Market Update

US Treasury bond yields were lower on Friday, though off session lows, as traders assessed the recent hawkish Federal Reserve stance as the central bank tries to balance rising inflation against the economic toll of the Omicron coronavirus variant.Yields edged up in the short end, overall flattening the curve after …

Oil prices continued to trade lower in Friday dealings, with January West Texas Intermediate crude down $1.43, or 2%, at $70.95 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange. Crude oil prices fell on Friday and were also down on the week as surging cases of the Omicron coronavirus variant …

The US Dollar Index ended the week above the 96.50 threshold. The US 10-year Treasury yield finished down, at 1.412%. DXY Technical outlook: Breaks above the ascending triangle, USD bulls target 98.00. The US Dollar Index, also known as DXY, which measures the greenback’s performance against a basket of six …

The US central bank doubles its QE reduction to USD 30 billion, eyeing three rate hikes in 2022. The ECB announced a “hawkish” hold, PEPP to end in March as scheduled.On Friday, the EUR/USD plunges during the New York session, trading at 1.1237, down by 0.85%. The market sentiment is …

The US economy is expected to slow in 2022 in comparison to 2021, but economic growth will continue at a pace that is above average. Consumers have powered the economic recovery since mid-2020 and that will continue in the coming year.Consumer spending is expected to rise another 4% to 5% …

The USD/CAD pair is approaching 1.2900 after hawkish comments from Fed member Waller, who said that March meeting was live. A break above 1.2900 would likely open the door to a test of the initial post-Fed meeting highs near 1.2940.Some had thought that this week’s rollercoaster ride in Forex markets …

Gold futures climbed back above the $1,800 mark on Friday to post their highest settlement in nearly four weeks. The precious metal’s rise above the key $1,800 level appears to be driven by broad capital flows leaving risk markets and moving into defensive havens such as gold. Gold (XAU/USD) advances …

Fed Board of Governors member Christopher Waller said on Friday that the whole point of the Fed’s decision to accelerate the pace of its QE taper was to make the March Fed meeting “live” for a first rate hike. Under his base case scenario, a first rate hike in March …

The US dollar recovers some of Thursday’s losses against the Swiss franc. The pair climbs above the 100, and the 50-day moving averages (DMAs) trading at 0.9227 during the New York session. Financial markets risk-aversion favors the US dollar safe-haven status, to the detriment of the Swiss franc.In the bond …

The Federal Reserve raising interest rates next year would signal the central bank feels good about the country’s economic recovery, New York Fed President John Williams said Friday.“I go into next year feeling [like] the baseline outlook is a very good one. Therefore, actually raising interest rates would be a …