FreshForex - freshforex.com

[VolkovYuriy]

"No Dead-Cats": China's Fuel Demand Strongly Grows

Dear clients,

Oil consumption in China, the world's largest importer, has strongly risen since the coronavirus lockdown was lifted, OPEC member Kuwait assured.

"There is pent-up demand that has built up during the pandemic", said Sheikh Nawaf Al-Sabah, chief executive officer of Kuwait Petroleum Corp. "Now, after the opening, we are seeing a steady increase in demand. It's not a dead-cat rebound."

Traders are closely watching China, believing that the pace of its recovery will be the most important factor determining the movement of energy prices this year.

Brent has fallen nearly 7% since late December to just over $80 a barrel, largely because data from China showed the economic recovery has been patchy. However, analysts including Goldman Sachs Group Inc. and Morgan Stanley, predict that the price will exceed $100 in the second half of the year.

Kuwait is the fourth largest oil producer in the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries. It exports about 2 million barrels a day, or 2% of the world's supply, and China is its biggest buyer.

Natural Interest in Artificial Intelligence

Dear clients,

Shares of Chinese AI makers have been causing a stir in mainland markets of late as the global buzz around chatbot ChatGPT fuels speculative bets on the revolutionary computing technology.

Just two months after launching, ChatGPT, which can generate articles, essays, jokes and even poetry in response to requests, has been voted the fastest growing consumer app in history.

Although ChatGPT is not available in China, mainland investors are still pumping up shares of AI technology companies.

However, at the moment there are no signs that these companies are ready to release a product like ChatGPT. The closest seems to be search giant Baidu Inc, which plans to complete testing of its "Ernie bot" in March. Their shares rose more than 13% on Tuesday after the announcement.

"The industry as a whole tends to speculate on expectations first and then trade on the actual results," said analysts at Beijing Gelei Asset Management.

The new trend has not gone unnoticed among tech giants. Thus, the owner of Google, Alphabet Inc. announced planning its own chatbot service and increasing the amount of artificial intelligence in its search engine. Microsoft, meanwhile, said it had scheduled its AI presentation for Tuesday.

Weekly Outlook: Brent Oil, Natural Gas

Dear clients,

The market expectations on China are so high, Saudi Arabia intends to raise their oil prices. This time we'll be looking again at Brent oil, natural gas, their positions and perspectives.

Join us on February 8 at 12:00 GMT.

During webinars, FreshForex analyst will answer your questions regarding the market situation and comment on the latest news.

If you missed the previous webinars, you can always find them here.

[VolkovYuriy]

Hot Winter Spread Sale!

Dear clients,

The resumption of trade with China after a long quarantine is without exaggeration called the most important event of the year in the oil market. The imbalance of supply and demand, together with the revision of oil policy by key countries, is actively provoking a wave of volatility.

Do you want to conquer this wave? We will help you with that!

From February 15 to February 28, all Classic account holders will receive a 66% discount on the fixed spread on the #BRENT and #WTI oil contracts. The spread is reduced by 3 times — this is a profit of $160 per lot in each trade.

Weekly Outlook: Bitcoin, Ethereum

Dear clients,

Bearish trend is slowing down, so the crypto market should be able to breathe easier. However, there are other things at play. This time, we'll be looking at Bitcoin and Etherium.

Join us on February 15 at 12:00 GMT.

During webinars, FreshForex analyst will answer your questions regarding the market situation and comment on the latest news.

Trading Signals: U.S. Crude Oil Stocks

Dear clients,

February 15 will be announced data on crude oil reserves from the US Department of Energy. Crude Oil Inventories The Energy Information Agency (EIA) estimates the weekly increase in barrels of commercial oil held by US firms. Inventory levels affect the price of petroleum products, which in turn affect inflation and other economic forces.

What data is expected this time, we will find out from our expert:

The American Petroleum Institute reported an increase in black gold reserves in US storage facilities by 10.5 million barrels, which is negative for oil prices. The US Department of Energy plans to deliver 26 million barrels of oil from the strategic reserve to the domestic market in the spring, which will put additional pressure on prices in the coming months. Today consider selling #WTI, #BRENT, #Exxon.

Two hikes and no cuts: the experts' opinion on interest rates

Dear clients,

The US Federal Reserve will raise interest rates at least twice in the coming months, with the risk of further hikes, according to most economists in the Reuters poll.

Thus most private sector forecasters are in agreement with central bank' own forecasts and rhetoric, leaving financial market traders only to hope that rates start to fall later this year.

With much stronger-than-expected US employment data earlier this month, Fed policymakers, including the Chairman Jerome Powell, have reiterated a higher-for-longer mantra that market traders have been wrestling with for months.

As inflation still more than doubling the Fed's 2.0% target, 46 of the 86 surveyed economists predicted the US central bank would go for two more 25 basis point increases, not only in March, but also in and May.

That would mean a peak of 5.00-5.25%, 25 basis points higher than most had forecast since November. All 37 people who answered an extra question said the bigger risk was that the federal funds rate could rise even higher.

There was no clear consensus on the Fed's discount rate by the end of 2023. But more than two-thirds of respondents in the latest poll do not expect a cut this year, as inflation is expected to remain above target until at least 2024.

When asked what is more likely to result in a rate cut, 21 economists named a significant reduction in inflation, and 14 saying a significant increase in unemployment.

[VolkovYuriy]

Weekly Outlook: Gold, Silver, Gas

Dear clients,

Gas prices in Europe are settling down, but warnings of a cold snap are keeping market on edge. Meanwhile, anticipation of new rate hikes by the Fed is holding gold down. This time, we'll be looking at gold, silver and gas, current and future movements.

Join us on February 22 at 12:00 GMT.

During webinars, FreshForex analyst will answer your questions regarding the market situation and comment on the latest news.

The Shaky Market of Stablecoin

Dear clients,

The $137 billion market could see shifts after New York-based Paxos Trust Company, which issues the Binance stablecoin, said it would stop issuing new BUSD tokens after US regulators designated the asset as a non-registered security.

However, the immediate effect was not negative for the stablecoin market as a whole; in fact, its total value has risen by $2 billion since February 13.

Instead, competitors are trying to capitalize on the woes of BUSD, the world's third-largest stablecoin, whose market value has shrunk from $16.1 billion to $12.9 billion and its market share has fallen from 12.1% to 9.4%, according to CoinGecko.com.

Market leader Tether (USDT) has won the most, increasing its market capitalization by $1.9 billion to reach $70.3 billion since the announcement. Now it controls 52.6% of the stablecoin market from just over 51%.

USD Coin, the second largest stablecoin, rose over $700 million to $42 billion, boosting its market share to 31.3%.

Stablecoins are a key part of the cryptosphere, and their more stable value allows them to be used to facilitate transfers between cryptocurrencies or fiat money. Traders also use these tokens to hedge their positions and hence the decline in market value is due to the drop in liquidity and leverage in the broader crypto market.

Staying Negative: the Future of the Bank of Japan' policy

Dear clients,

While bond investors are betting that the BOJ will change its much-discussed yield curve control policy, they still see new governor Kazuo Ueda sticking to negative rates for now.

Benchmark 2-year government bond yields have fallen since mid-January, while 10-year yields remained at the 0.5% target set by the Bank of Japan.

The central bank has set an interest rate of minus 0.1% on the portion of deposits that commercial banks hold at the Bank of Japan since January 2016. This policy tool has helped keep two- and five-year yields flat, but the BOJ's 10-year yield cap forces it to make unprecedented debt purchases and risks exacerbating market distortions, an issue that the monetary authority says prompted it to take decision to double the yield ceiling in December.

Ueda's previous actions also confirm rumors that he may be in no hurry to reverse his negative rate policy. He voted against abandoning the zero rate policy when he was a board member of the Bank of Japan in August 2000.

Strong demand for Japan's five-year bonds at Thursday's auction also suggests that investors are not particularly worried about the end of the policy of negative interest rates. On sale, the cut-off price was higher than expected, and the demand-to-coverage ratio rose sharply, which is an indication of investor interest.

In the currency market, traders see a peak in perceived volatility around the time of current Governor Haruhiko Kuroda's last political meeting in March, and then a decline until Ueda's first meeting in April.

[VolkovYuriy]

Get ready for NFP

Dear clients,

Non-farm Payroll is borderline most important trading point of a month. And you really want to be prepared for it. This time, we'll be looking at a simple, but fruitful strategy to use in NFP trading.

Join us on March 1 at 12:00 GMT.

During webinars, FreshForex analyst will answer your questions regarding the market situation and comment on the latest news.

The First Day of Spring Profit: 202% drawdown bonus

Spring is just around the corner and with it comes new trading opportunities. Whether you decide to go uncharted paths or stay on the old beaten road, the main thing is confidence. And to give you double the calm, we double the drawdown bonus!

If you want to support your account or boost it, make a deposit from $202 and get 202% of the drawdown amount.

Meet spring with profit!

A New Challenger. Meta enters the AI race

Meta Platforms Inc has announced last Friday it is releasing a large language model, the core software of a new AI system, to researchers, fueling the AI race as big tech companies rush to integrate the technology into their products and impress investors.

The battle for AI dominance began late last year with the launch of Microsoft-backed OpenAI ChatGPT and prompted tech heavyweights from Alphabet Inc to China's Baidu Inc to pitch in with their solutions.

LLaMA, short for Large Language Model Meta AI, will be made available under a non-commercial license to researchers and organizations associated with government, civil society and academia, according to a promo blog.

The model, which Meta says requires "much less" processing power than other alternatives, is trained in 20 languages, with a focus on Latin and Cyrillic languages.

AI has reinvigorated investments into the tech industry, whose slowdown has led to mass layoffs and cuts to experimental bets.

Meta claims that LLaMA outperforms competitors who explore more parameters or variables taken into account by the algorithm. In particular, the LLaMA version with 13 billion parameters could outperform GPT-3, the recent predecessor to the model on which ChatGPT is built.

[VolkovYuriy]

Trading Signals: NFP of February


Dear clients,

March 10 is expected to publish data on the Nonfarm Payroll, an indicator of US employment in the industrial sector. The report significantly affects the movement of the US dollar and related instruments.

What values are expected this time, our expert tells:

Leading indicators of employment from ISM for the industry and services indicate the release of positive data on Non-Farm Employment, which is favorable for the growth of the US stock market. On Friday consider buying #SP500, #NQ100, #Exxon, #JPMorgan.

Month of indexes without swaps

The spring thaw is approaching the market. Good news from China, oil volatility and prospects for new realities spur the growth of world indices, which favors market players.

We want to do our part aswell, trade the #DAX30, #DJI30, #NIKKEI and #FTSE100 indices from March 7 to April 2 without swaps!

Indices from different regions participate in the promotion, reflecting the value of the stock market in their zone.

DJI30 — one of the oldest indicators of the state of the US economy, includes stocks of 30 companies.
DAX30 is Germany's most important stock index and tracks the performance of the 40 largest German companies based on market capitalization on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange.
NIKKEI — Includes shares of 225 of the most actively traded companies on the Tokyo Stock Exchange.
FTSE100 is an English stock index that reflects the state and development of the UK economy. Includes 100 shares of companies listed on the London Stock Exchange.

"For the Alliance!": The Merging of Microsoft and Activision Blizzard

Microsoft Corp is expected to win EU antitrust approval for its $69 billion acquisition of Activision Blizzard by offering licensing deals to rivals, sources close to the matter said.

Microsoft announced its acquisition of Activision Blizzard last January, its biggest deal ever, to take on industry leaders Tencent and Sony for the booming video game market. Sony, in turn, voiced concerns about Microsoft's expanding monopoly.

The main stumbling block has become the popular multi-platform Call of Duty series of games, which, once acquired by Microsoft, will cause an imbalance in the market, according to Sony.

The European Commission, which is due to decide on the deal by April 25, will not require Microsoft to sell assets to get approval, sources said.

Microsoft stated that it is "committed to offering effective and easily implemented solutions in order to remove the doubts of the European Commission." Last month, Microsoft announced it had signed 10-year licensing deals with Nintendo and Nvidia that would bring Call of Duty to their gaming platforms, subject to the agreement with Activision Blizzard being approved.

The deal is facing hurdles from regulators in Britain, where the UK competition agency has asked Microsoft to drop Call of Duty to alleviate the issue, while the US Federal Trade Commission has asked a judge to block the deal altogether.

[VolkovYuriy]

Up to Day: Intraday strategy for beginners


Dear clients,

Simple is the best, as people tend to say. Indeed, you don't need to play 5D chess with the market to make a profit. This time, we'll be looking at another solid stategy, useful for beginners.

Join us on March 22 at 12:00 GMT.

During webinars, FreshForex analyst will answer your questions regarding the market situation and comment on the latest news.

ETFs, the new instruments for profitable trading


Good news, we have added a new group of instruments — ETF contracts!

Every investor knows the principle of asset diversification. Spreading your capital across different instruments is a direct way to reduce investment risk. Even if the yield on one instrument falls, this does not lead to a complete collapse. However, building a large portfolio and even more so controlling it is a rather difficult task. This is where ETFs come to the rescue.

An Exchange Traded Fund, or ETF, is an exchange-traded investment fund, which can include stocks, bonds of many companies at once, as well as gold, oil, real estate and other valuable property. The fund buys a large, diversified portfolio of assets and then sells it piecemeal. To do this, the fund issues its own shares. That is, by purchasing one ETF share, a trader invests money in several attractive instruments at once. This option is well suited for novice investors who are not yet familiar with the market and\or do not have the funds to make their own portfolio:

#GLD, SPDR Gold Trust is part of the SPDR family of exchange-traded funds managed and marketed by State Street Global Advisors. For several years, the fund was the second largest exchange-traded fund in the world, and for a short time, the largest. Aims to match the return of the fund to the dynamics of the LBMA Gold Price PM index, minus expenses and fees.

#VOO, Vanguard S&P500 is part of the Vanguard Group, the largest provider of mutual funds and the second largest provider of exchange-traded funds. The fund's investment strategy is to follow the S&P 500 index, which includes the top 500 US companies. Therefore, this fund has a high degree of diversification within the US economy.

