German Economic Expectations Fall Again

MANNHEIM--German economic expectations in June fell at the fastest rate in more than a decade, reflecting the view that Greek repeat parliamentary elections only provided a brief respite and that the situation in the euro zone is "still precarious," the Center for European Economic Research, also known as ZEW, said Tuesday.
The economic expectations index fell to -16.9 in June from May's unrevised 10.8. The last time the decline in the indicator was this great was in October 1998. Experts in a poll by Dow Jones Newswires had expected a fall to 2.8 for June.
The widely watched ZEW index fell again in June after improving sharply in recent months. After declining for nine months on the deepening of Europe's sovereign debt crisis, the index turned negative in June after turning positive in February.
ZEW said the decline is a warning that optimism over Germany's economy is still premature as its main trading partners are experiencing an economic downturn.
The current conditions index fell to +33.2 from May's unrevised 44.1. Experts had forecast a reading of 39.0 for June.

Microsoft Unveils 'Surface' Tablets

Microsoft unveils tablet it hopes will take on iPad


--Tablet runs on version of Windows 8 operating system
--Surface to be priced similarly to other tablets, company says
LOS ANGELES -- Microsoft Corp. (MSFT) unveiled on Monday a family of tablets that run the upcoming version of its Windows operating system, a move that comes as the software company races to catch up with Apple Inc. (AAPL) and Google Inc. (GOOG) in mobile computing.
At an event in Los Angeles, Microsoft Chief Executive Steve Ballmer introduced the company's Surface family of tablets. The devices, which feature magnesium bodies and built-in stands, run versions of Microsoft's Windows 8 operating system.
Mr. Ballmer said the Redmond, Wash., company recognized the importance of integrating software and hardware, a strategy that is the hallmark of rival Apple.
"With Windows 8, we didn't want to leave any seam uncovered," Mr. Ballmer said. "We wanted to give Windows 8 its own hardware companion.
"The surface is a PC. And the Surface is a tablet. The Surface is something new." Mr. Ballmer later said.
The Surface family comes with a magnetically attachable cover that has a built-in accelerometer. The inside of the cover is a full keyboard that recognizes the device when it is attached. The Surface's stand, called the Kickstand, snaps into place with an audible click. It has connection for charging and linking the tablet to peripherals and it will come with a Netflix (NFLX) application.
The Surface "works great for entertainment," said Steven Sinofsky, head of Microsoft's Windows division.
Microsoft has built a software business with $70 billion in annual revenue and left the computer hardware to allies such as Hewlett-Packard Co. (HPQ), Dell Inc. (DELL) and others. Now Microsoft will be going after tablet customers too.
A Dell spokesman said the company "remains a committed partner of Microsoft" and is continuing to develop a "full slate" of Windows 8 products.
H-P didn't immediately respond for comment.
"Don't focus too much on Microsoft competing with other PC vendors," said retail analyst Ross Rubin of NPD Group in a Tweet. "They all have the same main competitor in Apple."
The Surface is a compact 9.3 millimeters thin and weighs 1.5 pounds, very similar to Apple's iPad at 9.4 millimeters and 1.44 pounds for the model with WiFi. Besides the kickstand and detachable keyboard cover, the cover also has a trackpad.
Apple didn't immediately respond for comment on the Microsoft device.
Microsoft said the Surface would be priced comparably to other tablet computers and available simultaneously with release of Windows 8. It will appear first in the Microsoft Store online and through company retail locations.
Gartner analyst Carolina Milanesi said Surface will go on sale to capture the maximum benefit of the holiday gift season. Doing a prominent press event so far in advance is aimed at rallying applications developers behind the new platform.
"They now have a six month window to get developers they have on the PC side to join them on Windows 8 and this tablet," she said.
The Surface and other tablet versions of Windows will run on low-power chips designed by ARM Holdings PLC (ARMH). Windows 8 Pro versions of the Surface are aimed at enterprise computing customers and will run on chips made by Intel Corp. (INTC).
Microsoft made the announcement at the center of the music, film and television world, which Microsoft has already embraced to deliver content to its popular Xbox 360 game console. The Microsoft tablet will run the tablet version of Windows 8, called Windows RT. Windows 8 is the next edition of the company's flagship computer-operating system, which will for the first time run on both desktop computers and tablet devices.
Windows 8 is Microsoft's best hope for competing with devices running Google's (GOOG) Android operating system and with Apple's iPad and iPhone products. Microsoft has almost no presence in the tablet market, which is expected to double in size, with sales of 118.9 million units this year, according to research firm Gartner Inc. Apple's iPad is expected to account for a little less than two-thirds of those sales and Android machines for nearly a third.
Microsoft has spent the past two years developing Windows 8. The company is putting the finishing touches on the software before shipping it to manufacturers, which will load it on devices slated to hit stores in October or November, in time for the holiday-sales season.
Many companies have tried to compete with Apple's iPad with tablets based on the Google Android operating system, but few products have sold well. In smartphones, Android phones collectively have a majority of the market, but Apple's iPhone remains a dominant hit.
Microsoft has long manufactured keyboards, mice and other accessories, but hasn't always succeeded with consumer devices. Xbox has become the best selling gaming station, but its Zune music player, designed to compete with Apple's iPod, never caught on with music buffs. Its KIN mobile phone died a quick death shortly after it appeared in 2010. Handset maker Nokia Corp. (NOK) is now is leading phone partner.
-Ian Sherr contributed to this story. 

China Yuan Official Central Parity Rates for Friday

The China Foreign Exchange Trade System published the following official central parity rates for major currencies against the yuan Friday:

 
            Friday    Thursday 
USD/CNY     6.3089     6.3191 
HKD/CNY     0.81312    0.81446 
JPY/CNY*    7.9509     7.9687 
EUR/CNY     7.9596     7.9362 
GBP/CNY     9.8040     9.8016 
AUD/CNY     6.3136     6.2818 
CAD/CNY     6.1628     6.1422 
CNY/MYR     0.50366    0.50200 
CNY/RUB     5.1300     5.1263 
 
*per 100 yen 
 

The daily central parity rate for the yuan versus the U.S. dollar is the weighted average of prices given by market makers. The highest and lowest offers are excluded from the calculation.
In each daily trading session, the central bank allows the dollar/yuan rate to move no more than 1% above or below the central parity rate, and the yuan/ringgit and yuan/ruble to move no more than 5%. It allows other currency pairs to move as much as 3% above or below the central parity rate.

IMF Reiterates No Plans to Fund Financing for Spain, Only Monitoring

WASHINGTON--The International Monetary Fund has no plans to provide any financing for Spain, only to take a monitoring role in a EUR100 billion European bailout for the country's banks, an IMF official reiterated Thursday.
But IMF spokesman Gerry Rice repeated that the fund believes Europe should use its emergency bailout funds to take direct stakes in ailing banks as opposed to lending to governments, which then uses the cash to recapitalize banks. Otherwise, Europe risks boosting governments debt burdens and pushing borrowing costs higher.
The IMF's point has been highlighted in recent days as Germany's opposition to use euro funds for bank bailouts has fueled market concerns that Spain's bailout will mean Madrid will be unable to pay its obligations, pushing its borrowing costs to unsustainable levels.
Asked if Europe it's facing its last chance to fix the crisis at two upcoming euro summits in June--as some economists believe-- Mr. Rice said IMF Managing Director Christine Lagarde has repeatedly warned Europe of the urgency of prompt action on a comprehensive crisis plan. The IMF has said the E.U. needs to strengthen the capacity of its bailout funds, spur growth through looser monetary policy and tweaking budget-tightening plans, and creating a banking union.
Mr. Rice also said the IMF would warn world leaders at an upcoming summit of the Group of 20 largest industrialized and developing countries of the downside risks the global economy from a worsening of the euro zone crisis. He said the fund is hoping the G-20 firms up commitments to boost IMF resources, as tentatively promised earlier this year when IMF members pledged to raise more than $430 billion in new lending resources for the fund.
Officials from some key emerging economies, including China and Brazil, have indicated they may delay detailing any possible IMF cash commitments over concerns about the pace of IMF governance reform that would give them greater power within the fund.
Despite those remarks, Mr. Rice said there had been "no backtracking or delay" on new resource commitments, and "it was never expected that the package would be completed with every detail by" the G-20 meeting early next week.
The IMF spokesman also said there had been no request for financial assistance from Cyprus, despite some economist expectations that the country may soon need external financial support. 

