Sunday, 24 September 2023
In a series of significant developments, the United Automobile Workers (UAW) union strike at General Motors (GM) and Stellantis could potentially put pressure on Ford and Stellantis. The strike, which has seen UAW members picketing outside a GM parts distribution center in Burton, Michigan, has raised concerns about the potential impact on the automotive industry.
Meanwhile, in a groundbreaking discovery, scientists have found that jellyfish exhibit signs of “thinking/learning” at the cellular level. This finding, which challenges our understanding of intelligence and cognition, suggests that even organisms with minimal neural systems can possess cognitive abilities.
In the financial markets, the S&P 500, Nasdaq, and Dow Jones closed the week with losses, dropping to their lowest levels since June. This decline was primarily driven by the Federal Reserve’s hawkish stance. The United Kingdom’s Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) also reported a decrease in GBP non-commercial net positions, with the latest data showing a decline from £46.2K to £33.7K.
The Eurozone economy is facing a potential downturn as business orders continue to decline, leading to a six-month low for the Euro. This decline in business orders is a significant concern for the Eurozone, indicating a potential economic downturn. Investors are increasingly betting against further interest rate hikes due to the grim economic outlook.
In the United Kingdom, the S&P Global/CIPS Composite PMI for September fell below expectations, coming in at 46.8 compared to the anticipated 48.7. Additionally, UK Retail Sales Year-on-Year (YoY) for August recorded a decline of -1.4%, falling below market expectations of -1.2%. This indicates a slowdown in consumer spending and suggests potential challenges for the retail sector.
In currency news, the GBP/USD pair is currently facing challenges as it remains near a multi-month low of 1.2230. Traders are closely monitoring the upcoming UK and US Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) data, which could further impact the pair’s performance. Similarly, the AUD/USD pair is experiencing a downward trend following the release of Australian PMI data.
Finally, the Bank of Japan (BoJ) is set to hold its Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) meeting on Friday, September 22. While no changes to policy are expected, the focus will be on the tone of the meeting, which may turn hawkish. Forecasts from eight major banks suggest that the BoJ will maintain its current interest rate decision.
This article was generated by AI so there may be some errors.
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