#IWM, iShares Russell 2000 is a set of exchange-traded funds managed by BlackRock, which acquired the brand and business from Barclays in 2009. iShares Russell 2000 aims to track the investment performance of an index comprised of small-cap US stocks. Most of the fund's assets are invested in shares of financial services, energy and healthcare companies.

#QQQ, Invesco QQQ (Power Shares Trust, Series) is an American boutique investment management firm that manages a family of exchange-traded funds. The company is part of Invesco, which has been selling the PowerShares product since 2006. PowerShares covers and simulates many market indices; for example, PowerShares QQQ (Nasdaq: QQQ) is designed to reproduce the NASDAQ-100 index. ETF is popular among stock players and is one of the most liquid stock market instruments.

#VEA, Vanguard FTSE DM is another Vanguard Group product aimed at tracking the investment performance of the FTSE Developed All Cap ex US index. This index includes about 1385 ordinary shares of companies from the developed markets of Europe, Australia, Asia, the Far East, with the exception of companies from the USA.

#SCHD, Schwab US Dividend equity — Charles Schwab Corporation is one of the largest US banking companies and one of the largest brokerage companies in the United States. The goal of the fund is to track as closely as possible, before commissions and expenses, the overall return of the Dow Jones U.S. Dividend 100. This index includes common stocks of the 100 largest US companies, with consistently high dividend yields and fundamentally strong financial performance. The fund invests at least 90% of its assets in stocks and companies included in the index.

The #USO, United States Oil Fund aims to match share price performance with USO's Benchmark Oil Futures Contract index net of costs and fees.

Detailed trading conditions can be found in the CFD Specifications.

We'd also like to remind you about newcomers in the current line of metals; our traders have already tested their strength, XAUGBP is especially popular — the most profitable deal on it was $1698. Why not update the record?

Discover brand new ways to make a profit!
Ahead of the plan: Gold passes the $2,000 threshold


In volatile trading on Monday, gold prices initially fell 1% but reversed course and jumped to their highest level since March 2022 at $2009,59 as investors pondered the impact of measures taken by several central banks to contain the banking crisis and stabilize global markets. financial markets.

Gold prices slipped on Tuesday ahead of the Federal Reserve's policy meeting as expectations rise that the US central bank will slow down its monetary tightening given the turmoil in the banking sector.

A pause in rate hikes could bring gold back above $2000, experts say, but it will need a lower dot chart and a dovish press conference for it to hold those gains. Despite the fact that banking regulators are rushing to strengthen market confidence, the uncertain macroeconomic environment continues to encourage purchases in gold.

Gold is considered a safe asset in times of financial uncertainty, and lower interest rates make unprofitable bars more attractive by lowering the opportunity cost of holding them.

In December last year, Bank of America analysts already predicted a rise in gold prices above $2,000, but the calculation was made for the second half of 2023.

[VolkovYuriy]

Weekly Outlook: Gold, Silver, Natural Gas

Dear clients,

With banks falling, fuel prices soaring and inflation roaring, the markets are going full Pinball. The only safe haven so far would be precious metals. This time, we'll be looking at gold, silver and gas, current and future movements.

Join us on April 5 at 12:00 GMT.

During webinars, FreshForex analyst will answer your questions regarding the market situation and comment on the latest news.

Again with the Charts: FreshForex Forecast Contest

Dear clients,

The contest is back!

Do you have specific data, are confident in your numbers, or just want to test yourself?

From April 5 to 30, join traders on FB and test your trading instincts. The reward will be a prize of $50 to the account.

Forecasts of the first stage are accepted until April 7, 12:00 GMT.

Follow the details of the stages on our official page.

Oil Shock and Awe

Dear clients,

The unexpected OPEC+ production cut on Sunday changed the oil price outlook, bringing $100 a barrel back into view.

Saudi Arabia has taken the first step by pledging to cut its supplies by 500,000 barrels a day. Other members, including Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates and Algeria, followed suit, while Russia said the production cuts it implemented from March to June would last until the end of 2023.

This is a significant decline for a market where, despite recent price fluctuations, supply was limited in the second half of the year. Oil futures rose 8% in New York on Monday, while gasoline also ramped up, adding to inflationary pressures that could force central banks around the world to keep interest rates higher for longer.

Traders were taken by surprise by the move, given that just weeks ago, senior Saudi oil official Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman insisted that OPEC+'s 2022 production quotas "are in place until the end of the year, period."

Previously, the cartel's own data suggested that the group would have to produce more oil in the second half of the year, not less. With the International Energy Agency expecting a surge in demand later this year, the risk of a new inflationary momentum for the global economy has now re-emerged.

After the decision was made, leading oil analysts started talking about oil at $100, some expect that the global balance of supply and demand will be in deficit earlier than expected. This view is reflected in Brent's increasing backwardation, with the premium for on-time deliveries rising over later deliveries, signaling tension. This view is reflected in Brent's increased backwardation, with the premium for on-time deliveries rising over later deliveries, signaling tension.

Options markets are now showing a bullish shift in sentiment. According to ICE Futures Europe, the most popular option on Brent crude over the next 12 months allows the holder to buy futures at $100, equivalent to nearly 140 million barrels of open interest.

[VolkovYuriy]

Weekly Outlook: Bitcoin, Ethereum and Ripple


Dear clients,

Bitcoin is surely taking ground, while Ethereum is preparing for a huge update. This time we'll be looking the cryptomarket and what to expect of it in the coming weeks.

Join us on April 12 at 12:00 GMT.

During webinars, FreshForex analyst will answer your questions regarding the market situation and comment on the latest news.
Trading Signals: US March Inflation

Dear clients,

A closely watched US inflation report could help address one of the most pressing questions among traders: whether the market has set the short-term path for interest rates correctly. Belief in rate cuts has driven bond yields down, supporting giant tech stocks and growth stocks that have an impact on broad stock indices.

What you can expect this month, our expert says:

Leading indicators point to declining inflation, which is negative for the dollar and positive for equity markets as the US Federal Reserve may stop raising interest rates. On Wednesday, consider buying AUDUSD, #NQ100, #SP500 and selling USDCAD, USDZAR.
"Shanghai" Noon. Major upgrade of Ethereum

Dear clients,

On April 12, the Ethereum network will undergo a technical upgrade that will allow users to withdraw tens of billions of dollars of their own Ether token. Referred to as “Shanghai”, this is a necessary step after the world’s most important crypto platform moved to a less energy-intensive process of ordering transactions. Investors affected by the recent turmoil in the crypto markets are wondering if some Ethereum holders will run when presented with the first opportunity to get their tokens out of the way.

The value of Ethereum fell during the “crypto winter” of 2022, when investors abandoned many digital assets. But the appeal of the underlying Ethereum technology has remained unchanged.

Until September 2022, Ethereum relied on a costly and energy-intensive process known as proof-of-work to order transactions. The situation changed when the technical overhaul known as the "Merge" took an alternative approach - proof-of-stake. People who put up or stake Ethereum can become “validators” of transactions on the Ethereum blockchain and receive income in return, just like deposits in a bank. As of 2020, users can stake their Ether but cannot withdraw it. "Shanghai" will allow them to take out these coins. About 16% of the total supply of Ethereum, worth about $37 billion, was stuck in the staking protocol as of early April.

It is not clear how many users will want to cash out once their Ether is unlocked. The value of the token has fluctuated wildly in the years since staking was first enabled – rising sharply as it grew in popularity among institutional and retail investors, then falling in 2022. At least initially, withdrawal demand is expected to outweigh new Ethereum staking deposits. It could take months for Ethereum holders to withdraw their coins as Ethereum has set limits to ensure that too many people do not withdraw at the same time, leaving it vulnerable to attack.

After the Merge, Ethereum attracted the attention of regulators, including the US Securities and Exchange Commission, which pointed out that some services offering income from the placement of cryptocurrencies amounted to illegal offerings of securities. An upgrade to unlock staked Ethereum may result in increased checks.

[VolkovYuriy]

The candle is lit! A profitable pin bar strategy




Dear clients,


The beauty of a pin bar is how simple yet useful it is, always ready to reveal more. This time, we're going back to pin bar strategies.


Join us on April 19 at 12:00 GMT.


During webinars, FreshForex analyst will answer your questions regarding the market situation and comment on the latest news.

Trading Signals: U.S. Crude Oil Stocks




April 19 will be announced data on crude oil reserves from the US Department of Energy. Crude oil reserves of Energy Information Agency (EIA) are estimated by the weekly increase in barrels of commercial oil held by US firms. Reserve levels affect the price of petroleum products, which in turn affect inflation and other economic forces.


What data is expected this time, we will find out from our expert:


The American Petroleum Institute reported a reduction in black gold reserves in US storage facilities by 2.6 million barrels, which is favorable for rising oil prices. The oil market enters the "high season", when the consumption of petroleum products increases every week. Today consider buying #WTI, #BRENT, #Exxon.

All according to Plan




Oil prices edged up on Tuesday after falling 2% in the previous session, as stronger economic data from the world's biggest crude oil importer, China, supported the demand outlook.


Brent rose 34 cents to $85.10 a barrel at 06:18 GMT, while West Texas Intermediate got 29 cents to $81.12 a barrel.


Official data showed that China's economy grew faster than expected in the first quarter, expanding 4.5% year-on-year as policymakers seek to maintain growth after the end of tough lockdown restrictions in December.


A notable recovery in the Chinese economy has supported the recent rebound in oil prices, analysts said. In addition, May is the seasonal peak travel period in China and fuel demand is expected to increase very strongly year on year.


The International Energy Agency (IEA) predicts that China will account for most of the growth in crude oil demand in 2023.


However, the agency also warned that production cuts announced by OPEC+ producers could exacerbate the supply shortfall expected in the second half of the year and could hurt consumers and slow down the global economic recovery.


Oil prices also remain under pressure from a stronger dollar and rising Treasury yields, analysts at National Australia said in a client note.


The US dollar is strengthening along with rising interest rates, and traders are betting that the US Federal Reserve will raise the lending rate again in May, which could dampen hopes of an economic turnaround.

[VolkovYuriy]

YELLOW SIGNAL

Why does gold continue to gain popularity?Dear clients,

Now is the best time to invest in gold, at least according to Bank of America. The dollar kept rising after the data on inflation, but is moving towards a monthly decline. Precious metals consolidated last month on "growth fears that led to higher expectations for a U.S. rate cut, lower bond yields and continued banking sector concerns," analysts said.

A weaker dollar makes bullion cheaper for foreign buyers. Due to the banking crisis and the threat of a recession, the precious metal is regarded as a reliable defensive asset.

Interest in gold is also actively shown by central banks, only last year demand grew by 20%. In fact, they account for a record 33% of monthly global demand and are buying more gold than at any time since data collection began in 1950.

The buying spree helped lift the price of gold to near-record levels and more than 50% higher than models based on real interest rates suggest. Experts see this as an attempt to get away from the dollar as the dominant currency.

The difficult macroeconomic environment makes gold one of the most reliable investments, and with a drawdown bonus 101%, it is also the most profitable.

[VolkovYuriy]

BEHIND THE WALLS: WALL STREET ON THE DECISION OF THE FED

Dear clients,

Wall Street was stumped by the Federal Reserve on Wednesday.

In a statement accompanying a quarter-point rate hike, the central bank ditched previous language that said "some additional policy tightening" might be warranted. Chairman Jerome Powell then said banking sector conditions had “generally improved” since early March.

But investors still had many questions. Despite Fed officials' forecasts of a mild recession, Powell expects the US economy to grow at a modest pace this year. And while he said rates are "maybe at" a fairly restrictive level, getting back to the 2% inflation target won't be a "smooth process."

As Powell spoke, the S&P 500 went up and down, then closing down 0.7%. Treasury revenues fell.

The fact that the stock market is having a hard time figuring out where to go next is evidence that this has already been priced in, experts say. Looking ahead, investors want to know what value the Fed will place on tightening lending conditions caused by stress in regional banks.

Powell's speech failed to reassure the market, investors heard what they expected, but not exactly what they wanted; the lack of clear guidance from the Fed is also worrisome. The general mood is quite calm, no revelations from Powell have been made and the situation is still developing according to market forecasts. A number of analysts note that the Fed is still set to tighten: they will need confirmation from the data that the monetary policy stance is quite restrictive.

The prospects for a pause or rate cut are viewed very cautiously, with particular attention to the possibility of a recession. At the same time, few people believe in further increases, according to analysts, this will require catastrophic inflation.

Fed futures showed that the likelihood of a rate hike in June had dropped to around 2%.

TRADING SIGNALS: US FEDERAL RESERVE MEETING

Dear clients,

On May 3, a meeting of the US Federal Reserve System, the body that performs the functions of the Central Bank of America, will take place. The decision on the interest rate will determine the further movement of the market, which draw attention of traders.

How the situation with rates will develop now, our expert tells:

The Fed may raise the rate by 0.25% and signal to the market that it will not raise the rate at the next meetings, as inflation is declining, which is favorable for economic growth. On Wednesday consider buying AUDUSD, GBPUSD, #NQ100, #SP500.

A reversal can quite shake up the market — be ready with a 300% deposit bonus!

[VolkovYuriy]

GREEN HARVEST

Dear clients,

Apple Inc's results beat expectations on Thursday, demonstrating the tech giant's resilience amid the global economic slowdown, thanks to stronger-than-expected iPhone sales and notable gains in India and other emerging markets.

Shares of the largest US company by market value rose 2% after Apple beat Wall Street's earnings and profit expectations for the quarter on April 1st. The company's results contrast with disappointing performance from major chip makers due to a slower-than-expected recovery in China's economic growth.

Apple executives on Thursday said gross profit for the current quarter will be better than forecast, despite an expected drop in revenue due to the resolution of supply chain problems.

Apple said sales for its fiscal second quarter ended April 1 fell 2.5% to $94.8 billion, beating expectations for a 4.4% decline, according to data from Refinitiv. Earnings remained unchanged at $1.52 per share, compared to $1.43 per share forecast.

iPhone sales rose 1.5% to $51.3 billion, beating expectations for a 3.3% fall, even as consumers and businesses cut spending due to rising inflation. Analysts expect growth of 2.1% to $84.7 billion in the third financial quarter, which ends in June.

