Cryptos: All News & Analysis

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

Market Insights Podcast (Episode 279)

Jonny Hart looks back on the week's business and markets news with OANDA Senior Market Analyst Ed Moya in New York. This week they discuss the mixed nonfarm payroll report, FOMC rate and balance sheet expectations, what was behind the moves with oil's strong price rally, and the poor first week of trade for cryptos. They also discuss what the week ahead has in store for financial markets.

07-01-2022 14:47 GMT by Edward Moya

Commodities and Cryptos: Oil pares weekly gain, Gold’s bad week could have been worse, Tough week for cryptos

Oil After a robust trading week, oil prices had a choppy Friday session after reports that Kazakhstan did not have to halt any oil and gas production and following the latest employment report that still paved the way for a March Fed rate hike. While optimism is high that the omicron variant impact on the crude demand outlook will be short-lived, it is too early to be optimistic that the worst of this wave is over. The US CDC Director noted that the US hasn't seen the peak of this covid wave

07-01-2022 12:15 GMT by Edward Moya

Oil rally, bullish gold case weak, bitcoin lower

Oil at two month high as OPEC struggles to hit quotas Oil prices are continuing to climb at the end of the week as unrest in Kazakhstan and lower output from Libya further hamper producers' ability to gradually return to pre-pandemic levels. We are already seeing OPEC+ struggle to deliver the agreed 400,000 barrel per day increase and this is further exacerbating the problem. And it's happening at a time when demand is expected to remain strong thanks to omicron symptoms being mild by comparison

07-01-2022 11:50 GMT by Craig Erlam

Kazakhstan bites bitcoin

Bitcoin volatile over Kazakhstan unrest Bitcoin and other digital Dutch tulips have endured a torrid week thus far, with bitcoin falling 4.0% to USD 41.400.00 in Asian trading. Kazakhstan is the world’s second-biggest bitcoin mining hub and while Russian troops are shooting protestors there to restore order, bitcoin mining and the internet have been taken offline.

07-01-2022 03:49 GMT by Jeffrey Halley

Commodities and Cryptos: Oil market getting tighter, Gold battered as yields rally, Bitcoin in danger

Oil A tight oil market just got hit with supply disruptions and geopolitical risks, which means oil prices are headed higher. Oil prices were boosted after growing unrest in Kazakhstan posed a risk to their 1.6 million barrels per day of production. Insurgents were responsible at the beginning of the year for sending Libyan production to the lowest levels in more than a year. Energy traders are growing very confident this market will remain very tight and now that omicron worries have eased o

06-01-2022 15:55 GMT by Edward Moya

January blues

It's been something of a downbeat day in the markets, something we may see more of this morning as the January blues kick in. The omicron relief trade appears to have played out now and attention has quickly shifted back to the interest rates dilemma, with the economy performing well but not firing on all cylinders, the labor market extremely tight and inflation at risk of getting out of control. Central bank policymakers would ordinarily like to be more patient during this stage of the recove

06-01-2022 13:21 GMT by Craig Erlam

Tech slide deepens as yields rise, ADP impresses, bitcoin steadies

Tech stocks remained under pressure after a robust private payrolls report sent Treasury yields higher. Equity traders are still betting on a strong US economy and that has them rotating out of big-tech and embracing cyclicals. Ahead of what will likely be some rather hawkish Fed minutes, with the exception of the rotation trade, US stocks are struggling for direction. The first half of the year will be all about a strong US growth outlook that should benefit cyclical stocks, but a sustained p

05-01-2022 12:51 GMT by Edward Moya

Equities push higher as interest rate concerns resurface

Another positive session in Europe on Wednesday, as investors take the wobble in US tech a day earlier in their stride. Markets remain optimistic about Omicron Investors eventually got their Santa rally and it seems that optimism has carried through into the new year. Evidence that omicron is not as severe as previous strains, despite spreading far faster, is offering hope that restrictions will be short-lived and the economic damage minimal. As I've said previously though, we can often read

05-01-2022 10:43 GMT by Craig Erlam

Cryptos: all news & analysis