Market Update

Data by the United States Energy Information Administration (EIA) showed on Thursday that natural gas inventories declined by 1 billion cubic feet for the week ended November 27. The decline is way below that expected by market experts. Natural gas inventories amounted to a total of 3.939 trillion cubic feet, …

Economic activity in the United States services sector grew in November for the sixth consecutive month. Data by the Institute for Supply Management (ISM) Services Business Survey showed that the Services PMI registered 55.9%, declining by 0.7% compared to the October reading of 56.6%. However, the reading represents a sixth …

European stocks closed Thursday on a mixed note amid increased uncertainty surrounding Brexit trade talks. The STOXX Europe 600 index closed marginally higher, adding about 0.30 points. Meanwhile, the UK’s FTSE100 finished higher by 0.42%, while the French CAC40 decreased by 0.16%. Similarly, the German DAX fell by 0.45%.

The US Dollar (USD) is declining again against major currencies on Tuesday, showing a mixed performance on mixed economic data. The dollar index (DXY) is down by 0.60% at 90.75, after moving in a range between 90.56 and 91.09, after closing yesterday at 91.12.

There were 712,000 initial claims for unemployment benefits in the US during the week ending November 28, the data published by the US Department of Labor (DOL) showed on Thursday. This reading followed last week’s print of 787,000 and came in better than the market expectation of 775,000.

The dollar fell Thursday, December 3, to its lowest level in two and a half years against a basket of currencies, as investors bet that more economic stimulus from Washington and expected to start distributing vaccines for Covid-19 will support high-risk assets. While US lawmakers have failed to reach an …

The number of Coronavirus deaths in the United States rose by 3,157 yesterday to record the largest number since the start of the pandemic. 20,070 people tested positive for Corona, as California broke a new record of daily infections. Meanwhile, the US Center for Disease Control has cut the quarantine …

Annual inflation in Turkey jumped higher than expected, registering 14.03% in November, the highest level since August 2019 due to the drop in the lira, which remains on the pressures urging monetary policy tightening after a big interest rate hike last month. On a monthly basis, consumer prices increased 2.30% …

Retail Sales both in the Eurozone and the European Union increased by 1.5% on a monthly basis in October, the data published by the Eurostat showed on Thursday. This reading followed September’s contraction of 1.7% and beat the market expectation of +0.8%.

Oil prices rose Thursday, December 3, after a dispute erupted between two producers, including Saudi Arabia and Russia, over the need to extend the deadline for record production cuts that began during the first wave of the Covid-19 pandemic. Brent crude rose 21 cents, or 0.4%, to $48.46 a barrel …