Market Update

European stock markets traded slightly lower on Thursday, as investors evaluated economic data and retail sector earnings. At 03:05 ET (08:05 GMT), Germany’s DAX slipped 0.2%, France’s CAC 40 fell 0.2%, and the UK’s FTSE 100 remained flat. Trading volumes are expected to be muted, with U.S. markets closed to …

Oil prices held steady on Thursday as markets balanced strong winter fuel demand expectations with concerns over rising U.S. fuel inventories and macroeconomic uncertainties. Brent crude futures dipped by 6 cents to $76.10 per barrel at 07:27 GMT. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures declined by 5 cents to $73.27 …

Gold prices steadied in Asian trade on Thursday after two consecutive days of gains, supported by safe-haven demand amid uncertainty over a hawkish Federal Reserve and concerns about President-elect Donald Trump’s potential trade tariff policies. Spot gold dipped slightly by 0.1% to $2,660.36 an ounce, while February gold futures gained …

West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude oil prices dipped below $72.50 per barrel in early Asian trading on Thursday, pressured by a strengthening US Dollar. While a firmer greenback typically weighs on dollar-denominated commodities like oil, concerns over potential supply disruptions from ongoing geopolitical tensions are likely to limit downside price …

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz disbanded his coalition government composed of the Social Democrats, Greens, and Free Democrats the day after Donald Trump was re-elected as U.S. President in November. Additionally, he accelerated the election date in Germany from September 2025 to February 23, 2025. Germany lost its government as a …

The Japanese yen is retreating against the US dollar due to the latter’s strength, driven by diverse employment data and a report indicating the possibility of the Trump administration’s tariffs being activated soon.The US dollar rose for the second consecutive day, supported by preliminary employment data that highlighted a lower-than-expected …

Gold prices climbed during the North American session, buoyed by a slightly hawkish tone in the latest Federal Reserve meeting minutes. The minutes suggested that the pace of interest rate cuts may slow down, a development that typically supports gold as a hedge against inflation.While the US Dollar Index strengthened, …

The Federal Reserve’s latest monetary policy meeting minutes, released on Wednesday, revealed that “Fed officials are factoring in the potential changes to trade and immigration policies as they prepare their economic forecasts.”Some expressed concerns that “President-elect Donald Trump’s trade policies could make it difficult to interpret inflation readings in the …

Global markets displayed a cautious tone on Wednesday, with most major currency pairs trading within narrow ranges. Investors are gearing up for a busy data release schedule culminating in Friday’s highly anticipated US Nonfarm Payrolls report.The US Dollar Index edged higher, reflecting a cautious investor sentiment that favored the safe-haven …

The Federal Reserve’s decision to cut interest rates in December, while welcomed by some, was marked by a notable degree of caution. The minutes of the December 17-18 policy meeting, to be released on Wednesday, will offer crucial insights into the internal deliberations that shaped this decision.The 25-basis-point rate cut …