Oil prices rose on Thursday for the fourth consecutive session, supported by an improved outlook for demand recovery this year. Brent crude futures for June delivery added 36 cents, or 0.5%, to close at $66.94 per barrel. Meanwhile, the West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures for May delivery gained 31 …
Read More »Gold Surges on Geopolitical Tensions and Treasury Yields Decline
Gold prices rose on Thursday and saw its best session performance since March, amid a decline in the U.S. Treasury bond yields and fluctuations by the U.S. Dollar (USD). Moreover, rising tensions between the United States and both Russia and China, improved demand for the yellow metal as a safe …
Read More »European Stocks Hit New All-Time High
European stocks surged to a new all-time high on Thursday, supported by an improved risk sentiment among investors that resulted from positive economic data and earnings reports. The pan-European STOXX 600 index rose by 2.34 points, or 0.54%, to close at a new all-time high of 438.91 points. The mining …
Read More »Canada’s Home Sales Set New Record in March
Home sales in Canada rose by 5.2% in March, data by the Canadian Real Estate Association showed on Thursday. More than 76,000 residential units were traded last month, marking the highest level of real estate trading activity on record. The previous record high was set in July 2020 at around …
Read More »U.S. Homebuilders Confidence Improves in April
The U.S. National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) housing market index rose to 83 in April, compared with 82 in March, data showed on Thursday. The current sales conditions index also leveled up one point to 88, while the index for sales expectations in the next six months declined by …
Read More »U.S. Industrial Output Recovers in March
Industrial production in the United States expanded last month by 1.4%, following a reading that showed a 2.6% decline in February. The rebound in industrial output in March comes following a sharp decline in February that resulted mainly from bad weather conditions and a winter storm hitting southern parts of …
Read More »Powell Reaffirms Reducing Bond Purchases will Take Place Before Raising Interest Rates
The Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell said on Wednesday that the Fed will most likely begin by scaling back the bond-buying before it considers raising interest rates, reiterating the planned reduction of monetary easing policies as the U.S. economy shows recovery signs. “We will reach the time at which we …
Read More »NYSE Mixed at Close but S&P 500 Scores Another Record High
The New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) finished Wednesday trading session on a mixed note. A rise in Treasury bond yields and the release of the Federal Reserve’s Beige Book, which lowered expectations for economic growth this spring, pressured stocks, especially the tech sector. Moreover, the Beige Book expected a rise …
Read More »Oil Closes at Highest Level in a Month
Oil prices continued to rise in Wednesday, supported by the improved outlook demand from the International Energy Agency (IEA), which raised expectations for global demand for crude this year by 230,000. The IEA expects a 5.7 million-barrel a day growth in the global demand for oil in 2021 compared with …
Read More »Germany’s Economic Growth Forecasts to Be Revised Lower
Forecasts for Germany’s economic growth for this year are expected to be revised lower to 3.7% from 4.7%, Reuters reported citing sources in German economic institutes. The move comes amid preventive measures against the coronavirus pandemic and lockdowns taking longer than previously expected. Meanwhile, the estimated growth rate for 2022 …
Read More »