Cryptos: All News & Analysis

Another woeful start to trading on Monday, as heightened geopolitical risk compounds investor anxiety and drags on risk assets. It could be a make or break week for the markets, with the Fed meeting on Wednesday, big tech earnings, and ongoing tensions on the Ukraine/Russia border. That may sound a bit over the top given how deep a correction we've already seen, particularly in the Nasdaq, but it could get much worse before it gets better. Wednesday is going to be massive.

24-01-2022 11:36 GMT by Craig Erlam

Market Insights Podcast (Episode 286)

OANDA Senior Market Analyst Craig Erlam reviews the latest market news with Jonny Hart and previews the week ahead. They discussed another sell-off in equity markets, bitcoin's plunge, and Boris Johnson.

24-01-2022 08:38 GMT by Craig Erlam

Bitcoin Weekend Plunge: 50% off Record Highs

Cryptocurrency traders have been suffering a slow painful death after the Fed ran out of excuses in tackling inflation. In just a few months, Wall Street had to reprice a much more aggressive Fed tightening strategy that made Bitcoin go from having a simple correction, to entering bear market territory, and now has fallen over 50% from its record highs. Many crypto traders were anticipating one last plunge before jumping back in, but the regulatory environment got a lot cloudier now that the Wh

22-01-2022 12:50 GMT by Edward Moya

Commodities: Oil rally pauses, Gold lower, Bitcoin breaks $40k

Oil Energy traders were not surprised to see the oil price rally slow down. WTI crude fell after a surprise build with US stockpiles and following a bloodbath on Wall Street that sent risky assets into freefall. Crude prices may not have a one-way ticket to $100 oil, but the supply-side fundamentals certainly support that could happen by the summer. The next few trading sessions could be difficult for energy traders as oil prices may move more so on investor positioning ahead of Wednesday’s FO

21-01-2022 14:07 GMT by Edward Moya

Market Insights Podcast (Episode 285)

OANDA Senior Market Analyst Craig Erlam reviews the latest market news with Jonny Hart and previews the week ahead. Today they discussed the market's response to Netflix earnings, bitcoin falling below $40,000, and the week ahead.

21-01-2022 13:31 GMT by Craig Erlam

Another blow to sentiment

A turbulent end to the week with widespread selling as underlying anxiety in the markets once again takes hold. The hope going into earnings season was that companies were going to settle the nerves. That we were about to get a reminder of the strength of the economy and the resilience we've seen over the last couple of years.

21-01-2022 08:02 GMT by Craig Erlam

A mixed day as earnings season continues

It's turned into a mixed session across Europe with indices giving up earlier gains initially before reversing course once more to tread water as we near the open on Wall Street. It appeared we could have been heading for a second consecutive positive session when Europe got things underway this morning, something we haven't been treated to much so far this year. But it wasn't long until we were back in the red; a further sign of the angst in the markets right now that is proving hard to shake

20-01-2022 10:12 GMT by Craig Erlam

Rollercoaster stock ride, globally hot CPI reports, earnings, US housing data, BOC to hike, yields reverse, bitcoin struggles

Stocks went on a wild ride as global bond yields reacted to a steady stream of hot global inflation reports, decent earnings, all while the Nasdaq tentatively fell to correction territory. Inflation in both Canada and the UK hit the highest level in three decades. There is a 75% chance the Bank of Canada will hike interest rates next week and the BOE should deliver a second rate hike at the next meeting on February 3rd.

19-01-2022 15:34 GMT by Edward Moya

Temporary reprieve

Equity markets are recovering some of yesterday's losses but anxiety and uncertainty continue to dominate after a disappointing start to earnings season. Inflation and interest rate concerns are going nowhere soon and with traders now increasingly considering the possibility of hikes larger than 25 basis points, the possibility of more pain in stock markets is very real. The idea that we could go from rock bottom rates and enormous bond-buying to rapid tapering, 50 basis point hikes, and earli

19-01-2022 09:13 GMT by Craig Erlam

More risk aversion

It didn't take long for the early week optimism to fade, with Europe posting decent losses on Tuesday and Wall Street coming back to steep declines after the bank holiday weekend. Once again, it seems, the fault lies in the bond market where yields have been rising across the board which is unsettling investors and taking a heavy toll on risk assets. We have seen some of those rises in yields pared back, which has eased some of the pressure in stocks but anxiety still very much remains.

