On Thursday, US stock indices posted solid gains. By the end of the day, the Dow Jones (US30) rose by 0.13%. The S&P 500 (US500) gained 0.65%. The Tech‑heavy Nasdaq (US100) closed Wednesday in positive territory at 1.15%. The rally was driven by weak US producer‑price data, which strengthened market expectations that the Federal Reserve will keep interest rates unchanged at the upcoming meeting. Both headline and core PPI for July came in below analyst expectations, logically extending the trend of moderate consumer‑inflation growth (CPI) and easing recent concerns about a possible hawkish shift in Fed rhetoric.
On Wednesday, Germany’s DAX (DE40) fell by 0.12%, France’s CAC 40 (FR40) closed down 0.28%, Spain’s IBEX 35 (ES35) declined by 0.18%, and the UK’s FTSE 100 (UK100) ended the session down 0.56%.
In August, Norges Bank decided to keep its benchmark interest rate unchanged at 4.25%, fully in line with market consensus. The decision was driven by a stronger‑than‑expected slowdown in inflation over the summer months: in July, headline CPI fell to 3%, while core inflation declined to 2.7%. Against this backdrop, the Norwegian krone managed to recover part of its earlier losses, and September will be the key moment for markets, when the regulator presents updated macroeconomic predictions and revises its rate trajectory.
On Thursday, crude‑oil prices (WTI) retreated to around $81 per barrel, breaking a streak of five consecutive daily gains. Investors shifted their focus to worsening global‑demand prognoses and persistent logistical challenges, despite diplomatic attempts to resolve the conflict with Iran and restore full shipping activity through the Strait of Hormuz remaining stalled. Additional pressure came from a fresh report by the International Energy Agency (IEA), which lowered its global oil‑demand estimates and warned that prolonged geopolitical tensions and high prices are increasingly suppressing consumption. According to IEA calculations, the supply deficit in the current quarter may reach 1.8 million barrels per day – more than double the agency’s previous outlook.
US natural‑gas prices (XNG) fell more than 2%, dropping to around $2.73 per MMBtu. The market was pressured by high domestic production volumes and substantial inventories, which outweighed support from strong weather‑driven demand. According to official data, energy companies injected 36 billion cubic feet of gas into underground storage during the week ending August 7. This figure exceeded both market expectations and the five‑year average of 33 billion cubic feet.
Platinum prices (XPT) held near $1,730 per ounce, staying close to a two‑month high as investors assessed current supply‑and‑demand prospects. Short‑term support for the autocatalyst market comes from rising hybrid‑vehicle production, although traders remain cautious due to the global shift toward electric vehicles, whose sales grew for the fifth consecutive month in July. On the supply side, prices remain supported by a fundamental market deficit expected to persist due to energy‑supply issues and maintenance delays at South African mines. An additional demand driver is the strategy of the world’s largest jewelry manufacturer, which decided to replace part of its silver products with platinum‑coated alternatives.
In Asia, Japan’s Nikkei 225 (JP225) rose by 1.16%, China’s FTSE China 50 closed slightly lower at 0.10%, Hong Kong’s Hang Seng (HK50) fell by 0.17%, and Australia’s ASX 200 (AU200) ended yesterday down 0.23%.
According to published statistics, New Zealand’s manufacturing PMI fell to 54.3 points in July from 60.1 in June. Although the index remained above the 50‑point threshold separating expansion from contraction, business sentiment deteriorated noticeably: around 57% of surveyed comments were negative, citing high fuel and raw‑material costs. These data amplified the negative impact of the recent inflation‑expectations report, which showed the annual expectation falling to 2.6% (from 3.4%) and the key two‑year horizon dropping to 2.3% (from 2.5%).
S&P 500 (US500) 7,799.19 +50.69 (+0.65%)
Dow Jones (US30) 53,840.14 +69.87 (+0.13%)
DAX (DE40) 26,299.74 -31.33 (-0.12%)
FTSE 100 (UK100) 10,772.67 -60.48 (-0.56%)
USD Index 99.97 -0.04 (-0.04%)
News feed for: 2026.08.14
Australia RBA Gov Bullock Speech at 02:30 (GMT+3) – AUD (LOW)
Eurozone GDP (q/q) at 12:00 (GMT+3) – EUR (MED)
Eurozone Employment Change (q/q) at 12:00 (GMT+3) – EUR (MED)
EurozoneTrade Balance (q/q) at 12:00 (GMT+3) – EUR (LOW)
US Retail Sales (m/m) at 15:30 (GMT+3) – USD (MED)
US Michigan Consumer Sentiment (m/m) at 17:00 (GMT+3) – USD (MED)
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