European stock futures edge lower; China’s rate cut disappoints

Investing.com – European stock markets are expected to open in a muted fashion Monday following China’s smaller-than-expected rate cut, while investors digested German inflation data ahead of the U.S. Federal Reserve’s annual Jackson Hole get-together.

At 02:00 ET (06:00 GMT), the contract in Germany traded 0.2% lower, in France dropped 0.1% and the contract in the U.K. fell 0.1%.

China’s small rate cut disappoints

The People’s Bank of China announced earlier Monday that it was cutting its one-year by 10 basis points, to 3.45% from 3.55%, while keeping unchanged at 4.20%.

This move has largely been seen as underwhelming, as most analysts had expected a 15 basis point cut for each rate as the country grapples with slowing economic activity.

The deepening crisis in China’s property sector along with worries about contagion risks could have a destabilizing impact on the world’s second-largest economy, which is also a major export market for many of Europe’s largest companies.

German producer prices fall

Back in Europe, German dropped 1.1% on the month in July, an annual fall of 6.0%, an indication that inflationary pressures are retreating in the eurozone’s dominant economy.

Economic difficulties in Germany are acting as a major drag on growth in the eurozone as a whole and threatening to push it into a recession, forcing a change of tune at the European Central Bank.

ECB President hinted at a pause of the central bank’s prolonged hiking cycle at its last meeting in July, and her speech at Jackson Hole on Friday will be carefully parsed for clues on the central bank’s next move in September.

That said, it will be the speech by Fed Chair on the same day that will be the highlight of the symposium, as investors look for clarity on the economic outlook and the future path of from the world’s most significant central bank.

Crude edges higher on tight supplies

Oil prices rose Monday, rebounding after last week’s selling, helped in part by the Chinese rate cut and also by expectations of lower output from a group of top producers in August.

The crude market weakened last week, ending a 7-week winning streak, on concerns higher U.S. interest rates and China’s slowing economic recovery will hit oil demand.

However, the prospect of tighter supplies, following deep output cuts from Saudi Arabia and Russia this year, the two leading producers in the group known as OPEC+, have helped support prices.

By 02:00 ET, the futures traded 0.7% higher at $81.23 a barrel, while the contract climbed 0.7% to $85.39.

Additionally, rose 0.1% to $1,917.20/oz, while traded 0.1% higher at 1.0880.