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...
EUR/USD extended its decline for the second straight session, trading around 1.1540 during Asian hours on Monday (6/16). The currency pair depreciated as the US Dollar (USD) strengthened amid increased demand for safe havens as geopolitical tensions escalate in the Middle East. Israel launched an attack on Iran's nuclear facilities and missile plants on Friday. Iran responded with an attack on Israel on Sunday night, with explosions seen in the coastal city of Haifa. Israel continues to attack military targets in Iran, despite international calls for diplomacy and de-escalation, according...
Spot gold prices ended last week at a record high and are set to continue to rise in Asian trading, said Chris Weston, head of research at Pepperstone. He said gold prices could test their all-time high of $3,500.10 an ounce. Traders have been reducing profitable long positions in silver, platinum and palladium, potentially increasing cash in their portfolios or even shifting exposure to gold, he added. (alg) Source: Dow Jones Newswires
Oil prices rose in early Asian trade on Monday after Israel and Iran launched fresh attacks on Sunday, raising concerns that the escalating fighting could trigger a wider regional conflict and disrupt oil exports from the Middle East. Brent crude futures rose $1.70, or 2.3%, to $75.93 a barrel by 2253 GMT, while U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude rose $1.62, or 2.2%, to $74.60. Oil prices had jumped more than $4 earlier in the session. Both benchmarks closed 7% higher on Friday, after jumping more than 13% during the session to their highest since January. The latest attacks between...
The Australian Dollar (AUD) is weakening against the US Dollar (USD) on Friday, with price action being guided by a combination of factors. The two primary drivers of the recent move have been increasing geopolitical risks and interest rate expectations, which are likely to continue influencing near-term price movements. At the time of writing, AUD/USD is trading below 0.6500, with intraday losses of 0.60%. Market sentiment remains fragile following the escalation of tensions in the Middle East. Reports overnight say that Israel launched targeted strikes on Iranian nuclear and military...
The Japanese Yen (JPY) is trading weaker against the US Dollar (USD) on Friday, as geopolitical tensions and central bank policy divergence drive market flows. USD/JPY has staged a modest rebound, trading above 144.00 at the time of writing, as demand for the safe-haven US Dollar picks up. Reports of Israeli strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities have lifted geopolitical risk, supporting the USD and weighing on the Yen. Meanwhile, expectations that the Bank of Japan (BoJ) will leave interest rates unchanged at its upcoming meeting on Tuesday have further limited JPY gains. While BoJ...