Joe Biden won the Missouri and Mississippi primaries, dealing Bernie Sanders another defeat and widening his lead in the Democratic presidential nomination race. Bloomberg News reports that "the two states were the first of six holding primaries on Tuesday as Democratic voters were making their first either-or choice between the two candidates still vying to challenge President Donald Trump in November."
Key notes
- Biden, the former vice president, was expected to sweep most of the states voting Tuesday, based on polling ahead of the vote.
- The most significant is Michigan, which has one-third of the 352 delegates at stake on Tuesday and will be a pivotal general election state in November.
- Heading into Tuesday Biden was leading there by 23 percentage points in the RealClearPolitics average of polls.
- In Missouri, polling places were relocated from spots where older people gather, like assisted living facilities.
- Sanders won Michigan’s primary in an upset over eventual nominee Hillary Clinton four years ago and needs a victory there to revive his candidacy after losing 10 of the 14 states that voted on Super Tuesday.
- Biden focused on rallying black voters, who he needs not only in Michigan but in Missouri and Mississippi as well. But he also managed expectations, noting that Clinton polled ahead in Michigan before Sanders won in 2016.
- While battling for Michigan, Sanders is hoping for strong performances in western states where he has done well this year and hopes to pick up delegates in Idaho, North Dakota and Washington. He won those states in 2016.
- Next week the race turns to four states awarding 577 delegates. A Sanders win in Michigan could enhance his chances in the Midwestern states of Illinois and Ohio. Biden is leading in recent polling in Arizona and Florida.
Information on these pages contains forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. Markets and instruments profiled on this page are for informational purposes only and should not in any way come across as a recommendation to buy or sell in these assets. You should do your own thorough research before making any investment decisions. FXStreet does not in any way guarantee that this information is free from mistakes, errors, or material misstatements. It also does not guarantee that this information is of a timely nature. Investing in Open Markets involves a great deal of risk, including the loss of all or a portion of your investment, as well as emotional distress. All risks, losses and costs associated with investing, including total loss of principal, are your responsibility. The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of FXStreet nor its advertisers. The author will not be held responsible for information that is found at the end of links posted on this page.
If not otherwise explicitly mentioned in the body of the article, at the time of writing, the author has no position in any stock mentioned in this article and no business relationship with any company mentioned. The author has not received compensation for writing this article, other than from FXStreet.
FXStreet and the author do not provide personalized recommendations. The author makes no representations as to the accuracy, completeness, or suitability of this information. FXStreet and the author will not be liable for any errors, omissions or any losses, injuries or damages arising from this information and its display or use. Errors and omissions excepted.
The author and FXStreet are not registered investment advisors and nothing in this article is intended to be investment advice.
Recommended content
Editors’ Picks
EUR/USD treads water just above 1.0400 post-US data
Another sign of the good health of the US economy came in response to firm flash US Manufacturing and Services PMIs, which in turn reinforced further the already strong performance of the US Dollar, relegating EUR/USD to the 1.0400 neighbourhood on Friday.
GBP/USD remains depressed near 1.2520 on stronger Dollar
Poor results from the UK docket kept the British pound on the back foot on Thursday, hovering around the low-1.2500s in a context of generalized weakness in the risk-linked galaxy vs. another outstanding day in the Greenback.
Gold keeps the bid bias unchanged near $2,700
Persistent safe haven demand continues to prop up the march north in Gold prices so far on Friday, hitting new two-week tops past the key $2,700 mark per troy ounce despite extra strength in the Greenback and mixed US yields.
Geopolitics back on the radar
Rising tensions between Russia and Ukraine caused renewed unease in the markets this week. Putin signed an amendment to Russian nuclear doctrine, which allows Russia to use nuclear weapons for retaliating against strikes carried out with conventional weapons.
Eurozone PMI sounds the alarm about growth once more
The composite PMI dropped from 50 to 48.1, once more stressing growth concerns for the eurozone. Hard data has actually come in better than expected recently – so ahead of the December meeting, the ECB has to figure out whether this is the PMI crying wolf or whether it should take this signal seriously. We think it’s the latter.
Best Forex Brokers with Low Spreads
VERIFIED Low spreads are crucial for reducing trading costs. Explore top Forex brokers offering competitive spreads and high leverage. Compare options for EUR/USD, GBP/USD, USD/JPY, and Gold.