Market Update

Data released on Thursday showed the ISM Service Index dropped to the lowest level in 11 months in January. Analysts at Wells Fargo point out it reflects how a lack of available workers and persistent supply shortages “are weighing on firms’ ability to keep up with activity in the service …

At 0.6661, the bulls are in charge and the bird of 0.5% higher on Thursday’s business in the remaining hour of the US trading session. The price has climbed from a low of 0.6609 to score a high of 0.6681 so far as traders await the outcome of Friday’s US …

Front-month WTI futures surged above the $90.00 level for the first time since 2014 in recent trade on Thursday, taking their on-the-day gains to more than $2.0, which would mark the best one-day performance in three weeks. No specific one fundamental catalyst can be singled out as behind the recent …

The S&P 500 slumped back below the 4500 level on Thursday, dropping over 2.0% on the day. Equity market sentiment took a battering after dour earnings guidance from tech giant Meta Platforms (Facebook). Focus has shifted to Amazon earnings after the closing bell and Friday’s US jobs report. Major US …

Gold has found some bidders again after a quick but short trip to the downside on Thursday. At $1,805, the yellow metal is about flat again on the day as traders now get their sights on Friday’s Nonfarm Payrolls data. Gold was hit hard on the back of a spike …

GBP/USD bulls take a breather around a fortnight high surrounding 1.3600, during the sixth positive day amid Friday’s Asian session. Earlier, on Thursday, at 1.3605, GBP/USD off its highs of the day by is still positive by some 0.23% following the Bank of England that raised interest rates to 0.5% …

The USD/CAD has traded in a relatively directionless fashion on Thursday, initially strengthening towards above 1.2700 as the Canadian dollar weakened in tandem with an earnings-driven downturn in global equities, but more recently dropping back to the 1.2675 area on rising oil prices.At current levels, the pair is back to …

Omicron put a massive bump in the road to America’s recovery this winter. The first signs of trouble could show up in the January jobs report on Friday, 4 February. Goldman Sachs cites survey data indicating a surge in absenteeism during the month to expect Omicron-led temporary declines in the …

European Central Bank policymakers see a policy change at the March meeting if inflation does ease, said sources speaking to Reuters.The sources said that policymakers see a faster pace of tapering of the Asset Purchase Programme (APP) as its first point of call to fight higher inflation. According to the …

According to the final version of IHS Markit’s Services PMI survey, the headline index was 51.2 in January, above the flash estimate for a 50.9 reading. The final Composite PMI came in 51.1 in January, also above the flash reading of 50.8. January US PMI Composite Index (Final): 51.1 vs. …