Apple shares outperformed most Wall Street stocks in 2023, up 28% year-to-date. Investors view the company as a protective measure during a period of economic uncertainty.

Apple raised its dividend to 24 cents per share from 23 cents a year ago. The Board authorized a $90 billion share buyback program, just as it did a year ago.

Investors are still waiting for the company's next big product. Bloomberg reported that the iPhone maker could unveil a mixed reality headset as early as next month when it holds its annual Software Developers Conference. The company recently announced new services such as a high yield savings account.

TRADING SIGNALS: THE BANK OF ENGLAND'S INTEREST RATE DECISION

Dear clients,

On May 11 the Bank of England, the key financial authority of Great Britain, will make a decision on the interest rate, which is among the most important events affecting the pound sterling quotation.

Our expert comments on how the situation with the rates develops:

The Bank of England may raise the rate by 0.25% and signal to the market the need for further interest rate hikes at the summer meetings due to high inflation in the United Kingdom economy. On Thursday consider buying GBPJPY, GBPUSD, GBPCHF.

On any twists and turns, confidently keep your balance with a drawdown bonus 101%!

[VolkovYuriy]

ELECTIONS IN TURKEY
12 May 2023

Elections in TurkeyDear traders!

We would like to draw your attention to the fact that presidential elections in Turkey will be held on May 14, 2023. This event may provoke a sharp increase in volatility of Turkish Lira instruments and, as a consequence, lead to increased trading risks.

As we care about our clients, we strongly recommend all traders to be more attentive and also:

Maintain a margin level of at least 500%;
Use protective Stop-loss orders;
to adjust the volume of current open positions at their own discretion, if necessary.

It should be noted that in case of significant increase of volatility on financial markets with changing conditions at the liquidity providers of the company the following is possible: increase of spreads and levels of orders setting, change of margin requirements for any instruments both for previously opened positions and for new ones, introduction of "Close only" mode or suspension of trading in accordance with the regulatory documents of the company.

Please consider this information when planning work on the financial markets.

DOWNWARD SPIRAL. A LONG DROP IN OIL PRICES


A long drop in oil pricesDear clients,

Oil prices fell Friday, setting a fourth weekly decline, as renewed economic troubles in the U.S. and China revived worries about fuel demand growth in the world's two largest oil consumers.

Brent crude futures fell 48 cents, or 0.64%, to $74.50 a barrel by 06:35 GMT. U.S. West Texas Intermediate, on the other hand, lost 39 cents, or 0.55%, to $70.48.

Both benchmarks will fall about 1.1% over the week, marking the longest streak of weekly declines since November 2021.

With negotiations over the U.S. government debt ceiling deadlocked and renewed fears that another regional bank is in crisis, fears that the U.S. will enter a recession are growing. A decline in new corporate loans in China and weaker economic data released there earlier in the week raised doubts again about the stimulation of oil demand growth as the country recovers from COVID restrictions.

The price rose earlier Friday, after falling during the previous two sessions, on some demand expectations following comments from the U.S. Secretary of Energy that the States might buy oil for the Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR). The U.S. government has said it will buy oil when prices are at or below $67-72 a barrel at all times.

However, negotiations to raise the $31.4 trillion U.S. federal debt limit may not reach an agreement in time to prevent a default on the national debt, which could cause serious market turmoil. China's consumer price data for April rose slower than expected and factory price deflation has deepened, suggesting more stimulus is needed.

The oil market largely ignored the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) global oil demand forecast for 2023, which projected demand growth in China, the world's biggest oil importer.

HERE WE GO AGAIN: THREATS TO THE TECHNOLOGY SECTOR

Dear clients,

A prolonged period of economic downturn in the U.S. will cause tech stocks to plummet at a time when they are attracting a lot of investor money, strategists at Bank of America Corp. say.

Michael Hartnett's team expects the recession to "crack credit and tech" just as it did in 2008, according to Friday's note.

Investors poured $3.8 billion into technology stocks in the week ended May 10, the largest inflow since December 2021, BofA reported, citing data from EPFR Global. On the other hand, $2.1 billion was pulled out of financial stocks, the biggest buyout since May 2022, amid turmoil at regional U.S. banks.

The tech-heavy Nasdaq 100 index is up 22% this year as investors expect the Federal Reserve to begin easing monetary policy soon, easing pressure on the rate-sensitive sector. And while earnings in this sector will continue to fall from last year, traders already expect a recovery in 2024.

Hartnett, who correctly predicted last year that recession fears would cause stocks to pull back, warned that the U.S. central bank was unlikely to pause rate hikes amid high inflation, as well as low unemployment and presidential approval. That echoes the views of Bloomberg Intelligence strategists, who view the likelihood of weakening tech, media and telecom stocks as they "face the reality of longer-term interest rate hikes and a softening of the earnings outlook."

Hartnett thinks negative wage data will be a buying signal for cyclical economic-related stocks, such as tech stocks, in 2023. The U.S. labor market has proven resilient, with hiring and worker wage growth accelerating in April.

Other notable flows over the past week included a slowdown in cash inflows - $13.8 billion went into that asset class. At the same time, Treasuries saw the largest inflows in the past six weeks, with $6.3 billion. U.S. and European equity funds bought $2.7 billion and $2.2 billion each, respectively.

[VolkovYuriy]

"EVERY BIT HELPS". RECORD PERFORMANCE OF US TREASURIES

Dear clients,

Foreign buying of US Treasury bonds in March rose to the highest level in more than two years, Treasury Department data showed on Monday, as investors bought government debt amid bank stress during the month.

US Treasuries rose to $7.573 trillion in March, up about $230 billion from $7.343 trillion the previous month. Monthly Treasury bond accumulation in March was the highest since June 2021, analysts at TD Securities said.

According to the cited data, March was particularly significant as it was a time of volatility in the banking sector. The most interesting point was the huge amount of treasury bond purchases. Investors were de-risking at the time because of banking stress. There was a lot of buying on the Chinese side, a lot of buying on the Japanese side. There were interesting purchases from the UK side or via the UK, indicating purchases by hedge funds.

The benchmark 10-year Treasury yield started March at 3.996%, falling by 50 basis points to 3.49% by the end of the month. In October last year the yield on 10-year US Treasuries reached a 15-month high of 4.338%.

Foreign inflows into Treasuries were $35.8bn per trade in March, up from $57.6bn in the previous month. US equities were also bought by foreigners, with inflows of $36.1bn following net sales of $16.2bn in February and outflows of $27.5bn in January.

US residents, meanwhile, increased their holdings of long-term foreign securities, with net purchases of $22.8bn compared with net sales of $8.3bn in February.

Overall, net purchases of long-term overseas securities totaled $133.3bn in March, up sharply from February's inflow of $56.6bn, the data showed.

PLATINUM DROUGHT

Dear clients,

Rising demand from automakers, industry and investors will push the global platinum market into the biggest deficit in years, three industry reports predict.

The reports highlight the changing fortunes of platinum and its cognate metal palladium, which are used mainly in vehicle exhausts to help neutralise harmful engine emissions. For many years, growing demand and shortages of palladium have pushed prices upwards, while low consumption and a more abundant supply of platinum have kept prices low.

Two reports released on Monday suggest that if palladium remains in short supply this year, the platinum supply shortfall will be greater. Automakers are switching from palladium to platinum as a cost-saving measure, heavy-duty vehicles with a high platinum content are on the rise, while zero-emission electric cars are making their way into the palladium-focused light vehicle market. Platinum is also being supported by industrial and jewellery consumption, while palladium demand is almost entirely dependent on the automobile sector.

The World Platinum Investment Council forecast a platinum deficit of 983,000 oz, the highest since the 1970s, following last year's surplus of 854,000 oz.

Meanwhile, net platinum holdings in the ETF increased by 43,000 ounces in Q1 '23, reversing six previous quarters of net disinvestment. The board believes that the revised 2023 deficit forecast of almost 1 million ounces based on historical data is likely to attract additional investor interest in bullion and coins as well as physical asset-backed ETFs.

FOR A RAINY DAY. HOW WALL STREET IS PREPARING FOR A POSSIBLE DEFAULT

Dear clients,

As negotiations to raise the debt ceiling of the USD 31.4 trillion government debt intensify, Wall Street banks and asset managers have started to prepare for the consequences of a possible default.

The financial industry has prepared for such a crisis before, most recently in September 2021. But this time, the relatively short timeframe for a compromise has bankers on their guard, said one senior industry official.

US government bonds underpin the global financial system, so it is difficult to fully assess the damage a default would cause, but executives expect strong volatility in equity, debt and other markets.

The ability to trade in and out of treasury bonds on the secondary market will be severely limited. Even a short-term breach of the debt ceiling could lead to a spike in interest rates, a plunge in equity prices and a breach of credit documentation and leverage agreements.

Banks, brokers and trading platforms are preparing for disruptions in the treasury market as well as wider volatility.

This typically includes planning for how payments in treasury securities will be made; how the critical funding markets will react; ensuring there is sufficient technology, staffing and cash to handle large trading volumes; and checking the potential impact on contracts with clients.

Large bond investors have warned that maintaining a high level of liquidity is important in order to withstand potential sharp fluctuations in asset prices and avoid having to sell at the most inopportune time.

The Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association (SIFMA), a leading industry group, developed an action plan that details what Treasury bond market participants — the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, the Fixed Income Clearing Corporation (FICC), clearing banks and Treasury bond dealers — should do in the run-up to and on the days of a possible Treasury bond payment miss.

SIFMA considered several scenarios. The most likely scenario is that the Treasury would buy time to pay bondholders by announcing on the eve of the payment that it would reschedule these securities, extending them one day at a time. This would allow the market to continue functioning, but no interest would likely accrue on the deferred payment.

In the most destructive scenario, the Treasury does not pay any principal or coupon and does not extend the maturity date. The outstanding bonds would no longer be tradable and could not be transferred through the Fedwire Securities Service, which is used to hold, transfer and settle Treasury bonds.

Each scenario is likely to cause significant operational problems and will require daily manual adjustments to trading and settlement processes.

In addition, in past periods of confrontation over the debt ceiling issue — in 2011 and 2013 — Fed staff and policymakers developed their plan, which is likely to serve as a starting point, with the last and most sensitive step being the complete removal of defaulted securities from the market.

[VolkovYuriy]

5 MINUTE BREAKTHROUGH: A PROFITABLE STARTING STRATEGY

Dear clients,

What can you do in a mere 5 minutes? Hit the restroom, have a smoke or... make a profit. This time, we'll be looking at a simple trading strategy fit for both newcomers and experienced traders.

Join us on May 24 at 12:00 GMT.

During webinars, FreshForex analyst will answer your questions regarding the market situation and comment on the latest news.

If you missed the previous webinars, you can always find them here.

NEW TRICKS OF THE OLD CRYPTO

Dear clients,

According to Glassnode, daily transactions hit an all-time high of 682,000 this month, up almost 40% from the previous peak in 2017. Bitcoin's dominance, or share of the total $1.16 trillion cryptocurrency market, has risen to 44% from 38% at the start of the year.

This is due to BRC-20, the first class of cryptocurrency tokens created on the bitcoin blockchain apart from bitcoin itself. Nearly 25,000 experimental coins have already been minted this year, leading to a surge in transactions.

Mostly due to the creation of these tokens, the average daily transaction volume in seven days was more than 531,000, almost double what it was a month ago, according to Blockchain.com.

This new class of cryptocurrency has no specific use beyond speculation, much like memecoins. However, its nascent popularity points to interest in bitcoin not just as a store of value or a payment method, but also as a basis for developing new coins and applications - previously considered the domain of more modern blockchains such as Ethereum and Solana.

Some investors and developers see bitcoin blockchain as a safer long-term basis for creating tokens and applications amid the cryptocurrency carnage that has followed the collapse of high-profile companies such as FTX and a general flight away from risky assets, market participants say.

Nevertheless, the excitement around BRC-20 has been volatile. The total value of these tokens, which are typically traded on secondary markets, especially on decentralised exchanges, surpassed $1bn in early May, but has since fallen to $446m, according to tracker BRC-20.io.

Because the bitcoin blockchain was not originally designed to support the crypto ecosystem, unlike Ethereum and Solana, BRC-20 tokens are created using ordinar theory, which allows data to be written on each satoshi - the smallest bitcoin denomination, or hundred-millionth of a bitcoin.

The race to create these new coins has had little impact on the price of bitcoin, which has been trading below $30,000 since mid-April. However, experts see this trend as "promising" in terms of interest in creating products on the bitcoin blockchain.

ONE STEP BEHIND. THE AI LEGISLATION

Dear clients,

As the race to develop more powerful artificial intelligence services such as ChatGPT accelerates, some regulators are still relying on old laws to control a technology that could change the way society and business operate.

The European Union is at the forefront of developing new rules for AI that could become a global benchmark to address the privacy and security concerns raised by the rapid development of generative AI technology underpinning OpenAI's ChatGPT. However, it will take several years for the legislation to take effect.

"In the absence of regulations, the only thing governments can do is to apply existing rules," experts say. "If it's about protecting personal data, they apply data protection laws, if it's about threatening people's security, there are rules that have not been specifically defined for AI, but they still apply."

In April, European national privacy regulators set up a task force to tackle ChatGPT after Italian regulator Garante pulled the service offline, accusing OpenAI of violating the EU's GDPR, a wide-ranging privacy regime adopted in 2018. ChatGPT was reinstated after the US company agreed to install age verification features and allowed European users to block their information from being used to train AI models.

Generative AI models have become well known for making mistakes, or 'hallucinations', providing misinformation with supernatural certainty.

Such errors can have serious consequences. If a bank or government department uses AI to speed up decision-making, people could be unfairly denied credit or benefits. Major technology companies, including Google and Microsoft Corp, have stopped using AI products considered ethically questionable, such as financial products.

US and European experts say regulators intend to apply existing rules covering everything from copyright and data privacy to two key aspects: the data entering models and the content they produce.

