Market Summary by AFORTI: Currency market volatility, Fed member's warning, new countries in BRICS group
Macroeconomic situation
Poland:
1. NBP FX reserves (in foreign currency; billion euros): 214.19; previously 206.7;
2. Epiphany
Eurozone:
1. CPI (y/y) (Gru): value 2.4%; forecast 2.4%; previously 2.2%;
2. CPI (m/m) (Dec): value: 0.4%; previously -0.3%;
3. Core CPI (y/y) (Dec): value: 2.7%; forecast 2.7%; previously 2.7%;
4. Unemployment rate (Nov): value 6.3%; forecast 6.4%; previously 6.3%;
5. services PMI (Dec): value 51.6; forecast 51.4; previously 49.5;
6. S&P Global composite PMI (Dec): Value 49.6; forecast 49.5; previous 48.3;
Germany:
1. PMI for services (Dec): value 51.2; forecast 51.0; previously 49.3;
2. CPI (m/m) (Dec): value 0.4%; forecast 0.3%; previously -0.2%;
3. CPI (y/y) (Dec): value 2.6%; forecast 2.4%; previously 2.2%;
4. German retail sales (m/m) (Nov): value -0.6%; forecast 0.5%; -0.3%
France:
1. PMI for services (Dec): value 49.3; forecast 48.2; previously 46.9;
2. CPI (m/m) (Dec): value 0.2%; forecast 0.3%; previously -0.1%;
3. French consumer spending (m/m) (Nov) ): 0.3%; forecast 0.1%; previously -0.3%;
UK:
1. speech by BOE President Sam Woods;
2. Composite PMI (Dec): value 50.4; forecast 50.5; previously 50.5;
3. Services PMI (Dec): 51.1; value 51.1; forecast 50.5; previous 50.8;
4. BRC retail sales index (y/y) (Dec): 3.1%; forecast -0.2%; previously -3.4%
USA:
1. PMI for services (Dec): value 56.8; forecast 58.5; previously 56.1;
2. ISM Services Index (Dec): value 54.1; forecast 53.5; previously 52.1; 3;
3. non-farm payrolls (thousands; Dec): value 256; forecast 164; previously 212;
4. declared initially unemployed (thousands): value: 201; forecast; 214; previously 211;
5. unemployment rate (Gru): value: 4.1%; forecast: 4.2%; previously 4.2%;
6. Hourly wages (%;m/m; Nov): value: 0.3%; forecast: 0.3%; previously 0.4%;
7. Hourly wages (%; y/y; Lis): value 3.9%; forecast 4.0%; previously 4.0%;
9. Crude oil inventories (mn): value -0.959; forecast -1.800; previously -1.178;
10. Michigan Consumer Confidence Index (preliminary; points; Gru): value 73.2; forecast 74; previous 74;
11. day of national mourning following the death of former President Jimmy Carter.
Currency market:
The Polish zloty (PLN) strengthened against the euro (EUR) by 0.14% and oscillated between 4.2467 and 4.2816.
Meanwhile, against the US dollar (USD), the Polish zloty (PLN) weakened by 0.43% and oscillated between 4.0723 and 4.1774.
Oil and gold market
The price of BRENT crude oil rose by 4.02% in the past week and settled in a range of USD 75.73-80.63/barrel.
The price of gold, on the other hand, rose by 2.44% and oscillated between US$2 626.86 and US$2 732.36 per ounce.
Stock market
The WIG index gained 0.94% this week and oscillated between 80,930 and 82,833.
Cryptocurrencies
The price of Bitcoin (BTC) was down 2.47% this week, settling in a range of £382,500-419,500.
Summary
The past week has seen considerable volatility in the financial markets, particularly in the currency market. The exchange rates of the dollar and the euro against the zloty showed large fluctuations, reaching 10.5 and 3.5 cents respectively. The reasons for this volatility were probably speculation related to US trade policy and the publication of very positive US labour market data following a day of national mourning.
At the beginning of 2025, the BRICS group expanded significantly, welcoming new members and partners. Indonesia joined as a full member, and as partners: Belarus, Bolivia, Cuba, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Thailand, Uganda and Uzbekistan. Thus, BRICS now comprises 18 countries, which together account for more than 41% of global GDP and more than half of the global population. This significant expansion demonstrates the growing influence of this group on the global economy and politics.
On 6 January, Federal Reserve Board member Lisa Cook, during a speech at the University of Michigan, expressed serious concerns about the overvaluation of certain financial assets, such as stocks and bonds. According to Cook, this situation increases the risk of sudden falls in these markets. Her statement harkens back to Alan Greenspan's famous warning in 1996 about ‘irrational euphoria’ in financial markets. As we know, Greenspan's words proved prophetic, as the internet bubble burst some three years later.
The year 2024 proved to be a record year for Polish investment fund companies (TFIs). In December alone, these funds raised an additional PLN 3.3 billion, which allowed them to close the year with an impressive PLN 42.2 billion in deposits from clients. The main driver of this growth was individual investors, who on average made monthly deposits of PLN 3.27 billion. In turn, financial institutions withdrew around PLN 2.7 billion from TFIs. Short-maturity debt funds were the most popular.
TREASURY DEPARTMENT
AFORTI.BIZ