Futures on the Euro Stoxx 50 rose 0.7%, while in the United States, futures remained relatively static, with futures listed on the S&P 500 and Nasdaq 100 remaining unchanged. Nikkei futures rose by 0.3%, while Hong Kong’s Hang Seng slumped by 1.6%. The Shanghai Composite edged 0.2% higher.

Gold rose by 0.7% to hit a record value of $2,389.34 an ounce. As supply uncertainty rises due to Middle East tensions, with West Texas Intermediate crude rising by 0.8% to $85.69 per barrel. In cryptocurrencies, Bitcoin rose 0.6% to $70,940.49 while Ether was up 0.5% to $3,543.65.

The post European Stocks Rises as Gold Hits Fresh Record appeared first on theprimarymarket.com.

The benchmark S&P 500 slumped 0.7% while the tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite plummeted by 1%. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 0.5%. Both the S&P 500 and the Nasdaq Composite clocked in their second consecutive weekly loss.

Friday’s declines follow a stock slump during the previous session following an unexpectedly hot Consumer Price Index (CPI) report for February. Investors have since shifted focus to the Personal Consumption Expenditures (PCE) report set to be released later this week.

The post Stocks Slip Lower on Friday for Second Straight Losing Week appeared first on theprimarymarket.com.

“The data came as a relief for those who were prepared for the worst,” noted Ipek Ozkardeskaya, senior analyst at Swissquote Bank.

Futures on the S&P 500 edged 0.1% higher, while those on the tech-heavy Nasdaq 100 gained 0.3%. Contracts listed on the Dow Jones Industrial Average remained little changed. Across the pond, the benchmark Stoxx Europe 600 index advanced by 0.5%, as did the MSCI Asia Pacific Index. The MSCI Emerging Markets Index gained 0.2%.

In Asia, the Japanese Nikkei 225 rose 1.9% to its strongest-ever close, edging close to the 40,000 mark. Bitcoin continued its recent rally, approaching the $62,000 mark amid rising demand from exchange-traded funds. BlackRock Inc.’s iShares Bitcoin Trust hit a record $612 million inflow.

The post Stocks Rise Following Relief Over Inflation Data appeared first on theprimarymarket.com.

The benchmark S&P 500 index remained stagnant, as did the Dow Jones Industrial Average, thereby sitting marginally lower than their all-time high figures reached in the last week. The tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite index rose by 0.2%.

Stocks have largely lost momentum due to investors awaiting the incoming economic data as a means of understanding the health of the US economy. The PCE Index is also expected to provide an indication of when the Federal Reserve may decide to introduce interest rate cuts.

In the midst of a silent trading session, Bitcoin appeared to make the most noise, with the cryptocurrency rising to its highest level in two years, surpassing $57,000 per token. This saw a rise in the stocks of crypto exchanges such as Coinbase.

The post Stocks Hold Steady Ahead of Inflation Report appeared first on theprimarymarket.com.

S&P 500 futures gained 1.1%, while those on the Dow Jones Industrial Average were up 0.2%. In Europe, the Stoxx 600 Index rose 0.6%, while the MSCI Asia Pacific Index was up 1.1%. The US dollar slipped, with the Bloomberg Dollar Spot Index edged lower by 0.2%.

“As goes Nvidia, so goes the market,” Kim Forrest, chief investment officer of Bokeh Capital Partners LLC remarked, speaking of Nvidia’s influence over the S&P 500 as well as the broader tech market. “It does confirm the narrative that AI is going to continue to be strong for the foreseeable future. This narrative supported the markets last year, why wouldn’t it do the same this year?”

The post Nasdaq Futures Up 2% Following Blowout Nvidia Earnings appeared first on theprimarymarket.com.

This comes as uncertainties rise around the timing of the Federal Reserve’s interest rate cuts. In addition to the Federal Reserve’s actions, it remains uncertain whether inflation will once again rebound, thereby pushing the need for further inflation measures. Initially expected in March, the Fed is now expected by analysts to introduce interest rate cuts around May.

499 billion yuan worth of MLF loans are set to expire this month, with a net 1 billion yuan set to be injected into the Chinese economy as a result of rates remaining constant. The People’s Bank of China’s decision was not a surprising one, with 22 of 31 market watchers polled by Reuters, or 71%, all expecting rates to remain unchanged.

The post China Central Bank Holds Rates Constant appeared first on theprimarymarket.com.

Should this figure ring true, it would show the progress that the Federal Reserve has made in its fight against inflation. Overall CPI is expected to have risen by less than 3% for the first time in almost two years according to economists’ forecasts.