While regulators adapt to the pace of technological advances, some in the industry are calling for more engagement with corporate leaders. Dialogue between regulators and companies has so far been "limited", they say.

"This does not bode well for the future," they say. "Regulators seem either slow or unwilling to adopt approaches that strike the right balance between consumer protection and business growth."

[VolkovYuriy]

CHIPPIN' IN: NVIDIA'S POWER BOOST

Dear clients,

Nvidia Corp on Wednesday forecast second-quarter revenue more than 50 percent above Wall Street forecasts and said it was increasing shipments to meet growing demand for its artificial intelligence chips, which are used to run ChatGPT and many similar services.

Shares in Nvidia, the world's most expensive semiconductor company, soared 28 per cent after the signal to a record high of $391.50. That boosted the market value of Nvidia stock by about $200 billion to more than $950 billion, extending the Silicon Valley-based company's lead as the world's most expensive chip maker and the fifth most valuable company on Wall Street.

Nvidia is forecasting revenue of $11bn for the current quarter, with analysts polled by Refinitiv citing a figure of $7.15bn. They note that amid a gold rush of generative artificial intelligence, demand for Nvidia chips is secure for the rest of the year.

Adjusted revenue for the quarter ended April 30 was $7.19bn on revenue expectations of $6.52bn. The company's data centre chip sales were $4.28bn, beating analysts' forecasts of $3.89bn, according to FactSet.

Nvidia faces competition in AI chips from traditional rivals such as Advanced Micron Devices Inc and Intel Corp, as well as from startups such as Cerebras Systems and its own AI chip efforts at companies such as Google and Amazon.

According to FactSet, revenue from gaming chip sales exceeded Wall Street expectations, coming in at $2.24 billion against forecasts of $1.97 billion. Net income rose to $2.04 billion, or 82 cents per share, from $1.62 billion, or 64 cents per share, a year earlier. Excluding items, the company earned $1.09 per share in the first quarter, beating estimates of 92 cents.

THE STRUGGLE FOR DEPENDENCY. OPENAI AND EU CONFLICT

Dear clients,

Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI, has spent the last week travelling around Europe, meeting leading politicians in France, Spain, Poland, Germany and the UK to discuss the future of AI and the progress of ChatGPT. On Wednesday, he warned that the company could leave the EU if the bloc becomes "over-regulated".

By February, ChatGPT had set a record for the fastest user base growth of any consumer app in history. More than six months after OpenAI unveiled its AI-powered chatbot to the world, concerns about its potential sparked excitement and anxiety - and led to conflict with regulators.

"The current EU bill on artificial intelligence would be over-regulatory, but we have heard that it is going to be pushed back," Altman said on Wednesday. EU lawmakers responsible for drafting the AI law have disputed Altman's claims. EU industry chief Thierry Breton also criticised the threat, saying the draft rules were non-negotiable. Dutch MEP Kim van Sparrentak, who also worked on the EU bill, said she and her colleagues "should not allow themselves to be blackmailed by US companies".

"If OpenAI cannot meet the basic requirements of data management, transparency, security and protection, then their systems are not suitable for the European market," she said.

OpenAI first clashed with regulators in March, when Italian data regulator Garante shut down the app domestically, accusing OpenAI of breaching European privacy rules. ChatGPT returned to the web after the company introduced new privacy protections for users.

Meanwhile, EU lawmakers have made new proposals to the Artificial Intelligence Act, which would oblige companies using generative tools such as ChatGPT to disclose all copyrighted material used to train systems. EU parliamentarians agreed a draft law earlier this month. Member states, the European Commission and Parliament will finalise the final details of the bill.

The departure of OpenAI is seen as an unlikely outcome as the European market is too valuable economically. Experts note that some legislative relieves are still possible, but the overall trajectory has already been set.

[VolkovYuriy]

UNPAUSABLE. FUTURE OF FED RATES

Dear clients,

Federal Reserve policymakers received a dose of unexpectedly strong US economic data on Friday, which bolstered the case for further monetary policy tightening to reduce persistently high inflation.

A 0.8% rise in consumer spending last month compared with March was good news, showing that the economy is not on the brink of recession, but discomfort for policymakers waiting for a slowdown that could ease rising pressure on prices. And the increase in core inflation to 4.7%, up from 4.6% in March, underlined the Fed's less-than-steady progress in fighting inflation. The US central bank's inflation target is 2%.

Combined with seemingly some progress on a deal to raise the debt ceiling and avert a catastrophic US default, the latest data raises doubts that the Fed will indeed "pause" its campaign to raise rates, as Chairman Jerome Powell signalled earlier this month.

Interest rate futures traders are seeing less subtlety in the numbers and are now expecting an 11th consecutive interest rate hike in June, a reversal of the June pause bets made after the last hike on May 3.

Next month's rate hike is not a definitive decision: Key labour market data from next Friday and fresh inflation data expected on 13 June are still to be announced before the Fed meeting on 13-14 June. However, there are growing expectations that even if the Fed leaves rates unchanged in June, it will hit the brakes in July. In the futures markets the odds are three to one in favour of a rate hike until then.

Fed Governor Christopher Waller — one of the Fed's most hawkish voices — made this point earlier last week. He said that while key data in the coming weeks as well as uncertainty over credit conditions could support a temporary rate halt, the lack of progress on inflation points to the need for further tightening.

BIG AND TECH. S&P 500' FINEST

Dear clients,

Never before in the history of US equities has a small group of companies from one industry had such an impact on the entire market. Six companies — Apple, Microsoft, Alphabet, Amazon, Nvidia and Meta Platforms — now have a combined valuation of around $10 trillion and account for more than a quarter of the total market capitalisation of the S&P 500.

All of these stocks have doubled in value in 2023 — and Nvidia and Meta more than doubled — thanks to the dawn of artificial intelligence and expectations that the Federal Reserve will soon halt interest rate hikes. The benchmark index is up 8% in 2023, but its return is down to just 2% if technology companies are excluded. The S&P 500 is also well behind the technology-heavy Nasdaq Composite, which has entered bull market territory, jumping 22% this year.

Historically, it is rare for a handful of stocks from one sector to make up such a large proportion of the S&P 500. The last time the five largest valuation companies accounted for a quarter of the total market value of the index was in the 1960s, according to Schroders. It is also the first time in history that all five of the largest publicly listed companies represent the same industry.

However, this is not all good news for investors.

It is tempting to view the dominance of the technology sector as a good thing. But single-industry stocks tend to be vulnerable to the same macroeconomic factors — such as rising interest rates, which often hit technology stocks harder than other companies because they are more reliant on borrowing cash.

The overall size of the S&P 500 market is so concentrated around technology companies that it is more vulnerable to sharp price swings than before, Minerva Analysis said. When there is a narrow group of leaders, there is a big risk if something bad happens to technology. If interest rates rise to 7%, it will be bad news for the whole market.

So while the tech giants have provided a surprise rally in equities in 2023, their rising market capitalisation could end up being more of a curse than a blessing for investors.

TRADER' STARTER PACK

Dear clients,

When you are at the start of your trading path, you might want some boost, something to get ahead. This time we'll be looking at some strategies which can help a beginner to gain an egde.

Join us on May 31 at 12:00 GMT.

During webinars, FreshForex analyst will answer your questions regarding the market situation and comment on the latest news.

If you missed the previous webinars, you can always find them here.

[VolkovYuriy]

THE RISING SUN OF THE MARKET

Dear clients,

As Japanese equities have unexpectedly come back into fashion with global investors, analysts at leading Wall Street investment banks are predicting further gains in the country's major indices.

Japan's Topix index (Tokyo Price Index) has reached new highs in the last two weeks, and on Monday it recorded its highest level since July 1990.

It has jumped 14% since the start of this year, recently fuelled by optimism from the tentative debt ceiling deal reached between US President Joe Biden and House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, along with momentum from a weaker yen. Meanwhile, the Nikkei 225 continues to rise, gaining around 20% over the past year.

The start of an inflationary regime, combined with Tokyo Stock Exchange valuation reforms, will see Japanese equities hit record highs as early as the first half of 2025, according to BofA Securities.

BofA's forecasts echo those of other Wall Street firms, which see further room for a rally in Japanese equities. Heightened interest from foreign investors, strong earnings and a weak yen should continue to support growth in the Topix index. Disappointment with the Chinese economy and Warren Buffett's recent interest in the Japanese market are also cited as motivators.

While equities may face headwinds in the near term, the BofA said there is "no need to take a bearish stance if the market rallies in line with fundamentals". The current investment environment remains favourable following the opening of the economy and stronger inflation.

The rush in Japanese equities reached a record high on Wednesday amid a continued surge in foreign demand for the country's shares and an adjustment in positions ahead of the rebalancing of the MSCI equity index.

The value of shares traded on the Tokyo Stock Exchange's Prime Market index reached an unprecedented level of nearly 7 trillion yen ($50 billion) on May 31. Finance Ministry data on Thursday showed foreign investors were net buyers of Japanese shares for nine consecutive weeks in the period ended May 26, the longest buying period since November 2019.

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TRADING SIGNALS: NFP FOR MAY

Dear clients,

On June 2, the Non-farm Payroll, a measure of US industrial employment, is expected to be published. The report greatly influences the movement of American dollar and related instruments.

We will find out what figures are expected this time from our expert:

Falling unemployment claims and rising employment in services - the lion's share of the US economy - are indicative of positive Non-Farm Employment data, which is favourable for the dollar's strength. On Friday, consider buying USDTRY, USDZAR, USDCAD, USDCHF.

Make the most out of your trades with a 300% deposit bonus!

ONE LESS THING TO WORRY ABOUT. THE GROWTH OF OIL

Dear clients,

Oil prices rose on Thursday by the largest amount in a fortnight ahead of the OPEC+ meeting on Sunday, while the passage of a bill to suspend the US debt ceiling by the House of Representatives helped offset the impact of rising stocks in the country.

US West Texas Intermediate crude rose $2.01, or 3 per cent, to settle at $70.10 a barrel, recording its biggest daily gain since May 5. Brent crude futures rose $1.68, or 2.3%, to $74.65 a barrel, the biggest daily gain since May 17.

Both benchmarks recovered after two consecutive sessions of declines after the House of Representatives passed a bill late on Wednesday night to suspend the US government debt ceiling and improve the chances of preventing a default. The bill now moves to the Senate.

Market attention has shifted to the OPEC+ meeting on 4 June. Sources within the organisation said the alliance was unlikely to deepen supply cuts at Sunday's meeting, but some analysts believe this is possible as demand figures in China and the US have been disappointing in recent weeks.

US crude inventories rose unexpectedly last week as imports jumped and strategic stocks fell to their lowest level since September 1983, according to the Energy Information Administration.

Data from China's manufacturing sector presented a mixed picture, with Thursday's Caixin/S&P Global manufacturing PMI better than expected, while official government data from the previous day reported that activity at firms in May contracted to its lowest level in five months.

[VolkovYuriy]

HOT TOPIC: SWAP-FREE CRYPTO IN JUNE!

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WHEN LESS IS MORE. SAUDI ARABIA CUTS OIL PRODUCTION

Dear clients,

Saudi Arabia will make deep production cuts in July, in addition to the broader OPEC+ deal to limit supply until 2024, as the group seeks to boost oil prices.

Saudi Arabia's energy ministry said the country's output would fall to 9 million barrels per day (bpd) in July from around 10 million bpd in May, the biggest cut in years.

"This is a Saudi lollipop," Saudi Energy Minister Prince Abdulaziz told on a news conference. "We wanted to ice the cake. We always want to add suspense. We don't want people to try to predict what we do... This market needs stabilisation".

OPEC+ pumps about 40% of the world's oil, which means its policy decisions could have a significant impact on oil prices.

A surprise decision to cut supplies in April briefly boosted Brent crude prices by about $9, but prices have since retreated under pressure from concerns about global economic weakness and its impact on demand. On Friday, Brent crude ended trading for the week at $76.

OPEC+ imposed production cuts of 3.66m bpd, representing 3.6% of global demand, including the 2m bpd agreed last year and voluntary cuts of 1.66m bpd agreed in April. Those cuts were valid until the end of 2023, and on Sunday OPEC+ said it would extend them until the end of 2024 as part of a broader deal on production policy agreed after seven hours of negotiations.

In addition to extending current OPEC+ production cuts by 3.66 million bpd, the group also agreed on Sunday to cut overall production targets by a further 1.4 million bpd from current targets to 40.46 million bpd from January 2024.

However, many of these cuts will not be real as the group has lowered targets for Russia, Nigeria and Angola to bring them in line with actual current production levels. For its part, the United Arab Emirates was allowed to raise its production targets by about 0.2m bpd to 3.22m bpd.

THROUGH THE LOOKING GLASS: APPLE'S WWDC PRESENTATION

Dear clients,

Shares of Apple Inc. traded at record intraday levels on Monday, but failed to close at an all-time high, although they were on track to do so for most of the session.

Apple shares closed Monday at $179.58, down 0.8 per cent after speaking at its WWDC developer event. The stock was as high as $184.95 ahead of the presentation, surpassing its all-time intraday high of $182.94 set on 4 January 2022, according to Dow Jones Market Data.

The smartphone giant has endured a lot since its last record close, facing pandemic-related supply problems and cost pressures from its customer base. But Wall Street seems fairly relaxed about Apple's ability to thrive in an era of shrinking consumer budgets. One analyst noted after the company's latest earnings report that iPhones priced at $1,000 and above have become a glorified essentials purchase.

In addition to traditional products, the company introduced a mixed reality headset and surprised investors with price and timing: the new Vision Pro will cost $3499, when the expectation area was around $3000, and will be released in early 2024, not later this year. By announcing the Vision Pro, Apple is making an attempt to enter a category that hasn't been widely adopted until now.

