Spreadex Market Update

Markets maintain gains as all eyes turn to this evening’s Fed meeting




It’s only a few hours until the Federal Open Market Committee’s much anticipated December statement and the markets appear to be prepping themselves for the announcement of a rate-hike and with it some much needed clarity. Any questions surrounding tonight’s announcement are now more focused on how fast the Fed will raise rates, rather than if they will raise rates at all, with analysts arguably looking for a ‘dovish hike’ and plenty of reassurance that Yellen and co will be taking things slowly. Of course the central bank still has the capacity to disappoint, though there seems to be more certainty from analysts and investors this time around when compared to the last feasible moment for lift-off back in September.

The fact that better than expected building permits and housing starts were countered by weaker than forecast capacity rate utilization, industrial production and flash manufacturing PMI figures this afternoon failed to make a difference to the US markets, the Dow Jones opening around 100 points higher as the American session got underway, the index’s its eyes firmly focused on this evening’s events.

The UK and Eurozone indices continued to bask in the glow of today’s potential (likely?) rate hike; the FTSE maintained a 50 point increase, despite Brent Crude continuing to fall by nearly 2% as Wednesday wore on, whilst the DAX and CAC rose by 70 and 25 points respectively. Currency wise the euro outperformed the pound in terms of holding off the dollar, sterling hit by the morning’s weak UK wage growth; it will be interesting to see, however, just how rampant the greenback is this evening if the Fed does indeed pull the lift-off trigger.


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