European Forex Technicals: EUR Nearing Key Resistance Levels

Forex spot:       EUR/USD    USD/JPY    GBP/USD    USD/CHF 
 
Spot 0537 GMT     1.2583     79.42      1.5522     0.9549 
3 Day Trend       Range      Range      Bullish    Range 
Weekly Trend      Bearish    Range      Range      Bullish 
200 day ma        1.3200     79.64      1.5829     0.9190 
3rd Resistance    1.2672     79.92      1.5785     0.9657 
2nd Resistance    1.2626     79.74      1.5740     0.9595 
1st Resistance    1.2611     79.50      1.5599     0.9570 
Pivot*            1.2547     79.51      1.5537     0.9571 
1st Support       1.2552     79.30      1.5455     0.9522 
2nd Support       1.2515     79.17      1.5405     0.9514 
3rd Support       1.2435     78.99      1.5322     0.9475 
 

Intraday EUR/USD: Resistance at 1.2626 is the last line of defence protecting Monday's prominent peak at 1.2672. EUR bulls need to force a break through Wednesday's 1.2611 high and then 1.2626 in order to open the week's 1.2672 high once more. While 1.2626 caps, EUR weakness will look to put pressure on intra-day pivotal support at 1.2515, and only a move below 1.2515 would expose the 1.2435/44 lows.
Weekly chart EUR/USD trend: Bearish.

Intraday USD/JPY: Remains within the established range between Tuesday's low at 79.17 and Monday's peak at 79.92. However, Wednesday's peak at 79.74 has become a confirmed USD bull failure, suggesting a return to the 79.17 low is on the cards. A downwave equality target at 78.99 would be generated on a break below 79.17.
Weekly chart USD/JPY trend: Range.

Intraday GBP/USD: A move lower to Monday's low at 1.5455 is threatened, as resistance at the important June 7 reaction high at 1.5599 remains resolute. The setback off Wednesday's high at 1.5595 has scope to extend to 1.5405, although only a move below 1.5405 would put GBP bears in control. A push above 1.5595/99 would create additional upside scope to 1.5740 and 1.5785.
Weekly chart GBP/USD trend: Range.

Intraday USD/CHF: Support at 0.9514 is the last line of defence protecting Monday's prominent low at 0.9475. However, Wednesday's low at 0.9522 and support at 0.9514 remain within striking distance, and are likely to come under fresh pressure. A recovery above 0.9570 and 0.9595 is required to lift the tone, opening 0.9657.
Weekly chart USD/CHF trend: Bullish.

 
Forex spot:       EUR/GBP    EUR/JPY    EUR/CHF    AUD/USD 
 
Spot 0537 GMT     0.8106      99.93     1.2014     0.9959 
3 Day Trend       Range      Range      Bearish    Range 
Weekly Trend      Bearish    Bearish    Bearish    Range 
200 day ma        0.8337     105.12     1.2114     1.0252 
3rd Resistance    0.8230     100.90     1.2030     1.0200 
2nd Resistance    0.8157     100.33     1.2023     1.0146 
1st Resistance    0.8106     100.10     1.2018     1.0011 
Pivot*            0.8076      99.73     1.2010     0.9955 
1st Support       0.8050      99.29     1.2006     0.9928 
2nd Support       0.8012      98.71     1.2000     0.9889 
3rd Support       0.7972      98.55     1.1990     0.9850 
 

Intraday EUR/GBP: Remains within a bear flag continuation pattern, to come within touching distance of this week's 0.8157 peak. A push above Wednesday's high at 0.8106 is required to pave the way for further gains, but the 0.8157 peak is not expected to be broken at this stage. Support at 0.8050 protects Tuesday's important low at 0.8012.
Weekly chart EUR/GBP trend: Bearish.

Intraday EUR/JPY: There is scope for further corrective EUR gains towards 100.33, as the recovery from Tuesday's 98.86 low has room to extend. However, Monday's commanding peak at 100.90 is not expected to be broken at this stage. A setback below Wednesday's low at 99.29 is required to bring the focus back onto the week's low at 98.71, and then 98.55.
Weekly chart EUR/JPY trend: Bearish.

Intraday EUR/CHF: The corrective rally targets 1.2018, and potentially 1.2023, within a broader EUR bearish tone. A return to support at 1.2006 remains the main threat though, which defends 1.2000 and the April 5 spike low at 1.1990. Orderly corrective gains will be restricted by 1.2023, and only a move above 1.2023 would create risk of spikes to 1.2030 and 1.2076.
Weekly chart EUR/CHF trend: Bearish.

Intraday AUD/USD: A trading range has been established between 0.9821 and Monday's 1.0011 high. Consolidation of the short-term rally from the June 1 reaction low at 0.9581 is underway, and a break below 0.9928 would create additional downside risk to 0.9889 and 0.9850. Only a fresh wave of AUD bull pressure would manage to force an upside break through 1.0011, opening 1.0146 and then 1.0200.
Weekly chart AUD/USD trend: Range.

* The pivot is the sum of the high, low and close divided by 3.

For more technical analysis see: Dow Jones Newswires, N/DJTA; Bloomberg, NI DJTA; and Reuters key word search "INSI-DJN"

By Francis Bray; Dow Jones Newswires; +44 (0)207 842 9249; francis.bray@dowjones.com

Francis Bray is Dow Jones' chief technical analyst for Europe, and has worked as a technical analyst and trader for 20 years in London, Barcelona and Guernsey.

Data provided by CQG International Ltd.

This is a financial news and information service. It is provided in general terms and does not take account of or address any individual user's position. To the extent that this article includes suggestions as to various possible investment strategies which users might consider, it does so in only general terms without reference to the personal factors which should determine any user's investment decisions. Nothing contained in this service constitutes personalized investment advice. Dow Jones does not warrant the accuracy, completeness or timeliness of the information in this article, and any errors shall not be made the basis for any claim against Dow Jones. The author does not invest in the instruments or markets cited in this article. This article does not constitute or form part of any invitation or inducement to buy or sell any security.

-0- 

TALK BACK: We invite readers to send us comments on this or other financial news topics. Please email us at TalkbackEurope@dowjones.com. Readers should include their full names, work or home addresses and telephone numbers for verification purposes. We reserve the right to edit and publish your comments along with your name; we reserve the right not to publish reader comments 

U.S. Stocks Turn Positive

Reported earlier: U.S. Stocks Mixed as Market Downplays Economic Data, EuropeBY ALEXANDRA SCAGGSNEW YORK--U.S. stocks erased early-morning losses in choppy trading, shrugging off weak data and worries about Europe.The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 9 points, or 0.1%, to 12567. The Standard & Poor's 500-stock index was flat, at 1323, and the Nasdaq Composite was up 4 points, or 0.2%, to 2847.U.S. retail sales slipped for the second consecutive month in May, the first string of declines in nearly two years. While the measure fell by less than expected in May, April retail sales were revised downward into negative territory. Businesses held more inventory than expected in April because of sluggish sales.J.P. Morgan Chase & Co. rose 2.3%, and was the fourth-largest gainer in early trading. Chief Executive Jamie Dimon's testimony to the Senate gave the impression the bank wouldn't see crippling fallout from its unexpected $2 billion trading loss."He's appeasing the stock market here, so now we're calm to the fact that J.P. Morgan isn't going to get decimated" by its losses, said Ryan Detrick, chief technical strategist with Schaeffer's Investment Research. "That's led us back a bit."European markets erased early gains to turn mostly lower as worries about Spain's debt and banking crisis festered and investors responded to weak economic data. Euro-zone industrial output was at its weakest level since September 2010 in April.The Stoxx Europe 600 was down 0.3%, after being up 0.4% at its intraday high.Asian markets were mostly higher following Tuesday's U.S. gains, with Japan's Nikkei Stock Average rising 0.6% and China's Shanghai Composite climbing 1.3%.Crude-oil futures slipped 0.2% to $83.46 a barrel, while gold futures rose 0.6% to $1623 an ounce. The U.S. dollar lost ground against the euro and the yen.In corporate news, shares of Dell rose 4.5% after the computer maker said it plans to start paying a quarterly cash dividend of 8 cents a share.Johnson & Johnson gained 1.1%. The blue chip health-care company said it received regulatory clearance to close its $19.7 billion bid for medical-device maker Synthes. Analysts from J.P. Morgan Chase, Jefferies & Co. Inc., and Raymond James Financial subsequently upgraded the stock.Facebook edged up 0.8%, putting it on track to post back-to-back gains for just the second time since going public. The stock rose 1.5% Tuesday to close at a one-and-a-half-week high.Scotts Miracle-Gro dropped 8% after announcing it expects to fall short of estimates of full-year earnings and sales growth it had provided earlier as a result of slowing consumer demand and lower-than-expected margin rates.Printing company 3D Systems fell 5.6% after the company said it is offering shares of its common stock for sale to the public. 

