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New U.S. Sanctions on Russia as Putin Conducts Nuclear Tests
The U.S. has imposed new sanctions on Russia's two largest oil companies, Rosneft and Lukoil, after planned peace talks between Trump and Putin collapsed on Wednesday.
Oil prices spiked 3% after the announcement, with Brent crude hitting $64 per barrel.
The targeted companies are among the world's largest energy exporters, collectively shipping about three million barrels of oil daily and accounting for nearly half of Russian production.
The sanctions build on recent European measures, as the UK targeted the same companies last week and the EU approved its own sanctions package on Wednesday.
In a show of force coinciding with the new sanctions, Putin supervised strategic nuclear exercises on Wednesday involving intercontinental ballistic missile launches from land and submarine platforms.
While the Kremlin emphasised these were routine drills, the highly coincidental timing is notable.
For markets, the key question now is whether secondary sanctions will follow, and if Trump’s enforcement remains strict. Traders will watch closely for any TACO signals that see Trump ease pressure in an attempt to restart negotiations.
Historic PM Wasting No Time on Celebrations
Sanae Takaichi made history this week as Japan's first female Prime Minister. The 64-year-old conservative leader, dubbed the "Iron Lady,” is already rolling out an aggressive policy agenda that could reshape Japan's economic and geopolitical position.
Her first major move is an economic stimulus package expected to exceed US $92 billion. The package includes abolishing the provisional gasoline tax and raising the tax-free income threshold from ¥1.03 million ($6,800), moves designed to put more money in consumers' pockets and battle inflation.
Her next move will come when Trump arrives in Tokyo next week, as the Japanese government is finalising a purchase package including Ford F-150 pickup trucks, US soybeans, and liquefied natural gas as sweeteners for trade talks.
Takaichi has campaigned on being a champion for expansionary fiscal policy, monetary easing, and heavy government investment in strategic sectors, including AI, semiconductors, biotechnology, and defence.
Critical Workers to Miss First Paycheck Due to Shutdown
The U.S. government shutdown is on the verge of creating a crisis for aviation safety, with 60,000 workers set to miss their first full paycheck this week.
These essential workers, who earn an average of $40,000 annually, already saw shortened paychecks last week. By Thursday, many will receive pay stubs showing zero compensation for the coming period, forcing impossible choices between basic necessities and reporting to work.
During the last extended shutdown, TSA sick-call rates tripled by Day 31, causing major delays at checkpoints and reduced air traffic in major hubs like New York — disruptions which are directly attributed to pressuring the end of the previous shutdown.
The National Air Traffic Controllers Association warns that similar pressures are building, with many workers soon to be facing a decision between attending their shift or putting food on the table.
Trading terms glossary A - B - C - D - E - F - G - H - I - J - K - L - M - N - O - P - Q - R - S - T - U - V - W - X - Y - Z - D Dark pools Dark pools is a privately organized financial forum or exchange for trading securities. They allow institutional investors to trade without exposure until after the trade has been executed and reported Day order A day order is provision placed on an order to a broker to execute a trade at a specific price that expires at the end of the trading day. Day trading Day trading involves buying and selling stocks before the market closure, with the aim of earning short-term profits.
Debt ratio Debt ratio is an indication of how much debt a company is holding, when compared to the value of its assets. It can also be applied to individuals: in which case it is the cost accrued by their debt compared to total income each year. Delta Also termed as hedge ratio, Delta is a measure used in options trading to assess how the price of an options contract changes as the price of the underlying asset moves.
Depreciation Decline in an asset's value is defined as Depreciation. It can happen either due to market conditions or other factors like wear and tear. It is the opposite of appreciation.
Derivative Derivatives are financial products that derive their value from the price of an underlying asset. Derivatives are often used by traders as a device to speculate on the future price movements of an asset, whether that be up or down, without having to buy the asset itself. Direct market access (DMA) Direct market access (DMA) is a way of placing trades directly onto the order books of exchanges.
As a result, DMA offers traders flexibility and transparency when trading. But due to the risks and complexities involved, it is usually recommended for advanced traders only. Dividend A portion of profit that an organization chooses to return to its shareholders in terms of percentage is known as dividend.
Dividends are commonly paid quarterly, but in some cases are paid annually, or even monthly, depending on the companies policy.
Trading terms glossary A - B - C - D - E - F - G - H - I - J - K - L - M - N - O - P - Q - R - S - T - U - V - W - X - Y - Z - C Cable Cable in forex is the nickname of the GBP/USD currency pair, which is one of the most popular currency pairs on the market. Calendar Spread A calendar spread is a trading technique, which involves buying a derivative of an asset in one month and selling a derivative of the same asset in another month. The calendar spread represents the difference in the price of the same asset from one futures contract to another.
