US Stocks plunged on Friday, as investors reacted to a weak July jobs report and a fresh round of tariffs announced by President Trump. The S&P 500 and Nasdaq fell 1.6% and 2.2%, their steepest drops since April, while the Dow lost 542 points. Payrolls rose by just 73,000 in July, far below expectations, with sharp downward revisions to prior months signaling deeper labor market weakness. Treasury yields fell and the odds of a September Fed rate cut rose above 80%. Sentiment worsened after new tariffs of 10% to 41% were imposed on imports from key partners including Canada, India, and...
The US Dollar Index (DXY), which tracks the US Dollar (USD) against a basket of six major currencies, holds gains after registering losses in the previous three successive sessions. During the early European hours on Thursday, the DXY is holding its position around 99.70, slightly above two-week lows. Furthermore, traders await S&P Global US Purchasing Managers Index (PMI) data due on Thursday. The overall business activity is expected to expand at a steady pace in May, which could provide some support for the Greenback. The House Rules Committee approved US President Donald Trump's...
Silver prices surged above $33.50 per ounce on Thursday, advancing for a fourth consecutive session as mounting concerns over the US fiscal outlook weighed on the dollar and boosted demand for safe-haven assets. Investor sentiment deteriorated after President Donald Trump's proposed tax bill was projected to add over $3 trillion to the already substantial US debt load, raising fears of financial instability. A weak 20-year Treasury bond auction further fueled expectations that investors are rotating out of US assets, adding momentum to precious metals. In addition to safe-haven buying,...
Gold price (XAU/USD) retreats from a nearly two-week high, around the $3,345-3,346 area touched this Thursday, and trades with a mild positive bias during the early European session. A modest US Dollar (USD) uptick is seen as a key factor behind the commodity's intraday pullback, though any meaningful downside seems elusive. The growing acceptance that the Federal Reserve (Fed) will lower borrowing costs further in 2025 and worries about rising US deficit should cap the USD, which should act as a tailwind for the non-yielding yellow metal. Meanwhile, US fiscal concerns, along with a...
Oil prices were little changed on Thursday as investors stayed cautious, focusing on renewed Iran-U.S. nuclear talks, though unexpected builds in U.S. crude and fuel inventories raised concerns about demand from the world's largest oil consumer. Brent futures inched up 4 cents to $64.95 a barrel by 0456 GMT, while U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude gained 10 cents to $61.67. Both benchmarks fell earlier in the session after U.S. crude and fuel inventories posted surprise stock builds last week, the Energy Information Administration said on Wednesday, as crude imports hit a six-week high...
The Australian Dollar (AUD) gains ground against the US Dollar (USD) on Thursday, extending its gains for the second successive day. The AUD/USD pair maintains its position following the release of the preliminary S&P Global Purchasing Managers Index (PMI) data. Australia's Manufacturing Purchasing Managers Index came in at 51.7 in May versus 51.7 prior. Meanwhile, Services PMI declines to 50.5 in May from the previous reading of 51.0, while the Composite PMI eases to 50.6 in May versus 51.0 prior. The Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) reduced its Official Cash Rate (OCR) by 25 basis...