InvestMacro

On Tuesday, trading on the US stock market concluded with moderate gains. By the end of the day, the Dow Jones Index (US30) rose by 0.07%. The S&P 500 (US500) climbed by 0.10%. The tech-heavy Nasdaq (US100) closed higher by 0.14%. The financial sector outperformed the broader market: shares of JPMorgan Chase and Citigroup strengthened following statements from FOMC representatives regarding the likely maintenance of tight policy, which supports expectations for net interest margins. Investors are now awaiting the publication of the regulator’s minutes and core PCE inflation data to assess the sustainability of the disinflationary trend.

The Canadian dollar (CAD) weakened to 1.367 per US dollar, retreating from a 16-month high reached in late January amid slowing inflation and deteriorating foreign trade conditions. Consumer price growth slowed to 2.3% in January, while the Bank of Canada’s (BoC) core indicator dropped to 2.4%. This reinforced expectations of a pause in policy tightening at a rate of 2.25% and narrowed the yield differential that had previously supported the currency. Additional pressure is coming from the commodities factor: oil quotes are being held back amid discussions within OPEC+ regarding a potential production increase starting in April.

European markets ended the day with gains. Germany’s DAX (DE40) rose by 0.80%, France’s CAC 40 (FR40) closed up 0.54%, Spain’s IBEX 35 (ES35) gained 0.60%, and the UK’s FTSE 100 (UK100) closed up 0.79%. The German DAX 40 closed Tuesday at 24,998 points, a one-week high, reflecting improved sentiment across European trading floors.

WTI oil prices held above $62 per barrel, breaking the recent decline as markets assessed the outcome of negotiations between the US and Iran regarding the nuclear program. Tehran reported reaching a general understanding on key points of a potential deal, while the American side announced the continuation of dialogue in Geneva. However, uncertainty remains: Iran temporarily restricted shipping in the Strait of Hormuz due to military exercises, and the US dispatched a second aircraft carrier to the region.

Platinum (XPT) prices dropped to approximately $2,000 per ounce, hitting a two-month low amid a general decline in the precious metals segment and reduced trading activity due to holidays in Asia and the US. Despite the slowdown in US inflation, which bolstered expectations of Fed rate cuts later this year, investors remain cautious ahead of the release of new data and the regulator’s minutes.

Natural gas (XNG) prices in the US fell by 5% to approximately $3.07 per MMBtu, hitting a low since October. Pressure on quotes was intensified by near-record production volumes and prognoses of warmer weather through early March, which weakens heating demand and allows for the accumulation of large inventories in storage. Average production in the Lower 48 states rose to 108.5 billion cubic feet per day (bcf/d) in February, up from 106.3 billion in January, with daily figures recently hitting 111 billion bcf/d, approaching historic highs. Additional market support comes from rising exports to LNG terminals, which increased to 18.6 bcf/d in February and could surpass the December record.

Asian markets traded without a uniform trend yesterday. Japan’s Nikkei 225 (JP225) declined by 0.42%, China’s FTSE China A50 (CHA50) will not trade for the entire week due to Lunar New Year celebrations, Hong Kong’s Hang Seng (HK50) also did not trade yesterday, and Australia’s ASX 200 (AU200) showed a positive result of 0.24%.

The New Zealand dollar (NZD) declined to $0.601 following the Reserve Bank of New Zealand’s (RBNZ) decision to maintain the key rate and confirm a dovish policy stance. The regulator signaled that supportive conditions will remain in the near term, and further steps will be gradual as the economy strengthens and inflation returns to the target level. Meanwhile, updated expectations allow for a possible 25 bp rate hike as early as the end of the year – significantly earlier than previous guidance for 2027.

There was no trading on the US stock market on Monday.

European markets ended Monday mixed, maintaining the subdued momentum of the previous week as investors assessed the impact of a strong euro and expectations that benchmark rates will remain unchanged. Germany’s DAX (DE40) declined by 0.46%, France’s CAC 40 (FR40) closed up 0.06%, Spain’s IBEX 35 (ES35) gained 0.99%, and the UK’s FTSE 100 (UK100) closed up 0.26%. Trading activity was low due to holidays in North America and China.

