Luis Francisco Ruiz
Explosive moves: US small caps, ASML, TSMC, USD/JPY, and crypto
Financial asset prices often fluctuate between periods of stability and sudden, extreme movements. Investors may become impatient waiting for trend changes, only for prices to change dramatically in the blink of an eye, catching some investors off guard w...
2 months ago
Cocoa and coffee prices stabilise: could El Niño be fading away?
Cocoa and coffee prices have risen dramatically, with cocoa prices climbing by nearly 500% and coffee prices by nearly 200% in 2024, following a more stable price pattern between 2012 and 2022.These tropical crops need stable warm temperatures and abundan...
2 months ago
How might upcoming elections impact markets?
Democracy, take a bow: 2024 is the year of the ballot box. At least 64 countries and the EU – or more than half of the world’s population – will have been able to vote in at least one election by the end of this year. Plebiscites to watch in the coming mo...
2 months ago
Could gold break out of its four-month consolidation?
The World Gold Council (WGC) mid-year report highlighted the following key points:The current gold price reflects market expectations for the second half of 2024, but it – and the wider economy – are awaiting a catalystBullish catalysts for gold include f...
2 months ago
What next for the S&P 500 as US earnings season begins?
This Friday, the major US banks of JPMorgan Chase, Wells Fargo, Citigroup, and Bank of New York Mellon release second-quarter results to kick off US earnings season.The S&P 500 will head into earnings season with high valuation levels, including a 12-...
2 months ago
US crude oil nears 2023 lows as inventories fall
Oil prices are nearing 2023 lows, at levels which have formed the basis for sideways movement over the past 18 months.For Brent crude oil, support lies between $72.45 and $70.20 per barrel, while for US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude, the support ran...
1 month ago
US employment report: high-impact data at a delicate moment
Tomorrow’s US non-farm payrolls report covering August is set to be released at 1.30pm (UK time), and comes at a crucial time, with doubts about the strength of the economic cycle increasing volatility in cyclical assets. This data could confirm or dispel...
1 month ago
Could strong positive yen momentum impact the Nikkei 225?
USD/JPY continues to lose ground, hitting new annual lows. A recent bearish impulse from ¥147.21 adds to a 13.5% fall from highs of ¥161.95 in July. High volatility and negative momentum in the pair have raised concerns about a rapid unwinding of carry tr...
4 weeks ago