Stocks mixed after Wall Street rebound continued - 18.3.2025

The Dollar strengthening has resumed currently. 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 0.3% lower on Monday.

GBP/USD joined EUR/USD’s accelerated climbing yesterday. Both euro and Pound are lower against the dollar currently. Both USD/JPY and AUD/USD accelerated their advancing on Monday with both the yen and Australian dollar lower against the Greenback currently.  

Futures on three main US stock indexes are down currently with the yield on benchmark 10-year Treasury down at 4.283%. US stock market extended gains on Monday with the three main stock benchmarks recording daily gains in the range from 0.3% to 0.85% as data showed retail sales rebound fell short of expectations while March factory activity in New York State plummeted the most in nearly two years.

European stock indexes futures are mixed currently ahead of Bundestag vote on change to the German Constitution requiring backing from two-thirds of the parliament to change the debt brake rule in order to hike public borrowing for increase in defense spending. Asian indexes futures are mixed currently with Hong Kong’s Hang Seng index leading gains spurred by Baidu after the company launched two new AI models, including one which it claimed rivaled DeepSeek.

Brent is extending gains currently after Israel-Hamas ceasefire fell through and Israel conducted air strikes on Gaza. Oil prices ended higher yesterday after US vowed to continue strikes against Yemen’s Houthis until the Houthis cease their attacks on US ships and drones. US West Texas Intermediate WTI futures rose 0.9% and are higher currently. Brent gained 0.9% to $71.24 a barrel on Monday.