The CAC index is showing limited movement in the Tuesday session, after posting small gains on Monday. Currently, the index is at 5,135.50, down 0.09% on the day. On the release front, French French Preliminary Payrolls edged up to 0.3%, beating the forecast of 0.2%. Wednesday should be busier, with key events in Germany and the eurozone. Germany and the eurozone will release GDP reports, and Germany will also publish Final CPI.
After last week’s massive losses, global stock markets have steadied this week. The CAC lost 3.6% last week, and has endured an awful February, shedding 6.9%. Much of the sell-off can be attributed to investor concern over higher inflation in the US, which could lead to raise hikes from the Federal Reserve and other central banks. Inflation has also moved higher in the eurozone, although with plenty of slack in the economy, the ECB is not contemplating any rate hikes.
ECB President Mario Draghi said last week that he is more confident that eurozone inflation is moving closer to the ECB target of just below 2 percent, due to improving economic growth. However, Draghi listed currency market volatility as an obstacle to the inflation target, and added that the ECB would carefully monitor the euro’s exchange rates. Draghi’s concerns about the exchange rate have been underscored by last week’s stock market turbulence, which boosted the dollar and sent the euro lower by 1.6 percent. The ECB tapered its massive stimulus program from EUR 60 billion to 30 billion/mth in January, and the markets are looking for hints as to whether the ECB will normalize policy and wind up stimulus in September.