18-01-2022 13:17 GMT by Craig Erlam

Cautiously higher

European stock markets moved cautiously higher on Monday as investors were tempted back in after a turbulent start to the year. It's been a relatively quiet start to the week, with the US bank holiday naturally weighing on activity. With that in mind, I don't think we can read too much into today's advances, especially as they're occurring alongside rising yields which doesn't seem particularly sustainable at a time of such anxiety in the markets. It will be interesting to see if investors are

17-01-2022 13:24 GMT by Craig Erlam

Oil rally, gold resilient, bitcoin unloved

European energy crisis deepens, while oil continues higher Oil prices are higher again on Friday, continuing to trade around the highest levels seen in more than seven years. We could potentially be seeing some signs of exhaustion in the rally, with momentum indicators easing despite price continuing higher, but we're not seeing it to any significant degree.

14-01-2022 09:59 GMT by Craig Erlam

Commodities and Cryptos: Oil dips, Gold off highs, Bitcoin lower

Oil Crude prices edged lower as political pressure grew for the White House to lobby OPEC+ to make sure the group as a whole can hit their quotas as a few members have struggled. The short-term outlook still has many risks, but optimism is high that will be short-lived. Delta CEO Ed Bastian expects omicron to delay the rebound in travel demand by 60 days. The oil market will remain very tight this year and most likely over the next few years as most energy companies are not investing in massi

13-01-2022 16:39 GMT by Edward Moya

Earnings to bring normality

It's been a rollercoaster start to the year and as we head into earnings season, it's hard to say exactly where investors stand. Blocking out the January noise is one thing but it's made far more complicated by omicron, inflation, and the rapid evolution of monetary policy. Yesterday's reaction to the inflation data was a case in point.

13-01-2022 11:00 GMT by Craig Erlam

Inflation hits 7% and is nearing peak, stocks whip around, dollar falls, bitcoin rises

US stocks initially rallied after the latest reading of consumer prices showed the biggest gains since 1982, but was nevertheless, in line with expectations. Wall Street was worried that a much hotter inflation report could have not only cemented four Fed rate hikes this year, but potentially made the May FOMC meeting a possibility for when the balance sheet runoff could start. Inflation is not slowing down just yet, but the peak is getting close. Today’s inflation report does two things, it

12-01-2022 12:43 GMT by Edward Moya

Risk back on?

Stock markets remain in positive territory on Wednesday after a reassuring appearance from the Chairman of the Federal Reserve and some inflation data. Jerome Powell put in a decent performance on Tuesday but sentiment is clearly very fragile and it may not take much to tip investors over the edge again. Three rate hikes are now heavily priced into the markets this year, with balance sheet reduction perhaps starting in the third quarter. While investors could get on board with that, the situat

12-01-2022 10:39 GMT by Craig Erlam

Commodities and Cryptos: Oil rallies Gold Shines, Bitcoin higher

Oil Crude prices rallied alongside risky assets after Fed Chair Powell signaled a lengthy debate over the balance sheet runoff. A long road to normal means the economy will still see a lot of support over the first half of the year and that is good news for crude prices. Oil prices seem poised to trade between $80 and $100 a barrel as the global demand outlook still looks upbeat as most major economies are getting closer to the other side of the omicron fence. NY Gov Hochul said, COVID rates

11-01-2022 14:11 GMT by Edward Moya

The start of the fightback?

Stock markets are enjoying some reprieve after a rocky start to the week and investors will be hoping earnings season provides more cause for optimism in the weeks ahead. The January blues are alive and well and with markets now eyeing up the possibility of four rate hikes this year, we may be approaching peak fear just in time for earnings season. We've quickly pivoted from the transitory inflation narrative to aggressive tightening including a combination of accelerated tapering, multiple rat

11-01-2022 09:41 GMT by Craig Erlam

Commodities and Cryptos: Oil softer as supply returns, Gold steady

Oil Crude prices are lower after Libya’s largest oil field resumed production, Kazakhstan’s TCO oilfields are back to normal levels, and as China's zero-COVID tolerance will lead to new restrictions. The oil market will likely remain very tight as the world learns to live with COVID. Travel bans will continue to be lifted as the focus will go to testing and that should do wonders for international travel once test makers have a better handle of the situation. Considering how much oil prices

10-01-2022 14:25 GMT by Edward Moya

Sell-off gathers momentum

It was a fairly timid start to the week but the sell-off accelerated around the open on Wall Street, pushing Europe well into negative territory at the end of the day. Omicron relief has been replaced by interest rate angst over the past week and that may take some time to pass. We're seeing data from the US at the moment that appears to show supply issues abating, which should allay temporary inflation pressures, but more permanent pressures - like wages rising - which will concern central ban

10-01-2022 12:33 GMT by Craig Erlam

Cryptos: all news & analysis