Equities down after US markets pause - 26.2.2024

The Dollar weakening has resumed currently. The live dollar index data show the ICE US Dollar index, a measure of the dollar’s strength against a basket of six rival currencies, ended flat on Friday.

GBP/USD slowed its advancing on Friday while EUR/USD ended little changed as GfK data showed UK consumer confidence dipped in February. Both euro and Pound are higher against the Dollar currently. USD/JPY ended little changed and AUD/USD slowed its climbing on Friday with the yen higher against the Greenback currently and the Australian dollar lower.

US stocks indexes futures are down currently after closing mixed on Friday. The three main US stock benchmarks recorded daily returns in the range from -0.3% to 0.2% on Friday.

European stock indexes futures are lower currently after closing higher on Friday with auto shares leading gains. Asian stock indexes futures are mixed today with Hong Kong’s Hang Seng index leading losses.

Brent is edging down currently. Prices ended nearly 3% lower on Friday while energy services firm Baker Hughes reported US energy firms increased the number of active oil rigs by six to 503 last week, the highest increase in oil rigs since November. The US oil benchmark West Texas Intermediate (WTI) fell 2.7% and is lower currently. Brent lost 2.5% to $81.62 a barrel on Friday. Both benchmarks posted weekly losses - US crude fell more than 3% for the week, the global benchmark lost about 2% for the week.