oil prices

In the ever-evolving world of finance, few sectors have stood the test of time like energy stocks. With their vital role in powering economies and driving industrial growth, energy stocks remain a cornerstone of many investment portfolios. As we step into 2025, the sector's potential continues to attract investors seeking both stability and growth opportunities.

Key events: USA - ISM Manufacturing PMI (Dec) USA - ISM Manufacturing Prices (Dec) US stocks closed lower on Thursday, erasing earlier gains as concerns over domestic security incidents weighed on market sentiment.

Key events: USA - Initial Jobless Claims USA - S&P Global US Manufacturing PMI (Dec) USA - Crude Oil Inventories The S&P 500 wrapped up 2024 on a cautious note, slipping 0.4% during the final trading session of the year. Despite the dip, the index posted an impressive annual gain of approximately 23%, marking one of its strongest performances in recent years.

Key events: Eurozone - ECB McCaul Speaks On Friday, the S&P 500 surged to new record levels, achieving both intraday and closing highs as optimism builds over the potential for economic expansion under a second Trump administration. The index climbed 0.4% to end at a historic high of 6,013.2 after hitting record-breaking levels during the trading day.

Key events: USA - US Leading Index (MoM) (Sep) USA - FOMC Member Kashkari Speaks The S&P 500 and Dow Jones Industrial Average hit new highs as investors processed a fresh round of corporate earnings. The Dow rose by 37 points (0.1%) to close at 43,275.91, while the S&P 500 climbed 0.4% to a record 5,864.67. The NASDAQ Composite gained 0.6%. These positive movements followed stronger-than-expected earnings reports, creating a more optimistic outlook as major technology companies are set to release their results.

Key events: UK - BoE Interest Rate Decision (Sep) USA - Initial Jobless Claims USA - Philadelphia Fed Manufacturing Index (Sep) USA - Existing Home Sales (Aug) The S&P 500 ended a seven-day winning streak with volatile trading on Wednesday, as the Federal Reserve opted for a substantial 50 basis point rate reduction, the first such cut since March 2020.

Key events: Switzerland - PPI (MoM) (Aug) Eurozone - ECB's De Guindos Speaks Eurozone - Wages in euro zone (YoY) (Q2) Eurozone - Trade Balance (Jul) Eurozone - ECB's Lane Speaks USA - NY Empire State Manufacturing Index (Sep) Wall Street’s major indices finished the week on a positive note, with investors focused on the possibility of a larger interest rate cut from the Federal Reserve in the upcoming week. Small-cap stocks, which are more sensitive to rate changes, led the market gains.

Key events: UK - Employment Change 3M/3M (MoM) (Jul) UK - Unemployment Rate (Jul) Eurozone - EU Economic Forecasts Canada - BoC Gov Macklem Speaks USA - Fed Vice Chair for Supervision Barr Speaks The S&P 500 rallied on Monday, recovering from its steepest weekly decline since 2023, as investors reacted to Apple's latest AI-powered iPhones and anticipated this week's inflation data.

Key events: Japan - GDP (QoQ) (Q2) The Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped 400 points on Friday after the US nonfarm payrolls (NFP) report fell short of expectations, along with a downward revision to previous data. The uneven job growth added to the signals of a slowing US economy, but not to the extent that would strengthen expectations for a double rate cut from the Federal Reserve later this month.

Commodity trading is a critical component of the global economy, involving the buying and selling of raw materials such as agricultural products, energy resources, and metals. These commodities are essential to numerous industries and play a significant role in the economic stability of countries around the world.