Market News

The Nasdaq Composite and Nasdaq 100 are sharply higher in trading today, with both indices breaking above important technical resistance.

• Nasdaq Composite: Up around 1.5%
• Nasdaq 100: Up 600 points, or 2.0%, at 30,245 as of 10:36 AM ET

The gains are impressive, but the technical question now is whether the indices can remain above their respective breakout areas. If they can, buyers retain control and can target the next major highs. If prices fall back below those areas, today’s breakouts could quickly lose credibility.

Nasdaq Composite breaks above its swing area

The Nasdaq Composite gapped higher into a key swing area between 26,676 and 26,856. Buyers subsequently pushed the index through the top of that zone, with the price currently…

Reuters -- citing two sources -- reports that Yemen's President spoke to US President Donald Trump on Sunday. Yeme's President asked for miliary help but Trump made no pledges.

Oil is down $3.38 to $92.77 today on hopes for a new round of diplomacy to find a way for the US and Iran to end hostilities. That move is boosting the entire risk complex.

USDCHF moved sharply higher last week following the FOMC rate decision, with the rally taking the pair above several important longer-term technical levels.

The price first broke above the late-July high near 0.8205. It then extended above the 38.2% retracement of the decline from the January 2025 high to the January 2026 low at 0.82116. That retracement also corresponds closely with a June 2025 high near 0.8214.

Together, those levels create a key support zone between 0.8205 and 0.8212.

The low today reached 0.8209, inside that area, before rebounding modestly. The current price is trading near 0.8218.

That gives buyers some reason for optimism, but they have more work to do.

Buyers and sellers are battling within a narrow range

The immediate…

FUNDAMENTAL OVERVIEW

USD:

The US dollar rallied across the board on Wednesday following the FOMC decision as the market initially viewed it as more hawkish than expected. As a reminder, the Fed hiked interest rates by 25 bps as widely expected in an unanimous decision. Moreover, the part saying that inflation remained elevated in part reflecting supply shocks was removed. The SEP showed an upward revision for growth and inflation, and downward revision for unemployment.

The most important thing was the dot plot where the Fed projected just one more rate hike in 2026, with rates staying higher throughout 2027 before rate cuts coming in 2028. That was more dovish…

USDCAD moved to its highest level since August 8 in trading today, reaching 1.4023. That was the good news for the buyers. The pair extended its recent move higher and pushed more firmly above the 1.4000 level.

The disappointment was that the rally could not reach the next upside target at the 61.8% retracement of the decline from the June high at 1.40502. The price stalled roughly 27 pips short of that level, and the inability to extend higher encouraged some profit-taking and brought sellers back into the market.

The subsequent move lower has taken the price back toward the 1.4000 area. That puts the focus on a familiar swing zone between 1.3990 and 1.4003. The 50% retracement at 1.39893 sits just below that area, adding to its technical…

The new trading week is starting with a more positive tone in the broader markets. U.S. stock futures are sharply higher, Treasury yields are lower and Bitcoin is surging more than 4%. Meanwhile, crude oil is down nearly 3% as traders remove some of the geopolitical risk premium built into the market.

The U.S. dollar is mixed. It is little changed against the EUR and CHF, higher against the JPY, GBP and CAD, and lower against the AUD and NZD.

The AUD is the strongest of the major currencies, while the JPY is the weakest.

Trump–Xi meeting in focus this week

Chinese President Xi Jinping will visit the United States from Wednesday through Friday, with the main meeting with President Donald Trump scheduled for Thursday at the White House.

Trade…

Headlines:

• Crude oil falls on de-escalation hopes as focus shifts to the US General Assembly. What's next?
• Brent crude cools from recent highs, but $100 oil keeps bond markets on edge
• USD/JPY intervention risk grows as Japan holiday leaves yen exposed in thin liquidity
• Gold (XAU/USD) analysis: Consolidation ahead of key talks on the Iran war at the UN General Assembly
• China holds its ground as markets eye trade truce ahead of Trump-Xi summit
• China’s fifth plenum set for October 26-29 as markets watch for economic signals
• Fed policymaker Goolsbee warns strong demand may be fueling US inflation as rate hike outlook hardens
• ECB inflation headache could worsen as gas prices feed through faster than before

Markets:

• Brent crude down 2.5% to $101.30
• US…

IC – Asia Fundamental Forecast | 21 September 2026

What happened in the U.S. session?

The U.S. session ending Friday, September 18, 2026, was shaped by the Federal Reserve’s recent rate hike, persistent inflation concerns, and changing oil-market risks. The U.S. dollar benefited from attention on monetary policy, while gold recovered as oil prices eased. U.S. equity markets finished mixed, reflecting the balance between higher borrowing costs and technology-sector optimism.

What does it mean for the Asia Session?

Asian traders should start Monday by monitoring Middle East geopolitical developments, oil prices, US dollar momentum, and China’s economic outlook. The latest Fed policy developments and US Treasury yields remain important for…

IC – Europe Fundamental Forecast | 21 September 2026

What happened in the Asia session?

Asian markets traded mostly higher today, supported by strength in technology and semiconductor stocks, easing oil prices, and improved sentiment surrounding upcoming U.S.–China trade discussions. However, rising U.S. Treasury yields, expectations of further Federal Reserve tightening, and ongoing Middle East tensions kept currency and commodity markets sensitive to headlines. The Japanese yen remained under intervention watch, while gold faced pressure from higher yields.

What does it mean for the Europe & US sessions?

Markets are focusing on central bank policy, energy supply developments, bond yields, and geopolitical risks. The key events on your…

FUNDAMENTAL OVERVIEW

The S&P 500 briefly probed below a major support on Wednesday following the FOMC decision as the market initially interpreted it as more hawkish than expected but eventually realised it actually wasn’t.

As a reminder, the Fed hiked interest rates by 25 bps as widely expected in an unanimous decision. Moreover, the part saying that inflation remained elevated in part reflecting supply shocks was removed. The SEP showed an upward revision for growth and inflation, and downward revision for unemployment.

The most important thing was the dot plot where the Fed projected just one more rate hike in 2026, with rates staying higher throughout 2027…

●         Asian Stock Markets : Nikkei up 1.38%, Shanghai Composite up 0.59% Hang Seng up 0.44% ASX down 0.08%

●        Commodities : Gold at $4,397.25 (-0.62%) Silver at $66.793 (-0.52%), Brent Oil at 101.87 (-1.97%), WTI Oil at 94.09 (-2.03%)

●        Rates : US 10-year yield at 4.969, UK 10-year yield at 5.2982, Germany 10-year yield at 3.5217

●        (USD)    CB Leading Index m/m

        0.1% to 0.1%   expected

U.S. stock futures edged higher Sunday night after the Dow Jones Industrial Average posted its third consecutive weekly loss.

S&P 500 futures rose 0.23%, while Nasdaq-100 futures gained 0.27%. Dow futures advanced 0.25%.

The moves came amid renewed…