OTP Morning Brief: President Trump threatened Iran with further attacks as the talks drag on
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OTP Morning Brief: The S&P pulled back from its record high on Friday, but ended the week in positive territory
European stocks closed slightly lower on Friday, snapping a four-week winning streak. The BUX presented a much more positive picture in terms of its weekly performance. The eurozone economy expanded by 0.4% quarter-on-quarter in Q2, supported by Spain’s outstanding performance. Major US indices also closed lower on Friday, but the week was largely positive overall. Investor sentiment continued to be weighed down by uncertainty in the Middle East and elevated oil prices. US Treasury yields rose and the dollar weakened following weaker-than-expected retail sales data. Japan's Q2 GDP growth fell short of expectations, while Asian equity markets moved higher. August purchasing managers' indices are due for release this week.
OTP Morning Brief: US rate cut expectations declined further despite the favorable producer price index data
The favorable July producer price index data led to a further decline in US rate cut expectations on Thursday. Markets are now pricing in a Fed rate cut only in December. Declining rate cut expectations provided a boost to US equities, with the technology-heavy Nasdaq posting the strongest gains among the major indices. Sandisk shares surged 13.7%. In Europe, major stock indices moved only modestly, with the STOXX 600 remaining broadly flat. The favorable US CPI data led to a decline in developed market government bond yields. Today, the second estimate of eurozone Q2 GDP is due for release, while additional July retail sales data will be published in the US.
European indices closed mixed yesterday as uncertainty surrounding the Iran war persisted, while investors awaited today’s ECB rate decision. US indices declined yesterday following President Trump’s hawkish remarks; the correction in semiconductor stocks continued. May’s monthly core CPI came in slightly below expectations, while on an annual basis it remained above the Fed’s target, as headline CPI rose above 4%. Long-term yields in developed markets edged higher, while regional currencies weakened slightly. Today, the Turkish and European central banks hold rate-setting meetings, while in the US the focus will be on producer price index data and the usual weekly jobless claims.
European indices closed mixed yesterday as uncertainty surrounding the Iran war persisted, while investors awaited today’s ECB rate decision
Following volatile trading, European equity markets closed mixed on Wednesday, as investors priced in renewed tensions between the US and Iran, along with the upcoming ECB rate decision. The pan-European Stoxx 600 index ultimately edged lower by 0.08%, marking its fourth consecutive daily decline. The situation in the Middle East returned to the forefront of investor attention, with Brent crude stabilizing near $93 after one of the most significant incidents since the US-Iran ceasefire agreed in April. US President Donald Trump signaled that Iran had “dragged out the negotiations for too long,” while Tehran hinted at reconsidering diplomatic ties. At the same time, market assessments suggest that, for now, these developments point to isolated incidents rather than a broader escalation of the conflict.
Investors’ focus has increasingly shifted to the ECB’s two-day rate-setting meeting, where a 25 basis point hike is expected to counter the inflationary impact of rising energy prices. Market participants are primarily watching for signals regarding the future rate path.
Among sectors, mining and industrial stocks underperformed the most, both falling by more than 1%, while the technology sector declined by 0.7%, extending its recent correction. Volatility in global AI-related equities was more subdued in Europe due to lower tech exposure. On the corporate side, shares of Norway-based defense and technology company Kongsberg experienced significant fluctuations before ultimately closing down around 5%, after management’s profit margin outlook disappointed investors.
Amid the negative global sentiment, regional markets posted declines of around 1% yesterday, with all domestic blue chips ending lower, led by the steep drop in MO shares.
US indices declined yesterday following President Trump’s hawkish remarks; the correction in semiconductor stocks continued; May’s monthly core CPI came in slightly below expectations, while on an annual basis it remained above the Fed’s target, as headline CPI rose above 4%
US equity markets closed sharply lower on Wednesday after President Donald Trump delivered hawkish remarks, signaling that negotiations with Iran were dragging on for too long and raising the prospect of further military action. Market sentiment was further weighed down by reports that the US military carried out strikes on Iranian targets on Tuesday, following accusations that Tehran was responsible for downing a US military helicopter. Investor uncertainty increased amid the growing risk of escalation, making the outlook for energy prices particularly sensitive.
Within the technology sector, semiconductor stocks came under pressure again, with shares of Micron, AMD, and Broadcom all declining, as the segment continued the correction that began in previous days. The weakness was partly driven by profit-taking and partly by portfolio rebalancing ahead of the upcoming large-scale IPOs of SpaceX and other technology companies. Despite this, the semiconductor sector’s performance this year has remained outstanding.
On the macro front, US CPI in May rose by 0.5% month-on-month, in line with expectations, following a 0.6% increase in April, while annual CPI accelerated to 4.2% from 3.8%, also meeting forecasts, largely driven by the surge in energy prices caused by the shock related to the Iran conflict. In contrast, underlying trends remained more moderate: core CPI slowed to 0.2% on a monthly basis from 0.4% previously, falling short of the 0.3% forecast, while the annual measure rose to 2.9% from 2.8%, in line with expectations, marking the highest level since September 2025.
Long-term yields in developed markets edged higher, while regional currencies weakened slightly
CPI in May rose to 4.2% in the US, in line with expectations, while core CPI increased to 2.9%. Meanwhile, Middle East tensions intensified as Iran launched strikes on several countries in the region, pushing oil prices up by 2%. Bond yields edged higher by a few basis points, with the US 10-year around 4.55% and the German equivalent near 3.07%. The EURUSD exchange rate showed little movement, hovering around 1.155.
Regional currencies weakened slightly by 0.1–0.2%, with the forint depreciating to 356.5 against the euro. Bond yields rose by 5–6 basis points, with the 10-year yield reaching 5.5%.
Today, the Hungarian Government Debt Management Agency (ÁKK) will offer three-, five-, and ten-year bonds, with a planned issuance of HUF 20bn each.
Today's highlights
Asian indices mostly declined this morning as Middle East tensions continued to intensify.
Today, the Turkish and European central banks will hold rate-setting meetings, while in the US the focus will be on producer price index data and the usual weekly jobless claims.
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