of six major currencies, was down 0.15% at 97.36, although still close to Thursday’s post-Fed two-week highs of 97.56.
Investors looked ahead to the publication of building permits and housing starts for May out at 8:30AM ET (12:30GMT) although the focus would likely be on the University of Michigan’s preliminary report on consumer sentiment for June scheduled for 10:00AM ET (14:00GMT).
Market players will pay particular attention to consumer confidence after a report on retail sales last Wednesday showed a surprise decline.
Also on Friday’s calendar, Dallas Fed president Robert Kaplan will be the first U.S. policymaker scheduled to speak after the central bank chief Janet Yellen held her post-policy decision press conference on Wednesday.
3. Euro shows strength across the board on Greece emergency funds
EUR/USD rose 0.24% to 1.1172 by 5:58AM GMT (9:58GMT), bouncing off the previous session’s two-week trough of 1.1130, after the International Monetary Fund and the euro zone's 19 finance ministers backed a payout of €8.5 billion to Greece in order to a default in July and avert another debt crisis.
The single currency also showed strength in crosses with the pound and yen.
4. Yen hovers near 2-week low as BoJ holds
Earlier Friday, the Bank of Japan (BoJ) kept its monetary policy unchanged, in a widely expected move, leaving rates unchanged and pledging to keep asset purchases around the current target of ¥80 trillion.
The BoJ also upgraded its assessment of private consumption and overseas growth, signaling its confidence that an export-driven economic recovery was broadening and gaining momentum.
However, BoJ governor Haruhiko Kuroda reassured markets the central bank will still lag well behind the Federal Reserve in dialing back its massive stimulus program.
The Japanese yen remained near a two-week low against the dollar.
5. Oil remains near 6-month lows
Oil edged higher on Friday on reports of a partial export halt in Libya, recovering some lost territory, but still remained on track for weekly losses of around 2.5%.
U.S. crude oil futures gained 0.45% to $44.66 at 5:59AM ET (9:59GMT), while Brent oil traded up 0.77% to $47.28.
Oil prices were still down around 13% since late May when OPEC and non-OPEC producers agreed to extend their agreement to curb oil production.
Rising U.S. oil output, particularly from shale drillers, is contributing to the ineffectiveness of the OPEC-led cuts.
On that last note, investors also looked ahead to the Baker Hughes' U.S. rig count data for the latest week to be released at 1:00PM (17:00GMT).
The prior data showed that U.S. drillers added rigs for the 21st week in a row, the longest such streak on record, implying that further gains in domestic production are ahead.