Call option A call option is an option to buy an asset at a given price by a specific date. Learn more about Call Options Capital expenditure Funds spent on physical assets. Capital gains Capital gains are the profits made from the buying and selling of assets, when the sale of an asset exceeds the original cost.
Capital gains tax Capital gains tax (or CGT), is the tax levied by the government on the profits made from selling any financial assets. Capital loss Opposite of capital gains. When the sale of an asset is less than the original cost to the owner.
Cash flow Cash flow is the amount of money coming into and going out of a company, and the resulting availability of cash. It can refer to a single project or the entire business. Cash Price Not to be confused with Prompt or Spot price, the cash price refers the price paid or received for immediate delivery of a good or asset.
The cash price and spot futures price should converge the closer you get to the spot futures contract expiry. Cash rate Also known as a bank rate or base interest rate, the cash rate is the interest rate charged by a central bank for loans to other banks. Chartist A chartist trader relies predominantly on charts to help them understand historical data in order to better speculate on future price movements.
Also commonly known as technical analysts, or technical traders. Closing price The price of a security on a financial market at the end of the trading day. Closing prices can be used as a marker when looking at long-term historical movements, or they can be compared to the opening price to review the movement over a single day.
Commission Commission is a service charge by an investment broker for making trades on a client's behalf. Commodity A commodity is a basic physical asset, which can be bought and sold. Commodities can often be categorised as a raw material, used in the production of other goods or services.
Contracts for difference Contracts for difference (CFDs) are a type of financial derivative where your gain or loss is based on the price of the asset when the contract opens and closes. It is an arrangement made where the differences in the settlement between the open and closing trade prices is cash settled and there is no delivery of physical goods or securities. Learn more about CFDs Contract (Lot) A Lot is a trading unit, representing a set amount of a particular asset.
A standard lot in the forex market is $100,000. A mini lot is $10,000. Convexity Bond convexity is a measure of the "degree of the curve" or difference, between a bond’s price and a bond's yield.
It is a risk management tool used to assess the impact that a rise or fall in interest rates can have on a bond’s price – which highlights a bond holder’s exposure to risk. Contango Typically seen when the market is well supplied, contago is when the futures price of a commodity or security is higher than the spot price (present price). Here we would expect the higher price of the futures contract to reflect the commodity cost of carry.
Cost of carry Cost of carry is the amount of additional money you need to hold a position. This can include overnight funding charges, interest payments, or the costs of storing any commodities on the delivery of a futures contract. These charges are an important consideration when trading, as they will affect your net return.
Covered call A covered call is a call option trading strategy, where you hold an existing long position on a tradeable asset and write (sell) a call option against the same asset to generate extra income. The aim is to increase the overall profit that a trader will receive. Learn more about Covered Calls CPI CPI stands for consumer price index, which measures the change in average prices paid by US consumers, month to month.
Learn more about CPI Crystallisation Crystallisation is the act of realising a profit or loss, by selling a position and immediately reopening it again. Currency appreciation The increase in value of one currency compared to another. The 'strengthening’ of a currency in Forex trading means that it would cost more to buy, or that it can buy more of another currency when sold.
Learn more about currency appreciation Currency depreciation A decrease in a specific currency's value, relative to another currency in a floating exchange rate system. In a floating exchange rate system, a currency’s value is set by the forex market, based on supply and demand. Learn more about currency depreciation Currency peg A fixed exchange rate of its currency, set by a national government or central bank.
It can sometimes also be referred to as a fixed exchange rate or 'pegging'. Learn more about Currency Pegs Currency Swap Sometimes referred to as a cross-currency swap, this is an agreement between two parties to exchange principal and fixed rate interest payments in two different currencies to an agreed rate of exchange. Learn more about Currency Swaps.
Trading terms glossary A - B - C - D - E - F - G - H - I - J - K - L - M - N - O - P - Q - R - S - T - U - V - W - X - Y - Z - A Acquisition (mergers and acquisitions) When one company purchases or 'takes over' either the majority or the entirety of the ownership stake of another company. American Depositary Receipt (ADR) The ADR represents securities of a foreign company and enables American investors to own shares in foreign corporations. ADRs trade on the US stock exchange and the sponsoring bank collects dividends, pays local taxes and converts them to dollars for distribution to American shareholders.
American Option An options contract which can be exercised at any time prior to expiration. Aggregate demand The overall demand for goods and services in the economy, showing how current price relates to GDP (gross domestic product). Aggregate supply The total supply of goods and services that can be sold in a national economy - at a particular time and during a particular period.
Alpha The measurement of the performance of an investment portfolio, against a certain benchmark. Measuring the "success" of a portfolio over a period of time. The alpha can be positive or negative, depending on its proximity to the market.
