|

US: S&P Global Services PMI slumps to 44.4 in December vs. 46.8 expected

  • S&P Global Services PMI continued to decline in December.
  • US Dollar Index stays in negative territory below 104.50.

S&P Global Services PMI declined to 44.4 in December's flash estimate from 46.2 in November. This print fell short of the market expectation of 46.8. Regarding the price pressure in the service sector, "inflationary pressures in the service sector cooled notably in December, as input costs rose at the softest pace since October 2020," said S&P Global. "Despite some material and labor costs rising, reports of lower wholesale and fuel prices eased pressure on cost burdens."

Further details of the publication revealed that the Composite PMI dropped to 44.5 from 46.4 in the same period.

Commenting on the data, "business conditions are worsening as 2022 draws to a close, with a steep fall in the PMI indicative of GDP contracting in the fourth quarter at an annualised rate of around 1.5%," noted Chris Williamson, Chief Business Economist at S&P Global Market Intelligence. 

Market reaction

The US Dollar came under modest selling pressure on this report and the US Dollar Index was last seen posting small daily losses at 104.42.

Author

Eren Sengezer

As an economist at heart, Eren Sengezer specializes in the assessment of the short-term and long-term impacts of macroeconomic data, central bank policies and political developments on financial assets.

More from Eren Sengezer
Share:

Editor's Picks

AUD/USD hangs close to monthly lows, still defends 0.7100 ahead of Fed decision

AUD/USD retains its negative bias for the third straight day, defending 0.7100 while trading close to a monthly low in Wednesday's Asian session on Wednesday. The US Dollar stands firm near a two-week high as the anticipated Fed rate hike and oil-driven inflation fears continue to push US bond yields to a multi-year high. Furthermore, escalating Middle East tensions benefit the safe-haven buck and weigh on the risk-sensitive Aussie.

USD/JPY holds firm above 155.00, awaits Fed policy announcements

USD/JPY climbs to a fresh one-week high above 155.00 in the Asian session on Wednesday amid a bullish US Dollar. Oil-driven inflation fears, along with the anticipated Fed rate hike, continue to support surging US bond yields. Moreover, rising US-Iran tensions underpin the USD's reserve currency status. The pair, however, remains below the mid-155.00s as bulls seem hesitant ahead of the Fed decision later today and the BoJ meeting, starting on Thursday.

Gold traders seem noncommittal below $4,350; eyes Fed rate decision

Gold clings to modest intraday gains through the first half of the European session, albeit it lacks follow-through buying and remains below $4,350. The US Dollar eases from a two-week high amid some profit-taking, offering support to the commodity. Traders, however, seem hesitant to place aggressive directional bets and opt to wait on the sidelines heading into the key central bank event risk.

Cardano's bearish breakout warns of a 15% downside risk
Cardano (ADA) hovers around $0.1900 at press time on Wednesday after a 6% decline the previous day, breaking below a crucial support level. Declining on-chain activity across the Cardano ecosystem, with reduced transaction count and Real Economic Value (REV), suggests waning user demand.
Fed decision in focus

Starting with the most important, the Fed decision. Heading into the event, data showed a rather punchy US August jobs report, which, you will likely recall, triggered a hawkish Fed rate repricing in rates markets. However, the recent US August CPI print mattered more.

How Japan became the World's Banker and why that era may be ending

Japan's ultra-low interest rates helped finance trillions of dollars in global investments for more than a decade, making the Japanese Yen one of the world’s cheapest sources of funding. With the Bank of Japan expected to tighten policy again this week, that advantage may be entering a new phase. While most major economies raised interest rates, Japan remained the world's outlier.