Global equities advance as economies reopen - 5.5.2020

Top daily news

Markets are rising today as optimism boosted by lockdowns easing around the globe outweigh concerns over US-China tensions. Recovery of crude oil prices also buoyed investors’ appetite as earnings season rolls on.

Forex news

Currency Pair Change
EUR USD +0.38%
GBP USD -0.23%
USD JPY -0.41%

The Dollar weakening has resumed 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, jumped 0.5% Monday despite reports US factory orders sank 10.3% in March, and orders for durable goods slumped 14.7%… Both EUR/USD and GBP/USD reversed climbing Monday as drops in purchasing managers indexes showed manufacturing activity fell to all-time lows in Germany, France, Spain and Italy in April. Both pairs are lower currently. AUD/USD continues climbing today while USD/JPY continues its slide.

Stock Market news

Indices Change
Dow Jones Index -0.11%
Hang Seng Index +0.56%
Australian Stock Index +1.14%

Futures on three main US stock indexes are edging higher currently after ending higher Monday despite steep falls in airline shares after news Berkshire Hathaway of Warren Buffett had sold its carrier holdings. Walt Disney, DuPont and Sysco are among companies in the SP 500 reporting quarterly results today. Stock indexes in US rebounded on Monday : the three main US stock indexes posted gains ranging from 0.1% to 1.4% led by technology shares. European stock indexes are higher currently after extending losses Monday with data pointing to continued decline in economic activities in April. Asian indexes are mostly higher today with markets closed in Japan, South Korea and mainland China. Australia’s All Ordinaries Index surged 1.6% as the Reserve Bank of Australia held interest rates steady at 0.25%.

Commodity Market news

Commodities Change
WTI Crude +4.43%

Brent is extending gains today for a sixth straight day. Oil prices rose on Monday supported by recent announcements of voluntary production cuts by US oil firms. Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and other major producers have commenced cuts equating to 9.7 million a barrel a day, about 13% of global production, on May 1 through June. US shale oil producers have cut production roughly 1 million barrels per day below pre-COVID pandemic levels. The US oil benchmark West Texas Intermediate (WTI) futures advanced Monday: June WTI added 3.1% and is rising currently. July Brent crude closed 2.9% higher at $27.20 a barrel.

Gold Market News

Metals Change
Gold -0.1%

Gold prices are edging lower today. June gold added 0.7% to $1713.30 an ounce on Monday.
https://www.ifcmarkets.com/en/market-overview/market-overview-05-05-2020