Equities mixed ahead of US markets reopening - 18.2.2025

The Dollar strengthening 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 little changed on Monday.

EUR/USD reversed its climbing while GBP/USD accelerated its advancing yesterday while Eurostat reported euro area trade surplus rose further in December. Both euro and Pound are lower against the dollar currently. AUD/USD joined USD/JPY’s accelerated retreating on Monday with the yen lower against the Greenback currently and Australian dollar higher.

Futures on three main US stock indexes are up currently with the yield on benchmark 10-year Treasury down at 4.478%. US stock market ended mixed on Friday with the three main stock benchmarks recording daily losses in the range from –0.37% to 0.41% as data showed US retail sales fell more than expected last month. Traders will be watching closely President Trump's speech due at 21:00 CET today which may provide insights into potential policy directions and economic outlook.

European stock indexes futures are down currently after indexes closed higher on Monday buoyed by defense stocks as EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said that Brussels would float exempting defense spending from the bloc’s fiscal rules. Asian indexes futures are mostly rising today with Hong Kong’s Hang Seng index leading gains while the Reserve Bank of Australia cut rates by 25 basis points as expected but warned that future easing remained uncertain.

Brent is up currently after drone attack on Russian oil pipeline pumping oil from Kazakhstan. Oil prices ended higher yesterday after drones struck the Kropotkinskaya pipeline pumping station in Russia reducing oil flows from Kazakhstan to world markets. There was no settlement for US West Texas Intermediate WTI futures. Brent added 0.64% to $75.22 a barrel on Monday.