US equities ended Friday slightly lower, closing a solid year-end rally as investors anticipated Fed rate cuts in the year ahead. S&P 500 weekly performance (Source: Bloomberg) Equities have risen strongly in the last months of the year. The S&P 500, the Dow, and the Nasdaq recorded nine consecutive weeks of gains. For the S&P Read More…
Gold prices rose on Thursday as US economic data heightened expectations of a Federal Reserve interest rate cut in March next year. Data revealed a 4.9% annualized growth in US gross domestic product for the last quarter, a revision from the initially reported 5.2%. Moreover, there was a slight increase in weekly jobless claims. Spot Read More…
On Wednesday, oil prices settled slightly higher amid concerns over global trade disruption. There were attacks on ships in the Red Sea by Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthi forces. Meanwhile, a surprise US crude inventory build, larger-than-expected fuel stock gains, and record domestic oil production limited price gains. The US Energy Information Administration reported increases in US Read More…
On Tuesday, US equities continued their rally, propelled by the Federal Reserve’s recent dovish policy shift. All three major US stock indexes gained, pushing the S&P 500 close to its January 2022 all-time closing high. If the S&P 500 goes above this level, it would confirm a bull market since its low hit in October Read More…
On Monday, US equities rose as investors anticipated interest rate cuts by the Federal Reserve next year. The S&P 500 and Nasdaq recorded solid gains, while the Dow remained flat. Tom Hainlin, national investment strategist at US Bank Wealth Management, noted that the market expected the Fed to cut interest rates next year. This is Read More…
On Friday, currency futures pulled back from recent highs as Federal Reserve Bank of New York President John Williams opposed market expectations for a rate cut. At the same time, the dollar strengthened. However, it still had its worst weekly performance in a month. Dollar risk reversal (Source: Bloomberg) The dollar’s decline last week followed Read More…
On Thursday, gold prices reached a 10-day high after the Fed indicated that it was done with rate hikes and looking at the possibility of rate cuts. The Fed’s dovish shift, communicated during Wednesday’s FOMC meeting, led to expectations of more aggressive rate cuts. The market responded positively, boosting gold prices. Demand for gold went Read More…
Oil prices experienced a 1% increase on Wednesday, rebounding from a five-month low recorded in the previous session. The uptick was propelled by a greater-than-anticipated weekly reduction in US crude storage and apprehensions regarding the security of oil supplies in the Middle East after an attack on a tanker in the Red Sea. Moreover, oil Read More…
On Tuesday, US equities reached new yearly highs as the latest inflation figures had minimal impact on expectations regarding the Federal Reserve’s rate cut timing. US consumer inflation (Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics) The November Consumer Price Index (CPI) matched economist estimates with a 3.1% annual increase. At the same time, core prices, excluding volatile Read More…
On Monday, US equities gained modestly and closed at new yearly highs. This occurred ahead of key market events this week, including inflation readings and the Federal Reserve’s policy announcement. These events will strongly affect investors’ expectations of interest rates. Many market watchers now believe the central bank has completed its interest rate hike cycle Read More…
