Stocks mixed ahead of US retail sales data - 14.2.2025

The Dollar weakening is intact today. The live dollar index data show the ICE US Dollar index, a measure of the dollar’s strength against a basket of six rival currencies, ended 0.9% lower on Thursday.

Both GBP/USD and EUR/USD accelerated their climbing yesterday while the Office for National Statistics reported the UK economy grew by 0.1% in the fourth quarter against expectations for a 0.1% contraction. Both euro and Pound are up against the dollar currently. USD/JPY reversed its advancing while AUD/USD reversed its retreating on Thursday with both the yen and Australian dollar higher against the Greenback currently.

US stock index futures are up currently with the yield on benchmark 10-year Treasury notes up at 4.531%. The three main stock benchmarks ended solidly higher on Thursday recording daily gains in a range from 0.77% to 1.5% as US president Donald Trump announced new reciprocal tariffs on US trading partners will be imposed within weeks matching the higher duties charged by other countries.

European indexes futures are up today after stock indexes closed mixed yesterday as president Trump said on Wednesday that he had spoken to both Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and had ordered US officials to begin talks immediately on ending the war. Asian stock indexes futures are mixed today with Hong Kong’s Hang Seng leading gains buoyed by advances in major tech shares .

Brent is edging higher currently. Prices ended marginally lower on Thursday following a slump the previous day after president Trump ordered US officials to begin talks on ending the war in Ukraine. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) futures slipped 0.11% but are higher currently. Brent futures slid 0.2% to $75.02 a barrel on Thursday.