The Swiss franc (CHF) traded around 0.77 per US dollar, remaining near historic highs amid expectations that the Swiss National Bank (SNB) will maintain a loose monetary policy in the near term. Safe-haven demand continues to provide additional support to the currency, though its influence has diminished slightly of late. Preliminary Q4 GDP data showed economic growth of 0.2% following a 0.5% contraction in Q3. This points to the relative resilience of the Swiss economy even under external pressure, including the 39% tariffs imposed by the Donald Trump administration.

On Tuesday, silver (XAG) fell by more than 2% to drop below $76 per ounce, continuing a three-week correction amid low liquidity due to holiday closures in China, Hong Kong, and several other Asian countries. The speculative surge in January, largely driven by Chinese traders, has been replaced by a sharp reversal, prompting regulators to take measures to mitigate market risks. After reaching record levels above $120 in late January, prices fell toward $64 early this month due to the closing of leveraged positions and forced asset liquidations.

West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude oil prices fluctuated near $63 per barrel on Monday following two consecutive weeks of declines. Markets are monitoring the second round of negotiations between the US and Iran amid an increased US military presence in the region and tough rhetoric from Donald Trump. Iran, for its part, has signaled a readiness to make concessions on its nuclear program in exchange for sanctions relief. Despite the geopolitics, pressure on prices persists due to oversupply. OPEC+ nations are discussing a potential production increase in April, while the International Energy Agency confirmed its projections of a significant oil surplus in 2026 and lowered its estimate for global demand growth.

Asian markets traded without a uniform trend last week. Japan’s Nikkei 225 (JP225) fell by 0.24%, China’s FTSE China A50 (CHA50) will not trade for the entire week due to Lunar New Year celebrations, Hong Kong’s Hang Seng (HK50) rose by 0.52%, and Australia’s ASX 200 (AU200) showed a positive result of 0.22%.

On Tuesday, the Australian dollar (AUD) fell toward $0.70 after the publication of the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) meeting minutes, which provided no clear guidance on the future interest rate trajectory. The regulator emphasized that future decisions will depend on incoming data and the balance of risks, noting that without further tightening, inflation could remain above the 2-3% target range for longer. Markets are now awaiting Q4 wage data and the January labor market report to assess the outlook for inflation and RBA policy.

On Wednesday, the US stock market closed with a decline. The Dow Jones Index (US30) lost 0.13%, though it hit a new all-time high at the session opening. The S&P 500 (US500) edged down by 0.01%, and the tech-heavy Nasdaq (US100) closed 0.16% lower. Strong employment data (NFP growth of 130k and a decrease in unemployment) confirmed the resilience of the labor market and lowered expectations for an early easing of Fed policy. Non-Farm Payrolls rose by 130k due to private sector support, more than double the expectations, while the unemployment rate unexpectedly fell.

Stock markets in Europe mostly declined yesterday. The German DAX (DE40) dropped by 0.53%, the French CAC 40 (FR40) closed down 0.18%, and the Spanish IBEX 35 (ES35) fell 0.43%. Conversely, the British FTSE 100 (UK100) closed 1.14% higher. European indices ended Wednesday without a clear trend amid mixed corporate earnings reports. Siemens Energy surged 8.5% due to a nearly threefold increase in profit, and Ferrari rose by more than 4%.
Platinum prices (XPT) are holding just above $2,100 per ounce, remaining under pressure near annual lows. Weak demand for autocatalysts and rising US yields are offsetting the impact of mining restrictions in South Africa, while existing inventories and recycling mitigate deficit risks. Additional pressure comes from strong US labor market statistics and expectations of delayed Fed rate cuts, which support the dollar and reduce investment interest in precious metals.

WTI prices rose more than 1% to above $65 per barrel, approaching highs not seen since September amid intensifying tensions surrounding Iran. The market is reacting to reports of a possible tightening of the US stance, which could jeopardize oil supplies if negotiations fail. However, gains were limited by EIA data showing US crude inventories increased by 8.5 million barrels – the highest jump in a year. Investors are also awaiting reports from OPEC and the IEA, where signals of a possible supply surplus this year are expected.

Asian markets rose confidently on Wednesday. While Japan’s Nikkei 225 (JP225) did not trade, the Chinese FTSE China A50 (CHA50) fell by 0.22%, Hong Kong’s Hang Seng (HK50) gained 0.31%, and the Australian ASX 200 (AU200) posted a positive result of 1.66%.

