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 EUR/USD pair surged on Monday (July 22nd), gaining more than 0.50%, as the US dollar weakened, pressured by falling US Treasury yields and trade uncertainty ahead of the August 1st deadline. This triggered an outflow of the greenback, as the pair traded at 1.1694 after bouncing from a daily low of 1.1614. The market mood was upbeat as investors awaited earnings reports from two megacap companies in the United States. Trade tensions between the European Union (EU) and the US have escalated as EU diplomats explore a broader range of retaliatory measures against the US, as the chances of...
The US dollar (USD) started the week weaker, weakening against other major currencies in trading on Monday (July 22). Investors reacted to renewed trade tensions ahead of the August 1 deadline and generally cautious market sentiment. Although US economic data has been largely solid of late, the greenback is feeling pressure from continued uncertainty surrounding the Trump administration's escalating tariff threats and growing political pressure on the Federal Reserve (Fed) to cut interest rates. Concerns over the Fed's independence intensified after Representative Anna Paulina Luna...
Oil prices weakened slightly on Monday as the latest European sanctions on Russian oil are expected to have a minimal impact on supply, but losses were offset by investors weighing the potential for a reduction in diesel supplies. Brent crude futures fell 7 cents, or 0.1%, to $69.21 a barrel. U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude fell 14 cents, or 0.2%, to $67.20. The European Union on Friday approved its 18th package of sanctions against Russia over its war in Ukraine, which also targets India's Nayara Energy, an exporter of refined Russian crude. "The market currently believes that supply...
Gold prices surged more than 1% on Monday (July 21st) as the US dollar and US Treasury yields fell sharply amid uncertainty over a trade deal, amidst overall risk sentiment in the market. At the time of writing, XAU/USD was trading at $3,397 after bouncing off a daily low of $3,338. Risk appetite improved as traders awaited the release of US financial reports. Meanwhile, the August 1st deadline for tariffs imposed by the White House is approaching, making investors uneasy about the trade deal between the US and its three major trading partners, including the European Union (EU), Canada, and...
Gold rose to its highest level in more than a month as traders assessed the impact of tariffs on inflation and interest rates in the absence of relevant economic data. The dollar and bond yields weakened on Monday, pushing bullion prices up as much as 1.5%. Bullion typically benefits when the US dollar weakens and in a lower interest rate environment. Macro funds have begun buying back their previously established short positions in gold, according to TD Securities. Bullion is set to see further gains, driven by catalysts including trade wars, continued interest rate cuts, a stagflationary...