Overall, it's been a strong year for big tech companies. For 2023, Apple shares are up 38%, while Microsoft Corp. shares are up 40%, Alphabet Inc. — 43%, Amazon.com Inc. — 49% and Meta Platforms Inc. shares gained more than 125%

[VolkovYuriy]

TRADING SIGNALS: US FEDERAL RESERVE MEETING

Dear clients,

On June 14, a meeting of the US Federal Reserve System, the body that performs the functions of the Central Bank of America, will take place. The decision on the interest rate will determine the further movement of the market, which draw attention of traders.

How the interest rate situation will develop now, our expert explain:

The Fed may keep the rate at the current level of 5.25% amid falling inflation in the US economy, but will lower GDP forecasts for the next two years and also signal to traders that they should not expect interest rates to fall in the second half of the year, as inflation risks have not gone anywhere. On Wednesday consider buying USDTRY, USDZAR and selling #NQ100, #SP500, #Coinbase.

And also don't wait on the hot offer — trade crypto without swaps until June 20!

IN AND OUT, 5 MINUTES TRADING

Dear clients,

Who'd want to spend a good day, staying in a stuffy room staring at the screen? Especially when all you need is 5 minutes and a good plan. This time we'll be looking at a simple, yet a profitable intraday strategy for everyone.

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During webinars, FreshForex analyst will answer your questions regarding the market situation and comment on the latest news.

If you missed the previous webinars, you can always find them here.

PER ASPERA: RECORD PERFORMANCE BY THE NASDAQ AND S&P500

Dear clients,

On Monday the S&P 500 and Nasdaq rose to their highest closing levels since April 2022, while Oracle hit a record high ahead of quarterly results as investors await inflation data and the Federal Reserve's interest rate decision this week. Thanks to gains by market heavyweights Amazon, Apple and Tesla, the S&P 500 has now recovered 21% from its October 2022 lows. Some investors say Wall Street is in the midst of a bull market.

Tesla is up 2.2% and has now risen for 12 consecutive trading sessions, a record for the electric car maker.

Apple and Microsoft are up about 1.5% each, and the two tech companies' shares have gained 41% and 38% year-to-date respectively.

The S&P 500 rose 0.93% to end the session at 4,338.93 points.

The Nasdaq rose 1.53% to 13,461.92 points and the Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 0.56% to 34,066.33 points.

Rising shares of the biggest companies, better-than-expected quarterly earnings and hopes that the Fed is nearing the end of its monetary tightening cycle have lifted the indices in recent weeks.

The recent rally has widened to include more sensitive sectors such as energy and industrials, as well as small-company stocks, as data continues to suggest the US economy is resilient despite higher interest rates.

0 OR 1? FORECASTS ABOUT THE FED'S UPCOMING RATES

Dear clients,

The US Federal Reserve will not raise interest rates for the first time in more than a year at its June 13-14 meeting, according to economists polled by Reuters, but a significant minority expect at least one more rate hike this year as the economy remains resilient.

Fed Chairman Jerome Powell signalled in May that the US central bank may soon pause its rate hike cycle to assess the impact of a historically aggressive 500 basis point tightening, raising rates at every meeting since March 2022.

More than 90% of economists, 78 out of 86 surveyed from 2-7 June, believe the Federal Open Market Committee will hold the federal funds rate at 5.00%-5.25% at the end of next week's meeting. The remaining eight expect a 25 basis point rate hike.

Since the last Fed meeting in May, strong economic data and comments from several Fed officials have prompted markets to assume a rate hike at or before the July 25-26 meeting, with previous expectations of a rate cut later this year quickly easing.

This hawkish change in market expectations has helped lift the US dollar to its highest level since March.

The problem is that inflation is not falling fast enough — in April it was 4.4% on the Fed's preferred target and 4.7% excluding volatile food and energy prices. The central bank's inflation target is 2%.

More than a third of survey participants, 32 of 86, believe the Fed will raise rates at least once more this year, including eight who say it will happen in June and 24 who expect a rate hike in July after a pause. Only one predicts a rate hike in both June and July.

Just over 25% of economists, 23 out of 86, predict at least one Fed rate cut before the end of 2023, but this is down from 28% in the previous survey. Markets estimate the probability of a rate cut this year at around 60%.

Less than 60% of respondents to an additional question, 28 of 48, said the world's biggest economy will fall into recession this year, down from more than 70% in a survey conducted just a few weeks ago.

BINANCIAL STRUGGLE

Dear clients,

Investors withdrew about $1.43 billion from cryptocurrency exchange Binance and its US subsidiary as of 11am Eastern Time (1500 GMT) on Tuesday, data provider Nansen reported, a day after a leading US regulator sued both exchanges.

Binance recorded a net outflow of $1.34 billion in cryptocurrency tokens on the ethereum blockchain, while its US subsidiary, Binance.US, recorded a net outflow of $70.8 million, Nansen said on Twitter.

On Monday, the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) sued Binance, its CEO Changpeng Zhao and operator Binance.US over what it called a "web of deception" to circumvent US laws.

In 13 charges, the SEC alleges that Binance artificially inflated trading volumes, diverted customer funds, failed to restrict US customers' access to its platform and misled investors about market controls.

The lawsuit is the SEC's most significant move against a cryptocurrency company in a major crackdown on the industry this year.

Binance says it is cooperating with the SEC and is "making every effort to answer their questions and address their concerns", including trying to reach a negotiated settlement. "We intend to vigorously defend our platform," the company said in a blog post.

The SEC complaint is the latest in a string of legal challenges for Binance. In March, the US Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) sued the company for operating an "illegal" exchange and a "bogus" compliance programme.

Zhao said the CFTC's claims were an "incomplete statement of facts".

Another major exchange has encountered similar problems. The SEC filed a lawsuit against Coinbase, accusing it of operating illegally without registering with the regulator. In a complaint filed in federal court in Manhattan on Tuesday, the SEC said Coinbase had been operating as an unregistered broker since at least 2019, conducting cryptocurrency transactions while evading disclosure requirements designed to protect investors.

Global regulators are keeping a close eye on the cryptocurrency world after a series of high-profile crashes wiped out more than a trillion dollars from the market capitalisation of the digital asset industry last year.

Bitcoin has stabilised after yesterday's drop of more than 5 %, its biggest daily drop since 19 April. The world's biggest cryptocurrency last stood at $26,300, up 3.85 per cent for the day.

[VolkovYuriy]

BREAK TILL DAWN. FED RATE PAUSE

Dear clients,

The US Federal Reserve left interest rates unchanged on Wednesday, but made it clear in new forecasts that borrowing costs may have to rise by half a percentage point by the end of this year as the US central bank responded to a stronger-than-expected economy and a slower decline in inflation.

In a press conference at the end of the central bank's latest meeting, Fed Chairman Jerome Powell said that US economic and labour market growth was better than expected under the weight of aggressive monetary tightening last year, which will likely lengthen the Fed's fight to reduce inflation, but also allow it to pass with less economic damage.

According to Powell, the pause was made out of caution to allow the Fed to gather more information before determining whether to raise rates again, with the pace of rate hikes now less important than finding the right endpoint that will slow price growth while minimising unemployment growth.

After a year in which many economists and analysts argued that recession was inevitable and the economy was about to crack, according to the Fed's latest quarterly outlook "growth estimates have gone up slightly, unemployment estimates have gone down slightly, inflation estimates have gone up," Powell said.

The Fed's rate hike coincides with an improved view of the economy and hence slower progress in returning inflation to the central bank's 2% target. It is currently more than double that target.

Wednesday's decision interrupted a string of 10 consecutive rate hikes adopted by the Fed in response to the worst inflation outbreak in 40 years with a corresponding set of aggressive moves, including four excessive hikes of three-quarters of a percentage point last year.

A WAY FORWARD. ECB RATE HIKES

Dear clients,

The European Central Bank on Thursday raised the eurozone's borrowing costs to their highest level in 22 years and said that stubbornly high inflation almost guarantees another hike next month and probably beyond.

The quarter percentage point increase was the ECB's eighth consecutive interest rate hike since it badly miscalculated the sustainability of price growth early last year, bringing its policy rate to 3.5 per cent, a level not seen since 2001.

This came at the same time as confirmation that the ECB is winding down its remaining post-crisis stimulus programmes and an unexpectedly sharp increase in core inflation forecasts by bank staff.

"Unless there are significant changes to our baseline forecasts, it is very likely that we will continue to raise rates in July," ECB President Christine Lagarde told a news conference.

The central bank of the 20 euro-sharing countries also said it now expects inflation to remain above the 2% target by the end of 2025.

The bank raised its forecasts for "core" inflation for 2023 and 2024, excluding volatile energy and food, which the ECB monitors closely. Lagarde also issued her strongest warning yet on rising wages and companies pushing up prices.

Inflation in the eurozone has been falling for months, thanks to lower energy prices and the sharpest rate hike in the ECB's 25-year history. However, it remains unacceptably high for the ECB at 6.1% and underlying price growth is just starting to slow down despite signs of stagnant economic growth.

Although opposing economic factors have likely served as weapons for both sides in the ECB Governing Council, the hawkish majority that insists on further rate hikes remains at the helm.

SWAP FREE VACATION

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A HOT PROFIT! ONLY TILL JUNE 30

Dear clients,

It's time to increase your trade volumes, because we increased the drawdown bonus! Now you get 202% instead of 101%, which will let you open trades that you didn't dare to open before.

If you already have a bonus connected: you just deposit $202 or more, within one hour the bonus will be credited, and you will be able to open trades with significant funds.

If you have an account, but your bonus is not activated: you can do this in your Client Area via this link. Then you fund your account in the same way and wait until it appears in the "Credit" field.

[VolkovYuriy]

BITCOIN AND ETHER: GROWTH SUPPORTED BY ACTIVE WITHDRAWALS FROM EXCHANGES

Dear clients,

According to the latest information, investors are rapidly withdrawing Bitcoin and Ether from cryptocurrency exchanges. This has caused the balance sheets of these cryptocurrencies to fall to surprising levels over the past five years.

On June 19, the lowest Bitcoin and Ether balances since 2018 were recorded.

This withdrawal has eased the pressure on the market, supporting the growth of both assets after their recent declines. For example, Bitcoin reached a price of $30,000 for the first time in 2.5 months.

We can expect Bitcoin and Ether to continue to strengthen as the withdrawal trend continues. This gives additional confidence to investors and confirms the continued popularity of these cryptocurrencies as a long-term investment.

So now is the best time to actively trade cryptocurrencies! And topping up your trading account with crypto right now, you'll get an extra 10% to your account balance for nothing.

TRADING SIGNALS: BANK OF ENGLAND'S DECISION ON INTEREST RATES

Dear clients,

On June 22, the Bank of England makes a report on the matter of the interest rates, it is one of the most important events affecting the quotes of the pound sterling. Inflation is one of it's main predictors. Using these data, a trader can judge the internal and external economic development of the country, which is especially important when trading pairs that include the GBP.

What to expect and what to pay attention to, tells our leading analyst:

The Bank of England may raise the discount rate by 0.25 p.p. to 4.75% today and signal to traders that further rate hikes are needed due to high inflation in the U.K. economy. A rate hike is negative for the stock market and it is preferable to open a Sell position in the UK #FTSE100 index on Thursday.

During the inflation period, a drawdown bonus is an excellent choice: until June 30, instead of 101%, you get 202% when topping up of 202 USD or more.

[VolkovYuriy]

AN ENCORE: THE HOTTEST PROMOTIONS MUST GO ON!

Dear clients,

On numerous requests swap-free indices and 202% drawdown bonus are extended until July 19.

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[VolkovYuriy]

THE UPSIDE GAME. BUILDING GROWTH OF OIL PRICES

Dear clients,

Oil prices rose on Tuesday as markets weighed on supply cuts in August by leading exporters Saudi Arabia and Russia amid an uncertain global economic outlook.

Brent crude futures were up 34 cents, or 0.46 per cent, to $74.99 a barrel by 0618 GMT. US West Texas Intermediate crude was at $70.12 a barrel, up 33 cents, or 0.47%.

Saudi Arabia on Monday said it would extend a voluntary production cut of 1 million barrels per day (bpd) until August, the kingdom's state news agency said. Russia will also cut oil exports by 500,000 bpd in August, Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak said.

The cuts would amount to 1.5% of global supply and bring the total number of cuts promised by OPEC+ oil producers to 5.16 million bpd, as Riyadh and Moscow seek to support prices.

US crude stocks were expected to fall by around 1.8m barrels in the week to 30 June, marking the third consecutive week of decline. Industrial stockpile data will be released on Wednesday and official data on Thursday, both of which will be delayed by a day due to a US holiday.

On the macroeconomic front, analysts' forecasts were mixed after business surveys showed a decline in global manufacturing activity due to sluggish demand in China and Europe, and US manufacturing activity fell further in June, reaching levels last seen during the initial wave of the COVID-19 pandemic.

WRITE CLUB. NEW MESSENGER FROM META

Dear clients,

Mark Zuckerberg on Wednesday directly challenged Twitter with the Threads service, amassing millions of users in a matter of hours, as it seeks to take advantage of the position of its competitor, which is in a significantly weakened state after a series of chaotic decisions by its owner Elon Musk.

"Let's do this. Welcome to Threads," Zuckerberg wrote in his first message on the app, along with a fiery emoji. According to him, 5 million people signed up to the app in the first four hours. Analysts say Threads' tie-up with Instagram could give it a built-in user base and advertising machine. This could siphon off advertising dollars from Twitter at a time when its new CEO is trying to revive its struggling business.

Although Threads launched as a standalone app, users can log in using their Instagram credentials and follow the same accounts, potentially making it an easy addition to the existing habits of Instagram's more than 2 billion monthly active users. According to experts, investors can't help but get excited at the prospect of Meta actually having a "Twitter killer".

Like Twitter, the app contains short text messages that users can tag, repost and reply to, although it does not have the ability to send direct messages. Messages can be up to 500 characters long and include links, photos and videos lasting up to five minutes, according to Meta's blog.

Meta shares rose 3% on Wednesday ahead of the launch, outpacing the rise of rival tech companies.

BITCOIN SUPPORT FUND

Dear clients,

Bitcoin reached its highest level in 13 months on Thursday, rising 3.28% to $31,500.