MARKET TALK: Sell Bunds/Buy Tsys Good Hedge on Greece -Scotia

The best way to ride out of the Greek elections is not to short stocks, but to sell German bunds and buy Treasury bonds, says Charles Comiskey, head of Treasury trading at Bank of Nova Scotia. He argues that bunds would be losers as Germany might need to channel more money to safeguard the monetary union, and the rising fiscal burden is what has fueled worry that bunds could lose their safe-haven status. That concern was underlined after Pimco's Bill Gross indicated on Tuesday he dislikes bunds. A comfort, though: The 10-yr bund auction Wednesday didn't show investors fled in droves. The underperformance of bunds vs Treasurys has narrowed the yield gap sharply. Recently, the benchmark 10-yr Treasury note trades about 15bps above that of 10-yr bund, down from 37bps just a week ago and a recent peak of 50bps in April.

2012.06.12 07:50:18 Interbank Foreign Exchange Rates At 03:50 EST / 0750 GMT

                         Latest       Previous   %Chg    Daily    Daily   %Chg 
Dollar Rates                               Close            High      Low  12/31 
 
 
USD/JPY Japan            79.62-64       79.43-46  +0.24    79.69    79.18  +3.53 
EUR/USD Euro            1.2494-96      1.2481-83  +0.10   1.2521   1.2452  -3.59 
GBP/USD U.K.            1.5501-04      1.5484-89  +0.11   1.5522   1.5464  -0.25 
USD/CHF Switzerland     0.9610-12      0.9620-24  -0.11   0.9644   0.9592  +2.54 
USD/CAD Canada          1.0303-08      1.0313-18  -0.10   1.0324   1.0292  +0.94 
AUD/USD Australia       0.9895-97      0.9862-66  +0.32   0.9917   0.9852  -3.06 
NZD/USD New Zealand     0.7714-16      0.7688-93  +0.32   0.7732   0.7672  -0.79 
 
Euro Rates 
 
EUR/JPY Japan            99.49-52       99.14-19  +0.35    99.78    98.74  -0.05 
EUR/GBP U.K.            0.8059-61      0.8059-62  -0.01   0.8080   0.8053  -4.69 
EUR/CHF Switzerland     1.2007-12      1.2008-12   0.00   1.2012   1.2008  -1.33 
EUR/CAD Canada          1.2874-80      1.2871-79  +0.01   1.2891   1.2856  -2.68 
EUR/AUD Australia       1.2624-28      1.2649-58  -0.22   1.2653   1.2610  -0.55 
EUR/DKK Denmark         7.4321-34      7.4310-49   0.00   7.4361   7.4262  -0.04 
EUR/NOK Norway         7.5383-418     7.5439-506  -0.10   7.5489   7.5262  -2.65 
EUR/SEK Sweden          8.8500-42    8.8933-9003  -0.50   8.8982   8.8494  -0.72 
EUR/CZK Czech Rep.      25.628-46     25.584-643  +0.09   25.646   25.538  +0.16 
EUR/HUF Hungary         296.09-36      297.30-97  -0.47   297.68   295.84  -5.99 
EUR/PLN Poland         4.3169-222     4.3470-543  -0.71   4.3558   4.3152  -3.31 
 
Yen Rates 
 
AUD/JPY Australia        78.79-82       78.33-42  +0.55    79.03    78.10  +0.75 
GBP/JPY U.K.            123.43-50      122.98-03  +0.36   123.69   122.59  +3.28 
CAD/JPY Canada           77.24-30       76.98-07  +0.33    77.43    76.77  +2.57 
NZD/JPY New Zealand      61.42-47       61.06-13  +0.58    61.61    60.82  +2.74 
 
Other Dollar Rates 
 
USD/CZK Czech Rep.      20.509-24     20.497-543  -0.02   20.566   20.404  +3.87 
USD/HUF Hungary       236.97-7.18      238.19-70  -0.57   238.85   236.28  -2.49 
USD/DKK Denmark         5.9480-88      5.9537-59  -0.11   5.9692   5.9360  +3.68 
USD/NOK Norway          6.0330-56      6.0440-86  -0.20   6.0511   6.0210  +0.97 
USD/PLZ Poland          3.4549-90      3.4827-82  -0.82   3.4943   3.4484  +0.29 
USD/RUB Russia          32.824-48     32.677-743  +0.39   32.899   32.624  +2.13 
USD/SEK Sweden          7.0827-58      7.1252-98  -0.61   7.1333   7.0710  +2.97 
USD/ZAR S. Africa      8.4080-102     8.4641-758  -0.72   8.4728   8.3784  +3.98 
 
USD/CNY China          6.3699-720      6.3623-44  +0.12   6.3775   6.3706  +0.82 
USD/HKD Hong Kong       7.7578-84      7.7601-09  -0.03   7.7603   7.7582  -0.11 
USD/MYR Malaysia       3.1793-858     3.1663-728  +0.41   3.1847   3.1726  +0.16 
USD/INR India        55.988-6.003     55.610-700  +0.61   56.070   55.673  +5.60 
USD/IDR Indonesia         9443-93         9405-5  +0.67     9443     9430  +4.82 
USD/PHP Philippines  42.871-3.112   42.919-3.020  +0.05   42.883   43.080  -1.96 
USD/SGD Singapore       1.2837-44      1.2860-67  -0.18   1.2868   1.2822  -0.96 
USD/KRW S. Korea    1168.39-70.80   1170.39-2.80  -0.17  1173.39  1168.30  +0.78 
USD/TWD Taiwan      29.899-30.000     29.899-960  +0.07   29.949   29.950  -1.04 
USD/THB Thailand       31.605-726      31.628-88  +0.02   31.699   31.626  +0.21 
USD/VND Vietnam        20822-1473     20945-1015  +0.80    20822    21473  +0.52 
 
USD/BRR Brazil          2.0621-86      2.0607-72  +0.07   2.0637   2.0578 +10.70 
USD/MXN Mexico        14.0779-860    14.0891-979  -0.08  14.1151  14.0410  +0.97 
USD/ARS Argentina      4.4831-904     4.4859-932  -0.06   4.4897   4.4878  +4.13 
 
Source: ICAP Plc. 