On Thursday, the offshore yuan (CNH) strengthened beyond 6.89 per dollar, extending its winning streak to a sixth session and hitting its highest level since May 2023. The currency is supported by statements from Xi Jinping regarding the ambition to elevate the yuan’s global status as a reserve currency. Since the beginning of last year, the dollar has weakened against the yuan by approximately 6%. However, growth is limited by the People’s Bank of China’s “moderately dovish” stance and weak inflation data: in January, CPI slowed to 0.2%, and producer price deflation narrowed to 1.4% – a one-and-a-half-year low.

The Australian dollar (AUD) rose above $0.71, reaching a three-year high following hawkish signals from the RBA. Governor Michele Bullock stated a readiness for further rate hikes if inflation remains persistent, emphasizing that figures “starting with a three” are unacceptable. Inflation expectations rose to 5% in February, strengthening hawkish sentiment. The market is now pricing in the probability of a rate hike in May.

On Tuesday, trading on the US stock market closed with mixed performance. The Dow Jones Index (US30) gained 0.10%. The S&P 500 (US500) declined by 0.33%. The tech-heavy Nasdaq (US100) closed lower by 0.59%. The market was pressured by weak US retail sales data for December (0% against projections of +0.4%), which intensified concerns regarding consumer demand and supported expectations of more than two Fed rate cuts this year. Bond yields decreased across the curve. A positive outlier was Spotify, whose shares soared 14.8% due to strong earnings and audience growth.

Stock markets in Europe mostly declined yesterday. The German DAX (DE40) fell by 0.11%, the French CAC 40 (FR40) closed up 0.06%, the Spanish IBEX 35 (ES35) dropped 0.40%, and the British FTSE 100 (UK100) closed down 0.31%. Investors remained cautious ahead of key US employment and inflation data, which may clarify the Fed’s next steps. The focus also remained on the corporate earnings season.

On Wednesday, silver (XAG) rose nearly 2% to $82 per ounce, recovering previous session losses amid weak US data and declining confidence in American assets. Retail sales in December unexpectedly slowed, fueling fears for consumer demand. Attention is now focused on the jobs report; weak data could further support precious metals. Markets are already pricing in about 60 bps of Fed rate cuts by the end of the year. Additional demand for safe-haven assets is linked to outflows from dollar instruments amid political uncertainty in the US. However, market participants remain cautious due to recent high volatility and sharp fluctuations in metal prices.

The US natural gas prices (XNG) rose to $3.17 per MMBtu, snapping a two-day decline amid near-record LNG exports. Deliveries to the eight largest terminals in February reached 18.5 billion cubic feet per day, limiting domestic supply. Previously, Arctic cold led to a record reduction in inventories, which are currently about 1% below normal.

Asian markets grew confidently on Tuesday. The Japanese Nikkei 225 (JP225) jumped 2.28%, the FTSE China A50 (CHA50) rose by 0.02%, the Hong Kong Hang Seng (HK50) gained 0.58%, while the Australian ASX 200 (AU200) showed a negative result of 0.03%.

Chinese stocks ended the session higher amid expectations of high consumer demand during the Lunar New Year period. Additional optimism was sparked by reports of a possible meeting between Donald Trump and Xi Jinping in April. On Wednesday, the offshore yuan held around 6.91 per dollar, near highs since April 2023, amid steady daily fixing by the PBoC. The Central Bank set the midpoint rate at 6.9438, signaling a desire for stable and moderate currency appreciation despite softer policy rhetoric. However, the yuan’s rise is capped by the confirmation of a “moderately easy” monetary policy stance. January inflation slowed to 0.2% YoY from 0.8%, while producer price deflation narrowed to 1.4% thanks to stabilizing commodity prices and measures to limit excessive competition.

The Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) stated its readiness for further measures to curb inflation, which, according to RBA Deputy Governor Andrew Hauser, remains “too high.” The regulator intends to “do whatever is necessary” to return inflation to the 2-3% target range. Last week, the RBA raised the rate by 25 bps, reversing a previous cut after inflation again exceeded projections. Both headline and core inflation remain above the target, and a return to the target level is not expected until mid-2027.