US stocks closed higher on Friday, with the S&P 500 up 0.8%, and the Nasdaq climbing nearly 1%, while the Dow gaining 206 points. Technology shares, led by Apple which surged 4.2% following its announcement of a $600 billion US investment plan helped lift the tech-heavy Nasdaq to new intraday highs. Investor optimism was also fueled by expectations of Federal Reserve rate cuts, with President Trump nominating Stephen Miran to the Fed Board, signaling possible shifts in monetary policy, despite concerns over new tariffs imposed by the Trump administration on imports from multiple...
Gold steadied after falling more than 2% on Wednesday on signs the Federal Reserve will cut interest rates fewer times than previously anticipated, and as easing U.S.-China tensions dampened demand for safe-haven assets. Bullion traded above $3,182 an ounce on Thursday, near its lowest level in more than a month. U.S. Treasury yields rose on expectations the Fed will lower borrowing costs more slowly than expected as the economic outlook improves following a U.S.-China trade truce. Higher yields and interest rates tend to be negative for non-yielding bullion. Continued progress in U.S.-led...
Oil fell for a second day following reports Iran is willing to give up nuclear weapons in a deal with the U.S. in return for sanctions relief. West Texas Intermediate fell to $62 a barrel, after dropping 0.8% on Wednesday, when Brent closed near $66. Iran is ready to sign the deal under certain conditions, NBC reported, citing Ali Shamkhani, a top adviser to the OPEC nation's top leader. Crude fell on Wednesday after government data showed U.S. inventories rose by the most since March, ending a four-day rally that had seen them rise nearly 10%. The gains were driven by a trade truce between...
EUR/USD trimmed momentum sharply on Wednesday, sticking to a flat holding pattern near the 1.1200 handle despite an early pop in bids. European economic data has been largely a non-starter this week, as is typical. However, a one-two punch of key inflation data from the United States (US) has given plenty of traders something to chew on. German final Harmonized Index of Consumer Prices (HICP) for April came in exactly as expected on Wednesday, and data on the US side was strictly mid-tier, giving markets some breathing space between this week's Consumer Price Index (CPI) inflation data...
The AUD/USD pair is trading near the lower end of its daily range, reflecting a mixed technical outlook. The US Dollar Index (DXY), which tracks the performance of the US Dollar (USD) against six major currencies, has dipped toward the 100.60 area, pressured by soft US inflation data and speculation about a possible dovish shift from the Federal Reserve (Fed). US officials recently downplayed speculation about a deliberate dollar-weakening strategy, but concerns persist as trade discussions with South Korea suggest room for stronger local currencies. This uncertainty has contributed to...
The EUR/USD pair traded near the 1.1200 zone on Wednesday after the European session, reflecting a cautiously bullish tone as the market approaches the Asian session. Price action remains within the middle of its daily range, indicating balanced sentiment despite a mixed technical backdrop. While shorter-term momentum indicators signal caution, the broader trend remains supported by longer-term averages, providing a foundation for further upside if recent gains hold. From a technical standpoint, the pair presents a complex picture. The Relative Strength Index hovers around 40, reflecting...