2012.06.11 18:50:16 Interbank Foreign Exchange Rates At 14:50 EST / 1850 GMT

                           Latest       Previous   %Chg    Daily    Daily   %Chg 
Dollar Rates                               Close            High      Low  12/31 
 
 
USD/JPY Japan            79.40-44       79.60-65  -0.26    79.72    79.36  +3.26 
EUR/USD Euro            1.2493-96      1.2638-42  -1.15   1.2668   1.2484  -3.59 
GBP/USD U.K.            1.5494-96      1.5509-15  -0.11   1.5581   1.5492  -0.30 
USD/CHF Switzerland     0.9611-16      0.9501-11  +1.13   0.9619   0.9481  +2.57 
USD/CAD Canada          1.0312-14      1.0219-29  +0.87   1.0312   1.0202  +1.01 
AUD/USD Australia       0.9887-88      0.9984-89  -0.99   1.0007   0.9888  -3.15 
NZD/USD New Zealand     0.7710-12      0.7766-74  -0.76   0.7785   0.7710  -0.84 
 
Euro Rates 
 
EUR/JPY Japan            99.20-24      100.55-69  -1.39   100.90    99.20  -0.34 
EUR/GBP U.K.            0.8062-65      0.8146-50  -1.04   0.8157   0.8054  -4.64 
EUR/CHF Switzerland     1.2008-12      1.2010-20  -0.04   1.2018   1.2006  -1.33 
EUR/CAD Canada          1.2884-88      1.2914-31  -0.28   1.2948   1.2845  -2.62 
EUR/AUD Australia       1.2637-40      1.2653-69  -0.18   1.2681   1.2588  -0.45 
EUR/DKK Denmark         7.4311-46     7.4295-353  +0.01   7.4432   7.4196  -0.03 
EUR/NOK Norway         7.5381-436     7.5724-908  -0.54   7.5898   7.5294  -2.64 
EUR/SEK Sweden        8.8929-9006    8.8881-9019  +0.02   8.9125   8.8590  -0.22 
EUR/CZK Czech Rep.     25.563-620     25.264-384  +1.06   25.608   25.302  -0.01 
EUR/HUF Hungary         296.38-98      293.98-05  +0.77   296.86   293.64  -5.84 
EUR/PLN Poland         4.3384-460     4.2755-885  +1.41   4.3455   4.2574  -2.80 
 
Yen Rates 
 
AUD/JPY Australia        78.50-54       79.44-56  -1.23    79.69    78.50  +0.38 
GBP/JPY U.K.            123.02-10      123.45-57  -0.37   124.06   123.04  +2.94 
CAD/JPY Canada         76.98-7.04       77.82-94  -1.11    78.09    77.02  +2.23 
NZD/JPY New Zealand      61.22-27       61.83-92  -1.02    61.97    61.22  +2.39 
 
Other Dollar Rates 
 
USD/CZK Czech Rep.     20.460-504      19.984-20  +2.26   20.486   20.000  +3.70 
USD/HUF Hungary         237.22-66      232.61-03  +1.94   237.53   232.30  -2.34 
USD/DKK Denmark         5.9477-96     5.8785-812  +1.17   5.9536   5.8678  +3.68 
USD/NOK Norway          6.0334-68      5.9902-06  +0.65   6.0401   5.9850  +0.98 
USD/PLZ Poland          3.4725-80     3.3830-925  +2.58   3.4777   3.3668  +0.82 
USD/RUB Russia         32.742-816      31.846-03  +0.41   32.809   31.930  +1.96 
USD/SEK Sweden         7.1177-228     7.0329-417  +1.18   7.1251   7.0134  +3.49 
USD/ZAR S. Africa      8.4557-708     8.3100-488  +1.61   8.4734   8.2634  +4.65 
 
USD/CNY China           6.3575-96      6.3739-60  -0.26   6.3741   6.3464  +0.63 
USD/HKD Hong Kong       7.7603-10      7.7576-82  +0.04   7.7606   7.7576  -0.08 
USD/MYR Malaysia       3.1675-740    3.0754-2020  +1.02   3.1865   3.1646  -0.21 
USD/INR India          55.600-700      55.418-33  +0.41   55.810   55.090  +4.95 
USD/IDR Indonesia        9398-414       9157-525  +0.70     9445     9385  +4.13 
USD/PHP Philippines  42.827-3.068     43.128-368  -0.69   43.229   43.000  -2.06 
USD/SGD Singapore       1.2843-46      1.2740-48  +0.79   1.2844   1.2730  -0.93 
USD/KRW S. Korea     1170.39-2.80  1134.59-82.10  +1.14  1170.99  1165.90  +0.95 
USD/TWD Taiwan         29.889-950     29.889-970  -0.03   29.949   29.900  -1.14 
USD/THB Thailand        31.609-60      30.568-02  +1.39   31.671   31.586  +0.11 
USD/VND Vietnam        20945-1015     20557-1206  +0.47    20960    21000  -0.27 
 
USD/BRR Brazil         2.0437-502     2.0031-432  +1.18   2.0453   2.0192  +9.72 
USD/MXN Mexico         14.0554-86    13.8279-820  +1.46  14.0685  13.8154  +0.80 
USD/ARS Argentina      4.4831-904    4.3559-4826  +1.53   4.4861   4.4730  +4.13 
 
Source: ICAP Plc. 

Asian Shares, Euro Climb on Spanish Bank Bailout

Asian markets rallied early Monday and the euro jumped higher on Spain's bank bailout, while sentiment was also boosted with Chinese economic data that was less bad than some had feared.

Investors welcomed the weekend news that Spain secured a EUR100 billion ($125 billion) loan to bolster its banking system, which makes the country the fourth and largest euro-zone economy to be rescued by its euro-zone partners.

Along with the forthcoming Greek elections, concerns relating to the health of Spain's banking system have been one of the dominant themes coming out of Europe in recent weeks, and the bailout provided an immediate boost to market sentiment.

"It's tempting to say that with the Spanish aid deal, the worst of the crisis is now behind us," said CLSA equity strategist Nicholas Smith in Tokyo.

Stocks rallied early in the day. Japan's Nikkei climbed 2% and Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index gained 2.1% while South Korea's Kospi was 1.6% higher. Singapore's Strait Times Index rose 1.4% and the China Shanghai Composite was up 0.3%.

In recent sessions, stocks have managed to stage what appears to be a sustained rally, pulling themselves off from the floor. The Nikkei and the Hang Seng Index are 4% and 3.8% respectively above their year-to-date lows. But traders could become cautious again ahead of the Greek election later this week, and markets still have a long way to go before they return to the peaks: the Nikkei remains 15.8% off its year-to-date high, while the Hang Seng is 12.5% lower.

The euro bounced back on the Spanish developments, climbing to $1.2634, compared to $1.2517 late on Friday in New York, and compounding the 0.7% gain it made last week.

The other main development over the weekend was China's economic data for May, which still pointed to a weakening economy, but was not as bad as some expected. China made a surprise cut to interest rates ahead of the data, which was taken as a signal by the market that May's figures were going to be very bad, and was partly to blame for a sell-off on Friday.

The most notable figure was inflation, with growth in the consumer price index much lower than expected, at 3%. This was taken as a positive because it potentially gives Beijing more space for further policy easing.
The improved risk sentiment was reflected in the performance of Asian currencies. The dollar gained to 79.60 yen early in Asia compared to 79.47 yen on Friday. The Australian dollar edged closer to parity with the dollar, at $0.9980, although a holiday in Australia on Monday is expected to keep the trading volume of the currency low.
China data also helped the price of oil, after China's crude imports reached a record high in May, which is probably due to stockpiling and anticipation of increased output after a round of refinery maintenance. Oil was up 2.3% early on Monday, at $85.99 a barrel.

Hong Kong-listed Chinese banks rose on Monday, recovering after heavy selling on Friday as investors became concerned that deregulation could damage the sector's net interest margins. The gains however underperformed the broader market rally: Industrial and Commercial Bank of China regained 1.2% after losing 4.9% on Friday, while China Construction Bank added 0.8%, after a 4% drop at the end of last week.

China Unicom rose 4.6% in Hong Kong, following news that its parent will buy a 4.6% stake in Unicom from Spanish telecoms company Telefonica SA for around EUR1.13 billion.

