(MENAFN- The Rio Times) A clearer pulse from Asia met softer confidence in Europe and steadier U.S. funding. Japan's real-time gauges and a bigger current-account surplus hinted at a firmer hand-off to year-end; Australia's confidence jumped; New Zealand's inflation expectations stayed anchored.

In Europe, sentiment slipped and short-bill yields nudged higher, while Norway's prices cooled overall. U.S. front-end rates eased, keeping financial conditions tight but orderly.
United States
Front-end funding costs edged lower: the 3-month bill auctioned at 3.780% and the 6-month at 3.690%, while the 3-year note printed 3.579%.

With few hard data, markets looked to the WASDE for food-price signals and to Fed commentary (Daly) for color on the path ahead.

Retail momentum cooled at the margin (Redbook 5.0% y/y), consistent with a soft-landing glide rather than re-acceleration.
Europe & UK
Investor mood dimmed: the eurozone Sentix index fell to −7.4. French T-bill yields were slightly higher across 3/6/12-month lines (around 2.03%–2.07%), implying marginally firmer short-term funding costs.

In the UK, shop sales growth slowed (BRC +1.5% y/y), another sign of stretched households even as pay pressures gradually cool.

Norway's picture mixed: headline CPI slowed to 3.3% y/y (0.3% m/m) but a firmer core pulse and a deeper PPI decline (−6.9% y/y) underscored disinflation running through industry. Consumer confidence improved (−3.7 from −4.5).


Asia
Japan's near-term momentum improved: the coincident index jumped 1.8% m/m and the leading index rose to 108.0.

External and credit engines strengthened-bank lending accelerated to 4.1% y/y and the current account widened sharply (¥4.48T n.s.a.; ¥4.35T adjusted).

Long-end funding eased as the 30-year JGB auction cleared at 3.166% (down from 3.248%).

Australia's Westpac consumer sentiment surged 12.8% and NAB conditions ticked up (9) with confidence at 6, signaling resilient services demand despite higher borrowing costs.

New Zealand's two-year inflation expectations held at 2.3%, keeping the RBNZ's credibility intact.
Key Markets to Watch
Brazil's Focus survey remained the domestic compass for rates and fiscal expectations. In the UK-linked consumer backdrop, slower BRC sales add to signs of tighter wallets for exporters into Britain.

For Asia's shippers, Japan's stronger import demand and Australia's sentiment lift are modest positives into the holiday quarter.
Commodities & Flows
Attention centered on the WASDE for grains and feed-cost direction, with front-end U.S. rates easing and French bills slightly dearer-together pointing to still-tight but stable global funding. Norway's softer producer prices reinforced the broader disinflation trend in traded goods.
Risks and Framing
The story behind the story: Asia is doing more of the growth lifting (Japan's surplus, Australia's confidence), while Europe is held back by fragile sentiment and tight real incomes.

The U.S. remains the ballast-funding is easier at the edges but not easy. Watch food and fuel (WASDE, freight), euro-area hard prints, and Japan's credit/exports for confirmation that this“patchy soft landing” can carry into December.

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