US producer prices ease. Bond markets warn US Administration. Japan readies another rate hike. Aussie wage rises less than inflation. Hormuz shut.
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Kia ora.
Welcome to Friday’s Economy Watch where we follow the economic events and trends that affect Aotearoa/New Zealand.
I'm David Chaston and this is the international edition from interest.co.nz.
Today we lead with news ship traffic in the Hormuz Strait is now at a complete standstill. But oil prices have eased slightly all the same. So, Wall Street rose and to new record highs.
In the US, there were +187,000 initial jobless claims last week, a slightly larger increase than seasonal factors can account for. There are now just over 1.8 mln on these benefits, a fall from last week as the very much tighter qualification requirements keep people off these unemployment programs.
US producer prices came in slightly lower than expected for July, up +4.7% from a year ago, down from +5.5% in June and lower than the +4.9% expected. A notable fall in July fuel costs offset all other rises in the month.
There was a well supported US Treasury 30 year bond auction earlier today, but investors wanted and got higher yields. They came in at a median 5.16% (high 5.22%) which is a 25 year high and something of a warning to the US Administration. This was up from the prior equivalent event median of 5.01% a month ago.
Meanwhile, Cleveland Fed President Hammack restated her view that the US central bank should raise rates immediately to bring down too-high inflation and restrain business growth and investment. She is a current FOMC voting member. She said she "lacks confidence" the current do-nothing policy will get inflation back to its target. Meanwhile the Richmond Fed boss Barkin says he is happy to wait. Barkin is not a current FOMC voting member.
In Japan, their central bank wants to raise its 1% policy rate from here, and reports indicate that it has government backing for the move now. It could come at the next review in mid-September. Markets have priced in a 75% chance.
Japanese producer prices have been rising fast recently and were up 7.2% in July from a year ago. But there was essentially no rise in July from June, so they are starting to see some heat dissipate.
India reported strong exports, its third highest monthly total ever, in July, and up +19% from the same month in 2026. But they also reported record high imports, driven by fuel imports.
In the EU. euro area industrial production rose in June, very slightly (+0.1%), when a fall (-0.8%) was expected. In the wider EU region, the gain was even better. Production of consumer goods led the way with a strong June result. Gains in Denmark, Poland and Finland were notable. Germany and France dipped.
In Australia, regulators there are warning that online brokers are targeting retail investors with complex or high-risk products without clearly disclosing their risks or conducting proper onboarding, leaving those who respond exposed to risky products that could see them lose their investments within hours.
New semi-annual pay data out yesterday in Australia revealed a softening trend in the private sector. Overall average weekly ordinary time earnings for full-time adults were AU$2,084 in May, up just +1.6% overall in the period, up +3.7% for the year. These are the slowest increase rates since 2022. Rises in public sector pay are running at nearly twice the pace of the private sector. Recall, CPI inflation there was at 3.8% in the year to June - so no real gains.
Global container freight rates were up a mere +1% last week from the prior week but are +85% higher than year-ago levels. That weekly data masks sharply higher rates to the US from China, offset by lower rates from China to the EU. Bulk cargo rates fell -4.2% in the past week from a cycle high and are now +45% higher than year-ago levels.
The UST 10yr yield is now just on 4.63%, down -5 bps from this time yesterday.
The price of gold is falling, now at US$4357/oz, down -US$60 from yesterday. Silver has fallen almost -US$1 to just over US$64.50/oz.
Oil prices are down -US$1 from yesterday at just under US$82/bbl in the US, while the international Brent price is now just under US$88/bbl. Hormuz transits have virtually vanished. There has been no crude tankers and only 1 cargo ship exiting over the past 24 hours (0 dark with transponders off) and just two entering for new loads (0 dark), again all Iran-linked. The Red Sea activity is now less than 10 exits at the Yemen chokepoint.
The Kiwi dollar is down another -10 bps from yesterday at just under 58.5 USc. Against the Aussie we are holding soft at 82.9 AUc. Against the euro we have dipped -10 bps to 50.7 euro cents. That all means our TWI-5 starts today at just under 62.1 which is also down -10 bps from this time yesterday.
The bitcoin price starts today at US$63,141 and down -0.4% from this time yesterday. Volatility over the past 24 hours has also been low at just on +/-0.8%.
You can get more news affecting the economy in New Zealand from interest.co.nz.
Kia ora. I'm David Chaston and we’ll do this again on Monday.
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