In currency trading, the euro fell 0.7 percent at $1.1137 while the dollar fell 0.1 percent to 122.50 yen.
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In Asia, stocks were little changed on Friday, with investors reluctant to stake out fresh positions after disappointing USA employment data and cautious ahead of Greece’s weekend referendum. Spain has seen the most substantial upward revision, where S&P now predicts GDP growth of 3% in 2015, compared with its March forecast of 2.2%, and 2.6% next year versus 2.4% previously. However, the report also said hourly earnings were flat compared with May and cut the estimates for job growth in April and May.
“Consumers reacted positively to the boost in purchasing power induced by sharply lower oil prices from a year earlier”, Mr. Six said, anticipating that consumer demand will remain robust through 2015.
The yield on the 10-year Treasury note fell to 2.38 percent.
ANALYST VIEWPOINT: “Policies take time to work their way through the system before sentiments can be more permanently altered”, Bernard Aw of IG Markets in Singapore wrote in a commentary. “The Fed should just let the economy run”, said Steven Ricchiuto, chief economist at Mizuho Securities. Greece failed to repay a loan to the worldwide Monetary Fund that was due on Tuesday after talks between the nations and its creditors broke down late last week. The outlook is worse now.
The Greek government has also called a referendum for Sunday, asking Greeks to vote on whether the nation should accept the deal offered by its creditors.
Corporates: Health Net (HNT) shares soared 14% after Centene (CNC) has agreed to buy the company in a cash-and-stock deal worth $6.8 billion. The deal is more evidence of managed-care companies looking to bulk up in response to the federal overhaul of health care.
GUSHER: U.S.-listed shares of BP rose $1.90, or 5 percent, to $41.18 after the oil driller reached an $18.7 billion settlement with several states to resolve litigation over the 2010 Gulf of Mexico oil spill. Germany’s DAX climbed 2.3 percent to 11,187.75. The stock has gained 26 percent so far this year despite consistently losing money.
CHIPS OFF THE TABLE: In addition to Greek situation, investors are nervous about plunging Chinese stocks and whether bonds issued by the Puerto Rico will ever be redeemed.
WALL STREET: USA markets ended the week quietly as investors sought safety ahead of the Independence Day holiday weekend.
The Standard & Poor’s 500 index slipped two points, or 0.1 percent, to 2,075. Britain’s FTSE 100 was up 1.3 percent to 6,607.79 and France’s CAC 40 jumped 2 percent to 4,885.45.
ASIA’S DAY: Japan’s Nikkei 225 rose 1 percent.
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In energy markets, benchmark US crude was up 47 cents at $58.80 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange.
