{"id":89432,"date":"2026-08-28T19:38:21","date_gmt":"2026-08-28T09:38:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ic.com\/blog\/?p=89432"},"modified":"2026-08-28T19:38:22","modified_gmt":"2026-08-28T09:38:22","slug":"general-market-analysis-28-08-26","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ic.com\/blog\/general-market-analysis-28-08-26\/","title":{"rendered":"General Market Analysis \u2013 28\/08\/26"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

US Tech Stocks Higher on AI Optimism \u2013Nasdaq up 1.6%<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

US stocks pushed higher in trading yesterday as renewed optimism around artificial intelligence helped drive another strong session for technology stocks. Nvidia remained at the centre of attention, with its earnings outlook broadly meeting the market’s elevated expectations. The Nasdaq led the gains, rising 1.57% to close at 26,541, while the S&P 500 added 0.72% to finish at 7,730. The Dow Jones also moved higher, gaining 0.20% to 53,569.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Treasury yields pushed higher ahead of today\u2019s keynote speech from Fed Chair Kevin Warsh at the Jackson Hole Symposium, with markets looking for further guidance on the outlook for interest rates. The 2-year yield rose 2.3 basis points to 4.232%, while the 10-year yield added 2.9 basis points to 4.676%. The dollar was relatively steady, with the USD Index edging 0.04% lower to 99.13.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Oil prices jumped again as hopes for a breakthrough in Middle East negotiations faded. President Trump said the US is not currently talking to Iran, once again pushing back expectations of a near-term diplomatic resolution. Brent crude rose 2.12% to $89.70 a barrel, while WTI gained 0.98% to $83.62. Gold edged 0.20% higher to $4,599.23, continuing to trade within its recent range as safe-haven demand competes with elevated bond yields.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fed Inflation Concerns Could Give Dollar
a Boost<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Federal Reserve\u2019s concerns over stubbornly high inflation have come back into focus ahead of Kevin Warsh\u2019s first major address as Fed Chair at the Jackson Hole Symposium today. With US inflation remaining well above the Fed\u2019s 2% target, several policymakers have warned that further progress could be difficult and that interest rates may need to rise sooner rather than later.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Recent comments from Fed officials have highlighted the risk that inflation becomes more persistent, with higher energy prices and tariffs adding to the pressure. Kansas City Fed President Jeffrey Schmid has suggested rates are not currently restrictive enough, while Cleveland Fed President Beth Hammack warned that the central bank risks damaging its credibility if inflation remains elevated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This leaves the market particularly sensitive to Warsh\u2019s comments today. Investors have been looking for signs that the new Fed Chair shares the concerns of his colleagues, particularly given that markets have continued to price in the possibility of lower rates despite inflation remaining sticky. July PCE inflation came in at 3.7%, while core PCE held at 3.3%, both uncomfortably above the Fed\u2019s 2% target.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If Warsh reiterates that inflation remains the Fed\u2019s primary concern and signals that a rate hike may be appropriate in the coming month, the US dollar could receive a fresh boost.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The dollar has already shown signs of responding to stronger US data and shifting rate expectations this week, meaning a hawkish Warsh could provide the catalyst for a more meaningful move higher.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Busy Last Trading Day to the Week<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Markets are likely to see a quieter start to trading today, with attention building towards the final session. Japan\u2019s Tokyo Core CPI (exp +1.8% y\/y) will provide the first key data point, while Canadian GDP (exp +0.2% m\/m) will be released later in the day. The main focus, however, will remain on Jackson Hole, with Fed Chair Kevin Warsh\u2019s speech expected to provide important clues on the future direction of US monetary policy, with traders expecting plenty of volatility around his update. Traders will also be watching the preliminary benchmark payrolls revision for further insight into the strength of the US labour market.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Explore all upcoming market events in the Economic Calendar.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Risk Warning:<\/strong> Trading in securities involves significant risk. Prices may fluctuate and securities can become entirely valueless. You may incur losses that exceed your potential profits, and in some cases, losses may exceed the amount you have deposited. Securities, futures, options, and contracts for differences are complex financial instruments and are not suitable for all investors. Engaging in such transactions requires a sound understanding of the associated risks. Please read and ensure you fully understand our Risk Disclosure<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Our leverage is dynamic and may change at any time. Such changes may affect your positions and margin requirements. You are responsible for monitoring your positions and maintaining sufficient margin at all times<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

US Tech Stocks Higher on AI Optimism \u2013Nasdaq up 1.6% US […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":8,"featured_media":89433,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[463],"tags":[],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/ic.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/89432"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/ic.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/ic.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ic.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/8"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ic.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=89432"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/ic.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/89432\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":89460,"href":"https:\/\/ic.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/89432\/revisions\/89460"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ic.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/89433"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/ic.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=89432"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ic.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=89432"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ic.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=89432"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}