Here's my summary of the key events overnight that affect New Zealand, with news Q3 growth in the US may better than many expect.
An American industry survey of new home builders showed confidence 'surged' in September to its highest level in almost a year.
And the good run of economic data has economists forecasting that the US Q3 growth will top +3% when it is first released next month.
An interesting Reuters analysis says, while still a long shot, actually now would be a good time for Janet Yellen to have a 'surprise' rate hike. The economics line up, they say, and it would do wonders for the Fed's credibility they claim.
Data out of China today is both encouraging and worrying, in turns. Electricity consumption, long a preferred marker for what is happening in the real economy (and long showing much lower growth than other official measures), is up sharply in 2016 and matching official growth data.
On the other hand, China's real estate bubble shows no signs of moderating. This is the 17th straight increase and the biggest since January 2011. Observers are suggesting that it has grown so large that it is now "too big to pop". And because state and local government agencies are so woven into these markets the political will to unwind the froth is just not there.
In Australia, there has been an embarrassing glitch on their stock exchange which saw it open late, and then have to close early due to "technical issues".
And also in Australia, the Government has retained its inflation-targeting mandate for the RBA, pretty much unchanged.
In Europe, some practical realities are becoming apparent for London as a key financial centre, and they are not good for them. UK-based banks will lose the automatic right to trade in the EU when the UK leaves by losing their valuable "passporting rights", forcing some to relocate from London.
In New York the UST 10yr yield is little changed again today at 1.69%.
The oil price is also little changed but if anything marginally firmer, with the US benchmark price now just over US$43 a barrel, while the Brent benchmark is now just over US$46 a barrel.
The gold price is unchanged too, still at US$1,306/oz.
The New Zealand dollar is just a touch higher today, at 73 US¢, and on the cross rates it is at 96.8 AU¢, and 65.3 euro cents. The TWI index is now at 76.5.
If you want to catch up with all the local changes on Friday, we have an update here.
The easiest place to stay up with event risk today is by following our Economic Calendar here ».
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