Overview of the performance of European stock exchanges
European stock exchanges opened the day with a subdued start, reflecting investor uncertainty regarding Donald Trump’s recent statements and macroeconomic developments. The main Italian index, the Ftse Mib, registered a decline of 0.5%, reaching around 33,000 points.
Among the stocks in evidence, Saipem gained 1.6%, while Stm and Stellantis saw a decline of 1.3%.
Focus on economic data and inflation
Today, operators’ attention is focused on the core PCE, a key indicator for American inflation, which could provide valuable guidance after the recent Federal Reserve minutes. The latter revealed the Fed’s intention to proceed with caution in interest rate cuts. In addition, data are expected on unemployment benefits claims, durable goods orders and housing sales, which could further influence monetary policy decisions
.
The moves of central banks and the impact on the markets
Another element to consider is the recent cut in the reference rate by the Reserve Bank of New Zealand, which brought the rate to 4.25%, in line with analysts’ expectations. This development could have repercussions on global markets, especially in an environment where investors are cautious. Tomorrow, Wall Street will be closed for holidays, while Friday data on consumer prices in Europe is expected to be released, which could influence central bank decisions
.
Analysis of bond and commodity markets
In the bond market, the Btp-Bund spread continues to fluctuate around 126 basis points, with the Italian 10-year yield set at 3.45% and that of the German benchmark at 2.19%. As far as raw materials are concerned, the price of Brent oil stands at 72.6 dollars per barrel, following the ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah. The price of gold also showed an increase, reaching 2,647 dollars
an ounce.
Trend of currencies and cryptocurrencies
In the currency market, the euro/dollar exchange rate returned to 1.05, while the dollar/yen fell to 151.9. Among cryptocurrencies, Bitcoin has seen an increase, returning to 93,600 dollars. These movements highlight the volatility of the markets and the importance of monitoring economic and political news to anticipate future trends
.