by JustForex
The number of initial jobless claims in the US fell to 340,000, the lowest level since March 2020. Investors are now focusing on nonfarm payrolls data. Economists expect the number of workers to increase by 720,000 a month and the unemployment rate to fall from 5.4% to 5.2%. If the data is above those expectations, the dollar index will rise substantially, and major stock indices will decrease. The US stock market ended Thursday’s trading higher due to the strength of the oil and gas, health care, and utilities sectors. The Dow Jones increased by 0.37%, the S&P 500 increased by 0.28%, and the NASDAQ added 0.14%.
European stock indices increased on Wednesday as investors bet that the global economic recovery would continue, even as central banks considered cutting stimulus. The Stoxx Europe 600 composite index of the region’s largest companies added 0.3%. The current value is very close to its all-time high. The British FTSE 100 added 0.2%, the German DAX and the French CAC 40 increased by 0.1%, the Italian FTSE MIB added 0.2%. Meanwhile, Spain’s IBEX 35 lost 0.1%.
Oil prices jumped sharply yesterday. The pressure on prices triggers a sharp decrease in US inventories, the data on which was released on Wednesday. Despite an increase in production by OPEC+ countries, market supply is still far below demand. Optimism about economic recovery and the weakening of the US dollar also contributed to the growth of quotes.
The situation with gold has not changed much in recent days. Fundamentally, quotes will rise as long as the Federal Reserve maintains a soft monetary policy. But traders have to be careful, as good labor market data can make the dollar index and government bond yields rise, which in turn will make gold prices fall.
Japanese stocks jumped on Friday after officials had said Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga would resign. Japan’s TOPIX stock index jumped to a 30-year high, while the Nikkei added 1.87%.
Free Reports:
Get our Weekly Commitment of Traders Reports - See where the biggest traders (Hedge Funds and Commercial Hedgers) are positioned in the futures markets on a weekly basis.
Download Our Metatrader 4 Indicators – Put Our Free MetaTrader 4 Custom Indicators on your charts when you join our Weekly Newsletter
Main market quotes:
S&P 500 (F) 4,536.95 +12.86 (+0.28%)
Dow Jones 35,443.82 +131.29 (+0.37%)
DAX 15,840.59 +16.30 (+0.10%)
FTSE 100 7,163.90 +14.06 (+0.20%)
USD Index 92.23 −0.22 (−0.23%)
- – Australia Retail Sales (m/m) at 04:30 (GMT+3);
- – UK Composite PMI (m/m) at 11:30 (GMT+3);
- – UK Services PMI (m/m) at 11:30 (GMT+3);
- – US Nonfarm Payrolls (m/m) at 15:30 (GMT+3).
by JustForex
This article reflects a personal opinion and should not be interpreted as an investment advice, and/or offer, and/or a persistent request for carrying out financial transactions, and/or a guarantee, and/or a forecast of future events.

- Gold Declines: Fed Policy and Geopolitics Weigh Jun 30, 2026
- Oil prices have once again risen above 70 dollars per barrel. The Australian dollar has updated a three‑month low Jun 30, 2026
- EUR/USD: The Advantage Remains with the Dollar Jun 29, 2026
- Escalation of the US–Iran conflict is once again supporting the rise in oil prices Jun 29, 2026
- Oil prices fall back to pre‑war levels. Silver drops to a 7‑month low Jun 25, 2026
- Gold Falls to an Eight-Month Low: This May Not Be the Bottom Jun 25, 2026
- Stock indices came under heavy selling pressure amid growing skepticism about AI investments Jun 24, 2026
- The Pound Is Pressured Not by Politics, but by a Strong US Dollar Jun 24, 2026
- Global crude oil prices continued to decline. The AUD/USD exchange rate hit an 11‑week low Jun 23, 2026
- EUR/USD Remains Under Sellers’ Control as the Dollar Stays Strong Jun 23, 2026