Market Update

The UK retail sales came in at 2.1% over the month in February vs. 2.8% expected and -8.2% previous. The core retail sales, excepting the auto motor fuel sales, stood at 2.4% MoM vs 1.9% expected and -8.8% previous. YoY, the UK retail sales dropped by 3.7% in February versus …

Japanese stocks closed higher on Friday, while SoftBank led the gains on the Nikkei index, as investors snapped up decliners after falling sharply this week. The Nikkei index rose 1.56% to close at 29,176.70 points, while the broader Topix index advanced 1.46% to 1,984.16 points. For the week, the Nikkei …

Seven LNG carriers have diverted their route away from the Suez Canal after shipping was suspended in it due to the stranding of a giant container ship since Tuesday, according to Kepler, a data analysis company. Kepler analyst Rebecca Shea said that three of the tankers are being diverted towards …

The New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) recovered from its earlier losses to end Thursday’s trading session on a higher note, supported by positive economic data and expectations for recovery. The Dow Jones Industrial Average surged by 199.4 points, or 0.62%, to finish at 32,619.5 points. The S&P 500 index gained …

Oil prices declined on Thursday, amid renewed concerns about demand recovery amid a resurgence of the Coronavirus pandemic with a third wave and lockdown measures in Europe. Losses come one day following the rise of oil futures due to supply disruption caused by an incident that affected flows through the …

Gold prices declined on Thursday, as the U.S. Dollar (USD) rose against major rivals supported by the high Treasury bond yields and positive economic data. The yellow metal futures for April delivery closed lower by $8.10, or 0.5%, at $1,725.10 per ounce. Gold has now given up all of its …

The President of the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta, Raphael Bostic, said on Thursday that the U.S. economy is in a battle to achieve recovery in the job market, expecting full employment next year. Bostic also expects the Fed will raise interest rates by 2023. As for inflation, he noted …

The United States economy could by achieving the targets set by the Federal Reserve by 2024, the President of the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago, Charles Evans, said on Thursday. Although Evans expects the unemployment rate to reach 4.5% this year, achieving substantial progress towards full employment, and inflation to …

The British Pound (GBP) is rising on Thursday, supported by a positive sentiment as the United Kingdom (UK) and the European Union (EU) vowed to cooperate to reach a settlement to the current disagreements in a way that would facilitate cooperation in vaccine distribution and transportation. Despite a mostly positive …

The United States Federal Reserve will maintain its current policies until the economy recovers from the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, said the Fed Vice Chair Richard Clarida, Reuters reported. The Fed’s easing policies “are providing powerful support to the economy and will continue to do so as the recovery progresses.” “It …