US equities ended Thursday’s session with solid gains thanks to strong financial results and upbeat guidance from Nvidia. By the end of the day, the Dow Jones (US30) rose 0.20%. The S&P 500 (US500) gained 0.72%. The tech‑heavy Nasdaq (US100) closed in the green at 1.43%. Investors were encouraged by expectations of further explosive growth in the artificial‑intelligence industry, allowing the tech sector to offset broader macroeconomic tensions. The main driver of the session was Nvidia, whose shares jumped 8.7% after the company predicted 70% revenue growth in the next fiscal year and dispelled concerns about reduced spending on AI infrastructure. This wave of optimism boosted semiconductor giants such as Broadcom and Intel, as well as cloud and software providers including Microsoft, Oracle, Salesforce, and CrowdStrike.
European stock markets ended Thursday’s session with notable declines under pressure from the banking and industrial sectors. By the end of the day, Germany’s DAX (DE40) rose 0.31%, France’s CAC 40 (FR40) fell 1.68%, Spain’s IBEX 35 (ES35) dropped 0.93%, and the UK’s FTSE 100 (UK100) closed down 0.79%. European bank stocks plunged sharply, erasing all gains accumulated earlier in the week. Investors reacted to ECB minutes confirming that some Governing Council members are open to resuming rate hikes amid tight financial conditions. Shares of BNP Paribas fell nearly 5%, UniCredit dropped 3.2%, and Santander, ING, and BBVA declined more than 2%.
The oil market is finishing the week slightly lower. Prices came under pressure from signs of potential diplomatic progress in the Middle East and hopes for improved crude‑transportation prospects. In particular, Iranian military officials reported reaching an agreement with Oman on revenue‑sharing from the Strait of Hormuz, although Tehran warned that this does not yet guarantee the immediate reopening of the strategic waterway.
US natural gas prices (XNG) surpassed $2.91/MMBtu, reaching their highest level in five weeks. The rise was driven by fresh data from the Energy Information Administration (EIA), which recorded the smallest inventory build in recent months. Last week, energy companies injected only 15 billion cubic feet of gas into storage – below the market consensus of 20 billion cubic feet and far below the five‑year average of 33 billion cubic feet for this time of year.
In Asia, Japan’s Nikkei 225 (JP225) fell 0.20%, China’s FTSE China 50 rose 0.55%, Hong Kong’s Hang Seng (HK50) declined 0.34%, and Australia’s ASX 200 (AU200) closed Thursday down 0.98%.
The Australian dollar (AUD) held near $0.72, maintaining a 15‑week high and confidently heading toward a record achievement – a ninth consecutive week of gains, the longest winning streak for the currency since 2010. The trend is supported by strong macroeconomic reports. July data showed household consumer spending rising 1.1%, which, together with elevated inflation readings, indicates resilient domestic demand despite tight monetary conditions. The probability of a rate hike at the September RBA meeting is estimated at roughly 50% (vs. 17% earlier), while a November hike is already fully priced in.
The New Zealand dollar (NZD) rose to around $0.596 on Friday, supported by domestic monetary expectations. The main driver for the kiwi remains anticipation that the Reserve Bank of New Zealand will continue its tightening cycle. Most analysts expect a 25‑basis‑point rate hike at next week’s meeting, and two‑thirds of experts consider further increases to 3.0% or higher by year‑end likely to fully suppress inflation.
S&P 500 (US500) 7,730.99 +55.29 (+0.72%)
Dow Jones (US30) 53,569.44 +105.56 (+0.20%)
DAX (DE40) 26,367.24 +81.28 (+0.31%)
FTSE 100 (UK100) 10,792.54 -85.58 (-0.79%)
USD Index 99.15 -0.01 (-0.01%)
News feed for: 2026.08.28
Japan Tokyo Core CPI (m/m) at 02:30 (GMT+3) – JPY (MED)
Japan Unemployment Rate (m/m) at 02:30 (GMT+3) – JPY (MED)
Switzerland KOF Leading Indicators (m/m) at 10:00 (GMT+3) – CHF (MED)
Canada GDP (m/m) at 15:30 (GMT+3) – CAD (MED)
US Chicago PMI (m/m) at 16:45 (GMT+3) – USD (MED)
US Michigan Consumer Expectations (m/m) at 17:00 (GMT+3) – USD (MED)
Fed Chairman Warsh Speaks at 17:00 (GMT+3) – USD, XAU, US indices (HIGH)
Prelim Benchmark Payrolls Revision at 17:00 (GMT+3) – USD, XAU, US indices (HIGH)
Jackson Hole Symposium (Day2) – USD, XAU, US indices (HIGH)
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