The US dollar index traded on the positive side on Wednesday near 91.90 amid a state of caution prevailing among traders ahead of the highly anticipated Fed meeting later in the day. Investors are anticipating that the Fed will raise growth forecasts after approving the massive stimulus package plus the …
Read More »IEA: Oil Demand Will Grow by 5.5 million bpd to 96.5 million in 2021
The International Energy Agency said that oil prices are unlikely to rise sharply and continuously, despite the expectation that demand will be supported by vaccines later in the year, as the world is still awash with oil. She added in her monthly report, “The great rise of oil to close …
Read More »Japan Shares Closed Flat as Investors Awaited The Fed Meeting
Japan shares closed flat on Wednesday, as gains in the health care sector were offset by profit-reaping selling in the technology sector, despite the continuing state of caution in general ahead of important meetings of the US Federal Reserve (central bank) and the Bank of Japan. The Nikkei index closed …
Read More »Gold Rises Boosted by a Bet on Inflation Ahead of The Fed Meeting
Gold rose on Wednesday, March 17th, hovering near its highest level in more than two weeks, amid expectations of a higher level of inflation, although trading was limited to a narrow range, with investors showing caution before the two-day policy committee meeting of the Federal Reserve. Gold rose 0.3% in …
Read More »Oil Settled as demand Concerns Address a Sudden Drop in US Inventories
Oil prices varied on Wednesday, March 17th, as concerns over volatile demand in Europe addressed hopes for a recovery in US refining activities, while industry data showed that US crude inventories fell unexpectedly last week. Brent futures were down 7 cents, or 0.1%, to $ 68.32 a barrel after initially …
Read More »S&P Confirms America’s Credit Rating at AA + / A-1 +, With a Stable Outlook
Standard & Poor’s affirmed credit ratings agency confirms America’s sovereign credit rating at AA + / A-1 + and maintains a stable outlook. The agency said that the US dollar’s status as the world’s No. 1 reserve currency and the size and depth of the US financial market will support …
Read More »U.S: Industrial Production in February contracts by 2.2%
Industrial Production in the United States contracted by 2.2% on a monthly basis in February, the US Federal Reserve reported on Tuesday. This reading followed January’s expansion of 1.1% and missed the market expectation for an increase of 0.6% by a large margin.
Read More »US: Retail Sales Decline by 3% in February
Retail Sales in the US fell by 3% in February to $561.7 billion, the data published by the US Census Bureau showed on Tuesday. This reading followed January’s increase of 7.6% (revised from 5.3%) and came in worse than the market expectation for a decrease of 0.5%.
Read More »German Investor Sentiment Improved on Expectations For a Broad-Based Recovery
ZEW Economic Research Institute said investor sentiment in Germany improved more than expected in March thanks to expectations of a broad-based economic recovery in Europe’s largest economy. The institute said that its economic sentiment survey for investors rose to 76.6 points from 71.2 in the previous month. A Reuters poll …
Read More »Sterling Falls Due to a Jump in US Treasury Yields
The pound fell again on Monday (March 15th) amid an increase in US Treasury yields and with the European Union launching legal action against Britain’s unilateral changes to trade arrangements with Northern Ireland. The 27-nation bloc said the changes violated the Brexit deal signed last year. The pound fell 0.22% …
Read More »