Headline: Dollar Mixed as Fed Eases, Oil Stocks Climb, and Nvidia Results Come Into View
The North American session delivered a cross-asset mix that keeps traders on their toes: the U.S. dollar held a mixed tone, crude inventories surprised to the upside, and investors are positioning ahead of Nvidia’s earnings. Macro signals were equally nuanced, with softer producer prices out of New Zealand and a fresh U.S. rate cut adding complexity to the inflation and growth outlook.
In FX, New Zealand’s Q3 Producer Price Index rose more slowly than expected, with output prices up 0.6% versus 0.7% forecast and input prices up 0.2% versus 0.9% expected. The softer read supports expectations that the Reserve Bank of New Zealand can continue easing without reigniting price pressures, weighing on the New Zealand dollar. Stateside, the Federal Reserve trimmed its policy rate by 25 basis points to support hiring, though ongoing inflation risks—and structural forces such as AI adoption and a constrained labor pool—could limit the growth impulse. Nvidia’s upcoming results remain a focal point for risk appetite and tech-led equity momentum, with potential spillovers into currency and rates markets.
Energy markets turned cautious after a private survey pointed to a larger-than-expected U.S. crude oil inventory build, a development that can cap near-term price gains and ease headline inflation pressure. At the same time, a surge of roughly 20 GW in data-center power demand is straining parts of the U.S. grid from the Pacific Northwest to Texas, raising reliability concerns into winter and complicating the path for energy costs. In policy news, the UK government is weighing options to shield small businesses and the self-employed from higher taxes, balancing growth support with fiscal discipline. In digital assets, a high-profile meme coin saga underscored crypto’s volatility, with one token briefly touching a $490 million valuation before collapsing, amid legal action tied to its launch.
Key Points: – U.S. dollar trades mixed as markets await Nvidia’s earnings and assess shifting rate expectations – New Zealand Q3 PPI undershoots forecasts, reinforcing the case for further RBNZ easing – Federal Reserve cuts rates by 25 bps to bolster jobs, while inflation risks remain in focus – Private survey signals a larger U.S. crude inventory build, tempering near-term oil momentum – UK explores tax relief measures for small businesses and the self-employed amid fiscal constraints – Rapid data-center growth adds up to 20 GW of demand, straining parts of the U.S. grid into winter