“In deciding when to start cutting rates, the Fed will have to reconcile the data they have in hand— which show inflation on a fast track to the 2% target—with risks that inflation could flare up again or the labor market could weaken more sharply,” Bloomberg Economics noted, adding that a final decision will most likely not be reached until shortly before the next policy meeting.

The post Slowing Inflation Boosts Interest Rate Cut Hopes appeared first on theprimarymarket.com.

Despite the ECB’s concerns, investors are largely expecting rate cuts to arrive in the near term due to a belief that the central bank is acting too pessimistic in its inflation outlook. Financial markets are betting that a total of 127 basis points of rate cuts will be introduced throughout the course of the year, with the first being between April and June.

“Our view remains that the weak growth outlook – with activity below potential for many quarters ahead – and falling inflation will mean cuts can happen sooner rather than later,” Peter Goves, at MFS Investment Management commented.

The post European Central Bank Pushes Back Interest Rate Cuts appeared first on theprimarymarket.com.

Across the pond, U.S. futures listed on the New York Stock Exchange were on the rise, with those on the tech-heavy Nasdaq 100 exceeding expectations with a 0.7% rise. Contracts listed on the Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 0.2%, while those on the benchmark S&P 500 climbed 0.4%.

Much like the European Central Bank, expectations that the Federal Reserve will lower interest rates sooner rather than later are also flailing.

“We’re leaning more towards a June rate cut and then a recalibration,” senior investment strategist Laura Cooper of BlackRock International Ltd. revealed. “There is a degree of repricing that still needs to come through that adds to our view that there’s going to be a bit of volatility ahead,” she added, explaining that markets have been overconfident in terms of their expectations.

The post European Stocks End Week on High as U.S. Futures Rise appeared first on theprimarymarket.com.

Stubborn inflation has dashed investor hopes that the Bank of England would soon contemplate the introduction of interest rate cuts. “Improving interest rate expectations in recent weeks has led to some forecasters predicting the first cut in the first half of 2024, with lenders slashing mortgage rates as they battle it out to retain their existing clients and attract new business,” Alice Haine, personal finance analyst at Bestinvest explained.

Haine added that this unexpected rapid rise in inflation has come as a blow to mortgage holders and prospective buyers, who had hoped for interest rate cuts to be introduced as a means of driving down mortgage rates.

The post UK Inflation Rises to 4%, Dashing Hopes of an Interest Rate Cut appeared first on theprimarymarket.com.

Futures on the Euro Stoxx 50 rose 0.7%, while in the United States, futures remained relatively static, with futures listed on the S&P 500 and Nasdaq 100 remaining unchanged. Nikkei futures rose by 0.3%, while Hong Kong’s Hang Seng slumped by 1.6%. The Shanghai Composite edged 0.2% higher.

Gold rose by 0.7% to hit a record value of $2,389.34 an ounce. As supply uncertainty rises due to Middle East tensions, with West Texas Intermediate crude rising by 0.8% to $85.69 per barrel. In cryptocurrencies, Bitcoin rose 0.6% to $70,940.49 while Ether was up 0.5% to $3,543.65.

The post European Stocks Rises as Gold Hits Fresh Record appeared first on theprimarymarket.com.

The benchmark S&P 500 slumped 0.7% while the tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite plummeted by 1%. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 0.5%. Both the S&P 500 and the Nasdaq Composite clocked in their second consecutive weekly loss.

Friday’s declines follow a stock slump during the previous session following an unexpectedly hot Consumer Price Index (CPI) report for February. Investors have since shifted focus to the Personal Consumption Expenditures (PCE) report set to be released later this week.

The post Stocks Slip Lower on Friday for Second Straight Losing Week appeared first on theprimarymarket.com.

“The data came as a relief for those who were prepared for the worst,” noted Ipek Ozkardeskaya, senior analyst at Swissquote Bank.

Futures on the S&P 500 edged 0.1% higher, while those on the tech-heavy Nasdaq 100 gained 0.3%. Contracts listed on the Dow Jones Industrial Average remained little changed. Across the pond, the benchmark Stoxx Europe 600 index advanced by 0.5%, as did the MSCI Asia Pacific Index. The MSCI Emerging Markets Index gained 0.2%.

In Asia, the Japanese Nikkei 225 rose 1.9% to its strongest-ever close, edging close to the 40,000 mark. Bitcoin continued its recent rally, approaching the $62,000 mark amid rising demand from exchange-traded funds. BlackRock Inc.’s iShares Bitcoin Trust hit a record $612 million inflow.

The post Stocks Rise Following Relief Over Inflation Data appeared first on theprimarymarket.com.

The benchmark S&P 500 index remained stagnant, as did the Dow Jones Industrial Average, thereby sitting marginally lower than their all-time high figures reached in the last week. The tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite index rose by 0.2%.

