Author
Saqib Iqbal
Bio

Saqib Iqbal is a financial market analyst, serving the industry since 2011. The author is a mentor, providing training to individuals and organizations. Moreover, Saqib is a successful proprietary funds trader, managing a six-figure sum with an average annual ROI of 45%.

Fundamental Analysis

Investor Optimism on Fed Rate Cut Sends Gold to New Heights

On Tuesday, gold prices reached a record high as investors gained confidence about a September Fed rate cut. The new all-time high came despite better-than-expected US retail sales figures, which boosted the dollar. Gold traders have focused mainly on the recent US consumer inflation report and Federal Reserve policymaker remarks. Fed officials gained confidence after Read More…

Fundamental Analysis

Equities Soar on Trump, Fed Rate Cut Optimism

Equities rose on Monday as investors priced in a higher likelihood of a Trump win after the attempted murder. At the same time, optimism about rate cuts in the US after Powell’s dovish comments remained. On Saturday, an assassination attempt against Trump raised the chances that he would win the November election. A Trump win Read More…

Fundamental Analysis

Currency Futures Surge as Dollar Falters with Inflation Data

Currency futures rose on Friday on dollar weakness as soft consumer inflation figures overshadowed an increase in wholesale inflation. Investors focused on the higher likelihood of a Fed rate cut in September. US producer prices (Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics) On Friday, the US Producer Price Index report revealed that inflation increased by 0.2% Read More…

Interest Futures
Fundamental Analysis

Treasury Yields Plunge On Softer Inflation, Boosting Interest Futures

Interest futures surged on Thursday as Treasury yields plunged after a downbeat US inflation report led to an increase in Fed rate cut expectations. The prospect for lower borrowing costs boosted demand for US government debt. For some weeks now, data from the US has shown weaker economic demand. Consequently, investors have raised bets that Read More…

Fundamental Analysis

US Crude Inventory Drop Drives Oil Prices Higher

Oil prices rose on Wednesday due to a larger-than-expected fall in US crude inventories last week. Meanwhile, investors were positioning themselves for the US inflation report after Powell’s cautious remarks. Data from the Energy and Information Administration on Wednesday showed that US inventories dropped by 3.4 million barrels. Meanwhile, economists had expected a 1.3 million Read More…

Fundamental Analysis

Gold Price Crawls Higher Despite Powell’s Cautious Tone

Gold prices edged higher on Tuesday despite a surge in the dollar and Treasury yields after Fed Chair Powell’s hawkish speech. Meanwhile, investors were preparing for the US inflation report coming on Thursday for clues on Fed rate cuts. Gold (Source: Bloomberg) Last week, gold reached the highest level since May as the US nonfarm Read More…

Fundamental Analysis

Equities Close at Record Highs Ahead of Powell’s Testimony

Equities closed at record highs on Monday as investors looked forward to several key events, including Powell’s testimony. The Nasdaq and the S&P 500 extended Friday’s rally when the US jobs report raised the chances of a Fed rate cut in September. The market has more rate-cut optimism as economic reports consistently show a slowdown Read More…

Fundamental Analysis

Weak Jobs Data Sends Dollar Lower, Lifts Currency Futures

Currency futures edged higher on Friday as the dollar fell after the US monthly employment report. However, some outliers, like the Canadian dollar, plunged after poor Canadian employment figures. US job market (Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics) The greenback eased on Friday when the nonfarm payrolls report revealed fewer jobs added in June. Employment increased Read More…

Interest Futures
Fundamental Analysis

Interest Futures Jump Amid Falling Yields on Poor US Data

Interest futures surged Wednesday as Treasury yields fell with the dollar after a series of poor US economic reports. Meanwhile, markets remained closed on Thursday as the US observed Independence Day. Data on Wednesday revealed that private employment dropped in June when economists had expected an increase. The ADP employment figures showed that 150,000 more Read More…

Fundamental Analysis

Oil Prices Surge Nearly 1% on Crude Inventory Decline

Oil prices rose nearly 1% on Wednesday after a bigger-than-expected decline in crude inventories, indicating robust demand. At the same time, weak data from the US raised the likelihood of a Fed cut in September, which would increase fuel consumption. Oil and crude inventories (Source: Nymex, EIA) The Energy and Information Administration reported that crude Read More…