New applications for U.S. unemployment benefits declined last week, pointing to continued stability in the labor market, even as broader economic risks tied to geopolitical tensions remain in focus. According to the US Department of Labor, initial jobless claims fell by 9,000 to a seasonally adjusted 202,000 for the week …

Gold prices fell on Thursday, snapping a four-session winning streak as renewed geopolitical tensions and a stronger U.S. dollar weighed heavily on the precious metal. Spot gold declined 2.6% to $4,637.25 per ounce as of 03:41 ET (07:41 GMT), after earlier rising to a session high of $4,800.58. U.S. gold …

Bitcoin declined sharply on Thursday, tracking broader losses across cryptocurrencies and global risk assets after renewed escalation signals in the Middle East dampened investor sentiment. The world’s largest cryptocurrency fell 2.9% to $66,465.7 as of 01:29 ET (05:29 GMT), extending losses after a moderately positive start to April. Despite the …

European stocks opened sharply lower on Thursday, as renewed escalation signals in the Middle East erased hopes of a near-term ceasefire and pushed oil prices higher. By 03:10 ET (07:10 GMT), the STOXX 600 dropped 1.2%, while Germany’s DAX fell 1.5%. France’s CAC 40 declined 1.2%, and the UK’s FTSE …

U.S. stock index futures dropped sharply on Wednesday evening after Donald Trump signaled a major escalation in military operations against Iran, dampening earlier optimism around a potential de-escalation in the conflict. By 21:40 ET (01:40 GMT), S&P 500 futures fell 0.8% to 6,566.0 points, while Nasdaq 100 futures declined 1% …

U.S. President Donald Trump warned on Wednesday that Washington will intensify military operations against Iran over the next two to three weeks, signaling a renewed escalation in the conflict and triggering immediate volatility across global markets. Speaking from the White House, Trump said the United States would “hit them extremely …

Oil prices jumped sharply on Thursday, as renewed geopolitical tensions in the Middle East fueled concerns over prolonged supply disruptions and drove a fresh risk premium into energy markets. Brent crude futures for June delivery surged 6.8% to $108.01 per barrel, while U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude rose 5.8% …

U.S. consumer spending showed renewed strength in February, as retail sales rebounded following a contraction in the previous month and came in slightly ahead of market expectations. According to the US Census Bureau, retail sales rose 0.6% month-on-month to $738.4 billion. The increase follows a 0.1% decline in January and …

U.S. private-sector hiring showed modest resilience in March, with job gains exceeding expectations despite a slight slowdown from the previous month. According to Automatic Data Processing, private employers added 62,000 jobs in March, following a revised increase of 66,000 in February. The latest reading came in above market forecasts of …

Bitcoin rose on Wednesday, leading gains across the cryptocurrency market as improving risk sentiment followed signals that the U.S.-Iran conflict could be nearing an end. The world’s largest cryptocurrency climbed nearly 2% to $68,807.8 as of 02:24 ET (06:24 GMT), extending a recovery after a largely subdued performance in March. …