Global Market Trends (15th Mar., 2022)

The Dow Jones Industrial Average was little changed, kept afloat by financials, including American Express, Travelers, and Visa. While the S&P 500 and Nasdaq Composite were lower by 0.7% and 2%, trading remained volatile, pushing the tech-heavy composite deeper into a bear market and now at the lowest level since December 2020. 

Commodities, U.S. crude prices retreated below $100 per barrel, before closing at $103, while Brent, the global benchmark, traded around $106.90. Gold also slipped, closing down over 1% to $1,959.60. 

U.S FED, the Federal Reserve is holding its policy meeting this week. "Markets are bracing for two diametrically opposed forces, which will obfuscate the picture," Mizuho Bank said in a commentary. "One is geo-political uncertainty that may leash fresh convulsions of ‘risk off' and the other, a hawkish Fed that is poised to hike" interest rates by at least 0.25 percentage points.

Stock performance, Shares of Ford and General Motors slipped after Jeffries lowered price targets, citing headwinds, including supply-chain issues, inflation and European exposure as the Russia-Ukraine conflict continues. 

Chinese shares have also come under selling pressure due to the threat of de-listings of major Chinese companies on U.S. stock exchanges. A report in the state-run newspaper Economic Daily said Monday that regulators are negotiating to resolve a dispute over auditing rules. 

In cryptocurrencies, Bitcoin hovered around the $38,000 level. 

SPOT MARKET  BY THE HOUR AS OF GMT 10:08  03-15-22