Stocks, crude oil, and precious metals are starting Monday off in rally mode. Treasuries are flat, while the dollar is dipping.
There’s not much economic data or Fedspeak hitting the tape today, but that will change as the week goes on. We’ll get home price data on Tuesday, along with a couple of Federal Reserve policymaker speeches. Then new home sales come out Wednesday, durable goods and used home sales are released Thursday, and personal income, spending, and PCE inflation reports hit Friday.
Interest rates have eased from their April-May highs, but the 10-Year Treasury Note is still yielding 4.25%. Plus, as Bloomberg highlights today, investors are increasingly expecting rates to remain higher for several years. Many believe the so-called “neutral rate” – a level of rates that is neither restrictive nor expansionary – is closer to 3.6% now versus around 2.5%-2.75% back in the post-Great Financial Crisis era.
10-Year US Treasury Yield
Source: Yahoo Finance
The European Union is coming for Apple Inc. (AAPL). Regulators charged the iPhone and App Store company with violating its Digital Markets Act. They say Apple places unfair restrictions on developers who sell apps through its store, while Apple says it has modified its practices to comply with the law. Apple has several months to discuss the charges with officials, though the EU could ultimately fine the company up to 10% of its worldwide revenue if a settlement can’t be reached.
The Electric Vehicle (EV) battle between China and the rest of the world is really heating up. The EU, US, and Canada have all implemented tariffs on Chinese EVs – or are discussing doing so – to keep a flood of cheaper imports from overwhelming domestic markets. Now, Chinese negotiators are trying to get European officials to back off by offering European automakers reduced-cost access to China’s home market.
