Stocks mixed ahead of Fed officials’ speeches - 7.8.2023

The Dollar strengthening has resumed today. 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, lost 0.4% Friday.

GBP/USD joined EUR/USD’s accelerated climbing on Friday as German federal statistics office Destatis reported surprise factory orders rise in June. Both euro and Pound are lower against the Dollar currently. USD/JPY continued its sliding on Friday while AUD/USD kept climbing with the yen lower against the Greenback currently and the Australian dollar higher still.

US stocks indexes futures are up currently after closing down on Friday. The three main US stock benchmarks recorded daily losses in the range from -0.53% to -0.36% on Friday as data showed that US payrolls fell more than expected in July while unemployment dipped unexpectedly wage growth remained strong.

European stock indexes futures are down currently after closing marginally higher on Friday with travel and leisure shares leading gains. Asian stock indexes futures are higher today with Japan's Nikkei leading gains.

Brent is up currently. Oil prices ended higher on Friday while Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak said global oil consumption could grow by 2.4 million barrels per day this year. The US oil benchmark West Texas Intermediate (WTI) rose 1.6% and is higher currently. Brent gained 1.3% to $86.24 a barrel on Friday. Both benchmarks recorded gains for the sixth week in a row as they hit their highest levels since mid-April.