Marketmind: Barbie hits the box office

A look at the day ahead in European and global markets from Tom Westbrook

Barbie’s box-office debut began in parts of Asia on Thursday and is expected to rake in $100 million from U.S. theatres over the weekend. Tickets and refreshed sales for Mattel (NASDAQ:)’s 60-year-old doll would be another testament to the consumer’s resilience to rising interest rates and living costs.

But those pressures, however, are making themselves felt elsewhere.

Tesla (NASDAQ:) shares were off 4% after hours when results showed price cuts squeezing margins and Chief Executive Elon Musk offered a typically frank assessment of the outlook.

“One day it seems like the world economy is falling apart, next day it’s fine. I don’t know what the hell is going on,” he said. “We’re in, I would call it, turbulent times.”

Earnings season Down Under has had a negative early start with rubber-glove maker Ansell and hauler Aurizon warning this week on their respective outlooks.

U.S. jobless claims and housing sales headline an otherwise sparse data calendar later on Thursday. American Airlines (NASDAQ:) and Philip Morris (NYSE:) are reporting.

In the Asia session, there were signs the cavalry is ambling to the rescue in China. Xinhua said guidelines from the Communist Party and cabinet contained pledges to support private business.

Traders were startled by an unexpectedly strong “fix” for the yuan’s daily band, then turned firm buyers when the central bank also moved to encourage corporate fundraising abroad – a nudge for the yuan given the likely implications for capital flows.

Market sources told Reuters that China’s state banks were out in the Asia morning selling dollars offshore.

Hong Kong stocks, which have been struggling since China’s tepid second-quarter growth data landed on Monday, made an attempt to steady. A turnaround, however, might need more serious policy action from the Chinese government, particularly after a default at state-backed developer Greenland and fresh payment troubles elsewhere rekindled worries about the real estate sector.

The dollar surged 1% on a combination of a firmer yuan and better-than-expected jobs data that boosted market bets on further interest rate hikes.

Key developments that could influence markets on Thursday:

Data: U.S. jobless claims, housing starts

Earnings: Philip Morris, American Airlines

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