* Graphic: World FX rates in 2019 http://tmsnrt.rs/2egbfVh
By Ritvik Carvalho
LONDON, July 12 (Reuters) - World shares came within a
whisker of posting their first weekly loss since May on Friday
and the dollar was down for a third day running, as even a
stronger-than-expected U.S. inflation print failed to shake bets
on Federal Reserve interest rate cuts.
European shares ticked higher in early trade after a run of
modest falls this week and as investors also digested an end of
week blizzard of Chinese data from Asia.
China's yuan-denominated exports rose 6.1% in the first half
of this year from a year earlier, while imports increased 1.4%.
On top of that its trade surplus with the United States, a major
source of friction with its biggest trading partner, rose to
$29.92 billion in June from $26.9 billion in May.
For an interactive version of the below graphic, click here
https://tmsnrt.rs/32q0Hb8.
The data comes after a string of disappointing economic
reports from around the globe, which showed that the global
economy suffered from a protracted U.S.-China trade war that
forced major central banks to take a more accommodative stance.
China is also due to release second-quarter GDP figures on
Monday which are expected to show the world's second-largest
economy slowing to its weakest pace in at least 27 years.
Industrial production figures for the euro zone are due at
0900 GMT, and could be an important trigger for the European
Central Bank to move further along an easing path, with
economists split on whether the numbers will reveal any
meaningful signs of recovery.
"Euro area industrial production is expected to expand by
0.9% month-on-month in May according to the country level
releases we have to hand so far," RBC analysts said in a note.
This would mark the best monthly expansion in euro area
industrial production since January, they added, though it will
still represent a significant contraction from May 2018.
There was broad divergence in the estimates retrieved by
Reuters, with the most optimistic eyeing a 0.9% monthly rise and
the most pessimistic seeing a fall of 0.5% - the same outcome as
in April.
European Central Bank policymakers gathering last month
agreed on the need to be ready to provide more stimulus to the
euro zone economy in an environment of "heightened uncertainty",
official minutes of the meeting showed on Thursday. In Asia, MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares
outside Japan was down 0.1%. .MIAPJ0000PUS
Against a basket of currencies, the dollar .DXY was lower
for a third straight day, down 0.1%. A stronger-than-expected
reading of failed to shake convictions that the Federal Reserve
will start cutting interest rates at a policy meeting later this
month. FRX/
The core U.S. consumer price index, excluding food and
energy, rose 0.3% in June, the largest increase since January
2018, data on Thursday showed. reading pushed U.S. Treasury yields higher, but money
markets still indicated one rate cut at the end of July and a
cumulative 64 basis points in cuts by the end of 2019.
Comments by Chicago Fed President Charles Evans scheduled
later on Friday and New York Fed President John Williams on
Monday will provide a chance to gauge how dovish the central
bank is, said Masafumi Yamamoto, chief forex strategist at
Mizuho Securities.
"If these Fed officials are not as dovish as Powell, and if
the New York Fed's manufacturing survey on Monday proves
stronger than forecast, they could show that the dollar
weakening in response to Powell's congressional testimony was
overdone."
Elsewhere in currencies, the euro EUR=EBS got a boost from
a selloff in the German bond market, rising 0.1% to $1.1270.
Safe haven German government bonds were set for their
biggest weekly selloff in nearly one-and-a-half years as signs
of economic strength in the United States and parts of Europe
suggested fears of a downturn may be overdone. GVD/EUR
Oil prices hovered near six-week highs and were on track for
a weekly gain as U.S. oil producers in the Gulf of Mexico cut
more than half their output because of a tropical storm and as
tensions continued to simmer in the Middle East. O/R
Global benchmark Brent crude LCOc1 gained 0.77% to $67.03
per barrel. U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude CLc1 was
up 0.68% to $60.57 a barrel.
Gold prices, dulled by the stronger-than-expected U.S.
consumer inflation data, regained their shine thanks to renewed
trade worries and rate cut expectations. Spot gold XAU= last
traded up 0.5% at $1,410.99 per ounce. GOL/
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