LONDON/SYDNEY, Aug 24 : Global stocks slipped on Monday and oil prices eased as investors awaited details of threatened U.S. sanctions on Iran, while the Canadian dollar dipped as a trade war loomed with its southern neighbour.
U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent is due to hold a press conference later on Monday to outline sanctions on Iran, which has shown no sign of relinquishing its control over the vital Strait of Hormuz.
Oil futures were down more than 1 per cent ahead of the announcement as some oil traders took profits after big gains last week.
The tech sector was on edge for Nvidia's results on Wednesday; investors are aware how hard it will be for the chipmaker to meet stratospheric expectations.
"The big news this week will be Nvidia earnings... The tone of that might drive sentiment into the Nasdaq (market)," said Nutshell Asset Management CIO Mark Ellis.
Analysts are generally looking for quarterly revenue to almost double to around $92 billion, with full-year earnings guidance seen in a range of $103 billion to $105 billion.
WARSH SPEECH MAY DISAPPOINT
Market participants will also be hoping for some clarity on the outlook for U.S. interest rates when Federal Reserve Chair Kevin Warsh speaks in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, on Friday, though his well-known aversion to forward guidance could lead to disappointment.
"There are several reasons to expect to be underwhelmed," said Bruce Kasman, chief economist at JPMorgan, noting that past chairs have not wanted to front-run Fed decisions at the event.
"Warsh will rather likely focus on aspects of his 'regime change' agenda," Kasman added. "As the Fed has already been moving toward shrinking the balance sheet, and the committee gave the balance sheet some attention in the July minutes, that might be the most likely topic for him to expound upon."
Markets imply around a 40 per cent chance that the Fed will raise interest rates when it meets on September 16 and are fully priced for a move by December.
The odds could change depending on what U.S. inflation figures show this week, with median forecasts for core inflation expected to hold at 3.3 per cent in July.
Warsh is sure to face questions about Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent's surprise announcement last week of at least a doubling in bond buybacks, aimed at restraining a rise in yields that was tightening financial conditions in the economy.
His efforts have had little s...





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