Existing-home sales stumbled in August for the fourth time in five months as strained supply levels continue to subdue overall activity, according to the National Association of Realtors. Sales gains in the Northeast and Midwest were outpaced by declines in the South and West.

Total existing-home sales1, which are completed transactions that include single-family homes, townhomes, condominiums and co-ops, retreated 1.7 percent to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 5.35 million in August from 5.44 million in July. Last month's sales pace is 0.2 percent above last August, and is the lowest since then.

EURUSD: 1.1950 (EUR 500 млн) 1.2000 (1.05 млрд) 1.2050 (300 млн) 1.2100 (620 млн)

USDJPY: 109.00 (USD 755 млн) 109.20 (300 млн) 109.50 (395 млн) 110.00 (515 млн) 110.75(350 млн) 111.00-10 (525 млн) 112.00 (310 млн) 112.50 (350 млн)

AUDUSD: 0.8000 (AUD 775 млн) 0.8025-25 (320 млн)

• 2017 world growth of 3.5 pct (unchanged from june estimates), 3.7 pct in 2018 (+0.1 pct point)

• UK growth of 1.6 pct in 2017, 1.0 pct in 2018 (both unchanged)

• Japanese growth of 1.6 pct in 2017 (+0.2), 1.2 pct in 2018 (+0.2)

• Chinese growth of 6.8 pct in 2017 (+0.2), 6.6 pct in 2018 (+0.2)

EURUSD: 1.1950 (EUR 500m) 1.2000 (1.05bln) 1.2050 (300m) 1.2100 (620m)

USDJPY: 109.00 (USD 755m) 109.20 (300m) 109.50 (395m) 110.00 (515m) 110.75(350m) 111.00-10 (525m) 112.00 (310m) 112.50 (350m)

AUDUSD: 0.8000 (AUD 775m) 0.8025-25 (320m)

In August 2017, the quantity bought (volume) in the retail sales industry increased by 1.0% compared with July 2017; with other non-food stores and non-store retailing as the main contributors to growth.

Compared with August 2016, the quantity bought increased by 2.4%; the 52nd consecutive month of year-on-year increase in retail sales.

Year-on-year contribution of food stores remains flat whilst there was a fall in the contribution of growth within petrol stations, showing that contributions to the overall growth came from non-essential items.

The underlying pattern in the retail industry is one of growth, three-months on three-months the quantity bought has increased by 1.2%.

Store prices increased across all store types on the year, with non-food stores and non-store retailing recording their highest year-on-year price growth since March 1992, at 3.2% and 3.3% respectively.

EUR/USD

Resistance levels (open interest**, contracts)

$1.2117 (3181)

$1.2085 (3171)

$1.2056 (496)

Price at time of writing this review: $1.1999

Support levels (open interest**, contracts):

$1.1938 (3365)

$1.1906 (3231)

$1.1870 (4301)

Comments:

- Overall open interest on the CALL options and PUT options with the expiration date October, 6 is 98630 contracts (according to data from September, 19) with the maximum number of contracts with strike price $1,1800 (4877);

GBP/USD

Resistance levels (open interest**, contracts)

$1.3613 (1525)

$1.3591 (2510)

$1.3572 (2201)

Price at time of writing this review: $1.3516

Support levels (open interest**, contracts):

$1.3438 (425)

$1.3411 (330)

$1.3380 (167)

Comments:

- Overall open interest on the CALL options with the expiration date October, 6 is 31328 contracts, with the maximum number of contracts with strike price $1,3300 (2510);

- Overall open interest on the PUT options with the expiration date September, 8 is 33778 contracts, with the maximum number of contracts with strike price $1,2950 (2496);

- The ratio of PUT/CALL was 1.08 versus 1.09 from the previous trading day according to data from September, 19

* - The Chicago Mercantile Exchange bulletin (CME) is used for the calculation.

** - Open interest takes into account the total number of option contracts that are open at the moment.

In August 2017 the index of producer prices for industrial products rose by 2.6% compared with the corresponding month of the preceding year. In July 2017 the annual rate of change all over had been 2.3%, as reported by the Federal Statistical Office.

Compared with the preceding month July 2017 the overall index rose by 0.2% in August 2017 (+0.2% in July and unchanged in June).

In August 2017 the price indices of all main industrial groups increased compared with August 2016: Prices of non-durable consumer goods rose by 3.6%, prices of intermediate goods by 3.3%. Energy prices rose by 2.7%, though the development of prices of the different energy carriers diverged. Prices of electricity increased by 5.8% and prices of petroleum products by 5.1%, whereas prices of natural gas (distribution) decreased by 6.4%. Prices of durable consumer goods and prices of capital goods increased each by 1.0%.

The overall index disregarding energy was 2.6% up on August 2016 and rose by 0.1% compared with July 2017.

For the year ended June 2017, New Zealand's current account deficit was $7.5 billion (2.8 percent of GDP; it was 2.7 percent of GDP for the June 2016 year).

The seasonally adjusted current account balance was a $1,598 million deficit in the June 2017 quarter ($1,187 million smaller than the March 2017 quarter's deficit).

The goods deficit decreased $677 million to reach $446 million.

The services surplus increased $295 million to reach $1,280 million, the highest on record.

New Zealand's primary income deficit decreased to $1,910 million in the June 2017 quarter, $403 million smaller than in the March 2017 quarter.

New Zealand's secondary income deficit increased to $522 million in the June 2017 quarter, $188 million larger than the March 2017 quarter deficit.

The capital account balance was a deficit of $14 million for the June 2017 quarter, down from the surplus of $3 million in the March 2017 quarter.

• Geopolitical risk in Asia has increased, while lessening in the euro area

• Household debt on its own unlikely to trigger such a shock

• High household debt in Australia is a risk in the event of an economic shock

• Policy globally will have to stay expansionary should inflation remain low

• Still believes global wage growth and inflation will pick up, but may take some time

(pare/closed(GMT +3)/change, %)

EUR/USD $1,1994 +0,37%

GBP/USD $1,3505 +0,07%

USD/CHF Chf0,96226 +0,11%

USD/JPY Y111,56 +0,02%

EUR/JPY Y133,82 +0,39%

GBP/JPY Y150,571 +0,04%

AUD/USD $0,8007 +0,61%

NZD/USD $0,7314 +0,79%

USD/CAD C$1,22879 -0,01%

00:30 Australia Leading Index August 0.1%

06:00 Germany Producer Price Index (YoY) August 2.4% 2.5%

06:00 Germany Producer Price Index (MoM) August 0.2% 0.1%

08:30 United Kingdom Retail Sales (YoY) August 1.3% 1.1%

08:30 United Kingdom Retail Sales (MoM) August 0.3% 0.2%

13:00 Switzerland SNB Quarterly Bulletin

14:00 U.S. Existing Home Sales August 5.44 5.46

14:30 U.S. Crude Oil Inventories September 5.888

18:00 U.S. Fed Interest Rate Decision 1.25% 1.25%

18:00 U.S. FOMC Economic Projections

18:30 U.S. Federal Reserve Press Conference

22:45 New Zealand Visitor Arrivals August 3.8%

22:45 New Zealand GDP q/q Quarter II 0.5% 0.8%

22:45 New Zealand GDP y/y Quarter II 2.5% 2.5%