Also in Hong Kong, Chinese developer Greentown China soared 36.5% after placing new shares and convertible bonds to Wharf. The Hong Kong developer will become Greentown's second-largest shareholder, which analysts believe could provide greater clarity on the company's long-term cash flow management. Wharf however, fell 2.7%.
-Write to Daniel Inman at Daniel.Inman@wsj.com

Interbank Foreign Exchange Rates

                           Latest       Previous   %Chg    Daily    Daily   %Chg 
Dollar Rates                               Close            High      Low  12/31 
 
 
USD/JPY Japan            79.61-64       79.60-65   0.00    79.72    79.40  +3.52 
EUR/USD Euro            1.2633-36      1.2638-42  -0.04   1.2668   1.2620  -2.51 
GBP/USD U.K.            1.5551-56      1.5509-15  +0.27   1.5560   1.5506  +0.08 
USD/CHF Switzerland     0.9508-12      0.9501-11  +0.04   0.9518   0.9481  +1.47 
USD/CAD Canada          1.0209-14      1.0219-29  -0.12   1.0229   1.0206  +0.02 
AUD/USD Australia       0.9974-78      0.9984-89  -0.10   1.0007   0.9968  -2.28 
NZD/USD New Zealand     0.7762-68      0.7766-74  -0.06   0.7785   0.7754  -0.14 
 
Euro Rates 
 
EUR/JPY Japan           100.60-64      100.55-69  +0.00   100.90   100.34  +1.07 
EUR/GBP U.K.            0.8122-25      0.8146-50  -0.31   0.8157   0.8118  -3.94 
EUR/CHF Switzerland     1.2014-18      1.2010-20  +0.01   1.2018   1.2008  -1.28 
EUR/CAD Canada         1.2898-906      1.2914-31  -0.16   1.2948   1.2894  -2.49 
EUR/AUD Australia       1.2661-68      1.2653-69  +0.03   1.2681   1.2642  -0.25 
EUR/DKK Denmark         7.4316-34     7.4295-353  +0.00   7.4367   7.4306  -0.04 
EUR/NOK Norway          7.5819-92     7.5724-908  +0.05   7.5898   7.5742  -2.07 
EUR/SEK Sweden          8.8820-86    8.8881-9019  -0.11   8.9104   8.8802  -0.35 
EUR/CZK Czech Rep.      25.316-57     25.264-384  +0.05   25.358   25.317  -1.01 
EUR/HUF Hungary       293.72-4.56    293.98-4.82  -0.09   294.18   293.94  -6.65 
EUR/PLN Poland         4.2597-706     4.2755-885  -0.39   4.2775   4.2628  -4.53 
 
Yen Rates 
 
AUD/JPY Australia        79.42-48       79.44-56  -0.06    79.69    79.16  +1.57 
GBP/JPY U.K.            123.80-89      123.45-57  +0.27   124.03   123.34  +3.60 
CAD/JPY Canada         77.94-8.01       77.82-94  +0.13    78.09    77.68  +3.51 
NZD/JPY New Zealand      61.79-87       61.83-92  -0.07    61.97    61.58  +3.38 
 
Other Dollar Rates 
 
USD/CZK Czech Rep.      20.038-68      19.984-20  +0.12   20.069   20.000  +1.53 
USD/HUF Hungary       232.49-3.12    232.61-3.22  -0.05   233.06   232.38  -4.25 
USD/DKK Denmark         5.8822-28     5.8785-812  +0.05   5.8902   5.8678  +2.53 
USD/NOK Norway          6.0012-60      5.9902-06  +0.13   6.0082   5.9850  +0.45 
USD/PLZ Poland          3.3715-96     3.3830-925  -0.36   3.3850   3.3746  -2.07 
USD/RUB Russia         32.124-356      31.846-03  -1.24   32.489   32.188  +0.28 
USD/SEK Sweden          7.0302-44     7.0329-417  -0.07   7.0553   7.0286  +2.21 
USD/ZAR S. Africa      8.3063-138     8.3100-488  -0.23   8.3277   8.3100  +2.75 
 
USD/CNY China           6.3673-94      6.3739-60  -0.10   6.3741   6.3686  +0.78 
USD/HKD Hong Kong       7.7574-80      7.7576-82   0.00   7.7584   7.7576  -0.12 
USD/MYR Malaysia      3.0767-2034    3.0754-2020  +0.04   3.0811   3.1952  -1.18 
USD/INR India           55.250-60      55.418-33  -0.31   55.273   55.090  +4.21 
USD/IDR Indonesia         9425-50       9157-525  +1.03     9432     9385  +4.48 
USD/PHP Philippines    43.121-362     43.128-368   0.00   43.155   43.356  -1.37 
USD/SGD Singapore       1.2766-68      1.2740-48  +0.18   1.2778   1.2730  -1.53 
USD/KRW S. Korea    1135.09-82.50  1134.59-82.10  +0.04  1168.89  1165.90  -0.16 
USD/TWD Taiwan         29.869-930     29.889-970  -0.10   29.949   29.900  -1.21 
USD/THB Thailand     30.582-1.850   30.568-1.834  +0.05   30.619   31.768  -1.21 
USD/VND Vietnam        20930-1000     20557-1206   0.00    20970    21000  -0.74 
 
USD/BRR Brazil         2.0191-222     2.0031-432  -0.12   2.0253   2.0222  +8.31 
USD/MXN Mexico         13.8310-46    13.8279-820  -0.16  13.8789  13.8310  -0.81 
USD/ARS Argentina     4.3581-4848    4.3559-4826  +0.05   4.3627   4.4730  +2.61 
 
Source: ICAP Plc. 

CHARTING FOREX: Dollar Biased Down Vs FX Majors Except Yen This Week

 By Jerry Tan 
 

SINGAPORE--Following is technical analysis of seven major currency pairs for this week:

 
        USD/JPY 
 
1st support - 79.11 (minor) 
1st resistance - 80.14 (minor) 
2nd support - 78.61 (minor) 
2nd resistance - 80.61 (minor) 
 

USD/JPY (last 79.63) is likely to trade in a higher range this week as the daily MACD and stochastic indicators are bullish. Resistance is at the May 22 high of 80.14, currently near the 100-day moving average; a breach would expose the upside to the 80.56-80.61 band, defined by the May 16 high and the May 2 high and currently near the 55-day moving average; and then to the April 27 high of 81.43 and the 81.71-81.77 band, defined by the April 25 high and the April 20 high. Support is at Friday's low of 79.11; breach would expose the downside to Wednesday's low of 78.61, currently near the 200-day moving average, and then to the June 1 low of 77.65 and the Feb. 14 low of 77.36. An extension of the fall would target the Feb. 6 low of 76.49, and then the Feb. 1 reaction low of 76.02. USD/JPY negative medium-term outlook is tempered as the weekly stochastic measure is turning bullish at the oversold level. However, the five-week moving average is still below the 15-week moving average and falling. A drop below 77.65 would open the way down to 76.02, and then to the Oct. 31 record low of 75.31 in the weeks ahead.

 
        EUR/USD 
 
1st support - 1.2435 (minor) 
1st resistance - 1.2825 (minor) 
2nd support - 1.2375 (minor) 
2nd resistance - 1.2935 (minor) 
 

EUR/USD (last 1.2641) is likely to trade in a higher range this week as the daily MACD and stochastic indicators are bullish. Resistance is at the May 21 high of 1.2825; a breach would expose the upside to the 55-day moving average, coming in now at 1.2935, and then to 1.2994, the previous base set on April 16. An extension of the rise would target the 100-day moving average, coming in now at 1.3054, and then the 200-day moving average, coming in now at 1.3231. Support is at Friday's low of 1.2435; a breach would target the June 4 low of 1.2375, and then 1.2288, the 23-month low hit on June 1. An extension of the fall would target the June 29, 2010 low of 1.2151. EUR/USD negative medium-term outlook is tempered as the weekly stochastic measure has turned bullish at the oversold level. However, the five-week moving average is still below the 15-week moving average and falling. A drop below 1.2288 would open the way down to the psychological 1.2000 line, and then to the June 7, 2010 low of 1.1875 in the weeks ahead.

