Gold (XAU/USD) holds firm on Wednesday, with price action contained inside the recent consolidation zone as markets brace for the Federal Reserve's (Fed) interest rate decision. At the time of writing, XAU/USD is hovering near $4,204, down from the intraday high of $4,218. The Fed will announce its policy decision at 19:00 GMT, with markets leaning toward another 25 basis point cut that would lower the Federal Funds Rate to the 3.50%-3.75% range. Expectations for reduced borrowing costs keep Bullion broadly supported, as lower interest rates reduce the opportunity cost of holding...
European markets opened lower on Monday, amid persisting jitters over the global economy. The pan-European Stoxx 600 index was 0.4% lower shortly after the opening bell, with most sectors in negative territory. Regional markets closed lower last Friday, as investors reacted to the latest U.S. jobs data that showed nonfarm payrolls were up by 256,000 last month — much more than the 155,000 forecast by economists polled by Dow Jones. The data subdued sentiment among global markets as it raised concerns that the U.S. Federal Reserve would proceed with caution when it comes to further interest...
The Hang Seng dipped 190 points or 1.0% to close at 18,874 on Monday, marking its sixth session of declines amid a marked fall in US futures, as a strong US payrolls report pushed up bond yields and reduced hopes for further interest rate cuts. The index fell to its lowest in nearly four months, with widespread losses across sectors following the third straight fall in mainland markets, which edged closer to a bear market. However, the index pared some of its earlier losses after PBoC Governor Pan Gongsheng said China would promote consumption in the economy. He also mentioned that the...
Asia-Pacific markets traded lower Monday, after U.S. jobs report on Friday dampened investors' hopes for early interest rate cuts by the Federal Reserve. Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index fell 1.6%, trading below 19,000 for the first time since last September, data from LSEG showed. Mainland China's benchmark CSI 300 dropped 0.75%, having closed at its lowest level since September 2024 on Friday. China is slated to release its December trade data later in the day, while India is expected to report its inflation numbers. Japan markets are closed for a holiday. South Korea's Kospilost 0.85% while...
U.S. stocks sold off on Friday, with the S&P 500 erasing its 2025 gains, after an upbeat jobs report stoked fresh inflation fears, reinforcing bets that the Federal Reserve will be cautious in cutting interest rates this year. Wall Street's main indexes closed their second consecutive week in the red. The Dow Jones Industrial Average (.DJI), fell 696.75 points, or 1.63%, to 41,938.45, the S&P 500 (.SPX), lost 91.21 points, or 1.54%, to 5,827.04 and the Nasdaq Composite (.IXIC), lost 317.25 points, or 1.63%, to 19,161.63. The domestically focused small-cap Russell 2000 index...
The STOXX 50 and STOXX 600 fell nearly 1% on Friday, driven lower by a stronger-than-expected U.S. jobs report that reinforced the Federal Reserve's cautious stance on future rate cuts. This, combined with inflation concerns, the ongoing UK debt market crisis, and uncertainty over President-elect Trump's potential tariff policies, weighed heavily on investor sentiment. Most sectors and bourses were in the red, with utilities and food & beverage stocks dropping 2.3%, while autos were the exception, rising 0.48%. Major companies like LVMH (-0.7%), SAP (-0.9%), and ASML Holding (-1.3%)...
US stocks fell on Friday, with the S&P 500 down 07%, the Dow Jones down about 230 points and the Nasdaq down 1%, after a better-than-expected jobs report underscored the resilience of the US labor market, reinforcing the Federal Reserve's cautious approach to further interest rate cuts. The US economy unexpectedly added 256,000 jobs in December, well above the 160,000 forecast, and the unemployment rate unexpectedly fell to 4.1% from 4.2% while wage growth slowed to 0.3% as expected. Traders expect the Fed to leave the federal funds rate steady through the second half of the year....
European markets traded flat to down on Friday amid concerns about the UK debt market, with attention now turning to US jobs data that could provide clues on the Fed's interest rate path The Stoxx 50 fell 0.1% and the Stoxx 600 was flat. Ubisoft shares fell more than 8% after it announced a review of its strategic options following speculation about a potential buyout. Investors also monitored a surge in UK bond yields, with the 30-year yield hitting a level not seen since the late 1990s and the 10-year yield hitting its highest since the 2008 financial crisis, reflecting growing concerns...
The Hang Seng fell 177 points, or 0.9%, to close at 19,064 on Friday, down for a fifth straight session and hitting its lowest in more than six weeks as sectors broadly lost ground. Nervous traders reacted to the People's Bank of China's decision to halt purchases of government bonds that sent yields soaring. Investors are cautiously awaiting China's December trade data, due later in the week. Exports grew less than expected in November, while imports unexpectedly shrank. Meanwhile, U.S. futures pointed to a weaker open on Wall Street, with traders preparing for the NFP data later in the...
Gold rises in the early Asian trade. There's a broad commodities uptrend, driven by macro uncertainty, a weaker dollar, and persistent demand for "hard" assets, says Fawad Razaqzada, market analyst...
Oil extended declines after OPEC+ agreed to a bigger-than-expected production increase next month, raising concerns about oversupply just as US tariffs fan fears about the demand outlook.
Brent...
The Japanese Yen (JPY) weakened against its US counterpart and reversed part of Friday's recovery from the lowest level since July 23 following Bank of Japan (BOJ) Governor Kazuo Ueda's remarks....