Market Update

Eurozone retail sales, an indicator of consumer demand, posted much weaker-than-expected figures in July, mainly due to a sharp drop in the number of goods purchased online. The European Union statistics office Eurostat said on Friday that retail sales in the 19 countries dealing with the single currency fell 2.3 …

Business activities in the eurozone remained strong last month despite concerns about the delta strain of the coronavirus and widespread problems in supply chains, according to a survey indicating that the bloc’s economy could return to pre-Covid-19 levels by the end of the year. The final reading of the IHS …

Gold prices rose on Friday, supported by a weak dollar, as investors awaited US jobs data to learn about the Federal Reserve’s plans to start reducing asset purchases. Gold rose in spot transactions 0.2% to $ 1812.97 an ounce by 0641 GMT, and it fell 0.2% for the week. US …

European shares fell on Friday, ahead of US employment data that could affect the Federal Reserve’s policy outlook, while fresh concerns about slowing Chinese growth took a toll on sentiment. The pan-European Stoxx 600 index fell 0.2% but was on track for limited weekly gains. Banks and financial services stocks, …

Japanese stocks rose, while the broad Topix index reached its highest level in more than 30 years, after Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga tendered his resignation, paving the way for a new government that could help the ruling coalition win the upcoming elections. The Nikkei index rose 2.04% to 29,128.11 points, …

The European Union has decided to impose a EUR 225 million fine on WhatsApp, the messaging application owned by Facebook, due to breaching data protection rules. The EU Data Protection Commission in Ireland decided to impose the fine and require that WhatsApp changes how it explains terms, conditions, and privacy …

Canada registered a trade surplus in July with both imports and exports hitting new record high levels, according to the most recent data. The trade surplus reached CAD 778 million, with exports rising 0.6% and imports surging by 4.2%, as per Statistics Canada. June’s reading was revised to show a …

U.S. Treasury bond yields declined slightly on Thursday, with investors anticipating the jobs report and other major economic data. The benchmark 10-year Treasury bond yields eased to about 1.29% down from 1.301% on Wednesday. Meanwhile, the 30-year Treasury bond yield went near 1.905%, down from 1.919%. The return on the …

Oil prices rose on Thursday, with the recent decision and market forecasts by the OPEC+ sinking in and being properly digested by investors with the focus tilting towards coming economic data. In addition, Hurricane Ida are impacting crude oil and fuels supply chain in North America. Brent crude futures for …

Gold prices declined on Thursday, for the second consecutive session despite the U.S. Dollar (USD) and Treasury bond yields decreasing, falling for the third time this week. The yellow metal front-month futures lost $4.40 or 0.24% to finish at $1808.70 per ounce. This is the lowest closing level for gold …