After a US holiday, global markets are back with a cautious outlook, partly due to China’s efforts to support its struggling real estate sector.
This week’s spotlight includes the US Leading Indicators Index and non-manufacturing activity, plus European construction and car registrations.
These will help assess the real economy’s response to current high interest rates.
Market Highlights and Economic Events
Attention turns to the Federal Reserve‘s January meeting minutes and the Eurozone’s inflation figures.
Rate Reduction: Chinese banks cut the main mortgage rate to 3.95%, a significant move.
Analyst Willer Chen considers it a positive step, though not a complete solution to real estate challenges.
Iron Ore Slump: Despite pro-real estate actions, iron ore hit a three-month low in Singapore, dropping over 5%.
This reflects worries that steel demand may not bounce back after the Lunar New Year, placing iron ore among the worst-hit commodities.
Major Merger: Capital One Financial is set to buy Discover Financial Services for $35 billion in stock, aspiring to be the top US credit card firm by loan volume.
This deal offers Discover shareholders a 26.6% premium on their shares as of February 16.
Saudi Ventures: Saudi Arabia launches $100 billion investment firm with SoftBank Group, aiming to become an industrial leader.
The joint investment will create a state-of-the-art manufacturing hub in Riyadh, targeting a $1 billion GDP contribution by 2025.
Car Sales Boost: Europe saw an 11% jump in car sales in January, with electric vehicles’ market share climbing to 11.9%.
This indicates strong competition and growing electric car demand.
Ukraine’s Defense: Ukraine intercepted all 23 Shahed drones and missiles from Russia, highlighting ongoing conflict impacts, including injuries and infrastructure damage.
Asset Movements: US futures dipped, European stocks varied, and Asia’s Nikkei fell. Oil prices dropped, but gold and bitcoin gained, showing diverse market reactions.
This week’s events are crucial, indicating how major economic policies and corporate moves affect global markets and the real economy.