Equities closed lower on Tuesday as investors continued to absorb the shock of higher-than-expected US inflation. US markets stayed closed on Monday due to a holiday. Meanwhile, last week, the rally in equities reversed when the US reported upbeat consumer and wholesale inflation figures. As a result, investors lost hope of early Fed rate cuts Read More…
Fundamental Analysis
Middle East Tensions Drive Modest Surge in Oil Prices
Oil prices rose slightly on Monday due to supply concerns as jitters in the Middle East escalated. However, trading volume was thin as US markets were closed for the President’s Day holiday. Moreover, markets were closed earlier than usual. WTI and Brent futures (Source: ICE, Nymex) Oil has risen as supply concerns due to Middle Read More…
Currency Futures Rise Despite US PPI Exceeding Expectations
Currency futures rose on Friday, despite a higher-than-expected reading in the US PPI report. Meanwhile, the dollar closed lower on Friday after rallying during the week as traders pushed back expectations for rate cuts. US wholesale prices (Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics) The Producer Price Index was the second report of the week, showing much Read More…
Interest Futures Edge Higher as Sales Decline Lifts Rate-Cut Bets
After a surprise decline in retail sales renewed rate-cut bets, interest futures rose on Thursday. On the other hand, the report sent Treasury yields lower. The decrease in retail sales indicated a slowing economy, reducing some of the impact of the upbeat inflation report on Tuesday. Meanwhile, investors also assessed labor market data. US retail Read More…
Oil Prices Take a Dive as Crude Inventories Soar
Oil prices fell on Wednesday due to a surge in crude inventories. When fuel stocks in the US increase, it is a sign that demand has dropped. WTI futures (Source: Bloomberg, EIA) Moreover, a drop in refining in the US led to a bigger-than-expected build in inventories. US refining slowed significantly during the cold weather. Read More…
Gold Futures Dip as US Inflation Remains Persistent
Gold prices plunged on Tuesday as the dollar and Treasury yields rose after an upbeat inflation report. After a long wait, investors finally saw the state of inflation in the US. According to the report, inflation remains persistent and higher than expected. Consequently, there was a decline in Fed rate cut bets. The outlook for Read More…