Stocks have largely lost momentum due to investors awaiting the incoming economic data as a means of understanding the health of the US economy. The PCE Index is also expected to provide an indication of when the Federal Reserve may decide to introduce interest rate cuts.

In the midst of a silent trading session, Bitcoin appeared to make the most noise, with the cryptocurrency rising to its highest level in two years, surpassing $57,000 per token. This saw a rise in the stocks of crypto exchanges such as Coinbase.

The post Stocks Hold Steady Ahead of Inflation Report appeared first on theprimarymarket.com.

S&P 500 futures gained 1.1%, while those on the Dow Jones Industrial Average were up 0.2%. In Europe, the Stoxx 600 Index rose 0.6%, while the MSCI Asia Pacific Index was up 1.1%. The US dollar slipped, with the Bloomberg Dollar Spot Index edged lower by 0.2%.

“As goes Nvidia, so goes the market,” Kim Forrest, chief investment officer of Bokeh Capital Partners LLC remarked, speaking of Nvidia’s influence over the S&P 500 as well as the broader tech market. “It does confirm the narrative that AI is going to continue to be strong for the foreseeable future. This narrative supported the markets last year, why wouldn’t it do the same this year?”

The post Nasdaq Futures Up 2% Following Blowout Nvidia Earnings appeared first on theprimarymarket.com.

This comes as uncertainties rise around the timing of the Federal Reserve’s interest rate cuts. In addition to the Federal Reserve’s actions, it remains uncertain whether inflation will once again rebound, thereby pushing the need for further inflation measures. Initially expected in March, the Fed is now expected by analysts to introduce interest rate cuts around May.

499 billion yuan worth of MLF loans are set to expire this month, with a net 1 billion yuan set to be injected into the Chinese economy as a result of rates remaining constant. The People’s Bank of China’s decision was not a surprising one, with 22 of 31 market watchers polled by Reuters, or 71%, all expecting rates to remain unchanged.

The post China Central Bank Holds Rates Constant appeared first on theprimarymarket.com.

Should this figure ring true, it would show the progress that the Federal Reserve has made in its fight against inflation. Overall CPI is expected to have risen by less than 3% for the first time in almost two years according to economists’ forecasts.

“In deciding when to start cutting rates, the Fed will have to reconcile the data they have in hand— which show inflation on a fast track to the 2% target—with risks that inflation could flare up again or the labor market could weaken more sharply,” Bloomberg Economics noted, adding that a final decision will most likely not be reached until shortly before the next policy meeting.

The post Slowing Inflation Boosts Interest Rate Cut Hopes appeared first on theprimarymarket.com.

Despite the ECB’s concerns, investors are largely expecting rate cuts to arrive in the near term due to a belief that the central bank is acting too pessimistic in its inflation outlook. Financial markets are betting that a total of 127 basis points of rate cuts will be introduced throughout the course of the year, with the first being between April and June.

“Our view remains that the weak growth outlook – with activity below potential for many quarters ahead – and falling inflation will mean cuts can happen sooner rather than later,” Peter Goves, at MFS Investment Management commented.

The post European Central Bank Pushes Back Interest Rate Cuts appeared first on theprimarymarket.com.

Across the pond, U.S. futures listed on the New York Stock Exchange were on the rise, with those on the tech-heavy Nasdaq 100 exceeding expectations with a 0.7% rise. Contracts listed on the Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 0.2%, while those on the benchmark S&P 500 climbed 0.4%.

Much like the European Central Bank, expectations that the Federal Reserve will lower interest rates sooner rather than later are also flailing.

“We’re leaning more towards a June rate cut and then a recalibration,” senior investment strategist Laura Cooper of BlackRock International Ltd. revealed. “There is a degree of repricing that still needs to come through that adds to our view that there’s going to be a bit of volatility ahead,” she added, explaining that markets have been overconfident in terms of their expectations.

The post European Stocks End Week on High as U.S. Futures Rise appeared first on theprimarymarket.com.

Stubborn inflation has dashed investor hopes that the Bank of England would soon contemplate the introduction of interest rate cuts. “Improving interest rate expectations in recent weeks has led to some forecasters predicting the first cut in the first half of 2024, with lenders slashing mortgage rates as they battle it out to retain their existing clients and attract new business,” Alice Haine, personal finance analyst at Bestinvest explained.

Haine added that this unexpected rapid rise in inflation has come as a blow to mortgage holders and prospective buyers, who had hoped for interest rate cuts to be introduced as a means of driving down mortgage rates.

The post UK Inflation Rises to 4%, Dashing Hopes of an Interest Rate Cut appeared first on theprimarymarket.com.