Oil prices move higher and equities come under pressure

Dale J Pinkert Independent Analyst

The rally in stocks has fizzled and oil is turning higher again, says Chris Beauchamp, Chief Market Analyst at online trading and investing platform IG.

Risk off move deepens

Trump might have declared the war was running ahead of schedule, but no one seems to have told the Iranians. The US may well be running out of targets, but Iran has settled in for a long conflict, continuing to target energy infrastructure and shipping. It has barely started on the latter, but has already choked off the key waterway. Despite the release of IEA reserves, it looks like oil has bottomed out for now, ratcheting up the pressure on the US administration to find a way to end the conflict. Neither its opponent nor its ally however seem in any mood to stop yet.

Spectre of higher inflation looms

Today’s US inflation data was out of date before it was even released. But stocks are already pricing in higher prices around the globe. While oil prices have dominated attention, it is the global tussle for gas supplies that might be the real driver of the much-feared but so far absent second wave of inflation.

Author

Dale J Pinkert

Independent Analyst

Former Member of the Chicago Mercantile Exchange (IOM Division), Dale's market forecasts have been aired on Financial Television and Radio station including CNBC.

GBP/USD holds range below mid-1.3600s amid Fed risks and Iran tensions

The GBP/USD pair extends its sideways consolidative price move for the second straight day, and trades around the 1.3630 area during the Asian session. The US Dollar is looking to build on its modest recovery from the lowest level since May 14, and is acting as a headwind for the currency pair. The lack of follow-through selling warrants some caution for bearish traders.

EUR/USD gains support amid hawkish ECB expectations, subdued US Dollar

EUR/USD inches higher after posting minor losses in the previous day, trading around 1.1670 during the Asian hours. The pair finds support as rising oil prices, elevated bond yields, and escalating Middle East tensions drive Eurozone inflation concerns. These factors have boosted expectations for a more hawkish stance from the European Central Bank, which is widely anticipated to deliver a 25-basis-point rate hike in September.

$4700 tested as Gold pulls back but bullish potential remains intact

Gold has pulled back sharply from fresh 15-week highs of $4,697, snapping a two-day uptrend in Asia on Tuesday. The US Dollar (USD) holds onto recovery gains, capping further upside in the bullion.

Bitcoin tops $80,000 as US Treasury fights high yields – AERO, VIRTUAL rally

Bitcoin extends gains above $80,000 as broader market risk-on sentiment persists. The scarce asset could extend its rally as the US Treasury combats high yields in the long-dated bond market, with further interventions on the horizon. Aerodrome Finance (AERO) and Virtuals Protocol (VIRTUAL) emerged as top performers over the last 24 hours.

The forex market is switching to a ‘debasement trade’

The US dollar has stabilised near three-month lows thanks to a rapid recovery in Treasury bond yields. Yields on 30-year bonds are returning to the levels seen following the Treasury’s announcement that it was increasing the minimum purchase volume to $4 billion. The greenback got support from falling stock indices, the continued rally in Brent crude, and positive signals from the US economy.

$20 billion offered, $2 billion taken: Why Treasury doubled its buyback cap

The US Treasury moved off its own calendar on Wednesday, and that is the part worth sitting with. At 12:32 GMT, the department said it would at least double the size of liquidity support buyback operations in the 10-year to 20-year and 20-year to 30-year sectors, lifting the maximum from $2 billion per operation to at least $4 billion, effective September 9 and running to November 4.