HiFX morning Update, October 31, 2018

NZDUSD 0.6552 0.4%
NZDEUR 0.5774 0.7%
NZDGBP 0.5158 1.1%
NZDJPY 73.92 0.8%
NZDAUD 0.9228 -0.1%
NZDCAD 0.8607 0.5%
GBPNZD 1.9387 -1.1%

The NZD has extended its recent gains overnight with risk appetite increasing after President Donald Trump announced during a FOX News interview, that he is confident of striking a "great deal" that ends the tariff conflict with China.

The GBP is the weakest of the G10 currencies trading back below 1.27 against the USD and is in danger of breaching its 2018 low of 1.2660. The pound is down 2.4% against the USD in October after Brexit negotiations broke down earlier this month and plans to hold special Brexit summit in Mid-November were cancelled due to a lack of progress.

The EUR came under pressure after Eurostat’s preliminary economic growth report for Q3 showed growth has slowed to 0.2% following on from a 0.4% expansion in the second quarter. Year-on-year growth has slowed to 1.7% down from Q2’s 2.2% expansion. Both results were below forecasts with economists’ expecting a 0.4% quarterly reading with year-on-year expansion of 1.8%. The final reading will be announced on 14th Nov.

According to a report released by the US Conference Board and in contrast to last Friday’s University of Michigan report consumer confidence in the month of October increased with the board’s confidence index rising to 137.9 from a downwardly revised 135.3 in September. The index had been expected to pull back to 136.3 from the 138.4 originally reported for the previous month.

This afternoon investors will look to Australia’s quarterly inflation report along with the BOJ’s monetary policy statement for direction.

Global equity markets remain mixed, - Dow +0.44%, S&P 500 +0.39%, FTSE +0.14%, DAX -0.42%, CAC -0.22%, Nikkei +1.45%, Shanghai +1.02%.

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