On Thursday, gold strengthened as the dollar weakened ahead of US non-farm payrolls data. Traders anticipated signs of a weaker labor market, increasing the likelihood of a Federal Reserve rate cut in March. Chris Gaffney, head of world markets at EverBank, warned that market expectations for interest rates had become too optimistic. He stated that Read More…
Fundamental Analysis
Oil Prices Plunge 4% on Surging Gasoline Inventories
On Wednesday, oil prices dropped by almost 4%, reaching the lowest close since June. Concerns about global fuel demand increased following US data revealing a larger-than-expected increase in gasoline inventories. Prices were also impacted by worries about China’s economic health and future fuel demand, worsened by Moody’s downgrade of China’s A1 rating outlook from stable Read More…
Equities Ended Mixed as Employment Data Set the Stage for Fed Rate Cuts
Equities closed mixed on Tuesday after the US reported a big drop in job vacancies. As a result, investors increased their bets on a Fed rate cut in March. Job vacancies in the US have fallen to their lowest level since early 2021. US job openings (Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics) On Tuesday, the Labor Read More…
Equities Dip as Investors Brace for Employment Data Impact
On Monday, US equities declined, breaking last week’s rally, as investors became cautious before this week’s employment data. The data could impact expectations of an early interest rate cut by the Federal Reserve next year. S&P 500 nearly overbought (Source: Bloomberg) The S&P 500 achieved its highest close of the year on Friday after Fed Read More…
Currency Futures Soar on Powell’s Cautionary Stance
On Friday, currency futures rose while the dollar declined after Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell expressed caution about further interest rate moves. Investors perceived Powell’s comments as dovish, anticipating that the Fed is done raising rates. Powell acknowledged that US monetary policy is slowing the economy, with the benchmark overnight interest rate in restrictive territory. Read More…
Gold Slides but Holds Ground for Second Monthly Gain
On Thursday, gold slipped but stayed on course for a second consecutive monthly gain due to expectations that the Federal Reserve might soon cut interest rates. This would make non-yielding bullion more attractive. Moreover, the rise of the dollar for the day contributed to the drop in gold prices. However, the dollar was on track Read More…