Equities mixed after Dow and SP500 end at records - 20.9.2024

The Dollar weakening 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 0.3% lower on Thursday.

Both EUR/USD and GBP/USD accelerated their climbing yesterday while the Bank of England policy makers voted to hold the key interest rate steady at 5%. Both euro and Pound are higher against the dollar currently. USD/JPY reversed its sliding while AUD/USD accelerated its advancing on Thursday with the yen lower against the Greenback currently and Australian dollar higher still.

US stock index futures are mixed currently with the yield on benchmark 10-year Treasury notes up at 3.702%. The three main stock benchmarks ended solidly higher on Thursday recording daily gains in a range from 1.3% to 2.5% as weekly applications for US unemployment benefits fell to the lowest level in 4 months.

European indexes futures are falling today after stock indexes closed up on Thursday while mining shares led gainers. Asian stock indexes futures are mostly rising today with Japan’s Nikkei leading gains which were limited by Bank of Japan decision to hold interest rates steady while the central bank said it expected inflation to keep increasing.

Brent is inching down currently. Prices ended 1% higher on Thursday as Energy Information Agency reported the previous day crude inventories in the US, the world's top producer, fell to a one-year low last week. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) futures rose 1.7% but are lower currently. Brent futures ended 1.7% higher at $74.8 a barrel on Thursday.