 
       AUD/USD 
 
1st support - 0.9817 (minor) 
1st resistance - 1.0126 (minor) 
2nd support - 0.9706 (minor) 
2nd resistance - 1.0143 (minor) 
 

AUD/USD (last 0.9983) is likely to trade with risks skewed to the upside this week as long as the pair stays above Friday's low of 0.9817. The daily MACD and stochastic indicators are bullish, but the latter is at the overbought level. Resistance is at the 55-day moving average, coming in now at 1.0126, and then at the May 10 high of 1.0143; a breach would target the May 7 high of 1.0219, roughly matching the previous base set on April 11; and then the 200-day moving average, coming in now at 1.0261. An extension of the rise would target the 100-day moving average, coming in now at 1.0358. But a fall below 0.9817 would temper the near-term positive outlook, targeting Tuesday's low of 0.9706, and then the June 4 low of 0.9623. An extension of the fall would target 0.9579, the eight-month low hit on June 1. AUD/USD negative medium-term outlook is tempered as the weekly stochastic measure has turned bullish at the oversold level. However, the five-week moving average is still below the 15-week moving average and falling. A drop below 0.9579 would open the way down to the Oct. 4 swing low of 0.9386, and then to the Aug. 25, 2010 low of 0.8769 in the weeks ahead.

 
       NZD/USD 
 
1st support - 0.7614 (minor) 
1st resistance - 0.7797 (minor) 
2nd support - 0.7516 (minor) 
2nd resistance - 0.7902 (minor) 
 

NZD/USD (last 0.7767) is likely to trade with risks skewed to the upside this week as long as the pair stays above Friday's low of 0.7614. The daily MACD and stochastic indicators are bullish, but the latter is at the overbought level. Resistance is at the May 15 high of 0.7797; a breach would expose the upside to the May 10 minor reaction high of 0.7902, and then to the 55-day moving average, coming in now at 0.7925. An extension of the rise would target the 200-day moving average, coming in now at 0.7963, and then 0.8054, the previous base set on March 22. But a fall below 0.7614 would temper the near-term positive outlook, targeting Tuesday's low of 0.7516, and then the June 4 low of 0.7492. An extension of the fall would target 0.7451, the six-month low hit on June 1. NZD/USD negative medium-term outlook is tempered as the weekly stochastic measure has turned bullish at the oversold level. However, the five-week moving average is still below the 15-week moving average and falling. A drop below 0.7451 would open the way down to the Nov. 25 swing low of 0.7367, and then to the March 17, 2011 swing low of 0.7113 and the psychological 0.7000 line in the weeks ahead.

 
        GBP/USD 
 
1st support - 1.5401 (minor) 
1st resistance - 1.5600 (minor) 
2nd support - 1.5320 (minor) 
2nd resistance - 1.5717 (minor) 
 

GBP/USD (last 1.5555) is likely to trade in a higher range this week as the daily MACD and stochastic indicators are bullish. Resistance is at Thursday's high of 1.5600; a breach would expose the upside to the May 28 high of 1.5717, and then to the 200-day moving average, coming in now at 1.5759. An extension of the rise would target the May 22 minor reaction high of 1.5848, currently near the 100-day moving average. Support is at Friday's low of 1.5401; a breach would target Tuesday's low of 1.5320, and then 1.5265, the 4.5-month low hit on June 1. An extension of the fall would target the Jan. 12 swing low of 1.5233, and then the psychological 1.5000 line and the July 12, 2010 low of 1.4946. GBP/USD negative medium-term outlook is tempered as the weekly stochastic measure is turning bullish at the oversold level. However, the five-week moving average is still below the 15-week moving average and falling. A drop below the 1.5233 support would open the way down to the psychological 1.5000 line, and then to the May 20, 2010 swing low of 1.4230 in the weeks ahead.

 
        USD/CHF 
 
1st support - 0.9363 (minor) 
1st resistance - 0.9657 (minor) 
2nd support - 0.9292 (minor) 
2nd resistance - 0.9677 (minor) 
 

USD/CHF (last 0.9506) is likely to trade in a lower range this week as the daily MACD and stochastic indicators are bearish. Support is at the May 21 reaction low of 0.9363; a breach would expose the downside to the 55-day moving average, coming in now at 0.9292, and then to the 100-day moving average, coming in now at 0.9223. An extension of the fall would target the 200-day moving average, coming in now at 0.9176. Resistance is at Friday's high of 0.9657; a breach would target Tuesday's high of 0.9677, and then the 0.9771-0.9785 band, defined by the 15-month high hit on June 1 and the Jan. 11, 2011 high. A rise above 0.9785 would expose the upside to the psychological 1.0000 line, and then to 1.0066, the Dec. 1, 2010 high. USD/CHF positive medium-term outlook is tempered as the weekly stochastic measure has turned bearish at the overbought level. However, the five-week moving average is still above the 15-week moving average and rising. A rise above 0.9785 would open the way up to 1.0066, and then to the July 27, 2010 high of 1.0640 in the weeks ahead.

 
        USD/CAD 
 
1st support - 1.0149 (minor) 
1st resistance - 1.0354 (minor) 
2nd support - 1.0098 (minor) 
2nd resistance - 1.0425 (minor) 
 

USD/CAD (last 1.0207) is likely to trade in a lower range this week as the daily MACD and stochastic indicators are bearish. Support is at the May 22 low of 1.0149; a breach would target the 200-day moving average, coming in now at 1.0098, and then the 55-day moving average, coming in now at 1.0054. An extension of the fall would target the 100-day moving average, coming in now at 1.0011, and then the May 15 low of 0.9986. Resistance is at Friday's high of 1.0354; a breach would target Tuesday's high of 1.0425, and then 1.0446, the six-month high hit on June 4. An extension of the rise would target the Nov. 25 high of 1.0523. USD/CAD positive medium-term outlook is tempered as the weekly stochastic measure has turned bearish at the overbought level. However, the five-week moving average is still above the 15-week moving average and rising. A rise above the 1.0523 resistance would open the way up to the 1.0657-1.0677 band, defined by the Oct. 4 high, 2011 high and the July 6, 2010 high; and then to the May 25, 2010 high of 1.0851 in the weeks ahead.

Interbank Foreign Exchange Rates

Dollar Rates                               Close            High      Low  12/31 
 
 
USD/JPY Japan            79.68-70       79.60-65  +0.08    79.70    79.40  +3.61 
EUR/USD Euro            1.2639-42      1.2638-42  +0.00   1.2668   1.2620  -2.47 
GBP/USD U.K.            1.5554-58      1.5509-15  +0.28   1.5557   1.5506  +0.09 
USD/CHF Switzerland     0.9503-08      0.9501-11  -0.01   0.9518   0.9481  +1.42 
USD/CAD Canada          1.0205-10      1.0219-29  -0.16   1.0229   1.0206  -0.02 
AUD/USD Australia       0.9983-88      0.9984-89  -0.01   1.0007   0.9968  -2.18 
NZD/USD New Zealand     0.7774-80      0.7766-74  +0.09   0.7785   0.7754  +0.01 
 
Euro Rates 
 
EUR/JPY Japan           100.71-76      100.55-69  +0.12   100.90   100.34  +1.18 
EUR/GBP U.K.            0.8125-28      0.8146-50  -0.27   0.8157   0.8124  -3.90 
EUR/CHF Switzerland     1.2012-16      1.2010-20  -0.01   1.2018   1.2008  -1.30 
EUR/CAD Canada          1.2900-08      1.2914-31  -0.14   1.2948   1.2898  -2.48 
EUR/AUD Australia       1.2655-64      1.2653-69  -0.01   1.2681   1.2642  -0.28 
EUR/DKK Denmark         7.4302-48     7.4295-353  +0.00   7.4367   7.4306  -0.04 
EUR/NOK Norway         7.5774-852     7.5724-908   0.00   7.5898   7.5742  -2.12 
EUR/SEK Sweden        8.8948-9028    8.8881-9019  +0.04   8.9104   8.8936  -0.20 
EUR/CZK Czech Rep.     25.285-361     25.264-384  -0.01   25.358   25.317  -1.06 
EUR/HUF Hungary         294.07-50      293.98-05  -0.04   294.18   293.94  -6.60 
EUR/PLN Poland         4.2672-746     4.2755-885  -0.26   4.2775   4.2732  -4.40 
 
Yen Rates 
 
AUD/JPY Australia        79.56-60       79.44-56  +0.10    79.69    79.16  +1.74 
GBP/JPY U.K.          123.93-4.00      123.45-57  +0.37   123.93   123.34  +3.70 
CAD/JPY Canada           78.04-10       77.82-94  +0.25    78.04    77.68  +3.63 
NZD/JPY New Zealand    61.94-2.00       61.83-92  +0.16    61.97    61.58  +3.62 
 
