Here are the top five things you need to know in financial markets on Thursday, August 4:
1. BoE expected to cut rates to new record low
The Bank of England (BoE) will announce its decision on monetary policy at 11:00AM GMT, or 7:00AM ET, with expectations for the British monetary authority to make its first policy move in more than seven years.
Consensus expects a 25 basis point cut to 0.25% and the quantitative easing total to remain unchanged £375 billion.
However, some individual experts such as JP Morgan think the BoE could take the rates to zero, while others such as BayernLB or Julius Baer suggested that the central bank could hold steady.
Other analysts also called for increases to the asset purchase program, leaving the door open to possible surprises.
2. Pound weakness ahead of expectations for the BoE to ease
The pound slipped lower against the U.S. dollar on Thursday, as investors remained cautious ahead of the BoE’s policy decision, due later in the day, amid mounting expectations for a rate cut.
GBP/USD hit 1.3279 during European morning trade, the session low; the pair subsequently consolidated at 1.3295, shedding 0.22%.
Of note, Reuters reported that speculators were holding record short positions on sterling, setting the scene for a sharp bounce in the pound if the BoE disappoints.
3. Weekly jobless claims to add another piece to labor market puzzle
After Wednesday’s positive read from the ADP employment report and ahead of Friday’s publication of the July Employment Report, investors looked ahead to the publication of the weekly jobless claims at 12:30GMT, or 8:30AM ET, to gauge the stated of the U.S. labor market.
Market participants will also pay heed to June factory orders out at 14:00GMT, or 10:00AM ET.
4. Traders take profit in oil after 3% surge
Oil prices edged lower on Thursday, after rallying more than 3% overnight after a larger-than-expected gasoline draw eased concerns about global supply glut.
U.S. crude oil futures fell 0.49% to $40.63 at 9:57AM GMT, or 5:57AM ET, while Brent oil lost 0.88% to $42.72.
5. Global stocks broadly higher with BoE on tap
European and Asian stocks traded higher on Thursday as market participants looked ahead to what could be the first rate move by the BoE since March 2009.
U.S. futures pointed to a mixed open on Thursday as equities remained in a tight trading range despite the Dow managing to break a seven-day losing streak in the prior session. At 9:58AM GMT, or 5:58AM ET, the blue-chip Dow futures edged forward 10 points, or 0.05%, S&P 500 futures inched up 1 point1, or 0.03%, while the Nasdaq 100 futures traded down 6 points, or 0.12%.