OVERNIGHT MARKETS AND NEWS
September E-mini S&Ps (ESU15 +1.02%) are up +1.01% and European stocks are up +1.74% following a rebound in Chinese equities. Greece extended its bank holiday and capital controls through Monday and has until midnight Thursday to present European leaders with a plan that includes spending cuts in exchange for fresh bailout funds. European leaders will then meet on Sunday to decide their response to the proposals. Asian stocks closed mostly higher: Japan +0.60%, Hong Kong +3.73%, China +5,76%, Taiwan -0.69%, Australia +0.03%, Singapore -0.54%, South Korea +0.75%, India -0.41%. China’s Shanghai Composite recovered from a 3-3/4 month low and closed higher after regulators banned majority stockholders from selling their shares for at least 6 months. Investors continue to sell shares bought on margin funds as data showed traders unloaded a record 112 billion yuan ($18 billion) of shares bought with borrowed money on the Shanghai exchange Wednesday, the 13th straight day of declines.
Commodity prices are mixed. Aug crude oil (CLQ15 +2.88%) is up +1.65%, Aug gasoline (RBQ15 +0.85%) is down -0.60%. Metals prices are mixed. Aug gold (GCQ15 -0.11%) is down -0.16%. Sep copper (HGU15 +1.62%) is up +1.40%. Agricultural prices are higher.
The dollar index (DXY00 +0.10%) is up +0.21%. EUR/USD (^EURUSD) is down -0.23%. USD/JPY (^USDJPY) is up +0.68%.
Sep T-note prices (ZNU15 -0.31%) are down -11 ticks as the rally in global stocks reduces the safe-haven demand for Treasuries.
As Greece extended its bank holiday and capital controls through Monday, the ECB on Wednesday kept the cap on Emergency Liquidity Assistance (ELA) to Greece’s central bank at 88.6 billion euros, the level it has been frozen at since Jun 26. A Greek official with direct knowledge of the matter said at the current level of ELA, Greek banks have sufficient liquidity to last through Monday.
As expected, the BOE at the conclusion of today’s policy meeting kept its benchmark interest rate at 0.50% and maintained its asset purchase target at 375 billion pounds.
