The dollar index (DXY00) on Friday fell by -0.19%.  Friday's sharp rally in equity markets has reduced liquidity demand for the dollar.  The dollar is also being pressured by some negative carryover from Thursday, when weaker-than-expected US labor market news boosted the chance of a Fed rate cut at next month's FOMC meeting to 19% from 8% on Wednesday.  Losses in the dollar were limited from hawkish Fed commentary and after the University of Michigan US Feb consumer sentiment index unexpectedly rose to a ...

Ernest HoffmanErnest Hoffman is a Crypto and Market Reporter for Kitco News. He has over 15 years of experience as a writer, editor, broadcaster and producer for media, educational and cultural organizations. Ernest began working in market news in 2007, establishing the broadcast division of CEP News in Montreal, Canada, where he developed the fastest web-based audio news service in the world and produced economic news videos in partnership with MSN and the TMX. He has a Bachelor's degree Specialization in ...

ECB policymaker Jose Luis Escriva told Spanish radio station Cadena SER he expected interest rates to remain steady in the foreseeable future as inflation expectations were anchored around the institu... ...

- MarketWatch photo illustration/iStockphoto Gold’s plunge last Friday is not the end of its struggles. That’s because, even in the wake of Friday’s plunge, gold investors are still exuberant. This absence of bearish fear suggests to contrarian analysts that more downside is ahead for gold GC00. Most Read from MarketWatch Consider the average recommended gold-market exposure among a sample of several dozen gold-market timers monitored by my performance-auditing firm. (This average is represented by the ...

Core Insights - Euro zone consumers have raised their longer-term inflation expectations to a record high in December, indicating a belief that prices will grow faster than the European Central Bank's (ECB) target for years to come [1] Group 1 - The European Central Bank conducted a poll showing that inflation expectations among consumers in the Euro zone have reached unprecedented levels [1] - This increase in inflation expectations suggests that consumers anticipate sustained price growth beyond the ECB's target rate [1] - The implications of these expectations could influence monetary policy decisions by the ECB in the future [1]

Group 1: Silver Market Activity - Silver experienced extreme volatility on January 26, with nearly $2 trillion in market cap changing hands within 14 hours [1] - During the session, silver's market value increased by approximately $500 billion from 9:00 AM ET to 1:00 PM ET, followed by a drop of about $950 billion, and then a recovery of another $500 billion by 10:30 PM ET [1][2] - Spot silver prices surged to record levels, trading between $110 and $117 per ounce, driven by a weaker US dollar, global tensions, and broader market stress [3] Group 2: Bitcoin Market Performance - Bitcoin lagged behind silver during the same period, declining about 3% over the past week and remaining below the key $90,000 level, with its current market cap around $1.76 trillion [4] - The market cap of Bitcoin reached $2.49 trillion during an early October 2025 rally but has since decreased [4] Group 3: Investment Insights - Over a 20-year span, investors holding gold and silver would have earned approximately 10.6% per year, while silver's return was only 4.5% last year, which has since improved [5] - Metals and cryptocurrencies often experience significant gains in short bursts, indicating that investors should exercise patience [5] Group 4: Market Focus - The trading community is focused on January 28, referred to as "Super Wednesday," with attention on U.S. crude oil inventory data and the Federal Reserve's rate decision, which could impact inflation expectations and overall market risk appetite [6] - WTI crude futures were last traded at $60.73 per barrel, down 0.72% on the day, with a notable decrease in open interest [6][7]

Core Insights - Mortgage rates are currently stable, with the average 30-year fixed mortgage rate at 6.09%, the lowest in three years, but have slightly increased by 10 basis points recently [3][11] - The Federal Reserve is expected to maintain interest rates, but mortgage rates are influenced by a variety of factors beyond the Fed's decisions [4][11] - The bond market, particularly the 10-year Treasury yield, is the primary driver of 30-year mortgage rates, making them less predictable around Fed meetings [8][10] Mortgage Rate Trends - The average 30-year mortgage rate has seen fluctuations, with a notable increase of almost 1.25 percentage points following a Fed rate cut in late 2024, illustrating the complex relationship between Fed actions and mortgage rates [9][10] - Fannie Mae projects that 30-year mortgage rates will remain relatively stable, with a slight decrease from 6.1% to 6.0% expected through 2026 [13] Homebuyer Guidance - Timing the mortgage market is challenging, as rates can change for reasons unrelated to Fed decisions; buyers are advised to act when financially ready rather than waiting for a specific rate drop [12][15] - Existing homeowners with high mortgage rates (7% or 8%) may consider refinancing, but should evaluate the costs against potential savings to determine if it is worthwhile [14]

