Dollar-denominated currency futures extended gains last week amid shifting expectations for Fed policy and resilient US economic data. Investors continued pricing in a stronger dollar across the key contracts, with the US Dollar Index (DXY) holding near a 3-month top. The firm dollar reflects the rate differential advantage as the Fed remains cautious about December Read More…
This week, US interest futures experienced volatility as traders reacted to Cautious Fed guidance and rising long-term yields. The Fed reduced its benchmark rate by 25 bps to 3.75 – 4.00%, which was largely priced in by the markets. However, Fed Chair Powell warned that further cuts are not guaranteed. This eased the expectations of Read More…
The US equities remained steady on Wednesday, after President Donald Trump and Xi Jinping’s meeting ended conciliatory, reducing tariffs from 57% to 47%. Meanwhile, Beijing agreed to suspend rare earth export controls for one year, easing the trade tensions between the two countries. These developments have pushed the markets towards record highs. The S&P 500 Read More…
Crude oil futures stayed volatile this week as traders weighed US sanctions on Russia’s oil producers against a potential OPEC+ output increase and signs of solid global demand. According to Bloomberg, Russia’s seaborne oil exports slipped from a 30-month top in the week ending 26th October, reducing 70k barrels a day to 3.72 mpd. However, Read More…
Gold futures plummeted on Tuesday, slipping well below the key $4,000 mark as investors scaled back positions after several weeks of intense rallying. The retreat came after the yellow metal hit a fresh all-time high near the $4,400 area on 20th October, a 7-week climb of around 27%. The gold futures lost traction as global Read More…
The currency futures markets witnessed a broader improvement in market activity as the global policy, inflation expectations, and international capital shifted. The Eurozone inflation data and European Central Bank decisions influence the Euro FX contract (6E). Meanwhile, the Yen futures (6J) mirror the shifting expectations regarding Japanese macroeconomic policy. The US-China trade talks boost market Read More…
The US interest futures traded cautiously this week as markets anticipated two key developments. This included the delayed Consumer Price Index data expected on 24 October because the US government shutdown lowered market visibility. The second is the FOMC meeting, scheduled to be released on 28-29 October. In the last week, the major ZN1 and Read More…
The crude oil prices bolstered this week amid the lingering geopolitical fears that could tighten supply. The price of West Texas Intermediate crossed $60 per barrel, while the Brent crude rose to $65, extending gains after the last rally. Following Moscow’s hostility in Ukraine, the US decision to sanction Russia’s major oil exporters, Rosneft and Read More…
Gold futures captured renewed attention as a hedge against systematic risk. On Tuesday, the precious metal saw the steepest single-day decline in the past twelve years, dropping more than 8%, after surging to record highs near $4,400. The downfall was attributed to profit-taking and improved risk sentiment amid US-China trade talks. The volatility shows how Read More…
US equities took a breather after posting a sharp recovery on Monday as investors weighed financial sector jitters. Hopes to end the US government shutdown, and key corporate results could set the market tone for weeks. The S&P 500 futures remained broadly unchanged under 6,800, while Nasdaq 100 futures remained above the 25,000 mark. Dow Read More…