The world's largest cryptocurrency recently found support thanks to plans by fund managers, including BlackRock — the world's largest asset manager — to launch a US-registered spot bitcoin exchange-traded fund (ETF).

Nasdaq has reapplied to list BlackRocks' ETF, according to a statement released on Monday, after the US securities regulator raised concerns about the initial applications.

The US Securities and Exchange Commission has rejected about 30 applications for exchange-traded funds over the past decade. However the BlackRock Inc. initiative has ignited interest, and a flurry of new applications and amendments to existing offerings has followed.

TRADING SIGNALS: NFP FOR JUNE

Dear clients,

On July 7, the Non-farm Payroll, a measure of US industrial employment, is expected to be published. The report greatly influences the movement of American dollar and related instruments.

We will find out what figures are expected this time from our expert:

Strong employment growth in the service sector — the biggest contributor to the US economy — signals positive Non-Farm Employment data, which is favourable for the American dollar and negative for equity indices, as it leaves the Fed with no choice but to continue its policy of raising interest rates. On Friday consider buying USDZAR, USDCHF and selling AUDUSD, XAUUSD, #SP500, #NQ100.

Get ready for sure with a 300% deposit bonus!

[VolkovYuriy]

THE CALM BEFORE THE SWARM?

Dear traders!

Oil prices fell in Asian trading on Monday as investors are cautious ahead of fresh economic data from top consumers in the United States and China this week, although an expected drop in crude supplies from Saudi Arabia and Russia capped losses.

Brent crude futures fell 55 cents, or 0.7%, to $77.92 a barrel by 0630 GMT, while U.S. West Texas Intermediate was at $73.31 a barrel, also down 55 cents, or 0.7%.

Factory prices in China fell in June at the fastest pace in seven years, government data showed on Monday, as the pace of economic recovery in the world's second-largest economy slowed.

Oil prices rose more than 4% last week to their highest levels since May, climbing for a second straight week after the world's biggest oil exporters, Saudi Arabia and Russia, pledged to deepen supply cuts in August.

Experts believe market volatility is fueled by the ongoing tug-of-war between concerns about demand controls by Western economies and OPEC's supply control strategies, affecting the delicate balance of the oil market.

Non-OPEC+ supply is keeping pace with global demand, JPMorgan analysts said in a note, adding that OPEC+ needs to deepen production cuts by another 700,000 bpd in the second half of the year on top of the announced cuts and extend them to 2024.

THE СASTLING OF NASDAQ 100

Dear clients,

Shares of Apple, Microsoft and other heavyweights fell on Monday after Nasdaq Inc said it intends to rebalance the Nasdaq 100 index to eliminate "over-concentration."

Apple's market capitalization fell 1.1% to $2.967 trillion, after surpassing the $3 trillion threshold for the first time on June 30. Shares of Alphabet and Amazon fell more than 2%, while Microsoft and Tesla fell more than 1%.

Wall Street's most expensive stocks declined after Nasdaq said late Friday that it would conduct a "special rebalancing" of the index to "eliminate excessive concentration in the index by reallocating weightings."

The adjustment will be based on shares outstanding as of July 3, and the changes will be announced July 14 and take effect before the market opens July 24.

[VolkovYuriy]

WHAT'S IN THE NEWS? TIPS FOR A SUCCESSFUL NEWS TRADING

Dear clients,

News are fundamental element of trading and should be treated accordingly. This time, we'll be looking for the best approach in news trading.

Join us on July 12 at 12:00 GMT.

During webinars, FreshForex analyst will answer your questions regarding the market situation and comment on the latest news.

If you missed the previous webinars, you can always find them here.

TRADING SIGNALS: JUNE INFLATION IN THE U.S.

Dear clients,

A closely watched US inflation report may help address one of the most pressing questions among traders: whether the market has correctly identified the short-term trajectory of interest rates. Belief in lower rates has driven bond yields lower, supporting giant tech and growth stocks that have exposure to broad stock indexes.

What to expect this month, our expert explain:

The market is expecting US inflation to fall 0.9 pp to 3.1%, but the final figure could be above consensus forecast on the back of a strong labor market, as job and wage growth has always kept inflation high in the past. On Wednesday, consider buying USDTRY, USDZAR and selling #NQ100, AUDUSD.

Any market shift will prove easier with a 202% drawdown bonus.

[VolkovYuriy]

CHARGING AHEAD: TESLA'S NEW SUCCESSES

Dear clients,

Tesla's strategy of boosting sales by lowering prices probably led to its strongest revenue growth in five quarters, while profitability fell to a three-year low in the April-June quarter.

Since late last year, the Elon Musk-led electric car maker has launched a price war to stimulate demand and stifle competition from older automakers such as Ford Motor and Chinese rivals including BYD.

Tesla is expected to report on Wednesday that gross margins fell to 18.9% in the second quarter, according to 19 analysts surveyed by Visible Alpha. That's down from 20.2% in the previous quarter and 25.9% a year earlier.

With electric car sales slowing, Tesla has been aggressively trying to capture a bigger share of the U.S. charger market in an effort to diversify its revenue streams. It has entered into agreements with companies such as Ford Motor and General Motors to use its North American Charging Standard (NACS), allowing its market value to more than double to $880 billion this year. Following these partnerships, several charging companies have announced their intention to adopt Tesla's standard.

While this will not contribute much to second-quarter revenue, which is expected to grow 45.2% to $24.59 billion, analysts predict it will significantly boost the company's earnings going forward.

"IT'S NOT SO BAD": GOLDMAN SACHS ON POSSIBLE US RECESSION

Dear clients,

Goldman Sachs chief economist Jan Hatzius said on Monday that the bank is lowering the probability of a US recession starting in the next 12 months to 20%, down from its previous forecast of 25%.

"The main reason for our downgrade is that recent data have reinforced our confidence that a decline in inflation to an acceptable level will not require a recession," the bank said in a research note.

Market expectations for a so-called "hard landing" - a scenario in which interest rate hikes by the U.S. Federal Reserve drive the economy into recession - were recently challenged by data showing consumer and manufacturing price inflation slowed in June. Slowing inflation is likely to lead to looser monetary policy in the future. Meanwhile, economic activity remains resilient despite the significant increase in borrowing costs since the Fed's rate hike campaign began in early 2022.

As for the current inversion of the Treasury yield curve, which is generally seen as a harbinger of an impending recession, Hatzius said it reflects and simultaneously confirms "overly pessimistic" economic forecasts.

An inverted yield curve usually signals that the Fed will cut rates to stimulate the economy. However, according to a Goldman Sachs economist, there is a "plausible path" for the Fed to cut interest rates just because of lower inflation.

[VolkovYuriy]

CHANGE IN CASHBACK PROGRAM CONDITIONS

Dear clients,

We would like to inform you about changes in Cashback promotion conditions, now the minimum trade time (MTT) is 3 minutes.

Join to the service, trade and get a spread refund up to $20!

CRYPTO TOP UP BONUSES CONTINUE!

Dear clients,

We are glad to inform you that the deposit promotion has been extended until October 31. Use the cryptocurrency you like and get a profit in every replenishment.

Be sure to check the updated terms and conditions:

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3. The bonus is credited to the deposited trading account to the "Balance" field and can be used without limitations but according to the full terms of the promotion. Maximum bonus amount is 500 USD / 500 EUR / 10 MBT / 5000 RUB in the trading account currency.

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4.2. Refuse to credit the bonus, limit its size for the Client, and (or) deduct bonus funds at its discretion at any time;

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LINING UP: NEW CRYPTOCURRENCY ETFS UNDER REVIEW

Dear clients,

The US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has accepted for review spot bitcoin fund applications from six companies, including BlackRock, marking the first step in the process of deciding whether to approve or disapprove the latest batch of proposals.

The SEC also formally recognised applications by Bitwise, VanEck, WisdomTree, Fidelity and Invesco to create similar spot bitcoin fund ETFs, with those proposals published in the Federal Register on Tuesday and Wednesday.

The SEC had previously rejected dozens of applications to create spot bitcoin ETFs, saying the proposals did not meet fraud and investor protection standards. But Nasdaq, on which BlackRock proposed to list its ETF, said earlier this month that it was going to address those concerns by partnering with Coinbase, the largest U.S. cryptocurrency exchange, to control trading on the underlying bitcoin market.

The first bitcoin futures ETF was approved in October 2021, helping the volatile bitcoin hit an all-time high of $69 000 in November 2021.

[VolkovYuriy]

MORE EFFICIENT TRADING WITH DRAWDOWN BONUS

Dear clients,

Good news! The drawdown bonus is also extended until 31 October. Use the extra funds to support your account during drawdown or to increase your trading turnover.

Also pay attention to the updated terms and conditions:

The bonus amount is 101% for each deposit from 101 USD / 101 EUR / 8080 RUB in the trading account currency.
The bonus is deducted from the account in full in case of creating a withdrawal request or transferring funds to another account.

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COMING SOON? US RECESSION DATA

Dear clients,

An index designed to track turns in the US business cycle declined for the 15th consecutive month in June, led by weakening consumer sentiment and rising jobless claims, marking the longest decline since the 2007-2009 recession.

The Conference Board said Thursday that its index of leading economic indicators, a gauge that helps forecast future economic activity, fell 0.7% to 106.1 in June after a revised 0.6% decline in May.

"Taken together, the data for June suggest that economic activity will continue to slow in the coming months", the organisation's analysts said. The Conference Board reiterated its forecast that the US economy is likely to be in recession from the current third quarter to the first quarter of 2024.

The Conference Board also noted that the decline in the LEI index is accelerating, with it falling 4.2% in the past six months, down from 3.8% between June and December 2022.

[VolkovYuriy]

LOOKING FRESH, PARTNER

Dear Partner!

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THE DISCOUNT MINE. REDUCED SPREADS ON GOLD AND SILVER TRADING

Dear clients,

Precious metals always have a price on the market, be it for industrial purposes or as a protective asset. Having a direct link to the world currency, metals react to any economic changes, which makes them favorite instruments among traders.

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BAD APPLE

Dear clients,

Apple on Thursday predicted that its sales slump would continue into the current quarter, sending its stock tumbling despite beating Wall Street forecasts for sales and earnings in its fiscal third quarter.

Apple shares fell about 2% after the company predicted that the sales decline could be the fourth consecutive quarter of decline. Profit growth in the period was led by higher services sales, but lower-than-expected sales of Apple's best-known device, the iPhone, did not satisfy investors. Company executives said iPhone sales would improve in the fourth quarter, but didn't say by how much.

Apple is in a tricky position: its entrenched iPhone is fighting for share with Android rivals in a mature market, and its next big product, the Vision Pro mixed-reality headset announced in June, has yet to get into the hands of consumers.

Apple said sales in its fiscal third quarter ended July 1 fell 1.4% to $81.8 bln and earnings per share rose 5% to $1.26. That exceeded analysts' expectations of $81.69 bln and $1.19 per share, according to Refinitiv's IBES data. Weak iPhone sales were balanced by strong sales in the services segment, which includes Apple TV+, as well as sales in China, which grew 8% year-over-year.

At the same time, Apple managed to outperform the weakest smartphone market in China in a decade. According to Counterpoint Research, total smartphone sales in China fell 8% in the second calendar quarter, hitting the lowest level since 2014. Apple CEO Tim Cook, on the other hand, said that iPhone sales in China had "doubled" and that sales in other segments in China were also strong.

This helped Apple boost sales in the Greater China region to $15.76 bln, up from $14.60 bln in the same quarter last year.

According to Refinitiv, iPhone sales totalled $39.67 bln, below analysts' expectations of $39.91 bln. Cook said the number of iPhone units reached a new high, but did not provide any figures.

[VolkovYuriy]

AMAZON'S CLOUD NINE

Dear clients,

Amazon.com shares rose more than 8% on Friday on signs that the company's growth engines, e-commerce and cloud technology, are doing well in a volatile economy, helping the broader market fend off Apple's 4.8% drop after iPhone sales slumped.

Reports summarised a positive earnings season for most major US tech companies, from Google to Meta, thanks to a rebound in the digital advertising market and increased demand for cloud services after nearly a year of decline.

Shares in retail giant Amazon closed at a near one-year high and boosted its market value by more than $109 bil.The better-than-expected performance of Amazon's cloud business in the second quarter also boosted other members of the cherished "trillion-dollar club", with Microsoft and Alphabet up more than 2%. Wall Street analysts said Amazon's above-forecast quarterly earnings and sales showed that both of its key businesses can grow together after two years of "nasty surprises."

According to Refinitiv, at least 26 analysts - nearly half of those analysing the company's stock — raised their price forecasts for Amazon, bringing the median forecast to $170. That represents a gain of nearly 32% for Amazon stock, which is up nearly 50% so far this year.

The surge in Amazon stock reflects analysts raising their estimates for its earnings. At $139.57, the stock is valued at 47 times consensus earnings per share in 2024, according to Refinitiv's updated estimates.

ISSUED IN DIGITAL. STABLECOIN BY PAYPAL

Dear clients,

On Monday, payments giant PayPal announced the launch of a dollar-stablecoin, becoming the first major financial technology company to adopt digital currencies for payments and transfers.

The announcement by PayPal, whose shares rose 2.66% on Monday, reflects a show of confidence in the troubled cryptocurrency industry, which has struggled with regulation over the past 12 months, exacerbated by a string of high-profile crashes.

While "stable coins" have been around for quite some time, they have yet to successfully embed themselves into the mainstream consumer payments ecosystem.

Instead, consumers mostly use stablecoins as a means of trading other cryptocurrencies such as bitcoin and ether. The world's largest stablecoin is Tether, followed by USD Coin, issued by cryptocurrency provider Circle.

Previous attempts by major mainstream companies to launch stablecoins have met stiff resistance from financial regulators and politicians. Plans by Meta, Facebook back then, to launch the Libra stablecoin in 2019 were scrapped after regulators raised concerns that it could disrupt global financial stability.

Since then, a number of major economies, from the United Kingdom to the European Union, have drafted rules governing the circulation of stablecoins. The EU rules will come into force in June 2024.