Learn more about Alpha Amortisation Paying off a loan or obligation over a period of time in installments or transfers. Amortisation will often incur interest payments, at the discretion of the lender. Annual general meeting (AGM) A yearly meeting of the shareholders of a company and its board of directors.
Generally, the directors to present the company’s annual report to shareholders at this meeting. Arbitrage Arbitrage is simultaneously buying and selling an asset, in order to take advantage of a temporary difference in price. The asset will usually be bought and sold in different markets.
It can also be the calculation of the relative value of stocks, bonds or funds at the same time, in two or more places. Learn how to use Arbitrage trading to increase profits. Ask (Offer) price The asking price from the seller, at which you can buy an asset or security.
Asset classes Physical assets or financial assets grouped into a category. The instruments are grouped based on whether they have similar characteristics, behave in the same way on the market, or follow the same laws and regulations. Assets In trading, an asset refers to what is being traded or exchanged on the market, for example stocks, bonds, commodities or currencies.
It is an economic resource which can be owned or exchanged to return a profit or held for a future benefit. At the money At the money (ATM) is a term used to describe the relationship between an option's strike price and the underlying securities price. The term describes a strike price that is the same as the market price.
Learn more about At the Money Auction An auction market facilitates competition between buyers and sellers, where buyers indicate the maximum price they will pay for an asset, while sellers express the lowest price they will sell at. Automated trading (to be expanded) Automated trading - sometimes known as algorithmic trading – is the use of algorithms for making trade orders. It allows traders to set specific rules and parameters for making trades, which will be executed automatically once triggered.
Averaging down When a stock owner purchases additional assets when the asset’s price drops, it is referred to as averaging down. The purpose of the second purchase is to decrease the average price at which the investor purchased the stock. Learn more about Averaging Down
World’s 3 rd largest e-commerce company PDD Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ: PDD) reported Q4 2023 before the US market opened on Wednesday. The Chinese company achieved revenue of $12.519 billion in the last 3 months of 2023 vs. $11.202 billion expected. Revenue was up by 123% year-over-year.
Earnings per share was reported at $2.44 vs. estimate of $1.589 per share. Company overview Founded: 2015 Headquarters: Shanghai, China Number of employees: 12,992 (2022) Industry: Internet, Agriculture Key people: Lei Chen, Jiazhen Zhao CEO commentary "2023 represents a pivotal chapter in our corporate history as we transition towards high-quality development," Lei Chen, Chairman and Co-CEO of PDD Holdings said in a press release to investors. "In 2024, we remain dedicated to further improving consumer experiences, enhancing technology innovations, and generating positive impacts in our communities," Chen looked ahead. Jiazhen Zhao, Executive Director and Co-CEO of the company said this in his note to shareholders: "In the fourth quarter, we saw growing demand driven by encouraging consumer sentiment.
We will continue our high-quality development strategy, stay dedicated to offer great value and exceptional service, and keep building thriving communities that can benefit all." Stock reaction The stock was up by over 3% on Wednesday, trading at $131.80 a share. Stock performance 5 day: +5.92% 1 month: -0.12% 3 months: -11.49% Year-to-date: -11.42% 1 year: +71.47% PDD stock price targets Jefferies Financial Group: $157 The Goldman Sachs Group: $136 Benchmark: $215 UBS Group: $137 CLSA: $114 HSBC: $126 Barclays: $115 Sandford C. Bernstein: $120 JP Morgan Chase & Co.: $120 Morgan Stanley: $120 Bank of America: $112 Citigroup: $125 Nomura: $110 PDD Holdings Inc. is the 72 nd largest company in the world with a market cap of $173.63 billion, according to CompaniesMarketCap.
You can trade PDD Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ: PDD) and many other stocks from the NYSE, NASDAQ, HKEX and ASX with GO Markets as a Share CFD on the MetaTrader 5 platform. To find out more, go to "Trading" then select "Share CFDs". GO Markets offers pre-market and after-market trading on popular US Share CFDs.
Why trade during extended hours? Volatility never sleeps. Trade over earnings releases as they happen outside of main trading hours Reduce your risk and hedge your existing positions ahead of a new trading day Extended trading hours on popular US stocks means extended opportunities Sources: PDD Holdings Inc., TradingView, MarketWatch, MarketBeat, CompaniesMarketCap
It was a busy day in the US today, with investors waiting on the latest policy decision from the Federal Reserve. The Fed left interest rates unchanged at 5.5%, as expected. All three major Indices, Dow Jones, S&P 500, and Nasdaq finished the trading day at all-time highs for the first time since 8/11/2021.
