Equities advance in thin trading - 3.5.2021

The Dollar strengthening is intact currently. The live dollar index data show the ICE US Dollar index, a measure of the dollar’s strength against a basket of six rival currencies, jumped 0.7% on Friday as the Bureau of Economic Analysis reported Personal Consumption Expenditure index rose more than expected in March, as did employment cost index and personal income.

EUR/USD accelerated its sliding Friday while GBP/USD reversed its retreating as  federal statistics office Destatis reported German Gross Domestic Product (GDP) fell 1.7% over quarter in Q1 after 0.3% increase in the last three months of 2020, when a decrease of 1.5% was forecast. Euro is lower against the Dollar currently while Pound is higher. AUD/USD accelerated its retreating Friday while USD/JPY continued its climbing with Australian dollar higher against the Greenback currently and yen lower still.

Futures on US equity benchmarks are higher currently ahead of Manufacturing PMI report by the Institute for Supply Management at 16:00 CET today. Stocks finished the week marginally higher. The three main US stock benchmarks recorded daily losses ranging from 0.5% to 0.9% Friday.

European stock indexes are up currently after ending lower on Friday led by mining shares as Eurostat reported euro-zone fell into double-dip recession with GDP declining 0.6% in the first quarter. UK markets are closed for the May Day public holiday. Asian indexes are mostly lower today with Hang Seng Index leading losses amid news Australia is reviewing the 99-year lease of a commercial and military port Darwin in the country's north to a Chinese firm while New Zealand’s prime minister Jacinda Ardern said differences with China are ‘becoming harder to reconcile.’