Fed Waller Speech

In the United States, the authority to set interest rates is divided between the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve (Board) and the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC). The Board decides on changes in discount rates after recommendations submitted by one or more of the regional Federal Reserve Banks. The FOMC decides on open market operations, including the desired levels of central bank money or the desired federal funds market rate.

NBS Manufacturing PMI

50.3

In China, the NBS Manufacturing Purchasing Manager Index measures the performance of the manufacturing sector and is derived from a survey of more large-scale, state-owned companies. The Manufacturing Purchasing Managers Index is based on five individual indexes with the following weights: New Orders (30 percent), Output (25 percent), Employment (20 percent), Suppliers’ Delivery Times (15 percent) and Stock of Items Purchased (10 percent), with the Delivery Times index inverted so that it moves in a comparable direction. A reading above 50 indicates an expansion of the manufacturing sector compared to the previous month; below 50 represents a contraction; while 50 indicates no change.

NBS Non Manufacturing PMI

49.4

In China, the Non-Manufacturing purchasing managers index survey is based on data collected from a representative panel of 1200 enterprises from the non-manufacturing sector. The survey includes ten questions on business activity, new orders, new export orders, in hand orders index, stock, intermediate input price, subscription price, employment, supplier delivery time, and business activities expectation. For each question, the diffusion index is calculated. As there’s no integrated PMI, the business activity index is usually used to reflect the overall changes in non-manufacturing sector. A PMI reading above 50 percent indicates expansion from the previous month, while below 50 indicates contraction.

NBS General PMI

50.1

In China, the NBS Comprehensive Purchasing Manager Index measures the performance of the manufacturing and non-manufacturing sectors. A reading above 50 indicates an expansion of the overall economic trend compared to the previous month; below 50 represents a contraction; while 50 indicates no change.

Fed Powell Speech

In the United States, the authority to set interest rates is divided between the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve (Board) and the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC). The Board decides on changes in discount rates after recommendations submitted by one or more of the regional Federal Reserve Banks. The FOMC decides on open market operations, including the desired levels of central bank money or the desired federal funds market rate.

ECB Schnabel Speech

In the Euro Area, benchmark interest rate is set by the Governing Council of the European Central Bank. The primary objective of the ECB’s monetary policy is to maintain price stability which is to keep inflation below, but close to 2 percent over the medium term. In times of prolonged low inflation and low interest rates, ECB may also adopt non-standard monetary policy measures, such as asset purchase programmes. The official interest rate is the Main refinancing operations rate.

Waisak Day

Orthodox Pentecost