PayPal's stablecoin, dubbed PayPal USD, is backed by dollar deposits and short-term U.S. Treasuries and will be issued by Paxos Trust Co. It will be gradually made available to PayPal customers in the US.

The token will be exchangeable for US dollars at any time and can also be used to buy and sell other cryptocurrencies that PayPal offers on its platform, including bitcoin.

WEEKLY OUTLOOK: GOLD, SILVER

Dear clients,

According to the World Gold Council, the demand for gold is steadily decreasing, thus shifting the price dynamics. This time, we'll be looking at precious metals, their current status and future movements.

Join us on August 9 at 12:00 GMT.

During webinars, FreshForex analyst will answer your questions regarding the market situation and comment on the latest news.

If you missed the previous webinars, you can always find them here.

[VolkovYuriy]

TRADING SIGNALS: JULY INFLATION IN THE USA

Dear clients,

A closely watched US inflation report may help solve one of the most pressing questions among traders: whether the market has correctly identified the short-term trajectory of interest rates.

What to expect this month, our expert comments:

The market is expecting US inflation to rise by 0.3 p.p. to 3.3% on the back of unemployment falling to a multi-year low and wages continuing to grow at a strong pace, allowing Americans to increase consumer spending. Rising inflation is negative for the US stock market. On Thursday, consider selling #NQ100, #SP500, #Barric, #Amgen.

Save up to 50% on precious metals spreads and support your investments with a protective asset!

A PLEASANT SURPRISE OR AN UNNECESSARY VARIABLE? UK ECOMOMICAL DATA

Dear clients,

The UK economy unexpectedly showed growth in the second quarter, laying the groundwork for further interest rate hikes by the Bank of England, but it remains the only major economy that has yet to recover the levels that preceded the economic crisis of late 2019.

Official data released on Friday showed the economy grew by 0.2% in the second quarter, contradicting economists' early forecasts. The data led to a sharp rise in sterling against the US dollar and euro.

The strong figures have bolstered bets that the Bank of England will continue to raise interest rates, as it emphasised this month that the strength of the economy is one of the factors on which it will base its decision. The central bank itself had forecast the economy to grow at 0.1% in the second quarter.

Now the Bank of England has a new headache — they may well have paused interest rate rises in the near future, but with such data it is much harder to do so, experts say.

British government bond yields rose after the market opened while investors were digesting the data.

Manufacturing recorded its best quarter since the start of 2019, aside from the initial rebound after the first COVID-19 lockout of 2020, with output up 1.6% quarter-on-quarter. Business investment also rose 3.4% for the quarter.

"The measures we are taking to tackle inflation are starting to work, which means we are laying the solid foundations we need to grow the economy," said Treasury Secretary Jeremy Hunt.

Although Britain, unlike the eurozone, has so far managed to avoid recession, the data confirmed the relatively poor performance of its economy since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.

At the end of the second quarter, the British economy was 0.2% below year-end 2019 levels, compared to growth of 0.2% in Germany, 1.7% in France, 2.2% in Italy and 6.2% in the US.

GROWTH AND ACHIEVEMENTS. NEW FRESHFOREX AWARD

Dear clients,

We are proud to announce that FreshForex has been awarded as the Fastest Growing Broker 2022 by AllForexBonus.com.

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We thank AllForexBonus.com for the recognition and appreciation of our efforts.

PROCRUSTEAN MARKET. THE INTERNATIONAL ENERGY AGENCY REPORT

Dear clients,

OPEC+ supply cuts could lead to lower oil inventories for the rest of this year, which could lead to further price increases before economic factors limit global demand growth in 2024, the International Energy Agency (IEA) said on Friday.

The IEA said that if current OPEC+ targets are maintained, oil inventories could fall by 2.2 million barrels per day (bpd) in the third quarter and 1.2 million bpd in the fourth quarter, "which could lead to further price increases".

"The deepening of OPEC+ supply cuts has collided with improving macroeconomic sentiment and record-high global oil demand," the Paris-based energy organisation said in its monthly oil market report.

Demand growth is forecast to slow sharply to 1 million bpd next year, the IEA said, citing weak macroeconomic conditions, a fading post-pandemic economic recovery and the growing use of electric vehicles.

The IEA's forecast for demand growth is down 150,000 bpd from last month and is at odds with OPEC, which on Thursday maintained its forecast that oil demand in 2024 will grow by a much larger 2.25 million bpd.

For 2023, the IEA and OPEC views are less far apart.

The IEA expects demand to grow by 2.2 million bpd in 2023, fuelled by summer air travel, increased oil use in the power sector and rising petrochemical activity in China. OPEC expects growth of 2.44 million bpd.

The projections show an average of 102.2 million bpd of demand this year, with China accounting for more than 70% of the growth, despite concerns about the economic health of the world's top oil importer.

Oil prices fell more than 1% on Monday as concerns about China's fragile economic recovery and a stronger dollar dampened seven-week gains amid supply cuts from OPEC+ production cuts.

Reflecting the supply cuts, the price spread between first- and second-month Brent crude was unchanged on Monday after settling at 67 cents on Friday, the widest since March.

[VolkovYuriy]

THRILL RIDE: BITCOIN'S EXTRAORDINARY FALL

Bitcoin's extraordinary fallBitcoin hit a new two-month low on Friday, breaking out of its recent narrow range amid a wave of negative sentiment sweeping global markets.

Bitcoin fell 7.2% last Thursday, the biggest one-day drop since November 2022, when the leading FTX exchange collapsed.

It then fell to a two-month low of $26,172 in Asian trading on Friday, the lowest since 16 June.

A wave of sell-offs gripped global markets, with major Wall Street indexes closing lower on Thursday and Asian stocks starting a third week of losses due to concerns about the health of China's economy and fears that US interest rates will rise longer given the economy's resilience.

Ether, the second-largest cryptocurrency, remained steady at $1,685.20, also falling sharply on Thursday.

Some analysts attributed the cryptocurrencies' fall to a Wall Street Journal report that Elon Musk's SpaceX sold its bitcoin holdings, writing down their value by $373 million. Musk is influential among crypto-enthusiasts, and bitcoin prices have previously fluctuated in response to his tweets.

Bitcoin has held near the $30,000 mark in recent months, gradually recovering this year after a sharp drop in 2022 when various cryptocurrency companies collapsed, leaving investors with heavy losses.

Cryptocurrency markets got a boost in June as BlackRock applied to launch a spot bitcoin exchange-traded fund (ETF) in the US. Some investors took the move as a sign that the US Securities and Exchange Commission would approve applications to launch a spot bitcoin ETF from various asset managers, including Grayscale.

THE SUSPENSE OVER JACKSON HOLE

Dear clients,

A sharp rise in US Treasury yields is sending shivers through risky areas of the market, leaving investors wondering how bad the damage will be to a rally that has lifted everything from equities to bitcoin this year.

Strong economic growth has fuelled expectations that the Federal Reserve will raise rates for longer, pushing Treasury yields this month to their highest level since 2007. The rise has made it harder for holders of stocks and other speculative assets to ignore their gains, which have continued for most of the year even as yields have steadily risen.

The S&P 500 index lost 4% this month as the yield on 10-year U.S. Treasuries rose to a more than 15-year high of 4.35% on Monday. At the same time, the S&P 500 technology sector fell 5.7%, bitcoin fell more than 10%, and the ARK Innovation ETF, a bastion of many high-growth companies, fell 18.5%. Stocks generally rose on Monday, with the S&P 500 index up 0.7% for the day.

Rising Treasury yields, which change inversely with Treasury bond prices, can take the gloss off speculative assets by offering investors attractive payouts on investments that are considered essentially risk-free because they are backed by the U.S. government. Rising rates also raise the cost of capital in the economy, making it harder for everyone from individuals to companies to service debt.

The most important test for markets will be the annual meeting of central bankers in Jackson Hole. On Friday, Fed Chairman Jerome Powell is scheduled to give a speech on the economic outlook.

According to the latest weekly Refinitiv Lipper data, US investors were net sellers of equity funds for the third consecutive week in the seven days to 16 August. At the same time, they were attracted by strong returns in money market funds, which attracted about $32.5bn in the past week, the largest inflows since 5 July.

Investor positioning in the equity market fell for a fourth straight week to a two-month low, according to Deutsche Bank data.

However, bets against equities have been losing ground this year. Many investors believe equities will hold strong this year, which has seen them rebound from widespread fears of recession and turmoil in the banking sector. The S&P 500 index has gained 14.6% over the past year. Goldman Sachs strategists said Monday that the volume of stocks held by retail and institutional investors is below historical norms, suggesting the bull market may have additional fuel left if the economy remains strong.

EXPLORING THE NEW NATIONAL CURRENCIES

Dear clients,

More choices never hurt and just recently FreshForex introduced new Asian and African options. This time, we'll be checking out new national currencies.

Join us on August 23 at 12:00 GMT.

During webinars, FreshForex analyst will answer your questions regarding the market situation and comment on the latest news.

If you missed the previous webinars, you can always find them here.

[VolkovYuriy]

UNARTIFICIAL VALUATION: NVIDIA'S QUARTERLY REPORT

Dear clients,

Nvidia's strong quarterly earnings forecast met Wall Street's high expectations on Wednesday, sending a host of artificial intelligence-related stocks soaring and adding momentum to the stalled recovery of the U.S. stock market.

Following the signal, Nvidia shares jumped nearly 10% to a record high of $516, boosting the company's market value by about $110bn to $1.27 trillion and cementing its lead as the world's most expensive chip maker.

That came after the company posted a fiscal third-quarter earnings forecast that exceeded analysts' expectations, helped by growing demand for its high-end chips that power much of the world's major artificial intelligence technology.

Nvidia's additional $25 billion share buyback announced on Wednesday came amid a stock that has already tripled this year, making it the first trillion-dollar chip business in history, as investors bet Nvidia will be a key beneficiary of the artificial intelligence boom.

Everyone from AI startups to major cloud service providers such as Microsoft are keen to get their hands on more Nvidia chips. Demand from China is also on the rise, as companies there place rush orders to stock up on chips before further restrictions on U.S. exports take effect.

S&P 500 E-Mini futures rose 0.5% and Nasdaq E-Mini futures climbed 0.9%, suggesting Wall Street is likely to open higher on Thursday. Investors had been awaiting Nvidia's earnings report this week as a potential spark for renewed gains in the sluggish U.S. stock market.

Nvidia shares have more than tripled this year as the chipmaker is at the centre of a rally in technology stocks fuelled by optimism about the potential of artificial intelligence. Nvidia's forecast added to investor optimism. Following the report's release, the value of shares in big tech companies related to artificial intelligence increased by more than $70bn, in addition to the value of Nvidia's stock.

Nvidia expects third-quarter revenue to be around $16bn, plus or minus 2%. Analysts polled by Refinitiv on average expected $12.61bn.

FOOT OFF THE PEDAL. THE ECB AND THE COMING RATES

Dear clients,

According to eight sources with direct knowledge of the discussions, European Central Bank policymakers are increasingly concerned about the deteriorating growth prospects for the economy and, while the discussion remains open, the idea of holding off on rate hikes is gaining momentum.

The ECB has raised rates at each of its last nine meetings in a bid to rein in price growth, most recently on July 27 when it left open the choice of its next meeting in September, with policymakers divided between a pause and further tightening.

Talks with eight policymakers in Europe and on the sidelines of the US Federal Reserve's symposium in Jackson Hole suggest proponents of a "pause" are growing stronger after key economic indicators over the past six weeks have come in below expectations, suggesting a recession has become likely.

Several sources said the odds were evenly split between a rate hike and a pause, while some said a pause was more likely. But none of the sources said they thought a rate hike was the most likely outcome, even if that was their preference.

That's markedly different from six weeks ago, when a rate hike in September was still considered the most likely outcome. However, all sources agreed that even in the event of a pause, the ECB would have to make it clear that its work is not yet done and that further policy tightening may be needed.

They said it could take several months, possibly until early 2024, to be sure that eurozone inflation, now at 5.3%, is moving towards the 2% target.

The sources also agreed that the discussion remains open and nothing will be decided until the next inflation figure on August 31 and the ECB's new economic forecasts. The next ECB meeting will be held on September 14.

Markets are currently split between the chances of a rate hike in September and a pause, but expect the ECB to still go for a final rate hike of 25 basis points to 4% at some point later this year.

[VolkovYuriy]

IN THE PURSUIT OF PROFIT. MARATHON OF VOLATILE INSTRUMENTS

Dear clients,

The market is frozen waiting for a new push, but is it a reason for us to slow down?

We are launching the volatility marathon; during the week you will be presented with a selection of the most profitable instruments that have already proved themselves in trading.

Signals will be published from 7:30 GMT on our social networks and Telegram channel.

Forwards to success!

"UNTIL THE JOB IS DONE." JEROME POWELL'S SPEECH IN JACKSON HOLE

Dear clients,

Fed Chairman Jerome Powell said on Friday that the Federal Reserve may need to raise interest rates once again to bring down still too high inflation and promised caution at upcoming meetings, noting both the progress made in easing price pressures and the risks posed by the unexpected strength of the U.S. economy.

While Powell's statements weren't as hawkish as a year ago at the annual economic policy symposium in Jackson Hole, they were still quite sharp, and investors now see another rate hike before the end of the year as more likely.

"We will proceed cautiously in deciding whether to tighten policy further or, conversely, to keep the rate unchanged and await further data," Powell said in his keynote speech. "The Fed's objective is to bring inflation down to its 2% target, and we will do so."

The Fed has raised rates by 5.25 percentage points since March 2022, and inflation at the Fed's preferred rate has fallen to 3.3% from a peak of 7% last summer. While the decline was a "welcome development," Powell believes inflation "remains too high."

"We are prepared to raise rates further, if appropriate, and intend to keep policy at a restrictive level until we are confident that inflation is moving steadily downward toward our target," he said.

However, given "signs that the economy may not be cooling as expected," including "particularly strong" consumer spending and a "possible recovery" in the housing sector, Powell said that above-trend growth "could jeopardise further progress on inflation and warrant further monetary tightening."

