## Global Markets Mixed: US Inflation Up, Dow Gains, Asian Indices Fall, Eurozone Rises
The global markets presented a mixed picture on Wednesday, November 13th, as investors navigated a landscape shaped by economic data and geopolitical uncertainty. In the US, markets closed with a blend of gains and losses, reflecting ongoing speculation about future Federal Reserve policy.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average edged higher by 0.11%, closing at 43,958.19. The S&P 500 also saw modest gains, rising 0.02% to 5,985.38. However, the Nasdaq Composite dipped by 0.26%, finishing the day at 19,230.72. This mixed performance was influenced by the release of October’s Consumer Price Index (CPI) data, which met market expectations and fueled bets on a potential December Fed rate cut.
The annual U.S. inflation rate rose to 2.6% in October, up from 2.4% in September. While the CPI climbed 0.2% on a monthly basis, the core CPI, which excludes volatile food and energy prices, rose by 0.3%. Consumer discretionary stocks, buoyed by optimism around potential rate cuts, were among the top performers.
Asian markets showed a mixed bag of results:
*
Japan’s Nikkei 225
declined by 0.61%, closing at 38,504.00. Losses in the Precision Instruments, Automobiles & Parts, and Power sectors contributed to the decline.*
Australia’s S&P/ASX 200
rose by 0.37%, ending the day at 8,224.00, driven by gains in the IT, Financials, and Consumer Discretionary sectors.*
India’s Nifty 50
traded lower by 0.02%, closing at 23,555.50. The Fast Moving Consumer Goods, Healthcare, and Public Sector Undertakings sectors experienced losses.*
China’s Shanghai Composite
declined by 1.73%, closing at 3,379.84. The Shenzhen CSI 300 also fell by 1.73%, ending the day at 4,039.62.*
Hong Kong’s Hang Seng
slipped by 1.96%, closing the session at 19,435.81.The Eurozone painted a different picture, with positive performance:
*
The European STOXX 50 index
was up 1.27%.*
Germany’s DAX
gained 1.27%.*
France’s CAC
rose 0.86%.*
The U.K.’s FTSE 100 index
traded higher by 0.20%.Commodities also saw a mixed performance:
*
Crude Oil WTI
traded higher by 0.18% at $68.55/bbl, whileBrent
was up 0.19% at $72.44/bbl. A strong U.S. dollar and rising U.S. Treasury yields put pressure on the market.*
Natural Gas
declined by 1.24% to $2.946.*
Gold
fell by 1.43% to $2,549.60, hitting a two-month low. The stronger dollar and persistent U.S. inflation data weighed on gold prices.*
Silver
declined by 2.42% to $29.922.*
Copper
slipped by 1.83% to $4.0088, reaching a three-month low due to weak Chinese stimulus and concerns over tariffs.US futures markets indicated continued optimism:
*
Dow futures
increased 0.13%.*
S&P 500 futures
rose 0.10%.*
Nasdaq 100 futures
gained 0.08%.The U.S. dollar strengthened across the board:
*
The U.S. dollar index
gained 0.52% to 107.03.*
The USD/JPY
rose 0.45% to 156.16, pushing the yen close to intervention levels.*
The USD/AUD
rose 0.40% to 1.5481.The dollar’s surge was fueled by the inflation data and Donald Trump’s recent election victory. The markets will continue to closely monitor the economic outlook, inflation trends, and geopolitical developments in the days and weeks ahead.
