Stocks up after Wall Street ended mixed - 26.6.2025

The Dollar weakening continues 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 0.2% lower on Wednesday amid reports president Trump is considering the idea of announcing Federal Reserve chairman Jerome Powell’s replacement by September or October.

Both GBP/USD and EUR/USD continued their advancing yesterday. Both euro and Pound are higher currently. USD/JPY reversed its sliding and AUD/USD slowed its advancing on Wednesday with both the yen and the Australian dollar higher against the Greenback currently.

The US stock index futures are up currently ahead of unemployment claims and final GDP reports at 14:30 CET. US stocks closed mixed on Wednesday with the three main US stock benchmarks recording daily returns in the range from -0.25% to 0.3% while Federal Reserve chair Powell reiterated that interest rate cuts would wait until the inflationary impact of tariffs is clarified as tariffs could push up prices beyond a one-time increase.

European stock indexes are higher currently after indexes closed lower yesterday while defense stocks defied the trend. Asian stock indexes futures are mostly rising with Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index defying the trend while Japan’s top trade negotiator Ryosei Akazawa said that he will continue trade talks with the US ahead of the July 9 deadline for suspended reciprocal tariffs, adding that Japan cannot accept the 25% auto tariff.

Brent is edging higher presently. Prices rose on Wednesday as the US Energy Information Administration (EIA) reported US crude oil stocks fell by above-expected 5.8 million barrels. The US oil benchmark West Texas Intermediate (WTI) futures added 1% and are higher currently. Brent crude gained 0.9% to $66.74 a barrel on Wednesday.