By David Randall
NEW YORK, June 5 (Reuters) - An unexpected jump in U.S.
employment sent world equities surging on hopes that the global
economy has started to recover from the coronavirus pandemic,
pulling investors out of perceived safe havens like government
bonds and gold.
U.S. nonfarm payrolls rose by 2.509 million jobs last month
after a record plunge of 20.687 million in April. Economists
polled by Reuters had forecast the unemployment rate jumping to
19.8% in May and payrolls falling by 8 million jobs.
"The numbers are a huge surprise to the upside," said
Michael Arone, chief investment strategist at State Street
Global Advisors. "It has confirmed what many folks were
suggesting: that the effects on the labor market from the
pandemic were temporary and that when the economy reopened and
the infection rates started to diminish, that these jobs would
come back."
MSCI's gauge of stocks across the globe .MIWD00000PUS
gained 1.66%. The index is now down 5% for the year to date and
trading at its highest level since early March, before the U.S.
economy went into lockdown in an effort to slow the spread of
the novel coronavirus.
In morning trading on Wall Street, the Dow Jones Industrial
Average .DJI rose 737.16 points, or 2.8%, to 27,018.98, the
S&P 500 .SPX gained 64.61 points, or 2.08%, to 3,176.96 and
the Nasdaq Composite .IXIC added 88.92 points, or 0.92%, to
9,704.73.
Equity gains were widespread before the surprise jobs
report. MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside of
Japan .MIAPJ0000PUS rose 0.9%, reversing early losses to stay
near a 12-week high.
The index is up about 7.6% this week, on track for its best
weekly showing since December 2011.
Emerging market stocks .MSCIEF were up 0.7% and also on
course for their best week since December 2011.
Hopes for an swift economic recovery sank U.S. government
bonds, which had reached historic highs on fears that the
pandemic would erode consumer demand. Benchmark 10-year notes
US10YT=RR last fell 25/32 in price to yield 0.9035%, from
0.82% late on Thursday.
Bond investors will get further insight into the likely
direction of the economy when the U.S. Federal Reserve holds its
regular two-day policy meeting next week.
Europe has now clawed back two-thirds of the losses incurred
following the coronavirus outbreak and Bank of America analysts
said on Friday they expect European stocks to rise another 10%
by the end of September on expectations of a pick-up in business
activity. Set for a third straight week of gains, the euro rose to
$1.1380 EUR= , its highest level since March 10 and was on
course for a weekly jump of 2.5%. The dollar index =USD made a tepid recovery, rising 0.08%
to 96.84, but remained on track for its third consecutive week
of losses and close to its lowest in nearly three months.
Hopes for an economic recovery sent oil prices surging
U.S. crude CLc1 recently rose 3.74% to $38.81
per barrel and Brent LCOc1 was at $41.89, up 4.75% on the day.
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Global assets http://tmsnrt.rs/2jvdmXl
Global currencies vs. dollar http://tmsnrt.rs/2egbfVh
Emerging markets http://tmsnrt.rs/2ihRugV
MSCI All Country Wolrd Index Market Cap http://tmsnrt.rs/2EmTD6j
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