Equities had a mixed start to the week, with the S&P 500 rising while the Nasdaq fell. Nevertheless, stocks ended higher last week as risk appetite improved on easing trade tensions between China and the US. At the same time, better-than-expected earnings boosted investor sentiment. Nasdaq-100 index daily performance (Source: Bloomberg) Trading was thin on Read More…
Fundamental Analysis
Currency Futures Fragile After Dollar Logs First Weekly Gain
Currency futures extended last week’s decline as the dollar ended its first week of gains in a while. The US dollar strengthened as trade tensions between China and the US began to fade. As a result, risk appetite improved, and demand for safe-haven currencies, such as the yen and the Swiss franc, decreased. At the Read More…
Interest Futures Rise on Renewed Hopes for China–US Trade Deal
Interest futures extended gains on Friday as sentiment improved amid hopes of a trade deal between China and the US. The likelihood of lower tariffs hurts Treasury yields, boosting interest futures. Meanwhile, market participants are awaiting the release of US inflation and employment figures next week. US 30-year yields (Source: Bloomberg) Interest futures have had Read More…
Oil Finds Support on Hopes of US-China Agreement
Oil paused its decline on Thursday as sentiment improved on a likely trade deal between the US and China. At the same time, risk appetite improved after Trump stopped his attacks on Fed Chair Powell. However, prices fell over 2% in the previous session on reports that OPEC+ might increase output in June. The US Read More…
Gold Slips as Treasury Comments About Easing US-China Trade Fears
Gold extended Tuesday’s decline as risk appetite improved after the US Treasury Secretary’s comments on the US-China trade war. Market participants now expect a de-escalation in the trade war, which is bearish for gold. At the same time, Trump halted his attacks on Fed Chair Powell, further improving investors’ sentiment. Spot gold (Source: Bloomberg) Gold Read More…
Equities Slide as Questions Mount Over Fed’s Independence
Equities collapsed on Monday as more uncertainty rocked investors. Trump’s recent attack on the Federal Reserve has raised concerns about the independence of the institution. Meanwhile, the ongoing trade war with China has increased the likelihood of a rapid economic slowdown in the US. As a result, investors are rushing to safer markets. On Friday, Read More…