Li Keqiang announced a link between the Shenzhen and Hong Kong stock exchanges, likely to open by the end of the year. The current cap on aggregate quota for the Shanghai connect was abolished. President of the New York Fed William Dudley said the time was approaching when it would be appropriate to increase short-term interest rates, and that a September rise remained possible. The dollar fell as low as ¥99.53 against the yen before rallying back to ¥100.24. The euro was up at $1.1278. The dollar index was down to 94.85, off a low of 94.43. Sterling rose to $1.3016. The two-year US Treasury yield bounced off a low of 0.686 per cent to stand 2 basis points higher at a three-week high of 0.75 per cent. The 10-year yield was up 3bp at 1.58 per cent, after earlier touching 1.515 per cent. The 10-year German Bund yield pulled off a low of minus 0.091 per cent to finnish 4bp higher at minus 0.03 per cent, while that on the 10-year UK gilt rose 5bp to 0.58 per cent. Brent crude was up at $49.06 a barrel, the highest since July 7, while US WTI was higher at $46.38. Gold was up at $1,346 an ounce.
Consumer price index Jul 0.00%
CPI ex-food & energy Jul 0.10%
Housing starts Jul 1,211,000
Building permits Jul 1,152,000
Industrial production Jul 0.70%
Capacity utilization Jul 75.90%
S&P500 2178.15
SSE 3110.04
HSI 22910.84