Group 1: Energy Sector - WTI crude oil prices increased by more than +2% to a 1-week high, positively impacting energy producers due to President Trump's renewed military threats against Iran [1] - The rise in crude prices was also influenced by reports of the US threatening to limit dollar supply for Iraqi oil sales, pressuring Iraq's politicians to form a government excluding Iran-backed groups [1] Group 2: Precious Metals and Mining Stocks - Gold, silver, and platinum prices reached new record highs, driven by a weaker dollar and geopolitical risks, leading to a boost in mining stocks [2] - Barrick Mining closed up more than +3%, while Newmont Mining and Freeport-McMoRan both closed up more than +2% [16] Group 3: Consumer Sentiment and Economic Indicators - The University of Michigan's consumer sentiment index for January was revised upward by +2.4 to a 5-month high of 56.4, exceeding expectations [3][4] - The S&P manufacturing PMI for January rose by +0.1 to 51.9, slightly below expectations [3] Group 4: Stock Market Performance - The broader market saw recovery after early losses, supported by the performance of the Magnificent Seven technology stocks, with Microsoft and Amazon closing up more than +3% and +2% respectively [5][15] - The S&P 500 Index closed up +0.03%, while the Dow Jones closed down -0.58% and the Nasdaq 100 closed up +0.34% [6] Group 5: Earnings Reports and Forecasts - Q4 earnings season began positively, with 81% of the 40 S&P 500 companies that reported beating expectations, and S&P earnings growth projected to increase by +8.4% in Q4 [8] - Capital One Financial Corp reported Q4 adjusted EPS of $3.86, below the consensus of $4.15, leading to a decline of more than -7% in its stock [22]

Energy Sector - WTI crude oil prices increased by more than +2% to reach a 1-week high, positively impacting energy producers as President Trump threatened military action against Iran for its crackdown on protests [1] - Energy producers such as Halliburton, Devon Energy, and Occidental Petroleum saw their stock prices rise by more than +2% [16] Precious Metals - Gold, silver, and platinum prices reached new record highs, driven by a weaker dollar and geopolitical risks, which increased demand for these metals as a store of value [2] - Mining stocks, including Barrick Mining and Newmont Mining, experienced gains of more than +2% and +1% respectively due to the rise in precious metal prices [17] Consumer Sentiment and Economic Indicators - The University of Michigan's consumer sentiment index for January was revised upward by +2.4 to a 5-month high of 56.4, exceeding expectations [3] - The S&P manufacturing PMI for January rose by +0.1 to 51.9, slightly below expectations of 52.0 [3] Stock Market Performance - The broader market recovered from early losses, supported by the performance of the Magnificent Seven technology stocks, with Microsoft up more than +3% and other major tech companies also showing gains [5][15] - The S&P 500 Index increased by +0.25%, while the Dow Jones Industrials Index decreased by -0.38% [6] Earnings Reports - The Q4 earnings season has begun positively, with 81% of the 40 S&P 500 companies that reported beating expectations, and S&P earnings growth projected to rise by +8.4% in Q4 [8] - Booz Allen Hamilton reported Q3 adjusted EPS of $1.77, significantly above the consensus of $1.27, and raised its full-year adjusted EPS forecast [18]

Group 1 - President Trump has expanded his bond portfolio by purchasing at least $51 million in debt securities between mid-November and late December [1] - The new financial disclosure reveals 189 separate bond purchases, indicating a strategy of "doubling down" on previous investments [2] - The President is focusing on specific corporations, including Netflix, General Motors, and CoreWeave, with additional purchases made in December [2] Group 2 - These investments align with administration priorities, as Netflix faces an antitrust review and GM is praised for U.S. manufacturing [3] - JPMorgan CEO Jamie Dimon warns that the administration's legal actions against Fed Chair Powell could lead to higher interest rates, countering the benefits of Trump's bond investments [3][4] - The DOJ is investigating the costs of a $2.5 billion renovation of the Fed's headquarters, which Powell has dismissed as politically motivated [5]