US: Market movers for today

Analysts at Nomura point out that the US Empire State survey headline index jumped to 22.5 in March, from 13.1 February.

Key Quotes

“The new orders and shipment indices rose solidly, pointing to continued momentum in demand. Healthy global growth has also been contributing to continued firm growth. However, in the March ISM surveys many industries noted concern over proposed tariffs on steel and aluminum. The prices paid index of the ISM surveys jumped, reflecting these concerns. While the April Empire State survey may reflect some of these concerns, we expect manufacturers’ optimistic outlook to persist. We forecast 18.0 for April following 22.5 in March.”

“Business inventories: Real inventory buildup will likely contribute solidly to real GDP growth in Q1. Incoming data indicate a decent 0.3% m-o-m increase in factory inventories in February. Wholesale inventories rose solidly by 1.0% and retail inventories gained a firm 0.4%, although much of the increase in inventories at retail stores was driven by the increase in the stock of autos as sales slowed. Altogether, the final estimate of business inventories will likely come in at a 0.6% increase.”

“NAHB housing market index: We expect the April NAHB housing market index to decline 1pp to 69. Demand for housing has been healthy with strong labor market conditions and elevated consumer confidence. However, threats of tariffs between the US and China raised concerns over input costs and the April NAHB survey will likely pick this up. Homebuilders have already highlighted rising costs of building materials. It is possible that they reacted adversely to the recent escalation in trade tensions. In the March ISM non-manufacturing report, respondents from the construction sector noted that “the unbelievable amount of market volatility in construction-related materials that started with lumber continues with the tariffs on steel and aluminum.”

Share: Feed news

Information on these pages contains forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. Markets and instruments profiled on this page are for informational purposes only and should not in any way come across as a recommendation to buy or sell in these assets. You should do your own thorough research before making any investment decisions. FXStreet does not in any way guarantee that this information is free from mistakes, errors, or material misstatements. It also does not guarantee that this information is of a timely nature. Investing in Open Markets involves a great deal of risk, including the loss of all or a portion of your investment, as well as emotional distress. All risks, losses and costs associated with investing, including total loss of principal, are your responsibility. The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of FXStreet nor its advertisers. The author will not be held responsible for information that is found at the end of links posted on this page.

If not otherwise explicitly mentioned in the body of the article, at the time of writing, the author has no position in any stock mentioned in this article and no business relationship with any company mentioned. The author has not received compensation for writing this article, other than from FXStreet.

FXStreet and the author do not provide personalized recommendations. The author makes no representations as to the accuracy, completeness, or suitability of this information. FXStreet and the author will not be liable for any errors, omissions or any losses, injuries or damages arising from this information and its display or use. Errors and omissions excepted.

The author and FXStreet are not registered investment advisors and nothing in this article is intended to be investment advice.