Aforti Exchange

Market Summary by AFORTI: Stabilisation of the Polish Zloty, Rise in Oil Prices, Escalation of US-China Trade Tariffs

16 December 2024

Macroeconomic situation

Poland:

1. Treasury Securities (TS) sale auction;

2. CPI inflation (final; %; m/m; Nov): value 0.5; forecast 0.4; previously 0.3;

3. CPI inflation (final; %; y/y; Nov): value 4.7; forecast 4.6; previously 5.0;

4. current account balance (€m; Oct): value 1.064; previously -1.434;

Euro area:

1. ECB rate decision (%, Dec): value 3.15; forecast 3.15; previously 3.4;

2. ECB decision on deposit rate (%, Dec): 3.0; forecast 3.0; previously 3.25;

3. ECB press conference;

4. Sentix Investor Confidence Index (pt; Dec): value -17.5 forecast -13.5;previously -12.8;

5. industrial production (%;y/y): value -1.2; forecast -1.9; previously -2.2;

Germany:

1. HICP inflation (Harmonised; final;%; y/y; Nov): value 2.4; forecast 2.4; previously 2.4;

2. trade balance (EUR bn; Oct): value 13.4; forecast 16.1; previously 17;

UK:

1. Gfk consumer confidence (pt; Dec): value -17; forecast -18; previously -18;

2. GDP (%;m/m; Oct): value -0.1; forecast 0.1; previously -0.1;

3. industrial production (m/m; %; Oct): value -0.6; forecast 0.3; previously -0.5;

USA:

1. OPEC meeting;

2. CPI (m/m; %; Nov): value 0.3; forecast 0.3; previously 0.2;

3. CPI (y/y;%; Lis): value 2.7; forecast 2.7; previously 2.6;

4. PPI excluding Food and Energy (%;y/y; Lis): value 3.4; forecast 3.2; previously 3.1;


Foreign exchange market:

Polish zloty (PLN) stable against the euro (EUR) - a change of 0.14% and oscillated between 4.2563 and 4.2828.

wcQIUNay0CcOwAAAABJRU5ErkJggg==

In contrast, against the US dollar (USD), the Polish zloty (PLN) weakened by 0.44% and oscillated between 4.0204 and 4.0922.

BwNcp1+hCrXWAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC

Oil and gold market

The price of Brent crude oil rose by as much as 4.62% and settled in a range of US$71.39-74.56/barrel.

o+aGVpiX0pgKYGlBJYSWEpgKYGlBGqQQNyafaIGnEuMSwksJbCUwFICSwksJbCUwAUhgf8PXwcabqMNiO4AAAAASUVORK5CYII=

The gold price rose by 0.42% and settled in a range of US$2,659.09-2,758.8 per ounce.

S5kf8XySgIrCawksJLASgIrCawksDUS+P+pM8vVsaiw5wAAAABJRU5ErkJggg==

Stock market

The WIG index lost 1.48% last week and oscillated between 81 347 and 83 336.

n8JCjvgqVukjgAAAABJRU5ErkJggg==

Summary

As you can read in Francis Fukuyama's book The Confusion of Liberalism - Liberalism is under threat around the world today. However, one form of it is really booming, namely the gambling business. From casinos to betting-online, it is booming almost across the globe. In the US, for example, revenue from betting-online has increased by 40% year-on-year. Macau has seen growth of 11% this year (according to forecasts). It is true that gambling can be a ruinous addiction. However, risking 1% of your income on the prospect of a big win seems reasonable. This year, Americans spent $150bn on sports betting ($7bn in 2018).

Across the European continent, there has been an increase in government spending. The best example is the defence industry (arms spending and more). France is becoming an exceptionally interesting case with a deficit of over 6% - well above the 3% maximum ceiling granted by the European Commission - by the end of the decade. France's public debt will reach 115% of GDP next year. By contrast, former Prime Minister Michel Barnier has made history not only as France's oldest prime minister, but also as the one with the shortest time in office. On Friday, Macron decided that Francois Bayrou would form the new government.

         If Donald Trump were to impose the promised tariffs on China at 60%, then China's exports would decline by 6.5% next year. On 3 December, the Biden administration introduced restrictions on new chips. In response, China banned exports to the US of minerals needed for, among other things, weapons, including gallium and germanium (gallium and germanium).

Zbigniew Lazar

TREASURY DEPARTMENT 

AFORTI.BIZ

×Sorry. Your browser an unknown bot does not meet the minimum requirements of our platform. Please update your browser!