As merchants (and central bankers too) look towards the lengthy Easter weekend, beginning with Good Friday tomorrow and Easter Monday in some international locations on Monday, the markets closed the quarter with positive aspects in shares, positive aspects in oil, yields larger, Bitcoin (and crypto) larger and the USD larger as effectively.

A snapshot of the Q1 numbers present:

Shares:

• S&P index, +10.16% (made new file highs)
• NASDAQ Index +9.11% (made new file highs)
• German DAX, +10.39% (made new file highs)
• France CAC was 8.78% (made new file highs)
• UK FTSE 100 +2.84% (nonetheless in need of the file reached OnFebruary 16, 2023
• Japan Nikkei 225, +20.3% (made new file highs)

Rates of interest:

• US 2-year yield, 4.628% +37.8 foundation factors
• US 10 12 months yield, 4.206%, +34 Foundation factors
• German 10 12 months yield 2.305%, +27.4 foundation factors
• France 10 12 months yield 2.81%,+25.5 foundation factors
• UK 10 12 months yield 3.946%, +40.7 foundation factors
• Japan 10 12 months yield 0.705%, +8.0 foundation factors (no less than they “discontinued” yield curve management despite the fact that they’re nonetheless shopping for bonds)

For the central banks, within the quarter, the:

• Financial institution of Japan raised charges for the primary time in 17 years to 0.0% to 0.10%. It is a begin.
• Swiss Nationwide Financial institution reduce charges unexpectedly by 25 foundation factors and have become the primary of the key international locations to chop their charges.
• Federal Reserve saved the dot plot regular at 3 cuts in 2024, however subsequently some Fed officers together with Bostic and Waller appear to be in favor of dialing that quantity down for 2024. A summer season reduce remains to be on the desk.
• The ECB is on tempo for a June reduce
• The Financial institution of England saved charges regular and misplaced the dissenters wanting a hike
• Financial institution of Canada saved charges regular as did the RBA and the RBNZ.

Trying on the USD, it’ll commerce tomorrow however for the quarter, the

The USD gained vs all the key currencies with the biggest acquire vs the JPY (regardless of the hike in charges in JPY) and the CHF (the CHF was decrease after the speed reduce by the SNB):

• EUR, +2.28%
• JPY, + 7.36%
• GBP, +0.80%
• CHF +7.14%
• CAD, +2.23%
• AUD, +4.31%
• NZD, +5.42%

In different markets for the quarter:

• Crude oil rose 16.08% or $11.52 to $83.17
• Gold rose 8.21% or $169.42 to $2232.10
• Silver rose By 4.88% or $1.16
• Bitcoin rose from $42,258 to $70,858 or by $28,600 or 67.67%

Tomorrow though most main international locations are on vacation, the US core PCE information can be launched at 8:30 AM ET.

The foreign-exchange market by no means sleeps, however the main US inventory indices and bond markets can be closed.

Wishing everybody – together with Chair Powell – a Blissful Easter and thanks in your help.