Other Dollar Rates 
 
USD/CZK Czech Rep.      20.003-60      19.984-20  +0.01   20.069   20.000  +1.42 
USD/HUF Hungary         232.66-96      232.61-03  -0.05   233.06   232.38  -4.25 
USD/DKK Denmark        5.8784-810     5.8785-812   0.00   5.8902   5.8678  +2.48 
USD/NOK Norway          5.9947-98      5.9902-06  +0.02   6.0060   5.9850  +0.35 
USD/PLZ Poland         3.3759-812     3.3830-925  -0.27   3.3850   3.3774  -1.99 
USD/RUB Russia         32.093-380      31.846-03  -1.25   32.489   32.188  +0.27 
USD/SEK Sweden         7.0369-420     7.0329-417  +0.03   7.0553   7.0286  +2.32 
USD/ZAR S. Africa      8.3095-184     8.3100-488  -0.19   8.3252   8.3104  +2.80 
 
USD/CNY China           6.3671-92      6.3739-60  -0.11   6.3741   6.3688  +0.78 
USD/HKD Hong Kong       7.7574-80      7.7576-82   0.00   7.7584   7.7576  -0.12 
USD/MYR Malaysia      3.0751-2018    3.0754-2020  -0.01   3.0811   3.1952  -1.23 
USD/INR India           55.418-33      55.418-33   0.00   55.648   54.900  +4.53 
USD/IDR Indonesia          9412-3       9157-525  +0.76     9412     9385  +4.20 
USD/PHP Philippines    43.121-362     43.128-368   0.00   43.155   43.356  -1.37 
USD/SGD Singapore       1.2747-54      1.2740-48  +0.05   1.2775   1.2730  -1.65 
USD/KRW S. Korea     1166.59-7.10  1134.59-82.10  +0.73  1166.89  1165.90  +0.54 
USD/TWD Taiwan         29.849-910     29.889-970  -0.17   29.949   29.900  -1.27 
USD/THB Thailand     30.566-1.834   30.568-1.834   0.00   30.619   31.768  -1.26 
USD/VND Vietnam        20930-1000     20557-1206   0.00    20970    21000  -0.74 
 
USD/BRR Brazil          2.0227-58     2.0031-432  +0.05   2.0253   2.0250  +8.50 
USD/MXN Mexico        13.8383-412    13.8279-820  -0.11  13.8789  13.8410  -0.76 
USD/ARS Argentina     4.3555-4822    4.3559-4826  -0.01   4.3627   4.4730  +2.55 
 

Japan Opposition Party to Endorse Tax Hike

TOKYO --The opposition Liberal Democratic Party will accept the government's proposed two-step consumption tax increase, aligning itself with the ruling Democratic Party of Japan on the heart of Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda's package of tax and social security reforms, the Nikkei reported in its Friday morning edition.

On Thursday, LDP policy committee leaders settled on a party line on the tax issue ahead of three-way talks on revising the proposed reform legislation. The party will agree to raise the consumption tax in two stages: first from 5% to 8% in April 2014, then to 10% in October 2015.

The three biggest parties in the Diet--the DPJ, the LDP and the opposition New Komeito--will begin negotiations Friday, aiming to reach a deal by June 15 and vote on the bills in the lower house by June 21, when the legislative session ends.

They will tackle taxes and social security separately, starting with the latter, an issue on which the DPJ and LDP stand further apart. The LDP wants the DPJ to drop some of its defining social security proposals, such as creating a guaranteed minimum pension and eliminating the separate health insurance bracket for the elderly. Should they fail to reach a compromise there, an agreement on the tax hike may fall through.

On the tax hike, the LDP will call for a provision giving the final say to the sitting government six months before the first stage of the tax increase. At the same time, it seeks to drop economic growth targets linked to the tax hike, arguing they would tie the hands of future governments.

To cushion the impact on low-income Japanese, the government and the DPJ are considering an initial round of cash payments, followed in the longer term by refundable tax credits. The LDP is cool to both proposals and will try to push for more targeted, temporary measures.

Despite their rhetoric, both parties had already seen eye to eye on raising the tax to 10%. The LDP has concluded that agreeing to the basic structure of the DPJ's proposed tax hike offers the fastest way to that end. New Komeito, meanwhile, is more likely to accept the parts of the plan that the other two parties agree on.
06-07-12 1920ET

(END) Dow Jones Newswires
June 07, 2012 19:45 ET (23:45 GMT)

China Yuan Official Central Parity Rates for Friday

The China Foreign Exchange Trade System published the following official central parity rates for major currencies against the yuan Friday:

 
            Friday    Thursday 
USD/CNY     6.3188     6.3170 
HKD/CNY     0.81446    0.81419 
JPY/CNY*    7.9495     7.9757 
EUR/CNY     7.9222     7.9427 
GBP/CNY     9.8005     9.7784 
AUD/CNY     6.2335     6.2554 
CAD/CNY     6.1359     6.1411 
CNY/MYR     0.50055    0.50015 
CNY/RUB     5.1202     5.1012 
 
*per 100 yen 
 

The daily central parity rate for the yuan versus the U.S. dollar is the weighted average of prices given by market makers. The highest and lowest offers are excluded from the calculation.
In each daily trading session, the central bank allows the dollar/yuan rate to move no more than 1% above or below the central parity rate, and the yuan/ringgit and yuan/ruble to move no more than 5%. It allows other currency pairs to move as much as 3% above or below the central parity rate.

Source: www.chinamoney.com.cn

Write to djnews.shanghai@dowjones.com

(END) Dow Jones Newswires
June 07, 2012 21:17 ET (01:17 GMT)

Daily Forex Brief London: Monday 4th June 2012

Where do we go from here?

It's a reasonable question and one which many were asking themselves on Friday in the wake of the disappointing US jobs data. There was also an expectation of some statement from EU and/or G7 leaders over the weekend to offer reassurance to markets. As it was, there was nothing of substance, with the result that Asian equities were down over 2% today, with the fall in Chinese stocks the biggest for two months. The latest PMI data for the services industry showed a further modest slowdown in China. So looking around the world economy, there are currently few signs of decent momentum, either in the emerging or developed world. Still, if the German newspaper Welt-am-Sonntag it to be believed, EU leaders are drawing up a crisis plan to be ready by the end of the month. This reportedly contains many of the measures (integrated budget policy, banking union, and political union) at which many member states, notably Germany, have balked at in the past. But the truth is that we are at the point where bold measures will have to be taken if the euro is to stand a chance of staying intact. Incremental, compromised and late initiatives have failed spectacularly.

Daily Forex Brief London: Friday 1st June 2012

Hold onto your hats

It's gearing up to be a busy Friday. We've already had manufacturing PMI data in China coming in softer than expected, falling to 50.4 (from 53.3). In Europe, markets are understandably nervous, the euro once again having traded at a new low for the year as Asia (at 1.2324), whilst Spain has denied speculation that it is talking to the IMF about possible aid. Meanwhile, there were some fairly critical words for European leaders from the head of the ECB yesterday, saying that it was not the ECB's job to "fill the vacuum left by the lack of action by national governments". The results from the Irish referendum on the fiscal compact are also expected today and whilst a 'yes' vote is pretty much assured, history is scattered with surprise referendum decisions in Europe. Not for the first time, markets will be looking to the US to provide some good news, with the April employment report released this afternoon. Hopes are for a modest recovery from the 115k increase seen in April, the 150k expected gain would take payrolls back to the average of the past 6 months. Meanwhile, yields on German 2 year bonds have touched negative territory this morning, an illustration of the ever more dis-jointed markets we are seeing.

