US stocks gain after goldilocks NFP

Wall Street opened higher and the dollar spiked after the NFP showed the labour market rebounded in March by more than expected.

Job created: 196k vs 180k exp.
Wage growth: 3.2% vs. 3.4% exp.
Unemployment 3.8% as exp.

This NFP payroll hit the sweet spot. Job creation is strong, a good sign for the US economy, yet inflationary pressures are low – attractive conditions for the financial markets. Win, win.

The S&P rose for the 7th straight session on Friday – its longest winning rally since 2017. The dollar briefly spiked higher, but we are not seeing any significant gain for the buck. The Goldilocks report should keep the Fed sat on their hands for a while longer over interest rate rises and the outlook for the US economy.

Pound Lower As May’s Brexit extension in doubt
The pound headed southwards versus the stronger dollar.

Theresa May requesting an extension to Article 50 to 30th June, hasn’t gone down well with pound traders and isn’t likely to go down well with Brussels either.

With EU President Donald Tusk favouring an extension of a year and France playing hardball, Theresa May’s request is likely to be rebuffed. This will leave Theresa May with little choice but to hold European elections next month, a move many Brexiteers could find too much to swallow.

GBP/USD
Looking at the bigger picture GBP/USD continues to trade within a familiar range of $1.30 - $1.32. It would be worth waiting for a meaningful break through this band before. With the pound currently at $1.3012 this breakout could be sooner rather than later. A convincing move through the key psychological support at $1.30 could see the pound extend losses towards $1.2980. A break below this support could open the door towards $1.29. On the upside resistance can be seen at $1.3150 before a strong barrier at $1.32.

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