USD

The
US labour department revealed on Friday that an additional 192,000 jobs were
added in March, marginally below the 195,000 analysts were expecting.

On
average, the US economy has been adding 177,000 new jobs per month in 2014,
below the 200,000 new jobs that the Federal Reserve has been targeting. The
data reflects Fed Chair Janet Yellen’s recent comments that there continues to
be a slack in employment in the US.

USD

The
US labour department revealed on Friday that an additional 192,000 jobs were
added in March, marginally below the 195,000 analysts were expecting.

On
average, the US economy has been adding 177,000 new jobs per month in 2014,
below the 200,000 new jobs that the Federal Reserve has been targeting. The
data reflects Fed Chair Janet Yellen’s recent comments that there continues to
be a slack in employment in the US.

So
whilst the data was slightly disappointing, they weren’t bad enough to persuade
the Fed to stop slowing its bond-buying programme. As a result, expectations
remain for the Fed to continue to taper its stimulus programme by US$10bn per
month. 

US
unemployment also remained at 6.7% and the US dollar continued to strengthen.

CAD

Employment
figures were also released from Canada on Friday, with the headline
unemployment rate dropping to 6.9% in March from 7% in February. As a result
the Canadian dollar climbed to its strongest in 6 weeks.

Today

The
Eurozone will come into focus today with mixed figures due for release. German
industrial production is forecasted to have fallen in February from January
down to 0.3%. The Sentix investor confidence survey is set to reveal an
increase of confidence to 14.2 in April.

Movements
on the Euro following today’s data may be minimal as the larger question will
dominate market thoughts; when and what kind of stimulus will the ECB introduce
to stimulate the economy?

Key Announcements

7.00am
– EUR – German Industrial Production (Feb): Forecasted to fall to 0.3%.

9.30am
– EUR – Sentix Investor Confidence (Apr): Expected to rise to 14.2.