His speech showed the Fed struggling with conflicting signals from the economy, with inflation reportedly slowing strongly without much cost to the economy — a good outcome, but one that raised the possibility that Fed policy is not tight enough to finish the job.

Unlike last year's closely watched speech at a conference organised by the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City — in which Powell warned in stark terms of impending policy tightening — Powell did not talk about the coming "pain" for the public caused by further policy tightening.

But he also didn't make it clear that a rate cut was imminent, nor did he hint, as some policymakers have done, at the need to adjust rates downward once inflation becomes more sustainable.

At the end of the day, futures contracts tied to the Fed's discount rate estimated the probability of a rate hike in September at just under 20%, but the odds of the rate ending the year in the 5.5%-5.75% range, a quarter point above the current range, were higher than the 50% probability. The yield on two-year Treasuries ended the day at 5.08%, the highest since June 2007.

Powell said it is difficult to accurately gauge how high above the "neutral" interest rate the current base rate is, and therefore difficult to gauge how much the Fed is restraining growth and inflation.

Powell reiterated what has become the Fed's standard diagnosis of inflation progress: easing goods inflation and declining housing inflation are "on track," but concerns that continued consumer spending on a wide range of services and a tight labour market may make a return to 2% difficult.

Recent declines in measures of core inflation, excluding food and energy prices, "are welcomed, but two months of good data is just the beginning of what will be needed to build confidence in a sustained decline in inflation," Powell emphasised.

Although Powell's tone was not as harsh as last year, when he dispelled market perceptions in very blunt terms that the Fed at the time was nearing the end of its rate hike cycle and would cut rates before the end of this year. Nevertheless, it was clear that he did not want to discard any options.

Powell ended his remarks Friday with almost the same phrase he used last year in Jackson Hole: "We're going to keep at it until the job is done."

"ATTENDRE ET ESPÉRER". CHINESE STOCKS RALLY

Dear clients,

Chinese stocks led the rally in Asian equities on Tuesday as investors welcomed Beijing's efforts to support markets, while bonds rose and the dollar declined amid possible softening in U.S. data.

MSCI, the broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares besides Japan, rose 1%, Hong Kong's Hang Seng was up more than 2% and mainland China's blue chips (.CSI300) were up 1.5%.

In recent days, China has halved stamp duty on share trading, relaxed margin lending rules, slowed new listings and approved new retail funds, at least signalling a determination to stabilise the market.

And while foreign investors sold their shares on Monday on an initial bounce after the measures were announced over the weekend, they net bought about $500 million worth of Chinese stocks on Tuesday, perhaps in the hope that more substantial relief would follow.

"We doubt that these policies alone can change confidence or determine the direction of the market," Bank of America analysts said.

"Financial markets are merely a reflection of the underlying economy, and we need policies that can address the underlying economic fundamentals .... In our view, the next 2-3 weeks are still an important window for policy action."

Shares in Hong Kong were led by shares in China's struggling Country Garden and electric car maker BYD, which reported a threefold increase in first-half profit.

TIME TO COUNT THE CHICKEN. NON-FARM PAYROLL REPORT

Dear clients,

Nonfarm Payrolls report is the indicator that shows the change in the number of employed in the US non-farm sector. This time we'll be looking at the report, how it reflects on the market and the way to trade on it.

Join us on August 30 at 12:00 GMT.

During webinars, FreshForex analyst will answer your questions regarding the market situation and comment on the latest news.

If you missed the previous webinars, you can always find them on our site.

[VolkovYuriy]

SAVED BY THE GAVEL: BITCOIN'S STARK REVERSAL

Dear clients,

Bitcoin's gains from a U.S. court ruling bolstering the future prospects of funds targeting retail investors saved the cryptocurrency from a disappointing month and instilled renewed optimism about its long-term prospects.

The Securities and Exchange Commission's rejection of Grayscale Investments' proposal was "arbitrary and prejudicial", a federal court said Tuesday, giving the crypto asset manager a landmark victory.

The cryptocurrency surged more than 7% on the news, setting the course for its best day since March and cutting some of the heavy losses suffered over the summer.

Plagued by lower demand for risky assets caused by rising U.S. Treasury yields and a drop in volatility during quiet summer trading, bitcoin was on track for its worst month since November 2022 before the ruling, when confusion reigned following the liquidation of the FTX exchange. Its monthly losses are now around 5%.

Investors said Grayscale's victory will likely now factor into future SEC rulings on spot bitcoin fund ETFs filed by several major financial firms this year, including the world's largest asset manager BlackRock.

The emergence of spot bitcoin ETFs could help the cryptocurrency industry tap into a large amount of previously untapped funds from retail investors, which in turn would help boost the bitcoin price.

TRADING SIGNALS: NFP FOR AUGUST

Dear clients,

On September 1, we are expecting the publication of data on Nonfarm Payroll, a measure of U.S. manufacturing employment. The report significantly affects the movement of the US dollar and related instruments.

What indicators are expected this time, let's find out from our expert:

The leading employment indicators from ADP and ISM point to the release of weak Non-Farm Employment data, which is negative for the US dollar, as this situation allows the US Fed to keep interest rates at the current level. On Friday, consider selling USDZAR, USDCAD and buying AUDUSD, XAUUSD.

Get ready to harvest with 101% bonus!

CAUSE AND EFFECT: GRADUAL RECOVERY OF THE OIL MARKET

Dear clients,

Oil prices were about to break a two-week losing streak as they rose for the fourth consecutive session on Friday on the back of supply cuts and expectations that the OPEC+ group of oil producers will extend production cuts until the end of the year.

West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude rose 21 cents, or 0.3%, to $83.84 a barrel, while Brent crude was up 26 cents, also up 0.3%, to $87.09 a barrel as of 0605 GMT. For the week, WTI is up more than 5% and Brent is up about 3%.

Analysts expect Saudi Arabia to extend a voluntary oil production cut of 1 million barrels a day for October, adding to cuts by the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries.

"We continue to expect production cuts to be extended and prices above $90 per barrel (on a sustained basis) will be required to attract OPEC supply to the market, as well as incentivize U.S. shale oil producers to increase drilling activity," National Australia Bank said in a client note on Friday.

U.S. crude inventories fell by a more-than-expected 10.6 million barrels last week, government data showed Wednesday. Commercial crude inventories have fallen by 34 million barrels since mid-July.

Traders and investors often view changes in U.S. inventories as a proxy for changes in the balance of global production and consumption, and spot prices and quotes may rise if inventories continue to deplete.

"Signs of increased demand have also been evident in the commodities market, with implied gasoline demand rising for the first time in three weeks," ANZ said in a research note on Friday.

A weakening US dollar, which looks set to end a six-week winning streak, also helped prices. A stronger dollar puts pressure on demand for oil, making the commodity more expensive for buyers holding other currencies.

A survey showing renewed growth in Chinese factory activity and Beijing's measures to support China's weakened housing market also helped boost oil prices on Friday as traders hoped it would stimulate demand in the world's second-largest oil-consuming country.

[VolkovYuriy]

TWO BENEFITS FOR THE PRICE OF ONE: 101%+CASHBACK

Dear clients,

Summer is over, but that's no reason to be upset, because we have a hot offer for you.

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1. Within the framework of the promotion, new clients of the company can be eligible for a 101% bonus on the first deposit to the trading account with the Cashback promotion enabled.

2. You can take advantage of the offer within 7 days after registration with the company.

3. To participate in the promotion you need to:

3.1. Register and open a trading account;

3.2. Enable the Cashback promotion on your trading account in the Client Area;

3.3. Make a deposit from 101 USD;

3.4. Contact the personal manager with the code word HOT to credit the deposit bonus in the amount of 101%;

4. Bonus funds are used in accordance with the terms of the promotion Drawdown bonus 101%; crediting of spread refund in accordance with Cashback promotion terms.

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[VolkovYuriy]

RATIO'D. UPDATED FORECASTS FROM MOODY'S

Dear clients,

Ratings agency Moody's on Friday raised its forecast for U.S. economic growth in 2023 but lowered its outlook for China next year, noting that while the risk of a U.S. recession has declined, China's problems are mounting.

"We have raised our forecast for U.S. economic growth to 1.9% in 2023 from 1.1% in our May forecast, recognising the strong underlying economic momentum," Moody's said in a report.

The agency, which is currently the only Big Three agency still holding a "AAA" rating for the U.S. after a downgrade by Fitch last month, maintained its 2024 economic growth forecast at 1%, saying high interest rates will drag on the economy.

"We believe it will be difficult for the Fed to achieve a sustained decline in inflation to the 2.0% target while current economic conditions persist," Moody's said in a statement. "In our view, several quarters of below-trend growth are needed to prevent overheating."

On the other hand, the agency said China faces "significant growth challenges" stemming from weak business and consumer confidence amid economic and political uncertainty, ongoing problems in the real estate sector and an aging working-age population.

Moody's maintained its growth forecast for this year at 5%, but cut its 2024 outlook to 4.0% from 4.5% previously. China's rating is at A1 with a stable outlook, four notches below the U.S.' top rating.

"Data from China suggest that the economic recovery from the prolonged zero-rate policy remains muted, as the momentum for renewed growth seen in March, April and May appears to be waning," Moody's said in the report.

"We believe low consumer confidence is restraining household spending, and economic and political uncertainty will continue to weigh on business decisions."

NO MIRACLE IN SIGHT. ECONOMIC DATA FROM CHINA

Dear clients,

Asian stocks fell on Tuesday as weak service sector data renewed fears of a faltering post-pandemic Chinese economy.

The MSCI was down 0.65% at 511.63, moving away from 515.37, the highest level since 11 August, which it reached on Monday.

Futures indicated that the gloomy mood is likely to spread to Europe, with the Eurostoxx 50 futures down 0.21%, Germany's DAX down 0.20% and the FTSE futures down 0.29%.

The recent rally in Chinese equities, fuelled by a series of government measures aimed at supporting the weakening economy, is quickly fading. The CSI 300 blue-chip index fell 0.58% and Hong Kong's Hang Seng fell 1.5% after these markets recorded their best day in over a month on Monday.

Optimism quickly faded after a private sector survey on Tuesday showed that China's service sector activity grew at the slowest pace in eight months in August as weak demand continues to haunt the world's second-largest economy and stimulus measures failed to significantly revive consumption.

Nevertheless, investors are hopeful that Beijing's drip-feed of stimulus will be enough to stabilise the Chinese economy.

In a rare piece of good news for China's crisis-hit property sector, a source close to Country Garden said the company made interest payments on two dollar bonds just as the grace period was due to end on Tuesday.

On Friday, China's largest private property developer received approval from onshore creditors to extend a 3.9 billion yuan ($536 million) private bond.

WEEKLY OUTLOOK: BTC, ETH, XRP

Dear clients,

The world of crypto is seeing some hard ups and downs lately, with both Grayscale ETF approval and SpaceX dumping their crypto assets. This time, we'll be looking Bitcoin, Ethereum and Ripple, what's going on with them now and what may happen further on.

Join us on September 6 at 12:00 GMT.

During webinars, FreshForex analyst will answer your questions regarding the market situation and comment on the latest news.

If you missed the previous webinars, you can always find them on our site.

[VolkovYuriy]

GOOD NEWS, BAD NEWS. THE POWER MOVE OF DOLLAR

Dear clients,

Global stock indices were mostly down on Thursday, with the S&P 500 and Nasdaq falling along with Apple shares, while the US dollar rose after weaker-than-expected US jobless claims data.

Initial jobless claims in the states for the week ended September 2 unexpectedly fell to 216,000 from a revised 229,000 the week before. The latest week's reading was the lowest since February.

A separate report showed that US labour productivity in the second quarter was not as strong as previously announced.

The latest data confirmed the view that the US economy remains resilient and that US interest rates may have to be raised for a long time to come.

China's yuan fell to a 16-year low against the dollar amid falling property prices, weak consumer spending and reduced credit growth in the world's second-largest economy.

China's trade data released on Thursday, while not as dire as economists had forecast, still showed a nearly 9% drop in exports and a more than 7% drop in imports.

In Japan, traders continued to watch for intervention as the Japanese yen struggled to make a sustained breakout against the steady dollar.

The dollar had earlier hit its highest since November at 147.875 yen and was last down 0.4% to 147.20.

The dollar declined on Friday but still remains on track for its longest weekly winning streak in nine years, helped by a steady run of U.S. economic data that also called into question the end of the Federal Reserve's aggressive rate hike cycle.

The U.S. Dollar Index, which measures the dollar against major currencies, was last down 0.1% at 104.93, but remained not far from the previous session's six-month high of 105.15. The index was on track to continue rising for the eighth consecutive week and is currently up 0.6%.

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LET'S TALK ABOUT ECB MEETING

Dear clients,

On September 14, the European Central Bank will hold meeting, it will provoke strong fluctuations on the financial markets.

We will tell you how to earn with this event and which instruments can bring the most profit, as well as how the meeting will affect the euro and European indices.

Join us on September 13 at 12:00 GMT.

During webinars, FreshForex analyst will answer your questions regarding the market situation and comment on the latest news.

If you missed the previous webinars, you can always find them here.

[VolkovYuriy]

ECB MEETING: WHAT WILL HAPPEN TO THE RATE?

Dear clients,

The next big event today is the ECB meeting. The European Central Bank is a global financial institution that regulates the entire Eurozone credit and financial policy. For this reason, the ECB Interest Rate Decision causes high volatility in the financial markets.

What will be the decision this time, and what instruments can be chosen? Our lead analyst says:

The ECB may keep the interest rate at 4.25% today and will signal to traders that it is ready to raise rates at the next meetings if necessary. Keeping rates at the same level is negative for the single European currency. Today, consider selling EURUSD, EURCAD, EURHKD.

It's a good time to top up with the 101% promotion: that way you'll have more funds to trade with.

DOUBLE BENEFIT WHEN TRADING BITCOIN!

Dear clients,

For two weeks, commission costs will be half off when opening Bitcoin trades (BTCUSD).

Until September 28, there is a 50% discount on spread and swap when depositing from $399. This is a great opportunity to earn more! Open trades intraday or for a longer term, you will save significantly either way.

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