US stock markets experienced a downturn on Thursday. At the close of trading in New York, the Dow Jones Industrial Average stood at 44,786 points, representing a 0.3 percent decrease from the previous day’s close.
The broader S&P 500 index registered a similar decline, settling around 6,370 points, down 0.4 percent. The Nasdaq 100 closed at approximately 23,143 points, a loss of 0.5 percent.
Recent economic data has contributed to market sentiment. While initially investors anticipated a potential interest rate cut by the US Federal Reserve in September, following weaker-than-expected July employment figures and revisions to prior months, some members of the Federal Open Market Committee are now tempering those expectations ahead of a speech by Fed Chair Jerome Powell on Friday. The prevailing view is that significant economic data releases between now and the September meeting will heavily influence the final decision. Current data does not strongly indicate an immediate need for a rate reduction.
In currency markets, the Euro weakened on Thursday evening, trading at 1.1606 US dollars. Conversely, one US dollar was worth 0.8616 Euros.
Gold prices also saw a slight decline, closing at 3,338 US dollars per troy ounce, a decrease of 0.3 percent, equating to 92.48 Euros per gram.
Oil prices, however, moved in the opposite direction, rising notably. Brent crude oil closed at 67.54 US dollars per barrel, an increase of 70 cents, or 1.1 percent, from the previous day’s close.