Monday Afternoon Coffee - Markets Update - 28 Apr 2025 - Markets Slide as Trump Ramps Up Fed Criticism; Gold Hits Another Record

Markets Update: U.S. stocks ended mixed Monday as investors threaded carefully ahead of a packed week of earnings reports and economic data, while oil prices fell and gold edged higher amid persistent trade uncertainty.

Global Markets Roundup: 28 Apr 2025

Markets showed little momentum with attention focused on ongoing U.S.-China trade negotiations, where clarity remained elusive. Technology sector weakness weighed on the Nasdaq, while U.S. Treasury yields swung modestly lower.

Stocks Drift as Investors Await Trade and Data Developments

The Dow Jones Industrial Average climbed 146.72 points, or 0.40%, to 40,275.27. The S&P 500 edged up 6.25 points, or 0.11%, to 5,531.38, while the Nasdaq Composite slipped 15.79 points, or 0.09%, to 17,367.15.

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said Monday that several U.S. trading partners have made "very good" tariff proposals, noting China's recent tariff exemptions on certain U.S. goods as a positive sign. However, economists warn that Trump's tariff policies continue to elevate global recession risks—an abrupt shift from expectations just three months ago.

High-profile earnings reports from Meta Platforms, Microsoft, Apple, and Amazon.com are set to dominate the week, alongside crucial economic releases including U.S. GDP, April jobs data, PCE inflation, and ISM PMI readings.

Global Markets Higher on Trade Optimism

Global equities posted modest gains on optimism over trade talks. MSCI’s all-country index rose 0.42% to 828.20. Europe's STOXX 600 gained 0.74%, and the FTSEurofirst 300 advanced 0.71%. Emerging market stocks rose 0.57%, while MSCI’s Asia-Pacific index outside Japan climbed 0.58%. Japan’s Nikkei closed up 0.38% at 35,839.99.

Treasuries Firm Slightly as Yields Ease

Bond yields slipped modestly. The benchmark 10-year U.S. Treasury yield fell 2.1 basis points to 4.245%, while the 30-year yield dropped 2.8 basis points to 4.7099%. The 2-year note, sensitive to Fed rate expectations, declined 2.6 basis points to 3.736%.

Gold Rises as Dollar Softens

Gold prices edged higher, supported by a weaker dollar. Spot gold rose 0.27% to $3,327.19 an ounce, while U.S. gold futures settled 0.06% higher at $3,284.50 an ounce. The dollar index DXY slipped 0.59% to 99.16, reflecting a cautious tone among investors. The euro EURUSD gained 0.33% to $1.1398, and the dollar weakened 0.68% against the yen to 142.69. Sterling rose 0.76% to $1.3415. In Canada, the loonie strengthened 0.21% to C$1.38 per U.S. dollar as Canadians headed to the polls in an election where Trump’s trade policies loomed large.

Oil Slips Amid OPEC+ Supply Concerns

Crude prices retreated, pressured by speculation about a potential OPEC+ supply boost. U.S. WTI crude fell 0.94% to $62.43 a barrel, and Brent crude dropped 1.05% to $66.17 a barrel.

Commodities Mixed

Cocoa futures hovered near recent highs at $9,330 per tonne, supported by persistent supply issues in West Africa. In grains, soybeans fell 0.4% to $10.54¼ a bushel, corn dropped 0.9% to $4.80¼ a bushel, and wheat slid 1.5% to $5.36¾ a bushel.

Looking forward refer to the economic calendar below to see the upcoming events scheduled for today and the rest of the week.

General news - Information source from multiple newswires.

The article and the data is for general information use only, not advice!

The Trade Academy Team