|

Gains slip away for FTSE 100 and Wall Street

UK and US stocks continue to be held in check by the upcoming political events in both these countries, says Chris Beauchamp, Chief Market Analyst at online trading platform IG.

Unilever and Barclays lift FTSE 100

Good news from Unilever and Barclays has driven the FTSE 100 higher today, though uncertainty around next week’s Budget continues to hobble UK assets overall. The FTSE 100 has spent weeks trying to rally, but to no real effect. Just as the US election hangs over Wall Street, so UK investors have decided to sit things out until Rachel Reeves finishes talking next week.

Wall Street stumbles

Perhaps unsurprisingly, Tesla’s earnings have not been enough to breathe life into the wider US stock market. Instead, we have seen a trimming of gains all day, as the traditional pre-election weak period sets in. This should persist at least until the end of the month, and probably until after the election, when history suggests we see stocks resume their march higher.

Author

More from Chris Beauchamp
Share:

Editor's Picks

EUR/USD deflates to fresh lows, targets 1.1600

The selling pressure on EUR/USD now gathers extra pace, prompting the pair to hit fresh multi-week lows in the 1.1625-1.1620 band on Friday. The continuation of the downward bias comes in response to further gains in the US Dollar as market participants continue to assess the mixed release of US Nonfarm Payrolls in December.

GBP/USD breaks below 1.3400, challenges the 200-day SMA

GBP/USD remains under heavy fire and retreats for the fourth consecutive day on Friday. Indeed, Cable suffers the strong performance of the Greenback, intensified post-mixed NFP, and trades at shouting distance from its critical 200-day SMA near 1.3380.

Gold flirts with yearly tops around $4,500

Gold keeps its positive bias on Friday, adding to Thursday’s advance and challenging yearly highs in the $4,500 region per troy ounce. The risk-off sentiment favours the yellow metal despite the firmer tone in the Greenback and rising US Treasury yields.

Crypto Today: Bitcoin, Ethereum, XRP risk further decline as market fear persists amid slowing demand

Bitcoin holds $90,000 but stays below the 50-day EMA as institutional demand wanes. Ethereum steadies above $3,000 but remains structurally weak due to ETF outflows. XRP ETFs resume inflows, but the price struggles to gain ground above key support.

Week ahead – US CPI might challenge the geopolitics-boosted Dollar

Geopolitics may try to steal the limelight from US data. A possible US Supreme Court ruling on tariffs could dictate market movements. A crammed data calendar next week, US CPI comes on Tuesday; Fedspeak to intensify.

XRP trades under pressure amid weak retail demand

XRP presses down on the 50-day EMA support as risk-averse sentiment spreads despite a positive start to 2026. XRP faces declining retail demand, as reflected in futures Open Interest, which has fallen to $4.15 billion.