(Bloomberg) --
Good morning. The revelations keep coming around Donald Trump’s Ukraine call, the U.K. and EU negotiation teams meet again and the doves are ruling the roost at the European Central Bank. Here’s what’s moving markets.
‘Perfect’ Call
The call between U.S. President Donald Trump and Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskiy is dominating conversation in Washington and there’s no reason to think that’ll change any time soon. The whistleblower's complaint which has brought the call to light claims White House officials tried to “ lock down” the details of an interaction Trump has now called “perfect” on a couple of occasions in addition to attacking the whistleblower in a private meeting caught on tape. As Democrats push forward with a formal impeachment inquiry, markets will have to continue to decide how to process it.
‘Lance the Boil’
U.K. Brexit Secretary Steve Barclay and European Union chief negotiator Michel Barnier will meet in Brussels with the hope that some progress can be made towards agreeing to an exit deal as British lawmakers continue to squabble. U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson, still defiant following the historic court defeat his government suffered this week, is sticking to the view that getting Brexit done will “lance the boil” which has been characterized by an atmosphere in the House of Commons that the speaker had to condemn. The meeting will also take place amid a prediction that a no-deal Brexit would most likely result in a 2020 recession.
Doves in Charge
European Central Bank Chief Economist Philip Lane says he thinks there remains room for the bank to cut rates again and said the stimulus program which has split policymakers was “not such a big package.” Very dovish words, particularly after the surprise resignation of one of the more hawkish members of the board and likely to encourage bond investors enjoying the rally. There could even be signs that Germany is starting to come around to the idea that it may have to loosen the budget purse strings in the face of urging from the ECB to support monetary easing with fiscal stimulus.
Damage to Both Sides
The boss of plane maker Airbus SE has said the escalating battle between the U.S. and European Union over aircraft subsidies threatens to do damage to both sides, a common refrain from many onlookers throughout the trade war. Where damage appears to have been swerved however is in the continued opening up of China’s financial system, with Wall Street titans showing no signs of a slowdown in meetings with top regulators to capitalize as the country opens its doors. Where the trade war is hitting is for Chinese companies, where August profits fell and demonstrated the impact the tensions are having.
Coming Up...
Japanese stocks took a beating from a swathe of ex-dividend names on Friday, but overall Asia trading was broadly mixed and European and U.S. stock futures are providing little clue to direction. Watch for any impact on the European tech sector from results released by Micron Technology Inc., the U.S. chipmaker, which released a disappointing forecast and warned on the impact of trade tensions. Euro area consumer confidence, Italian business and consumer sentiment and U.S. personal spending data will all be released.
What We’ve Been Reading
This is what’s caught our eye over the past 24 hours.
- The index apocalypse comes for bond managers.
- Saudi Arabia’s dropped its dress code for foreign women.
- The hedge fund that bet big on gentrifying an English seaside town.
- The world’s most digitally competitive economies.
- Dubai’s property showcase is a more subdued affair this year.
- A guide to tipping in the gig economy.
- How much is a whale worth?
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