📆 Friday, August 16
► European stocks gained traction, with the Stoxx 600 Index rising 0.4%, pointing towards the best week since May. Bayer shares surged over 7% after a significant legal victory in the long-standing Roundup cancer litigation. Economic optimism was bolstered by UK retail sales data, which showed a 0.5% increase in July, reversing the previous month's decline and coming in-line with expectations. Investors are cautiously optimistic, with the recent US data reducing fears of an imminent recession.
► US equity futures point to further modest gains, with the S&P 500 and Nasdaq 100 both on track for their largest weekly advances since November. Retail sales and jobless claims data have furthered strengthened investor confidence, supporting the narrative of a “Goldilocks” economy characterized by controlled inflation and still ongoing growth. The Federal Reserve's upcoming September rate decision remains in focus, with traders scaling back expectations of a large rate cut.
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