US equities ended lower on Tuesday as investors grappled with downbeat economic data, rising trade tensions, and mixed corporate earnings. The S&P 500 dropped 0.5%, the Nasdaq slid 0.7%, and the Dow slipped by 62 points, following Monday's sharp rebound from Friday's losses tied to a disappointing jobs report. Concerns about stagflation resurfaced after the ISM Services index showed activity had stalled in July. Meanwhile, President Trump's threats of steep tariffs up to 250% on pharmaceutical imports alongside potential levies on semiconductors, added to market unease amid ongoing...
Falling demand for U.S. dollar-denominated assets will push the greenback lower in coming months, according to FX strategists surveyed by Reuters, as concerns mount about the U.S. federal deficit and debt. U.S. President Donald Trump's erratic tariff policies, along with the House of Representatives recently passing a tax-cut and spending bill that would add $3.3 trillion to an already-enormous $36.2 trillion debt pile, have many investors worried. Long-term bond yields have soared on a rising 'term premium' – compensation for holding longer-duration debt – leading to swathes of asset...
Oil prices held steady on Wednesday amid global trade tensions and as ongoing OPEC+ output increases were offset by a hit to Canadian supply from wildfires. Brent crude futures inched 6 cents higher, or 0.1%, to $65.69 a barrel by 1203 GMT. U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude was 8 cents higher, also around 0.1%, at $63.49. Plans by OPEC+ producers to again increase output by 411,000 barrels per day (bpd) in July were weighing on the market, said Janiv Shah, vice president of oil commodity markets analysis at Rystad Energy. Yet there was some support as wildfires reduced Canada's...
Gold prices held steady on Wednesday as stronger U.S. jobs data countered safe-haven demand driven by simmering trade tensions between the U.S. and China. Spot gold was steady at $3,349.19 an ounce, as of 1145 GMT. U.S. gold futures were unchanged at $3,373.10. "U.S. labor data gave markets a bit of relief yesterday, causing a small dip in gold prices. However, tensions between the U.S. and China are still keeping risks high and gold prices supported," said Zain Vawda, market analyst at MarketPulse by OANDA. Job openings in the U.S. rose in April, though layoffs surged to their highest...
Silver prices (XAG/USD) correction from year-to-date highs below $35.00 has been limited at the $34.00 area, and the precious metal bounced up again to consolidate at the $34.50 area on Wednesday, with the 34.80 high at a short distance. Bears have been contained well above a previous resistance area at the $33.50-$33.70, and the 4-Hour RSI remains well above the 50 level, highlighting the pair's positive bias. The US Dollar Index seems to have lost momentum, following a moderate recovery on Tuesday. The enthusiasm from the strong job openings data seems to have faded, with investors...
The US Dollar (USD) showed resilience despite the late-session bounce in Treasury yields, supported by strong April JOLTS job openings. That said, the JOLTS data adds little to the overall jobs picture: the labour market remains tight, while declining quits suggest wage growth is easing. The dollar's rebound appears more a reflection of markets struggling to justify an already elevated risk premium without fresh negative developments on trade or Treasury fronts, ING's FX analyst Francesco Pesole notes. USD to come under renewed pressure "Markets may also be adopting a slightly more...