Market News

Two new trading courses are now available to study for free on investingLive Academy.

Learn how to scan stock markets using Bollinger Bands or understand how interest rates, liquidity and the US dollar affect cryptocurrency prices. Each course combines a focused video lesson with a graded challenge, helping you test what you have learned.

Bollinger Band Indicators

Fast-track technical scanning with Bollinger Bands

Taught by Itai Levitan, this 40-minute course presents a practical method for reviewing stocks using a single technical indicator.

Instead of relying on complex chart patterns, you will learn how Bollinger Bands can help you assess market conditions across a watch list in minutes.

What will you learn?

The course explains how to adjust…

• Prior month 4
• Composite index 5 vs 10 estimate
• Services index -3 versus -1 last month
• Manufacturing shipments 8 versus 3 last month

The Richmond Fed Manufacturing Index is a monthly survey published by the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond that measures manufacturing activity in the Fifth Federal Reserve District, which includes Virginia, Maryland, North Carolina, South Carolina, the District of Columbia, and most of West Virginia. It is released on the fourth Tuesday of each month and is one of several regional Fed manufacturing surveys that provide an early look at U.S. factory activity.

How to interpret it:

• Above 0: Manufacturing activity is expanding.
• Below 0: Manufacturing activity is contracting.
• Higher than expected: Stronger…

US stocks continue to see the rotation at of AI/Chips and into industrials.

• Dow industrial average is up 297 points or 0.55%.
• S&P index is down -16 points or -0.22%
• NASDAQ is down -254.2 or -1.02%. Technically, the NASDAQ index is trading below its 100 day moving average at 24752. That's the 1st time since April 13. Bearish.  

SanDisk remains under heavy selling pressure, with the stock now down roughly 50% from its June 22 record high. Yesterday's close left the shares hovering just above the 100-day moving average at $1,314. Today, that support gave way as the stock plunged another $140, or 11.01%, as investors headed for the exits. The next major technical target sits much lower at the rising 200-day moving average, currently at $827.61.…

• Prior month 91.2 revised higher to 92.2
• Current month 90.8 versus 92.3 estimate

Dana M. Peterson, Chief Economist, The Conference Board:

"Consumer confidence moderated slightly in July, continuing a general downward trajectory that has been in place since late 2021. The Present Situation Index weakened for a third consecutive month, while the Expectations Index remained in negative territory.

"Consumers were less positive about current business conditions and, to a lesser extent, the labor market. Looking ahead, they see little improvement in business conditions over the next six months. Expectations for the labor market became slightly less negative, while income expectations eased but remained generally optimistic."

Present Situation

• The…

The USDCHF extended its rally today, reaching a high of 0.82045 before running into sellers. As highlighted in prior videos and posts, the next major upside target came in between 0.8211 and 0.8214. That zone is defined by the 38.2% retracement of the decline from the early-2025 high at 0.8211 and the June 2025 swing high at 0.82145. Today's high stopped just 7–10 pips shy of that resistance before the pair rotated lower.

The pullback has taken the price to around 0.8185. So, what comes next?

Part of today's reversal reflects modest U.S. dollar selling as Treasury yields edge lower. Combined with overhead technical resistance, that has allowed sellers to gain some traction. However, they still have work to do. The first downside target…

Traders have been waiting for the EURUSD to break out of its recent trading range, with 1.13616 serving as the key downside trigger. That break finally came today, seemingly granting the market's wish for a downside extension. Unfortunately for the sellers, the wish didn't last long.

The move below 1.13616 only reached 1.1354 before buyers stepped back in, producing a sharp reversal. The recovery gained momentum after the pair climbed back above 1.13775, shifting the short-term bias back to the upside and carrying the price to the 100-hour moving average at 1.13875.

So, what's next?

The first hurdle for buyers is the 100-hour moving average. A sustained move above that level would put the focus on the 200-hour moving average at 1.14065.…

It's tough to find any historical analogues for what's happened in the Kospi in the past 15 weeks.

Starting from April, the South Korean index rose 80% in just 10 weeks. That's been followed by a 40% decline, mostly wiping out the gain. 

To put into perspective how insane a 40% decline over 35 days is:

• Covid was 33.9% over 33 days
• 1987 was 33.5% over 100 days
• Trump's tariff shock last year was 18.9% over 48 days
• If the S&P 500 fell 40%, it would wipe out the past five years of gains

Now no one is exactly feeling bad from the bulls because the 80% rally was only part of a triping of the index in a year.

But if we just take the past 15 weeks, the closest analogue is a scary one: The dot-com bust in the Nasdaq from 1999-2000. It rose 88% from…

Key Points:

• Mediators involved in the Middle East conflict reportedly believe the U.S. and Iran are nearing an agreement that would revive a previously failed memorandum of understanding.
• According to The Times of Israel, cited by Fox News, negotiators from Pakistan, Egypt, and Qatar have been working to clarify how shipping through the Strait of Hormuz would operate under the proposed arrangement.
• The report cites an Arab official and another source familiar with the discussions.
• Sources also say the White House is expected to wait until after President Trump meets with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday before making any decision on the proposal.

Market Impact: A breakthrough would likely be viewed as positive for…

The stock market has staged an impressive reversal, with the Nasdaq erasing a loss of more than 350 points and turning positive. The index is now up 20 points at 24,952. The Dow Industrial Average has climbed 656 points, or 1.26%, while the S&P 500 is higher by 30 points, or 0.42%.

European equities finished the session with a mixed tone, as gains in the region's core markets were offset by weakness in Southern Europe.

• EURO STOXX 50: 25,464.02, +102.98 points (+0.41%)
• France (CAC 40): 8,458.79, +52.72 points (+0.63%)
• U.K. (FTSE 100): 10,871.01, +89.25 points (+0.83%)
• Spain (IBEX 35): 19,727.00, -14.30 points (-0.07%)
• Italy (FTSE MIB): 51,698.18, -356.78 points (-0.69%)

Overall, European markets leaned modestly higher, led by strong performances…

• High yield 4.473%
• WI level at the time of the auction 4.471%
• Tail 0.2 basis points
• Bid to cover 2.49X vs avg at 2.48X
• Directs 16.9% vs avg of 24%
• Indirects 70.1% vs avg of 64.5%
• Dealers 13% vs avg of 11.4%

Auction grade C-

Modestly below average auction to end the coupon auctions ahead of the Fed decision tomorrow. 

Senior Israeli officials described the meeting between President Trump and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as "very good" and "very positive," with discussions focused primarily on Iran and reaffirming their shared commitment to preventing Tehran from obtaining a nuclear weapon.

Key developments:

• Senior Israeli officials called the Trump-Netanyahu meeting "very good" and "very positive."
• Discussions centered largely on Iran, with both leaders reaffirming their commitment to preventing Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon.
• Separate Israeli sources also characterized the meeting as positive, reinforcing expectations of close U.S.-Israel coordination
• Iran denied reports that it has sought direct talks with the United States over the past…

Al Jazeera is reporting that 

• Israel PM Netanyahu confirmed to Trump that additional strikes on rehabilitated Iranian nuclear facilities are unavoidable.

Of course Trump and Secretary of War Hegseth have used strong language to tell the American people that the threat from Iran nuclear was not present and not a threat anymore: 

Pres. Trump's Initial address after the strikes

• "Iran's key nuclear enrichment facilities have been completely and totally obliterated."
• Called the operation a "spectacular military success."

Truth Social post (after satellite imagery emerged)

• "Monumental damage was done to all Nuclear sites in Iran, as shown by satellite images."
• "Obliteration is an accurate term!"
• "The biggest damage took place far below ground…