The financial markets have come alive with a sense of renewed vigour as signs from the Federal Reserve suggest a possible cessation to the aggressive rate hikes of the past months.

Wall Street’s main indexes concluded an impressive session with considerable gains, inspired by investor confidence that the U.S. Federal Reserve might be concluding its rate-hiking cycle.

US equities delivered a remarkable performance yesterday, with the S&P CFD making a strong comeback by reclaiming the 200-day moving average. It also retested crucial trend lines and horizontal resistance levels near the 4330 mark.

Treasury yields continue to slide lower following yesterday’s quarterly refunding announcement and the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) decision, creating a favorable environment for bond investors.

Gold is currently at a critical support level, with XAUDUSD attempting to break below the 1980 level. The recent decline in both gold and oil prices suggests a gradual unwinding of the risk premium associated with geopolitical tensions.

US Treasury yields pulled back in response to the announcement of lower-than-expected bond issuance for the fourth quarter. This development sparked positive risk sentiment and led to a bid in bonds, resulting in a decrease in bond yields.

The Bank of Japan is poised for another revision of its yield curve control (YCC) framework in response to emerging economic challenges. In a critical monetary policy meeting scheduled for Tuesday, the central bank is considering allowing the yields on 10-year Japanese government bonds to exceed the 1% mark.

Today’s key event in the data calendar is the release of US Personal Consumption Expenditures (PCE) data. While this is the Federal Reserve’s preferred measure of inflation, it typically lacks the same level of market-induced volatility as the Consumer Price Index (CPI).

Recent economic data has been mixed, with better jobs data but a big surprise move lower in inflation last week.

In the world of finance, we often witness a delicate dance between uncertainty and opportunity. Geopolitical tensions are one of those variables that frequently cast shadows of doubt on the financial landscape. Today, we aim to explore how these tensions create fear in the marketplace and why investors often seek refuge in safe havens to protect their capital.

Economic Calendar: UK Jobs & PMI Data, AUD CPI Data, German and French Flash PMI Data, ECB Policy Decision.

Risk assets tumbled last night as geopolitical tensions saw more escalations. Talks of attacks on US Navy ships sent geopolitical jitters across markets boosting gold and oil prices.