Stocks surge after strong Meta, Microsoft reports - 31.7.2025

The Dollar strengthening has stalled 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 1.3% higher on Wednesday as Federal Reserve held interest rates steady as widely expected.

Both GBP/USD and EUR/USD accelerated their retreating yesterday as federal statistics agency Destatis reported the German gross domestic product fell by 0.1% in the second quarter compared with the first quarter, in line with expectations. Both euro and Pound are higher currently. USD/JPY accelerated its advancing and AUD/USD accelerated its sliding on Wednesday with the yen lower against the Greenback currently and the Australian dollar higher.

The US stock index futures are surging currently ahead of unemployment claims and personal consumption expenditures 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 -0.38% to 0.15% while economic data showed the US economy returned to 3 per cent expansion in the second quarter after a contraction in the first quarter. Fed chair Powell said that the central bank was “well positioned to wait” before moving further on rates while “we’re beginning to see some effects” of tariffs on inflation.

European stock indexes are up currently after indexes closed marginally higher yesterday. Asian stock indexes futures are mostly rising with Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index defying the trend after president Trump said the US would charge a 15% tariff on imports from South Korea while South Korea agreed to invest $350 billion in the US.

Brent is edging lower presently. Prices slowed advancing on Wednesday as the US Energy Information Administration (EIA) reported US gasoline stocks fell by above-expected 2.7 million barrels last week while US crude inventories rose unexpectedly by 7.7 million barrels. The US oil benchmark West Texas Intermediate (WTI) futures rose 1.1% but are lower currently. Brent crude gained 1.1% to $72.47 a barrel on Wednesday erasing losses of nearly 1% earlier in the day .