Last week saw the Australian jobless rate surprisingly dipping from 4.6% in July to 4.5% in August.  This is despite 146,300 jobs being lost, as many people gave up looking for work during the lockdown.

Vaccine rollout meanwhile has lifted consumer confidence in September, with the Westpac consumer survey showing a two-point increase in sentiment.

In the US,  jobless claims rose by 20,000 for the week, slightly more than what economists expected.

The headline US consumer prices rose by 0.3% in August, the slowest pace in six months and signalled that inflation may have peaked.

The inflation data will be an important input into US Fed’s interest rates decision to be released on Wednesday (US time).
 

Economic calendar for this week

Australia

TUESDAY: RBA meeting minutes is realeased.

WEDNESDAY: RBA Assistant Governor Michelle Bullock will make a speech. Bullock specialises in the financial system, and has previously championed the use of a CBDC (Central Bank Digital Currency) as a means of digital payment.
 

International calendar

US (US time)

TUESDAY: The US current account for Q2 will be released. In the last quarter, the US notched a deficit of US$195.7 billion, and economists are expecting that to narrow to US$190 billion in Q2.

WEDNESDAY:

US Fed interest rates decision. The previous cash rate was set at 0.25%, and the market expects that to stay the same.

US crude oil inventories for the week. Last week, oil prices jumped by over US$2/barrel after data showed a larger-than-expected drawdown due to hurricane Ida.

FRIDAY: New homes sales for August is released. In July, new home sales increased by 1%.
 

Europe (European time)

WEDNESDAY: Consumer confidence for the Eurozone for September is released. In August, confidence fell by 4.4 points, and it’s expected to fall further by 5.3 in September.

FRIDAY: The all important Eurozone inflation will be released. In July, the figure was 0.7%, and the market is expecting that to increase to 1.6% in August.
 

China

The Chinese market will be closed for national holidays on Monday and Tuesday.
 

Corporate calendar for this week

These companies are expected to make their ASX IPO this week:

MONDAY: Pearl Gull Iron (ASX:PLG) raised $4m at 20c.

WEDNESDAY:

Widgie Nickel (ASX:WIN) is a Neometals (ASX:NMT) spinoff.

X2M Connect (ASX:X2M) raised $8m at 25c.

THURSDAY:

Forrestania Resources (ASX:FRS) raised $5m at 20c.

Revolver Resources (ASX:RRR) raised $15m at 20c.

FRIDAY:

Alvo Minerals (ASX:ALV) raised $10m at 25c.

Pacific Edge (ASX:PEB) is a NZX-listed company aiming for an ASX dual listing.