Wall Street wrapped up another week on a positive note, sustaining its upward trajectory as major indices marked a fourth consecutive week of gains. The Dow Jones Industrial Average continued its climb, ending Friday with a modest yet noteworthy increase, while the S&P 500 edged slightly higher, underscoring the resilience of the market within a complex global economic landscape.

The current financial landscape is dominated by two significant phenomena: the robust recovery in oil prices and the fluctuating behaviour of the US dollar. These elements are crucial in dictating the flow of commodities, currencies, and broader market strategies.

The stock market retreated on Thursday, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average closing lower by 98 points, or 0.3%, effectively ending its four-day winning streak.

In a testament to its enduring resilience, the S&P 500 index carved out an eighth straight day of gains, despite a modest uptick, while the Nasdaq Composite marginally retreated by 0.1%, and the Dow Jones Industrial Average edged down by 0.2%, shedding 80 points.

In a robust extension of recent market advances, the S&P 500 and Nasdaq Composite climbed higher on Tuesday, marking their most prolonged series of gains since November 2021 and reinforcing the upward momentum established in November’s rally.

Today, the financial markets continue to closely monitor the US 10-year Treasury yields as they edge closer to the 5% threshold. This ongoing climb in yields, which reached a new cycle high last night, has added further pressure to risk appetite.

China's data releases this morning showed some marginal signs of improvement, with retail sales, industrial production, unemployment, and Q3 GDP all printing better than expected. This gave the AUD a boost, and allowed traders to take some profit on AUDCAD longs from yesterday.

AUDNZD Jumps on Weak NZ CPI Data and Hawkish RBA Minutes

Markets are relatively quiet today as participants digest yesterday's risk off flows following the slightly better than expected US CPI and a weak 30-year treasury auction. WTI saw a big bounce trading to $85.37 as geopolitical issues remain in focus.

Yields and the USD are both in limbo since yesterday as markets brace for an important NFP.

Bid (buy) & ask (sell) prices are the prices that buyers & sellers are willing to accept for a tradable asset. The difference between them is called the spread.

A trading platform is a piece of software that connects you directly to financial markets, giving you an interface to place your orders.