Stock Market Situation
We begin with markets, which are suffering. Dow Jones enters the fifth day of the downward path, the longest slump since March 2017. The 10-year Treasury yield rose above three percent, something that last happened in 2014. The Nasdaq 100 Index also fell 2.1 percent and Alphabet Inc. lost 4.5 %, in the light of recent increase in capital spending. Both dollar and crude oil lost some of its value, while gold manages to hold on. The ANZAC Day closed Australia and New Zealand markets and caused Asian trade to slow down as well.
Trump On Kim
In a complete opposite of what he was saying just a few months ago when he was calling him Rocket Man and threaten to wipe North Korea off of the face of the planet, President Trump stated that Kim Jong Un is an “honorable man.” He told the White House press that “we’re having very good discussions.” And that he is hoping to have a summit with Kim very soon. Not the first time Mr. Trump has taken a position which represents a complete U-turn to his previous stance, but this one is among the most unexpected ones so far. It remains to be seen if his optimism is justified.
Mnuchin Going To China – Trade War Talks
U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin will travel to China within days to try and resolve the growing trade war between the two countries. His visit could prove to be timed perfectly, as China announced that its growth targets for this year may be hard to achieve, due to increased financial insecurities, which may force them to be lenient to the American guest.
China’s Housing Bubble
One of the reasons for the Chinese economies woes is a $6.7 trillion private debt owed by the Chinese citizens, which is impairing their purchasing ability and forcing their markets to slow down. The vast majority of the debt is linked to the housing market, which has seen a sharp price increase in the last few years. China’s housing bubble remains one of the biggest threats to the world’s financial markets at the moment.
Takeda’s Offer For Shire
In Japan, Takeda has decided to increase its offer for Shire. Its current offer for the biotech giant is valued at some $60 billion and is on par to become one of the largest purchases in history. Shire board of directors is evaluating the offer, but insiders agree that they will most likely accept it. There are some rumors that the preliminary deal may be announced on Wednesday.
