Dear Reader,

 

Today's overview of economic news and market action

  • In a similar pattern to earlier in the week, trading conditions remained muted …
  • Currency-wise, the main pairs remained range bound …
  • Of the limited action to register, the yen has been slightly firmer …
  • EUR/USD opens in the lower half of $1.08-1.09 …
  • GBP/USD is at the halfway mark of $1.26-.27 …
  • EUR/GBP is near the midpoint of 85-86p …
  • USD/JPY is operating back below ¥150 …
  • Today, flash HICP inflation for the large Eurozone economies and US core-PCE inflation are due …
 
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Today's Opening FX Rates
 
    % Change
      Day* End 2022
EUR/USD 1.0829   0.04 -1.88
EUR/GBP 0.8556   0.07 -1.29
GBP/USD 1.2651   -0.06 -0.61
GBP/EUR 1.1681   -0.07 1.31
*versus Previous Day's European Open
 
 
Economist's Weekly Market View
 

Ireland’s labour market was exceptionally strong at the end of 2023

 

The headline statistics show employment continued to grow at a robust pace, up 3.4% in the year to Q4 2023, and the seasonally adjusted unemployment rate remains close to historic lows at 4.5%. Over 2.7 million people are now at work in Ireland, helped by an upward revision to the labour force from Census 2022, which bumped up labour force and employment levels.

 
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Weekly Market Brief: 26 Feb - 1 Mar
 

Ireland’s Jobs Market in Good Shape 

 

Ireland’s latest labour force survey (LFS) paints a rosey picture of the economy at the end of 2023. Job creation continued to be broad-based, with annual growth in the majority of sectors, led by Education (+12%), Agriculture (+9%), Other Activities (+8%) and Accommodation and Food (+7%). 

 
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ECB Watch - January 2024
 

ECB on hold for third straight meeting

 

The first policy setting meeting of the ECB’s Governing Council for 2024 saw the Central Bank maintain its key deposit rate at 4%.

 
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