Here is what you need to know on Monday, February 22:
Update: US markets open lower with energy stocks continuing to outperform as tech drops. Selected gainers were mostly energy stocks BP ExxonMobil, ConocoPhillips, Chevron, Disney, GE and Oracle.
Stocks suffering were Tencent, Banco Santander, Novavax, Zillow, Moderna, Tesla, Zoom, PayPal, Apple, Uber, Plug and NIO.
UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson outlines the roadmap for opening the UK economy. Shops, gyms, and hospitality to open by April 12, indoor dining hotels, and attendance at sporting events by May 17.
Stock markets have taken an "as you were" tone so far in Monday's trade. The sell-off continues in Big Tech names, following on from declines seen on Thursday and Friday. So-called inflation concerns linger, with US 10-year yields continuing their ascent, above 1.35% again. Inflation concerns seem over-exaggerated at such low levels and especially given the still negative yields in most of the European sovereigns. However, something has to stall the rally in global stock markets, so investors have decided to focus on inflation.
As a result, the dollar continues to suffer, with Dollar Index down again on Monday and cable continuing its recent strong performance. The roadmap for the reopening of the UK economy is due to be announced later on Monday by Boris Johnson. Gold continues to benefit from inflationary pressures and oil bucks the two-day losing streak. Commodities remain bid.
European markets were negative on Monday, with the Dax losing 0.65%, FTSE down 0.7%, and Euro Stoxx dropping 0.8%.
Asian shares closed mixed with Hang Seng down 1% and Nikkei bucking the trend with a 0.46% gain.
US futures are all pointing lower, with Dow down 0.5%, S&P down 0.7%, and the Nasdaq 1.2% lower.
S&P 500 news
German IFO beat across all sectors current conditions, business climate, and most importantly, expectations index.
Chicago National Activity Index hits 0.66 from a forecast of 0.50 and a previous 0.52.
Federal Reserves Robert S. Kaplan is due to speak at 1400 GMT, 9EST.
Goldman Sachs ups its oil price target to 472 as global demand recovers.
Boeing in trouble again as it says airlines should suspend using some 777 jets after the Denver incident. The UK has just announced it will not allow 777 using Pratt & Whitney engines into its airspace.
Australia continues its fight with Facebook as legislators say they will not change laws to make Facebook pay for news content.
Bitcoin dropped as Elon Musk continued to tweet about the cryptocurrency. Musk tweeted Bitcoin prices "seem high" at the weekend. This despite Tesla making a reported $1 billion on its Bitcoin investment.
US President Joe Biden tweaks the small business loans scheme to target smaller firms.
AT&T, Walmart, Comcast, Microsoft, and others reduced donations to Republican candidates that support former President Donald Trump.
Gamestop is up again after reports Keith Gill, aka Roaring Kitty, increased his position in Gamestop.
HSBC is rumoured to withdraw from retail banking in the US.
Goodyear is to buy Copper Tire for $2.8 billion in stock and cash.
Activist investor Elliot Management has taken a stake in Principal financial.
Fed's Kaplan says expects some firming in inflation.
Deutsche upgraded the airline sector in a note issued Monday. Picking United, Delta, Southwest, and JetBlue and upgrading them to Buy.
Ups and Downs
Deere was increased to a $403 price target by Credit Suisse.
Snap was upgraded by Morgan Stanley.
Target had its price target increased to $260 from Bank of America.
General Electric was increased at Goldman Sachs.
Airbnb was upgraded at Loop to a buy rating.
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.
This article is for information purposes only. The author and FXStreet are not registered investment advisors and nothing in this article is intended to be investment advice. It is important to perform your own research before making any investment and take independent advice from a registered investment advisor.
FXStreet and the author do not provide personalized recommendations. The author makes no representations as to accuracy, completeness, or the 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. The author will not be held responsible for information that is found at the end of links posted on this page.
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 extends recovery beyond 1.0400 amid Wall Street's turnaround
EUR/USD extends its recovery beyond 1.0400, helped by the better performance of Wall Street and softer-than-anticipated United States PCE inflation. Profit-taking ahead of the winter holidays also takes its toll.
GBP/USD nears 1.2600 on renewed USD weakness
GBP/USD extends its rebound from multi-month lows and approaches 1.2600. The US Dollar stays on the back foot after softer-than-expected PCE inflation data, helping the pair edge higher. Nevertheless, GBP/USD remains on track to end the week in negative territory.
Gold rises above $2,620 as US yields edge lower
Gold extends its daily rebound and trades above $2,620 on Friday. The benchmark 10-year US Treasury bond yield declines toward 4.5% following the PCE inflation data for November, helping XAU/USD stretch higher in the American session.
Bitcoin crashes to $96,000, altcoins bleed: Top trades for sidelined buyers
Bitcoin (BTC) slipped under the $100,000 milestone and touched the $96,000 level briefly on Friday, a sharp decline that has also hit hard prices of other altcoins and particularly meme coins.
Bank of England stays on hold, but a dovish front is building
Bank of England rates were maintained at 4.75% today, in line with expectations. However, the 6-3 vote split sent a moderately dovish signal to markets, prompting some dovish repricing and a weaker pound. We remain more dovish than market pricing for 2025.
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.