Market Update

U.S. stock index futures were little changed on Tuesday, as investors digested softer-than-expected retail sales data while keeping their focus firmly on a busy corporate earnings calendar. By 08:42 ET (13:42 GMT), Dow Jones futures hovered just below the flatline at 50,112 points. The blue-chip Dow Jones Industrial Average surged …

U.S. retail sales unexpectedly stagnated in December, pointing to a sharper-than-expected slowdown in consumer activity at the end of 2025 and raising fresh questions about the near-term strength of the world’s largest economy. Retail sales were flat on a month-on-month basis in December, falling well short of economists’ expectations for …

European equities traded in mixed fashion on Tuesday, as investors weighed a heavy slate of corporate earnings against a backdrop of improving global risk appetite. At 03:05 ET (08:05 GMT), Germany’s DAX slipped 0.2% and the U.K.’s FTSE 100 also edged 0.2% lower, while France’s CAC 40 bucked the trend, …

Bitcoin fell back below the $70,000 level during Asian trading on Tuesday, once again struggling to sustain recent gains as investors adopted a cautious stance ahead of crucial U.S. economic data releases. The world’s largest cryptocurrency was last trading 2.2% lower at $69,392.7 by 05:58 GMT, after failing to build …

Oil prices slipped slightly on Tuesday as traders weighed the risk of potential supply disruptions linked to heightened U.S.-Iran tensions, while also digesting fresh developments around sanctions on Russian crude exports. Brent crude futures eased 0.2% to $68.88 a barrel by 08:00 GMT, while U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude …

Hedge funds are increasingly taking bold short positions on US stocks, signaling growing anxiety over the disruptive impact of artificial intelligence on traditional business models. Last week saw record-level short selling, with hedge funds selling more than twice the amount they bought, reflecting widespread caution in the market. Concerns intensified …

Oil prices rose sharply on Monday after the United States issued an official warning to American-flagged ships to avoid entering Iranian territorial waters, particularly when passing through the Strait of Hormuz and the Gulf of Oman. The warning revived geopolitical concerns in one of the world’s most important energy transit …

Silver prices jumped sharply on Monday, benefiting from a drop in the U.S. Dollar Index to its lowest level in a week, which boosted demand for precious metals. The move was further supported by reports suggesting that foreign investors may be shifting part of their dollar holdings into silver, following …

Global markets opened the week digesting a major political shock from Japan while cautiously repositioning ahead of a packed U.S. economic calendar. A decisive election outcome in Tokyo injected fresh optimism into Japanese assets, even as currency and broader financial markets adopted a wait-and-see stance amid uncertainty surrounding upcoming American …

Gold prices rose sharply on Monday, supported by the U.S. Dollar Index falling to its lowest level in a week, alongside concerns that foreign investors are shifting part of their dollar assets into precious metals. This worry follows a Bloomberg report stating that Chinese regulators asked financial institutions to reduce …