Markets flat on final day of the week

Investors optimistic about Sino-US talks

A pretty flat open is expected in European markets on Friday, as we wrap up another week one step closer to a US-China trade deal and hopefully one week closer to a Brexit agreement.

With major central banks around the world in a much more accommodative place now compared with a few months ago, these are the two primary concerns for investors at a time when the economic outlook is foggy, to borrow a term from BoE Governor Mark Carney.

There is genuine optimism around the trade talks between the two largest economies, with the latest reports suggesting that they’re at an advanced stage. At the very least then we can expect an extension of the truce and both sides working towards the removal of tariffs, which is a big relief for investors.

The Brexit negotiations on the other hand don’t appear to be going quite as smoothly, although there is a strong sense that there’s a lot of politics being played on both sides which will enable them to drag it out until the last minute and give the impression of a long hard-fought negotiation. How that will play out next week when Theresa May is due to being a deal back for a vote in Parliament will certainly be interesting.

Gold pares gains on resurgent dollar

A rebound in the dollar on Thursday put pressure back on gold which had been heading towards $1,350 but quickly reversed course back towards prior resistance around $1,320. This has offered some support in the near-term and gold continues to look bullish in a favourable environment for the yellow metal.

Gold Daily Chart

OANDA fxTrade Advanced Charting Platform

A resurgent dollar remains the primary headwind for gold but even then we’ve continued to see it make strides higher, albeit at a slower pace. If a more accommodative monetary environment can be matched with dollar softness then this will be very favourable and could accelerate the move higher.

Gold slips on U.S. jobless claims, trade talk momentum

Oil rally stalls just as key resistance breaks

The oil rally has stalled over the last week just as it appeared to break above a key resistance area. A fifth consecutive rise in US inventories won’t be helping the rally in oil prices, with record levels of US output – peaking at 12 million barrels a day this month – a strong contributor to that.

Economic Calendar

For a look at all of today’s economic events, check out our economic calendar.

Content is for general information purposes only. It is not investment advice or a solution to buy or sell securities. Opinions are the authors; not necessarily that of OANDA Business Information & Services, Inc. or any of its affiliates, subsidiaries, officers or directors. If you would like to reproduce or redistribute any of the content found on MarketPulse, an award winning forex, commodities and global indices analysis and news site service produced by OANDA Business Information & Services, Inc., please access the RSS feed or contact us at info@marketpulse.com. Visit https://www.marketpulse.com/ to find out more about the beat of the global markets. © 2023 OANDA Business Information & Services Inc.

Craig Erlam

Craig Erlam

Senior Market Analyst, UK & EMEA at OANDA
Based in London, Craig Erlam joined OANDA in 2015 as a market analyst. With many years of experience as a financial market analyst and trader, he focuses on both fundamental and technical analysis while producing macroeconomic commentary. His views have been published in the Financial Times, Reuters, The Telegraph and the International Business Times, and he also appears as a regular guest commentator on the BBC, Bloomberg TV, FOX Business and SKY News. Craig holds a full membership to the Society of Technical Analysts and is recognised as a Certified Financial Technician by the International Federation of Technical Analysts.
Craig Erlam