US stocks closed higher on Wednesday, despite ongoing US-China trade tensions and the ongoing government shutdown. The S&P 500 rose 0.4%, boosted by strong earnings reports from Morgan Stanley and Bank of America, which supported the financial sector. Morgan Stanley shares hit a record high, rising 4.7%, while Bank of America gained 4.4% after both banks beat third-quarter earnings expectations thanks to strong deals. The Nasdaq 100 rose 0.7%, supported by a 3% jump in the Philadelphia Semiconductor Index following better-than-expected orders and operating income from ASML, reflecting...
Gold prices breached $4,200 per ounce for the first time on Wednesday, extending a record rally as rising interest rate cut bets and geopolitical jitters send investors flocking to the safe-haven metal. Spot gold rose 1.3% to $4,195.35 per ounce as of 1:57 p.m. ET (1757 GMT), after hitting an all-time high of $4,217.95 earlier. U.S. gold futures for December delivery settled up 0.9% to $4,201.60. "The metal has been on a tear, and it doesn't look like it wants to stop With U.S.-China trade tensions being reignited in the last few days, investors have even more reason to hedge their long...
Gold rose to a new record above $4,200 an ounce and silver surged, driven by escalating US-China tensions and speculation that the Federal Reserve will cut interest rates twice more this year. The price of gold bullion rose as much as 1.8% to a peak of $4,218.29 on Wednesday. Spot silver prices rose more than 3%, while the availability of the precious metal in the London market remains limited. Silver had a volatile day on Tuesday, when prices surged to an all-time high above $53.55 an ounce before falling sharply. US Treasury yields fell to their lowest level in months after Fed Chairman...
Oil prices plummeted on Wednesday (October 15th), holding near five-month lows for a second day, pressured by escalating US-China trade tensions and the International Energy Agency's (IEA) prediction of a supply surplus by 2026. Brent crude fell 23 cents, or 0.4%, to $62.16 a barrel at 11:11 a.m. EDT (15:11 GMT). U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude fell 14 cents, or 0.2%, to $58.56. Both benchmarks were heading for their lowest close since May 7 for the second straight day. Bank of America said Brent could fall below $50 a barrel if US-China trade tensions escalate while OPEC+ production...
Gold retains bullish bias amid economic risks, dovish Fed, weaker USDUS President Donald Trump threatened on Tuesday to terminate trade with China in cooking oil and other products in response to the latter's decision not to purchase US soybeans. China also announced new special port fees for US ships arriving in Chinese ports and enhanced restrictions on the export of rare earths. This marks a significant escalation of the trade war between the world's two largest economies. Adding to this, geopolitical risks and concerns that the US government could affect the economic performance drive...