After the market closing bell, Micron Technology Inc. (NASDAQ: MU) released Q2 of fiscal 2024 financial results and the US semiconductor company did not disappoint. The company reported revenue of $5.824 billion, which was above analyst estimate of $5.347 billion. Earnings per share was reported at $0.42.
Analyst expected Micron to report a loss per share of -$0.253. Company overview Founded: October 5, 1978 Headquarters: Boise, Idaho, United States Number of employees: 43,000 (2023) Industry: Semiconductors Key people: Robert E. Switz (Chairman), Sanjay Mehrotra (President & CEO) CEO commentary "Micron delivered fiscal Q2 results with revenue, gross margin and EPS well above the high-end of our guidance range — a testament to our team’s excellent execution on pricing, products and operations," Sanjay Mehrotra, CEO of Micron said in a statement. "Our preeminent product portfolio positions us well to deliver a strong fiscal second half of 2024.
We believe Micron is one of the biggest beneficiaries in the semiconductor industry of the multi-year opportunity enabled by AI," Mehrotra added. Stock reaction Shares were up by 2.39% at the end of the session on Wednesday at $96.25 a share. The stock rose by over 14% in the after-hours trading as earnings topped expectations.
Stock performance 5 day: +2.22% 1 month: +18.11% 3 months: +22.32% Year-to-date: +12.78% 1 year: +65.46% Micron stock price targets New Street Research: $100 Wolfe Research: $80 BMO Capital Markets: $90 Susquehanna: $112 Evercore ISI: $100 Wells Fargo & Company: $95 The Goldman Sachs Group: $97 Deutsche Bank: $90 JP Morgan Chase & Co.: $105 Morgan Stanley: $74.75 Bank of America: $100 Needham & Company LLC: $100 Piper Sandler: $95 Raymond James: $100 Mizuho: $105 Micron Technology Inc. is the 142 nd largest company in the world with a market cap of $106.25 billion, according to CompaniesMarketCap. You can trade Micron Technology Inc. (NASDAQ: MU) and many other stocks from the NYSE, NASDAQ, HKEX and ASX with GO Markets as a Share CFD on the MetaTrader 5 platform. To find out more, go to "Trading" then select "Share CFDs".
GO Markets offers pre-market and after-market trading on popular US Share CFDs. Why trade during extended hours? Volatility never sleeps.
Trade over earnings releases as they happen outside of main trading hours Reduce your risk and hedge your existing positions ahead of a new trading day Extended trading hours on popular US stocks means extended opportunities Sources: Micron Technology Inc., TradingView, MarketWatch, MarketBeat, CompaniesMarketCap
Lennar Corporation (NYSE: LEN) has had a good start to 2024 with the share price up by over 11% reaching new all-time highs. On Wednesday, it was time for the US construction company to release the latest financial results for Q1 2024, ending on 29/2/24. Lennar reported revenue of $7.313 billion for the quarter, which was below estimate of $7.39 billion.
Revenue was up by 13% from the same period the year before. Earnings per share topped expectations at $2.57 (up by 25% year-over-year) vs. $2.21 per share expected. Company overview Founded: 1954 Headquarters: Waterford District, unincorporated Miami-Dade County, Florida (Miami, Florida postal address) Number of employees: 12,012 (2022) Industry: Construction Key people: Stuart Miller (Executive Chairman, co-CEO), Jon Jaffe (co-CEO, President), Fred Rothman (COO) Stock reaction Shares were down by 0.28% at the end of Wednesday’s session at $165.50 a share.
The stock fell by around 1% in the after-hours trading. Stock performance 5 day: +2.77% 1 month: +7.56% 3 months: +14.01% Year-to-date: +11.04% 1 year: +65.19% Lennar stock price targets Wedbush: $130 Raymond James: $165 JMP Securities: $170 The Goldman Sachs Group: $158 Royal Bank of Canada: $137 Barclays: $165 Jefferies Financial Group: $117 Wells Fargo & Company: $130 JP Morgan Chase & Co.: $135 Citigroup: $139 UBS Group: $159 Evercore ISI: $164 Bank of America: $120 Lennar Corporation is the 416 th largest company in the world with a market cap of $45.63 billion, according to CompaniesMarketCap. You can trade Lennar Corporation (NYSE: LEN) and many other stocks from the NYSE, NASDAQ, HKEX and ASX with GO Markets as a Share CFD on the MetaTrader 5 platform.
To find out more, go to "Trading" then select "Share CFDs". GO Markets offers pre-market and after-market trading on popular US Share CFDs. Why trade during extended hours?
Volatility never sleeps. Trade over earnings releases as they happen outside of main trading hours Reduce your risk and hedge your existing positions ahead of a new trading day Extended trading hours on popular US stocks means extended opportunities Sources: Lennar Corporation, TradingView, MarketWatch, MarketBeat, CompaniesMarketCap