The Hang Seng Index reversed its downward trend in Hong Kong on Thursday (February 12th), weakening by around 0.9% to around 27,000 after a strong session earlier. This decline halted the momentum of the short term rally, as investors began to reduce risk in large cap stocks. Among the index's contributors, Tencent was a major drag, with its shares falling by around 2.3%, putting pressure on the technology sector, which has recently been a driving force behind market gains. Weakness in large cap companies like this typically quickly impacts sentiment due to their significant weighting in...
The USD/CHF rises during the North American session as recent economic data from the States prompted investors to reduce bets that the Fed would cut rates by 50 bps, as stated by the US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent on Wednesday. At the time of writing, the pair traded at 0.8077, up 0.26%. On Thursday, Bessent backpedaled and said that it is the Fed's job to set interest rates. Meanwhile, traders who piled in for a big size cut scrambled to get out of those positions as US PPI approached the 3.5% figure. Source; Fxstreet
EUR/USD dives sharply on Thursday as the latest inflation report in the United States (US) caught traders off guard, who were betting on a slim chance of a 50 basis points (bps) Federal Reserve (Fed) rate cut in September. Currently, the pair trades at 1.1638, down 0.57%. The US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) revealed that the Producer Price Index (PPI) in headline and core prints accelerated sharply, mainly influenced by higher tariff levels imposed by the US. Meanwhile, jobs data showed that the number of people filing for unemployment benefits dipped compared to the previous reading,...
Oil prices climbed about 2% to a one-week high on Thursday after U.S. President Donald Trump warned of "severe consequences" if his talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Ukraine fail, and on optimism that a likely U.S. interest rate cut next month could spur oil demand. Central banks, like the U.S. Federal Reserve, use interest rates to control inflation. Lower rates reduce consumer borrowing costs and can boost economic growth and demand for oil. Brent crude futures rose $1.21, or 1.8%, to settle at $66.84 a barrel, while U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude rose $1.31, or...
The Japanese Yen (JPY) loses ground against the US Dollar (USD) on Thursday, snapping a two-day winning streak after stronger-than-expected US Producer Price Index (PPI) and steady Weekly Jobless Claims data lifted the Greenback. USD/JPY, which fell earlier in the day to its lowest level in three weeks near 146.22, attracted fresh buying interest and reversed sharply higher during the American session, last seen trading around 147.90, up nearly 0.35%. The rebound in the pair mirrors a broader recovery in the US Dollar, with the Dollar Index (DXY), which tracks the Greenback's value against...
Silver (XAG/USD) edges lower on Thursday, snapping a two-day losing streak as stronger-than-expected US Producer Price Index (PPI) and upbeat Jobless Claims data bolster the US Dollar. At the time of writing, the metal is trading near $38.00 during the American session, down nearly 1.30% on the day. Earlier in the Asian session, XAG/USD struggled to sustain gains above $38.50, peaking at $38.74 — its highest level since July 25 — before sellers pushed prices lower. Meanwhile, the US Dollar Index (DXY), which measures the Greenback against a basket of six major currencies, is staging a...