Headlines:
- The S&P 500 stays on the back foot amid geopolitical uncertainty as US midterm elections loom. What’s next?
- Solana remains under pressure as markets weigh US-Iran talks, Fed risks and US midterm elections
- Crude oil trims losses as US strikes Iran’s Qeshm Island while CIA Director calls for continued economic pressure
- Three warning signs the tech selloff isn’t over as Wall Street sentiment hangs by a thread
- Ethereum consolidates as focus shifts to US midterm elections while US-Iran negotiations continue
- European stock market open: Stocks tumble across the board as risk sentiment sours
- Gold trims gains after overnight strikes on Iran as the focus turns to the US midterm elections
- Swiss inflation surprises higher in October but core prices offer some relief
- US-Iran deal still out of reach despite fresh diplomatic hopes ahead of US midterms
- FX option expiries for 3 November 10am New York cut
- RBA governor Bullock says it might be that this rate hike might not be enough
- Apple earnings beat fails to impress Wall Street as tech shares struggle ahead of US midterms
- RBA’s Bullock offers no guidance, says it is probably good to wait for data after hike
Markets:
- WTI crude oil up +2.14% to $98.50
- Gold down -1.10% to $3,902
- CAD leads, AUD lags
- S&P 500 down -0.20% to 7560.25
- US 10y Treasury yield up 2 bps to 4.93%
- Bitcoin up +0.35% to $76,930
It’s been a quiet session with limited economic data and newsflow. In terms of data, the only highlight was the Swiss CPI report. Headline inflation rose to 1.5% y/y, up from 1.0% previously and above the 1.3% expected, largely reflecting higher energy prices. However, core inflation remained unchanged at 0.5%, as underlying price pressures remain contained.
This supports the SNB’s view that the recent pickup is energy-driven rather than evidence of persistent domestic inflation. While policymakers will monitor the risk of businesses passing higher costs on to consumers, the latest figures give the SNB little reason to rush into action, leaving room to remain on the sidelines for now.
ECB’s Radev kept a cautious and hawkish tone, warning that the economic environment is becoming more challenging and that the October pause should not be interpreted as the end of the tightening cycle. While he acknowledged that core inflation remains stable and higher energy costs have yet to feed into wages, he argued that the ECB should act pre-emptively rather than wait for second-round inflation effects to materialise.
On the US-Iran negotiations front, Qatar said that both the US and Iran remain committed to the mediation process, with the two sides currently reviewing a proposal aimed at advancing negotiations. The Qatari Foreign Ministry spokesperson struck a cautiously optimistic tone, saying there is still a chance to reach an agreement that could create the conditions for future talks. Qatari mediators expect feedback from both Washington and Tehran on the latest proposal within the next 36 hours.
This article was written by Giuseppe Dellamotta at investinglive.com.