The U.S. stock markets delivered a mixed performance on Wednesday. At the close in New York, the Dow Jones Industrial Average was 47,417 points, down 0.6 % from the previous day. A few minutes earlier, the broader S&P 500 traded near 6,776 points and slipped 0.1 %, while the technology‑focused Nasdaq 100 hovered around 24,965 points, registering a modest gain.
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that February’s inflation rate remained unchanged at 2.4 %. This figure is commonly viewed by investors as a hint toward future policy moves by the Federal Reserve; an increase in the policy rate could help the Fed reach its 2.0 % inflation target. However, the conflict between the United States and Israel against Iran introduces uncertainty into those expectations. Rising oil prices triggered by the war could fuel inflation and threaten the Fed’s price‑stability goal, while the war’s broader impacts might also affect its second mandate of maximum employment.
On the currency front, the euro weakened at the end of the week, trading at 1.1573 U.S. dollars, which meant one dollar was worth 0.8641 euros.
Gold saw a slight decline late in the session, with one fine ounce priced at $5,183, down 0.1 %. This equates to €143.99 per gram.
Oil rose sharply. Brent crude-a North Sea benchmark-reached $92.50 per barrel at 9 pm German time on Wednesday, a 5.4 % increase from the previous day’s close.
