Tempered expectations of Fed rate cut sink stocks globally

NEW YORK (Reuters) – A strong U.S. jobs report that tempered expectations of an aggressive interest rate cut by the Federal Reserve later this month and weak economic data in Germany helped push global stock indices lower on Friday after hitting record highs earlier this week.

Yields on benchmark 10-year Treasury notes rose back above 2.0% after hitting their lowest since November 2016 on Wednesday.

Nonfarm payrolls increased by 224,000 last month as government employment rose by the most in 10 months, the U.S. Labor Department reported.

The better-than-expected showing reduced the likelihood the Fed will cut interest rates at its next meeting later this month. Expectations of an equity-friendly rate cut helped push the S&P 500 to record highs earlier this week.

“Obviously, this was a key report for the Fed as well in determining their path in the near term, and with markets fully pricing in a July rate cut and several thereafter, the stronger-than-expected report is likely to throw cold water on those fairly dovish expectations,” said Candice Bangsund, asset allocation manager at Fiera Capital.

MSCI’s gauge of stocks across the globe .MIWD00000PUS shed 0.42%.

On Wall Street, the Dow Jones Industrial Average .DJI fell 43.88 points, or 0.16%, to 26,922.12, the S&P 500 .SPX lost 5.41 points, or 0.18%, to 2,990.41 and the Nasdaq Composite .IXIC dropped 8.44 points, or 0.1%, to 8,161.79.

Market volume in the U.S. was light due to the holiday-shortened week.

The losses in the U.S. market followed broad dips in European equities after German data showed industrial orders had fallen far more than expected in May, and a warning from the economy ministry that this sector of Europe’s largest economy was likely to remain weak in the coming months.

“Devastating new orders data just undermined any hopes for an industrial rebound. We are starting to lose our optimism,” said Carsten Brzeski, chief economist at ING Germany.

“Combined with the weakest June performance of the labor market since 2002 and disappointing retail sales, today’s new orders wrap up a week to forget for the German economy. The fear factor is back.”

The pan-European STOXX 600 index lost 0.72%.

Benchmark 10-year notes US10YT=RR last fell 24/32 lower in price to yield 2.0373%, from 1.955% late on Wednesday.

The dollar index .DXY rose 0.5%, with the euro EUR= down 0.53% to $1.1224.

Brent crude futures LCOc1, the international benchmark for oil prices, gained 1.5% to $64.27 per barrel while U.S. crude CLc1 rose 0.4% to $57.59. [O/R]