Ipek Ozkardeskaya
Swissquote Bank Ltd
Last week ended on a positive note where the US equities advanced to fresh highs since summer on a holiday shortened trading week. The S&P500 gained for the 4th consecutive week and closed the week near 4560, the rate-sensitive and technology heavy Nasdaq 100 extended gains beyond the summer peak, and hit an almost 2-year high, while the VIX index, which is known as Wall Street’s fear gauge, or the volatility index, slumped to the lowest levels since January 2020. The belief that the Federal Reserve (Fed) is done hiking the interest rates, and the rapidly falling US long-term yields are at the source of this optimism – especially after the latest CPI update in the US printed a softer-than-expected number, suggesting that inflation in the US fell to 3.2% last month. This week, investors will find out if the Fed’s favourite inflation gauge, the PCE index, tells the same story.
Friday’s rebound in the US yields couldn’t give a bullish shift to the US dollar. The dollar index slipped below its 200-DMA, the EURUSD extend gains to 1.0950, Cable trades past the 1.26 level, while the USDJPY remains offered near the 50-DMA, near the 149 level.
Gold pulled out offers at the $2000 per ounce, while appetite in oil is nowhere to be found this morning despite news that OPEC+ is nearing a resolution of the disagreement on output quotas, which led to the group delaying a crucial meeting last weekend.
This report has been prepared by Swissquote Bank Ltd and is solely been published for informational purposes and is not to be construed as a solicitation or an offer to buy or sell any currency or any other financial instrument. Views expressed in this report may be subject to change without prior notice and may differ or be contrary to opinions expressed by Swissquote Bank Ltd personnel at any given time. Swissquote Bank Ltd is under no obligation to update or keep current the information herein, the report should not be regarded by recipients as a substitute for the exercise of their own judgment.
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