This week, the US Federal Reserve made a significant announcement, raising interest rates by 25 basis points while hinting at a pause in further rate hikes.
We'll explore how this decision affected US Stocks, the US Dollar, and Gold. Additionally, we'll take a closer look at Apple's strong second-quarter earnings report, and how it impacted the company's stock price.
Finally, we'll examine the performance of the $EUR/USD pair in light of the recent European Central Bank meeting and the US Dollar's decline.
Stay tuned!
US Fed hikes interest rates by 25 basis points, signals a pause
On Wednesday, May 3, the US Federal Reserve increased interest rates by 0.25%, while also indicating that it may hold off on further rate hikes. The move was made in order to allow officials to evaluate the impact of recent bank collapses, wait for the resolution of the political stalemate over the US debt ceiling, and monitor inflation trends.
The decision was unanimous and brought the Fed's benchmark overnight interest rate to a range of 5% to 5.25%, marking the 10th successive increase since March 2022.
How did US Stocks, the US Dollar, and Gold react to this? 👉 Dive into our market analysis!
Apple ($AAPL) shares gained after a strong second-quarter earnings report
Apple shares rose after the company reported an all-time high for services revenue and iPhone sales in the first quarter and announced a $90 billion stock buyback.
Apple’s cash flow statement showed an $874 million gain in its investing activities, after a $25.3 billion loss in the same quarter last year. This boosted the company’s second-quarter results as, unlike other tech firms, Apple has not been on a cost-cutting drive, with operating expenses up around $1 billion over the same quarter last year.
Buyers are pushing the price of Gold ($XAU/USD) higher, with the metal approaching the $2,050 threshold. The recent increase in Gold's value may be due to the US Dollar's inability to maintain the gains seen in the previous session, as conflicting indicators regarding the country's banking and debt ceiling issues remained.
Additionally, gold's climb can be linked to a dovish Fed’s rate hike and ambiguous US data. Fed Chair Jerome Powell's prudent statements about the current monetary policy being restrictive enough have weighed on the US Dollar, offering a boost to the price of Gold.
$EUR/USD extends recovery to near 1.1040 as US Dollar Index drops further
Despite a weaker US Dollar, the $EUR/USD pair experienced a decline after the European Central Bank (ECB) meeting on Thursday. The pair briefly dipped below 1.1000 before rebounding and moving away from the 1.1100 level.
The Euro faced difficulties as European bond yields dropped, while the US Dollar weakened despite a drop in equity prices on Wall Street. The Greenback is facing downward pressure due to the decline in US yields, as the market reevaluates its expectations for Federal Reserve (Fed) rate cuts in the latter half of the year.
This concludes our weekly recap. Have a great weekend and see you next week! 👋
IMPORTANT NOTICE: Any news, opinions, research, analyses, prices or other information contained in this article are provided as general market commentary and do not constitute investment advice. The market commentary has not been prepared in accordance with legal requirements designed to promote the independence of investment research, and therefore, it is not subject to any prohibition on dealing ahead of dissemination. Past performance is not an indication of possible future performance. Any action you take upon the information in this article is strictly at your own risk, and we will not be liable for any losses and damages in connection with the use of this article.
RISK WARNING: CFDs are complex instruments and come with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage. A high percentage of retail client investors lose money when trading CFDs with this provider. You should consider whether you understand how CFDs work and whether you can afford to take the high risk of losing your money.
Top Economic Events to Watch | February 17 - 21, 2025
17 February 2025
15 views
Get ahead of the markets this week with key insights on central bank decisions, trade tensions, and inflation. From the RBA and RBNZ rate moves to U.S. tariffs, GBP/USD trends, NASDAQ sentiment, and gold’s outlook—stay informed on what’s driving volatility.
Markets reacted to hotter-than-expected inflation, with Wall Street on edge over Fed moves. European stocks hit record highs, fueled by strong earnings, while Asia grapples with U.S. tariffs and Fed policy shifts. Gold gains as a safe haven, and oil dips on demand concerns. Read the full recap!
NAGA is a trademark of The NAGA Group AG, a German based FinTech company publicly listed on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange | WKN: A161NR | ISIN: DE000A161NR7.
The website is operated by NAGA Capital Ltd which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Services Authority Seychelles (FSA) under licence No. SD026. The registered address of Suite 3, Jivan’s Complex, Global Village, Mont Fleuri, Mahe, Seychelles. Tel: +248 4373121
Partner Companies: NAGA Markets Europe Ltd, authorised and regulated by the Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission ("CySEC") under license No. 204/13 with registered address at Agias Zonis 11, Limassol, 3027, Cyprus and NAGA Global (CY) Ltd, with registered address at Nikokreontos 2, NICE DREAM, 6th floor, Flat/Office 601, 1066, Nicosia, Cyprus.
RISK WARNING: Derivatives are complex instruments and come with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage. You should consider whether you understand how derivatives work and whether you can afford to take the high risk of losing your money. This is not investment advice. Trading with NAGA Trader by following and/or copying or replicating the trades of other traders involves high levels of risks, even when following and/or copying or replicating the Lead Traders. Such risks include the risk that you may be following/copying the trading decisions of possibly inexperienced/unprofessional traders, or traders whose ultimate purpose or intention, or financial status may differ from yours. Before making an investment decision, you should rely on your own assessment of the person making the trading decisions and the terms of all the legal documentation.
Restricted countries: NAGA Capital Ltd does not provide services for the residents of certain countries, such as Afghanistan, Albania, American Samoa, Anguilla, Australia, Austria, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Bermuda, British Indian Ocean Territory, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Canada, Cayman Islands, Central African Republic, Christmas Island, Cocos (Keeling) Islands, The Democratic Republic of the Congo, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Falkland Islands (Malvinas), Finland, France, Germany, Gibraltar, Greece, Guam, Haiti, Heard Island and McDonald Islands, Hungary, Iceland, Islamic Republic of Iran, Ireland, Isle of Man, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jersey, Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Latvia, Libyan Arab Jamahiriya, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Mali, Malta, Montserrat, Mozambique, Myanmar, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norfolk Island, Norway, Palestinian Territory, Occupied, Pitcairn, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russian Federation, Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan Da Cunha, San Marino, Senegal, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Somalia, South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands, South Sudan, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sweden, Switzerland, Syrian Arab Republic, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turks and Caicos Islands, Uganda, Ukraine, United Kingdom and any other countries where the citizens have British proof of identity (i.e. British Virgin Island, Gibraltar, Isle of Man etc.), United States, U.S. Minor Islands, Vanuatu, Virgin Islands, British, Virgin Islands, U.S., Yemen, and Zimbabwe.