US equity markets presented a mixed performance Tuesday, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average closing at 44,922 points – a marginal increase from the previous session. The broader S&P 500, however, finished the day approximately 0.6 percent lower, registering around 6,411 points. The technology-focused Nasdaq 100 experienced a more pronounced decline, falling 1.4 percent to around 23,385 points.
Market participants are keenly anticipating a speech by Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell on Friday, hoping for indications regarding the future trajectory of US interest rates. Earlier in the day, attention was focused on a White House meeting concerning the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. Additionally, developments surrounding semiconductor manufacturer Intel garnered attention amid enthusiasm for artificial intelligence, with reports suggesting a potential multi-billion dollar investment from SoftBank and a possible ten percent stake acquisition by the US government.
The Euro weakened slightly against the US Dollar, trading at approximately 1.1647 dollars per Euro, equating to 0.8586 dollars per Euro.
Gold prices also declined, closing at 3,316 US dollars per troy ounce – a decrease of 0.5 percent, or 91.53 Euros per gram.
Oil prices fell noticeably, with Brent crude futures trading at 65.89 US dollars per barrel at approximately 10 PM Central European Time – a decrease of 71 cents, or 1.1 percent, from the previous closing price.