Markets advance after Fed meeting - 8.5.2025

The Dollar strengthening is intact today. The live dollar index data show the ICE US Dollar index, a measure of the dollar’s strength against a basket of six rival currencies, ended 0.5% higher on Wednesday.

Both EUR/USD and GBP/USD reversed their advancing yesterday despite federal statistics agency Detatis report German Factory Orders rose more than expected in April. Both Pound and euro are lower against the dollar currently. USD/JPY reversed its sliding while AUD/USD reversed its advancing on Wednesday with both the yen and the Australian dollar lower against the Greenback currently.

The US stock index futures are up currently ahead of unemployment claims report at 14:30 CET. US stocks rose on Wednesday with the three main US stock benchmarks recording daily gains in the range from 0.2% to 0.7% after Federal Reserve kept interest rates unchanged while Fed chair Powell said risks of both higher inflation and unemployment had risen in the aftermath of Trump administration tariff policies.

European stock indexes are mixed currently amid reports United States and Britain will announce a deal to lower tariffs on some goods on today after closing lower yesterday with retail stocks leading losses. Asian stock indexes futures are rising with Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index leading gains after Washington and Beijing confirmed that officials will meet for trade talks in Switzerland this week.

Brent is retracing up presently. Prices fell Wednesday after the US Energy Information Administration (EIA) report US crude oil stocks fell by above-expected 2 million barrels to 438.4 million barrels last week while gasoline inventories rose unexpectedly. The US oil benchmark West Texas Intermediate (WTI) futures fell 1.7% but are higher currently. Brent crude lost 1.66% to $61.12 a barrel on Wednesday.