14.02.2025 13:46
Wall Street maintains resilience despite inflationary pressures and trade policy uncertainty. U.S. equities concluded the trading day with positive gains across the board, a robust performance in the face of unexpected producer inflation figures and pronouncements concerning retaliatory tariffs from President Trump. Key indexes experienced notable upward trends, demonstrating investor confidence despite the looming uncertainties. The Nasdaq surged 1.50%, the S&P 500 rose by 1.04%, the Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 0.77%, and the Russell 2000 followed suit with a 1.17% increase. Futures, however, remain flat, reflecting market hesitancy heading into today's session.
The return of TikTok to the U.S. market marks a significant development. After the lifting of the Presidential ban, Google and Apple have reinstated the app without imposing any penalties for its distribution. This event underscores a recalibration of trade strategies, hinting at a lessened focus on protectionist policies by investors. The dollar's decline continues, furthering the trend of lowered investor confidence in these policies. The USD Index (USDIDX) depreciated by -0.18%, reaching a nearly 2.5% monthly drop, marking the steepest decline since November 2023.
Asia-Pacific markets exhibit mixed reactions to the evolving global economic landscape. The Hang Seng Index led the rally, climbing 2.05% as industrial and commercial stocks experienced a surge in investor interest. The Shanghai Composite, while demonstrating modest growth at 0.1%, saw contrasting trends in the Japanese Nikkei, declining by 0.8%. The Kospi, conversely, exhibited a relatively small gain of 0.25%. China’s response to escalating tariff tensions further shaped market reactions. The People's Bank of China plans to remove 2.4 trillion yuan from the market, a measure aimed at bolstering the yuan’s value amidst concerns surrounding trade disputes.
Precious metals continue their upward trajectory, reflecting ongoing investor interest in alternative assets. Gold prices increased by 0.17% to $2,933.35, while silver surged 1.63% to $32.87. Platinum and palladium also experienced modest gains, witnessing respective increases of 0.25% and 0.7%. Energy commodities, too, experienced upward movement. WTI crude oil rose by 0.15%, Brent crude increased by 0.06%, and natural gas prices showed a more substantial increase, soaring 2.09%.
Significant economic data releases are scheduled for today, including US Retail Sales, Industrial Production, and Foreign Trade Prices, alongside Eurozone GDP revisions and CPI figures, along with Swiss PPI and Spanish HICP. These releases are expected to offer further insights into the global economic situation, influencing investor sentiment. Stay tuned for the implications.
