Market Headlines – 1/11/2017

US

• US. stocks capped the best month since February as the S&P 500 Index finished October with a gain of more than 2%, spurred by strong economic data, rising expectations for tax cuts and robust corporate earnings.
• The dollar gained versus major peers to cap a second straight monthly advance.
• In other news, the Fed will hold their latest monetary policy meeting later today. The November FOMC meeting is unlikely to materially impact market sentiment. Rather, it will serve to reinforce expectations for a rate increase at the December meeting, for which markets already assign a probability of more than 80%.

Europe

• European stocks rose, capping a second month of gains, as strength in travel and leisure companies offset a decline in natural resources firms.
• In economic news, the euro-area’s unemployment rate inched lower in September as the economy expanded for an 18th consecutive quarter, but consumer inflation unexpectedly slowed in October, complicating the European Central Bank’s task as it considers tightening policy.

Asia

• Japanese equities climbed 1.9%, buoyed by a weaker yen, as a surge in U.S. consumer confidence in October served as the latest confirmation of a global economic recovery ahead of a Federal Reserve policy decision today. Chinese shares edged higher rising 0.1%.