U.S. stock markets ended the week with mixed results. At the close in New York, the Dow Jones Industrial Average stood at 49,501 points, up 0.5 % from the previous day. A few minutes earlier, the broader S&P 500 was trading around 6,880 points, down 0.5 %, while the technology-focused Nasdaq 100 hovered near 24,890 points, down 1.8 %.
Christine Romar, Head of Europe at CMC Markets, said that after recent turbulent sessions-particularly in precious metals-the mood remains jittery as investors weigh current and future risk appetite. She added that in the coming days the market will hinge on whether U.S. big‑tech stocks continue to perform well for the majority of investors, capturing only modest gains, or if a sell‑off trend takes hold. Even with rotation into other sectors, the heavy weighting of tech could still lead to lower overall indices.
Romar also noted that the delayed release of U.S. monthly employment data, pushed back because of the short shutdown, is adding to investor anxiety.
The euro weakened slightly by Wednesday evening, trading at 1.1805 U.S. dollars per euro, meaning one U.S. dollar could be exchanged for 0.8471 euros. Gold prices were largely unchanged, with a fine ounce selling for $4,947, or €134.74 per gram.
Meanwhile, oil prices rose sharply. A barrel of West Canadian Crude was trading at $68.59 on Wednesday evening (around 10 p.m. German time), up 1.9 % from the close of the previous trading day.