The three major US stock averages fluctuated between small gains and losses on Wednesday, attempting to rebound from Tuesday's weak session, when concerns over lofty AI valuations weighed on sentiment while earnings remained in focus. The tech sector stayed under pressure, while materials and energy outperformed. AMD slipped 1.7% after issuing a revenue forecast that failed to impress investors, and Super Micro Computer tumbled 7.3% following a weaker-than-expected earnings outlook for the current period. Palantir Technologies extended losses, falling 2.3%. Nvidia edged down 0.2%, while...
Gold (XAU/USD) is trading higher on Friday as investors remain focused on Fed expectations US economic data. At the time of writing, XAU/USD recovers above $3,350, pushing the price closer toward the upper boundary of a symmetrical triangle pattern. Traders are digesting fresh US housing data released on Friday, with Building Permits and Housing Starts for June providing further insight into the health of the real estate sector which improved significantly. Meanwhile, the University of Michigan (UoM) released the first set of preliminary Sentiment data which rose to 61.8 in Jyl, from 60.7...
Gold traded higher early on Friday as the dollar and treasury yields weakened. Gold for August delivery was last seen up US$17.80 to US$3,363.10 per ounce. The price of the precious metal has traded in a tight range for most of July after touching a record high on June 13 as the outlook for further interest-rate cuts from U.S. Federal Reserve weakens as it waits to assess the impact of tariffs on inflation and employment. "With our rates strategists pushing their call for the first cut from the Fed till December, and amidst outside pressure on Powell, we see both the macro drivers and...
The US dollar (USD) weakened on Friday (July 18th), retreating from a three-week high as momentum waned. However, the greenback remained supported by strong US economic data released this week, which has reduced the likelihood of an immediate interest rate cut by the Federal Reserve (Fed). The US Dollar Index (DXY), which tracks the greenback against a basket of six major currencies, fell about 0.36%, approaching 98.30 in the European session on Friday. This decline came after the index hit a three-week high on Thursday, briefly approaching 99.00. This week's US data has reinforced the...
Oil prices edged higher on Friday (July 18th), heading for a slight weekly loss, as investors weighed new EU sanctions against Russia. Brent crude futures rose 50 cents, or 0.72%, to $70.02 a barrel at 09:12 GMT, while U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude futures rose 61 cents, or 0.9%, to $68.15 a barrel. At those levels, the contracts were headed for marginal weekly losses of 0.5% and 0.4%, respectively. Investors were weighing the potential impact on global oil balances of the European Union's agreement on an 18th package of sanctions against Russia over its war in Ukraine, which includes...
Gold prices rose on Friday (July 18th), but were on track for a weekly decline as concerns about the US Federal Reserve's independence eased and strong US data emerged, while platinum rose to a nearly 11-year high. Spot gold rose 0.3% to $3,349.49 an ounce, as of 08:34 GMT, after falling 1.1% in the previous session. Bullion has fallen 0.2% so far this week. US gold futures fell 0.3% to $3,354.70. The US dollar, open a new tab, fell 0.4% for the day, but was headed for a second straight weekly gain. A stronger dollar tends to make gold more expensive for buyers holding other...