Markets on a Roller‑Coaster Ride
With inflation still sticky and conflicts going on, the financial markets are skipping on a big hill of volatility.
Commodity Highlights
- Wheat: After a wet spell in Russia’s fields and a drought in parts of the Southern Hemisphere, wheat prices kept climbing for a second straight week. Global supply worries are keeping the grain’s price high.
- Silver: Silver took a plunge, thanks to a stronger dollar and rising Treasury yields. A hot jobs report gave the market a tighter‑labour‑market vibe, making traders wonder if the Federal Reserve will hold off on cuts.
- Natural Gas: Despite winter heating using more gas, it dropped last week because demand was lukewarm and storage tanks were full. The Israel‑Hamas conflict could change the script, as Israel is a major LNG supplier to Europe.
Tech Giants Shining
- Uber: The ride‑share giant leapt in price after being added to the S&P 500, a move that made investors feel all kinds of good.
- Snapchat: This has seen a rebound in share value driven by a wider recovery in digital ad spend. A Jefferies analyst pushed the stock from “hold” to “buy,” and the market rode that wave.
What’s Driving the Moves?
Kate Leaman, chief market analyst at AvaTrade, says the main drivers are supply‑side disruptions, currency movements, policy expectations, and the shock‑waves from geopolitical events. She stresses that we should keep an eye on the market’s reaction if the conflict in Israel continues, as it could lead to a spike in natural‑gas prices.
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