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...
Oil prices fell on Wednesday (July 30th) as investors awaited developments on US President Donald Trump's tighter deadline for Russia to end the war in Ukraine and his threat of tariffs on countries that trade its oil. The most active Brent crude futures fell 58 cents, or 0.81%, to $71.10 a barrel at 10:14 a.m. GMT, while US West Texas Intermediate crude fell 58 cents, or 0.84%, to $68.63. The September Brent crude contract, which expires on Wednesday, fell 59 cents, or 0.81%, to $71.92. Both contracts had hit their highest prices since June 20th on Tuesday. Trump said on Tuesday that he...
Gold prices edged higher on Wednesday (July 30th), boosted by a slightly weaker dollar as investors awaited the Federal Reserve's policy decision and comments that could provide further clues about the timing of the US central bank's next move. Spot gold rose 0.2% to $3,331.03 an ounce, as of 08:28 GMT. US gold futures rose 0.1% to $3,328.30. The dollar index, weakened 0.1% after hitting a more than one-month high on Tuesday, making gold cheaper for holders of other currencies. "There are a variety of factors that, combined, are keeping gold prices subdued. From a geopolitical perspective,...
The US dollar index weakened on Wednesday (July 30th), snapping a four-day winning streak as investors remained cautious ahead of the Federal Reserve's policy meeting, following a sharp reaction to the US-EU trade deal earlier this week. Meanwhile, the euro was poised to post its first monthly decline since December 2024. The Japanese yen strengthened against the dollar after a powerful earthquake struck the Kamchatka Peninsula in Russia's Far East and triggered a tsunami, prompting evacuation warnings across much of Japan's eastern coast. Forex markets were largely stable as investors...
The EUR/USD pair fluctuates near a one-month low and is on track for its first monthly decline since December of last year. The euro remains weak, weighed down by negative reactions to the trade deal between the European Union (EU) and the United States (US). Investors are also eyeing the latest second-quarter GDP figures from major European economies, with France growing higher than expected and Germany recording a mild contraction. Eurozone Gross Domestic Product (GDP) figures and the Federal Reserve's interest rate decision are due soon. The euro (EUR) posted a slight recovery from a...
Silver prices held around $38 per ounce on Wednesday, hovering near two-week lows as investors remained cautious ahead of the Federal Reserve's policy announcement. The Fed is widely expected to keep interest rates unchanged, though markets are closely watching for signals of a possible rate cut in September. President Donald Trump has continued pressuring the Fed to lower borrowing costs. Fed Governors Christopher Waller and Michelle Bowman, both seen as potential successors to Fed Chair Jerome Powell. are expected to dissent at this month's meeting. Meanwhile, trade tensions persisted...