Asset Summary – Friday, 19 September
GBPUSD faces potential downward pressure as the Bank of England maintains a cautious approach to easing monetary policy, despite some dovish dissent within the committee. While the UK economy shows some pockets of strength, the Bank’s commitment to gradualism and only modestly adjusted inflation forecasts limit the likelihood of aggressive rate cuts in the near term. Conversely, the US Federal Reserve has already begun its easing cycle and signaled further cuts to come, although downplaying the onset of rapid easing. This disparity in monetary policy paths between the UK and the US suggests a strengthening US dollar relative to the British pound, which could lead to a depreciation in the GBPUSD exchange rate.
EURUSD faces a mixed outlook. While the Federal Reserve’s rate cut and indication of further easing initially weakened the dollar, Chair Powell’s cautious tone tempered expectations of aggressive future cuts, lending some support to the dollar. In the Eurozone, the ECB’s pause in rate cuts and cautious messaging from policymakers, coupled with slightly lower than estimated inflation, suggests a less dovish stance than the Fed. This divergence in monetary policy could provide some support for the euro against the dollar, although lingering economic risks and cautionary statements from ECB members might limit significant euro appreciation.
DOW JONES is poised for potential gains, building on momentum from the previous session’s record high close. This positive outlook is fueled by the Federal Reserve’s recent interest rate cut and projections for further reductions this year, despite a more conservative outlook for 2026. Positive performances in key S&P sectors like technology, industrials, and communication services are likely to contribute to the Dow’s upward trajectory. Furthermore, individual stock gains within the market, such as Intel’s surge driven by Nvidia’s investment, alongside strong showings from Palantir, Coinbase, and CrowdStrike, may further bolster investor confidence and contribute to the Dow’s overall performance. With no major economic data or earnings reports due on Friday, the market may experience a period of relative calm, allowing the positive sentiment from the prior day to potentially carry over.
FTSE 100 experienced a slight increase as investors digested recent actions by central banks. The Bank of England’s decision to maintain interest rates, coupled with adjustments to its bond sales program, provided a degree of stability. Meanwhile, the US Federal Reserve’s rate cut, while anticipated, tempered enthusiasm with a cautious outlook on future easing, creating some uncertainty. A strengthening dollar offered support to the large multinational companies listed on the index. However, gains were limited by the negative performance of retailer Next, whose conservative forecast for the second half of the year dampened investor sentiment, despite positive first-half results and increased dividend payouts.
GOLD’s recent performance reflects a market balancing anticipation of future Federal Reserve policy and current economic realities. While a slight increase occurred on Friday, the metal’s inability to fully recover from a prior decline suggests investors are carefully evaluating the Fed’s cautious approach to interest rate cuts. The prospect of sustained inflation potentially tempering the pace of easing, as indicated by policymakers, is likely contributing to some hesitancy. Despite this, the year-to-date gains, driven by expectations of looser monetary policy, geopolitical instability, and robust central bank purchases, demonstrate underlying strength. The significant increase in Swiss gold exports to China further underscores strong demand factors influencing gold’s market value.