-The State Bank of Vietnam Friday set the exchange rate for the U.S

                        Friday                Thursday 
   Official USD/VND rate: VND20,828             VND20,828 
   Vietcombank rate:      VND20,840-VND20,890   VND20,840-VND20,890 
   Gold shop rate:        VND20,870-VND20,890   VND20,860-VND20,890 
 

HANOI (Dow Jones)--The State Bank of Vietnam Friday set the exchange rate for the U.S. dollar at VND20,828, unchanged from Thursday.
Rates offered by major commercial banks led by Vietcombank are steady, while gold shops have slightly raised their selling rate.
"Forex trading activity in the interbank market is lackluster because of weak corporate demand for the greenback as many trading firms still report slow sales of imported materials and goods," said a foreign exchange dealer with a Hanoi-based commercial joint stock bank.
Many domestic firms have reportedly said they faced rising inventories in May because of weak consumption caused by ongoing recession, the dealer said.
Dollar demand from importers of staple items declined after the import value of gasoline fell 13.3% on year to $3.98 billion over January-May, while automobile imports fell 36% to $845 million during the same period, said the dealer, citing government trade data released this week.
Another dealer with Ho Chi Minh City-based ACB Bank said though Vietnam reported a trade deficit of $700 million in May, the deficit was only $632 million for the January-May period compared with a deficit of more than $6.25 billion booked for the same period last year.
"These figures show that Vietnam has faced no immediate dollar shortage, and I expect the exchange rate to be flat in the near term," the dealer said.
Currency dealers with banks and gold shops in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City forecast the free market rate to move in a range of VND20,870 to VND20,900 over the weekend.

-By Nguyen Pham Muoi, Dow Jones Newswires; 84-4-35123041; phammuoi.nguyen@dowjones.com

(END) Dow Jones Newswires
May 31, 2012 22:30 ET (02:30 GMT)

China official May PMI drops sharply to 50.4 from 53.3 in April

-- Currencies in Asia-Pacific region fall on weak data
-- Economists says economy will bottom out in the second quarter
BEIJING -- China's official Purchasing Managers Index fell significantly to 50.4 in May from April's 53.3, showing an accelerated slowdown in the world's second-largest economy that calls for more stimulus policies.
The gauge for nationwide manufacturing activity was also lower than the median forecast of 51.5 from 10 economists polled by Dow Jones Newswires. Nine out of the 10 economists predicted a higher PMI than the real figure.
A PMI reading above 50 indicates an expansion in manufacturing activity, while a reading below 50 indicates contraction.
After the weak data was announced, the Australian dollar fell to 0.9644 against the U.S dollar, its lowest level since Oct. 5, 2011. Other regional currencies including the New Zealand dollar and Singapore dollar were all lower because of the China PMI.
Due to weak overseas demand and domestic investment, China's economic growth will likely bottom out in the second quarter, before Beijing's supportive policies begin to take effect in the second half of the year, economists said.
"As risks of a hard landing have increased, Beijing should issue more policies to stabilize economic growth," said Li Huiyong, an economist at Shenyin & Wanguo Securities.
"The quicker interest rates are cut the better," he said.
Meanwhile, Standard Chartered economist Li Wei expressed some skepticism at the big drop in the PMI. The high April figure is suspect given that other data were weak across the board that month, and flawed seasonal adjustment methods may be the culprit, Li said.
"I think the slowdown is all being reflected in May, so I'm a little bit concerned about some over-correction in the data," he said.
Nonetheless, Li said there is no doubt underlying economic conditions are weak and economic data may not begin to reflect the stimulus until August or September.
-Liu Li and Aaron Back contributed to this article, Dow Jones Newswires; 8610-8400-7713; li.liu@dowjones.com

(END) Dow Jones Newswires
May 31, 2012 21:35 ET (01:35 GMT)

UK banks improve stability and see assets at record levels

The UK is the leading centre for international banking and home to several of the largest global banks. Its banking sector assets were up 3% in 2011 to a record £8,119bn according to TheCityUK report Banking 2012. Although profitability has declined about 10% during the year, banks in the UK have made significant progress in repairing balance sheets, improving capital and funding and are in a better position than other large European countries on a variety of measures.

Banks have, according to the report, reduced reliance on wholesale markets to fund lending, with loan-to-deposit ratios declining 4% on average in 2011 to 102%. Deposits in the UK have grown faster than loans since 2009, narrowing the funding gap to 8% of lending in 2011 from 24% at the outset of the credit crisis. UK banks have also reduced leverage ratios, to just over 20 times in 2011 from over 40 times three years earlier, with leverage set to decline further as banks transition to higher capital requirements under Basel III. However, credit availability and lending remains constrained, in common with other developed countries.

The UK banking sector’s direct exposure to vulnerable sovereign debt in Greece, Portugal, Italy, Spain and Ireland totalled around £15bn at the end of Q3-2011. UK banks have larger exposures to the private sectors in these countries of over £190bn. This was considerably less than, for example, France and Germany, which had overall exposures of over £400bn and £300bn respectively, and more than four times the UK’s direct holdings of vulnerable sovereign debt.

The UK had the second largest banking sector assets in the world, after the US, in 2011. Foreign banks held 48% of the total, a higher proportion than in most other large countries. The UK is the leadingcentre for international banking, and home to several of the largest global banks. Its 19% share of cross-border bank lending was the highest in the world. The 251 foreign banks physically located in the UK is more than in any other centre. The UK is also one of the most important centres for private and investment banking and Islamic banking.

Figures for the global industry show that assets of the largest 1,000 banks grew by 6.4% in 2010/11 to a record $101.6 trillion, with the highest growth registered in China. TheCityUK forecasts a further 6% increase in industry assets during 2011/12. Banks from emerging market countries have on the whole been less affected by the economic slowdown, and are expected to drive growth in the coming years. In Europe, the increase in sovereign risk in some countries and concerns about government debt levels have spilled over into the banking system, raising the cost of borrowing for many banks and depressing their market capitalisation. According to the report, banks around the world have over $3.5 trillion in wholesale funds which will need to be refinanced in 2012 and 2013. This is made more difficult in some European countries by an increase in funding costs and sharp rise in bank debt yields resulting from an increase in sovereign risk.

Investment banking

Global investment banking revenue totalled $70.3bn in 2011, down slightly on the previous year. Fee revenue of $42.1bn generated during the first half of 2011 represented the strongest start to a year in four years. However, business activity then slowed. The $15.7bn fee revenue generated in Q1-2012 was down a fifth on the same period in 2011.

Business activity from mergers and acquisitions advisory work has fallen considerably since the start of the economic slowdown, and accounted for 27% of revenue in 2011. Equity underwriting, fixed income underwriting and syndicated loans business each accounted for around a third of the remaining business. The US was the source of 54% of business, its highest share in five years. Europe’s share declined during this period to a quarter from close to 40%, partly a result of sovereign risk concerns in some countries. Asia accounted for around a fifth of the total, nearly double its share four years earlier.

Companies in the UK were the source of $3.3bn of global revenue in 2011, down 15% on the 2010 figure. This represented around 4.6% of global fee revenue making it the fourth largest market behind the US, China and Canada. Although the UK was the source of around a fifth of European investment banking fee revenue, around a half of European investment banking activity was conducted through London. The majority of investment banks are either headquartered or have a major office there. The largest international banks in the UK each employ several thousand people.

Companies in the financial sector have consistently been the source of the highest share of investment banks’ business over the past decade, both globally and in the UK. Their 22% global share was ahead of energy and natural resources (20%) and industrials (15%), which both saw a 6% increase in revenue to $14.1bn and $10.8bn respectively. Other fee generating industries included consumer and retails (10%) and technology and healthcare (7% each).

Contribution to the economy

The UK banking sector is a crucial and integral part of its economy. Net exports of UK banks totalled£25bn in 2010 helping to offset the trade in goods deficit. The UK banking industry contributed £56bnto the economy in 2010, equivalent to 4.8% of GDP, or over half of the 8.9% generated by the financial sector as a whole. Foreign direct investment into the UK banking sector more than doubled over the past decade to reach £63.3bn in 2010. During this period outward direct investment grew more than five-fold to £83.4bn.

Banks located in the UK provide employment for 454,200 people. London accounts for 31% of this, followed by North West 10%, Yorkshire 10%, Scotland 9%, the South West 8% and the South East 8%. Other cities outside of London with large employment in banking included Edinburgh (15,100), Leeds (14,500) and Birmingham (12,500).

By Chris Cummings, Chief Executive of TheCityUK

www.thecityuk.com