This week the 4th falls in the middle of the week. Trading volumes should be thinner than usual with many taking a few days off. There are a number of key measurements this week; both June ISM reports (manufacturing on Monday and services on Thursday), weekly claims on Thursday and the June employment data on Friday. The early forecast for the employment report, non-farm payrolls +100K and non-farm private jobs +105K with the unemployment rate unchanged at 8.2%.
Europe’s economy is showing increasing signs of weakness after stalling in the first quarter as the worsening fiscal crisis erodes the confidence of executives and consumers. The gauge of euro-region manufacturing held at 45.1 in May, London-based Markit Economics said today in a final estimate. That compares with an initial estimate of 44.8. A reading below 50 indicates contraction. The European Central Bank’s governing council gathers in Frankfurt on Thursday with speculation officials will lower their benchmark interest rate by at least 25 points to a record low of 0.75% as the economy hovers near recession.
The US 10 yr note and 30 yr mortgage rates continue to trade in their respective narrow ranges; both are holding within five week ranges but there is an increasing belief Europe won’t drive safety moves into US treasuries as strongly as the last eight months. One of key reasons US rates have stayed low is due to investors parking money in the safest places as Europe wrestles with how to save banks and cut spending.