Currency futures dropped on Friday as the dollar gained strength on higher US inflation expectations. At the same time, investors absorbed comments from Fed policymakers regarding interest rates. Meanwhile, US consumer sentiment fell. Data on Friday from the University of Michigan revealed a decline in consumer sentiment. The figures came in at 67.4 in May, Read More…
Interest futures rose Thursday as Treasury yields fell after US employment data boosted rate cut expectations. Consequently, investors bet that the Federal Reserve’s rate-cut cycle could start in September. Meanwhile, market participants were preparing for another round of US inflation data next week for more clues on the outlook for Fed rate cuts. US jobless Read More…
Oil prices increased slightly on Thursday as US inventory data surprised to the upside, indicating better-than-expected demand. At the same time, investors lowered their expectations for an increase in production at OPEC’s June meeting. WTI, Crude inventories (Source: Bloomberg, EIA) Notably, data on Wednesday revealed that US crude inventories fell by 1.4 million barrels last Read More…
Gold prices pulled back on Tuesday as investors paused and took profits after the recent rally. However, the bullish bias remains as markets cheered the increased likelihood of a Fed cut in September. At the same time, central bank purchases kept demand high. The pause in gold prices might be temporary, as most indicators point Read More…
Equities closed higher on Monday as investors gained confidence that the Federal Reserve will cut rates sometime this year. Moreover, better-than-expected earnings reports from US companies continued to support the market. S&P 500 (Source: Bloomberg) Since last week, equities have performed well as policymakers and economic reports point to an eventual Fed rate cut this Read More…
Currency futures surged on Friday as the dollar plunged after a poor jobs report. The report revealed a deterioration in the labor market that led to an increase in Fed rate cut expectations. At the same time, data from the US showed a decline in service sector activity, weighing on the dollar. US employment data Read More…
Interest futures rose on Thursday as markets applauded Powell’s less hawkish tone after the FOMC policy meeting. At the same time, investors were gearing up for April’s US employment figures, which will give more direction on Fed rate cuts. Going into the FOMC meeting, there were concerns that policymakers would be more hawkish than usual. Read More…
Oil prices fell on Wednesday after a surprise jump in US crude inventories. Additionally, the Fed policy meeting ended with a hawkish note, meaning more rate-cut delays. At the same time, there was hope in the market of a ceasefire in the Middle East war, which weighed on prices. The EIA reported that US crude Read More…
Gold prices fell over 1% on Tuesday due to a rally in the dollar and Treasury yields. Nevertheless, prices ended a third month of gains amid increased demand. US employment costs (Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics) The dollar and Treasury yields soared Tuesday after upbeat employment data. The US Labor Department reported a higher-than-expected Read More…
Equities ended higher on Monday amid earnings optimism and a rally in Tesla and Apple shares. At the same time, investors were preparing for the FOMC policy meeting and the all-important nonfarm payrolls report. According to data, 78.1% of the S&P 500 companies that have reported earnings have exceeded expectations on Wall Street, showing better-than-expected Read More…
