European markets expect the US inflation data

Markets are halted in the expectations of U.S. inflation data later in the day which could offer clues on the pace of interest rate rises this year. Most experts await core CPI to have slowed but remain solid at 0.2% month-on-month in February, following a 0.5% rise in January.

Stock Exchanges update: Frankfurt’s Dax index has edged up 0.02%, London’s FTSE 100 is off 0.07%, the pan-European Euro Stoxx 600 is down 0.08%. Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 was Asia Pacific’s worst performer, down 0.4%, breaking a three-day run of gains. China’s CSI 300 index, tracking Shenzhen and Shanghai stocks, was off 0.9% while South Korea’s Kospi gained 0.4%. On Wall Street, gains for US technology stocks pushed the Nasdaq Composite 0.4% higher while the S&P 500 ended 0.1% lower and the Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 0.6%.

Currencies update: the dollar index strengthened 0.2% to 90.067. The yen weakened 0.5% to ¥106.93 per dollar and the pound was 0.1% weaker at $1.3891. The euro was 0.1% off at $1.2317.

Commodities: Oil prices dipped after falling in the previous session on concerns that growing US shale output could undermine efforts by Opec and its allies to cut production. US marker West Texas Intermediate was down 0.2 per cent at $61.24 a barrel after retreating 1.1 per cent on Monday. Brent crude slipped 0.2 per cent to $64.84 a barrel after shedding 0.8 per cent in the previous session

Sources: 

https://www.fxstreet.com/currencies/eurusd?utm_expid=.3P9hKnebQNiWu3C5ouyZdg.0&utm_referrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.fxstreet.com%2Ft%2Fnews

https://www.investing.com/news/stock-market-news/asia-stocks-edge-up-on-tech-shares-us-inflation-data-awaited-1338024

https://www.ft.com/content/1736cba0-2663-11e8-b27e-cc62a39d57a0