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Protected by:
* EURUSD1.1039-0.55%
* GBPUSD1.3129-0.25%
* USDCHF0.9356-0.07%
* USDJPY119.060.46%
* USDCAD1.2622-0.1%
* EURGBP0.8410-0.3%
* AMZN3,162.630%
* APPLE161.190%
* Coca Cola60.320%
* EBAY55.930%
* Google2,701.480%
* Microsoft296.180%
* CAC 20/03/20204,068.750%
* DAX 20/03/20208,996.500%
* DOW 20/03/202020,347.500%
* Aluminium3,426.251.06%
* COFFEE 19/03/2020117.620%
* CORN 13/03/2020369.270%
* WIG20 20/03/20201,493.500%
* WHEAT 13/03/2020512.870%
* BTCUSD40,957.50-1.61%
* Ethereum2,809.90-1.04%
* Litecoin111.69-1.28%
* Ripple0.7993-1.96%
* Dash96.49-3.19%
* EURUSD1.1039-0.55%
* GBPUSD1.3129-0.25%
* USDCHF0.9356-0.07%
* USDJPY119.060.46%
* USDCAD1.2622-0.1%
* EURGBP0.8410-0.3%
* AMZN3,162.630%
* APPLE161.190%
* Coca Cola60.320%
* EBAY55.930%
* Google2,701.480%
* Microsoft296.180%
* CAC 20/03/20204,068.750%
* DAX 20/03/20208,996.500%
* DOW 20/03/202020,347.500%
* Aluminium3,426.251.06%
* COFFEE 19/03/2020117.620%
* CORN 13/03/2020369.270%
* WIG20 20/03/20201,493.500%
* WHEAT 13/03/2020512.870%
* BTCUSD40,957.50-1.61%
* Ethereum2,809.90-1.04%
* Litecoin111.69-1.28%
* Ripple0.7993-1.96%
* Dash96.49-3.19%

In relation to the current global health situation, please be advised that Arque
Capital will keep working as usual and provide you with trading services.
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REAL-TIME TRADING DATA

See All
* EURUSD
* EURGBP
* USDJPY
* GBPUSD
* APPLE
* Google

EURUSD

-0.0061

REAL-TIME TRADERS ACTIONS

67% BUY

33% SELL

EURGBP

-0.0025

REAL-TIME TRADERS ACTIONS

50% BUY

50% SELL

USDJPY

0.55

REAL-TIME TRADERS ACTIONS

11% BUY

89% SELL

GBPUSD

-0.0033

REAL-TIME TRADERS ACTIONS

66% BUY

34% SELL

APPLE

REAL-TIME TRADERS ACTIONS

100% BUY

0% SELL

GOOGLE

REAL-TIME TRADERS ACTIONS

50% BUY

50% SELL

PORTFOLIO BUILDER

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FINANCIAL NEWS UPDATES

Canadian Solar Shares Rise Despite Earnings, Revenue Miss
2022-03-17 18:54:00 GMT

By Sam Boughedda

Investing.com -- Canadian Solar Inc (NASDAQ:CSIQ) announced its fourth-quarter
and full-year earnings on Thursday, with its shares gaining 3.11% after the
report.

The company missed on both earnings per share and revenue forecasts. Revenue
came in at $1.53 billion, missing analyst estimates of $1.59 billion.
Furthermore, earnings per share came in at 17 cents, missing predictions of 42
cents.

Solar module shipments of 3.8 GW were in line with company's guidance of between
3.7 GW to 3.9 GW.

The manufacturer of solar projects reported full-year revenue grew by 52% to
$5.3 billion, and net income reached $95 million for 2021

"We ended 2021 on a high note, delivering 47% year-over-year revenue growth and
a nearly 20% gross margin in the fourth quarter," commented Shawn Qu, chairman,
and CEO of Canadian Solar. "Over the past decade, we have consistently been a
top 5 global module manufacturer and have pioneered numerous solar crystalline
PV technology advancements as well as business model innovations."

The company sees project sales for the first quarter of 2022 to expand at a 20%
annual rate until 2025. In addition, total revenues are expected to be in the
range of $1.25 billion to $1.35 billion.

For the full year, it expects revenues to be in the range of $7 billion to $7.5
billion, increasing from the previous guidance of between $6.5 billion to $7
billion.

Germany stocks mixed at close of trade; DAX down 0.36%
2022-03-17 18:15:00 GMT

Investing.com – Germany stocks were mixed after the close on Thursday, as gains
in the Food&Beverages, Pharmaceuticals&Healthcare and Software sectors led
shares higher while losses in the Construction, Technology and Insurance sectors
led shares lower.

At the close in Frankfurt, the DAX declined 0.36%, while the MDAX index climbed
0.33%, and the TecDAX index climbed 0.31%.

The best performers of the session on the DAX were Symrise AG Inh. O.N.
(DE:SY1G), which rose 2.41% or 2.45 points to trade at 104.25 at the close.
Meanwhile, Qiagen NV (DE:QIA) added 1.97% or 0.84 points to end at 43.58 and
Vonovia SE (DE:VNAn) was up 1.89% or 0.88 points to 47.32 in late trade.

The worst performers of the session were HelloFresh SE (DE:HFGG), which fell
3.66% or 1.46 points to trade at 38.38 at the close. Continental AG O.N.
(DE:CONG) declined 2.87% or 1.97 points to end at 66.77 and Siemens Energy AG
(DE:ENR1n) was down 2.44% or 0.52 points to 20.80.

The top performers on the MDAX were K&S AG (DE:SDFGn) which rose 6.67% to 25.59,
Uniper SE (DE:UN01) which was up 4.34% to settle at 25.00 and Rheinmetall AG
(DE:RHMG) which gained 4.29% to close at 163.00.

The worst performers were Thyssenkrupp AG O.N. (DE:TKAG) which was down 9.42% to
8.54 in late trade, Fraport AG (DE:FRAG) which lost 3.82% to settle at 50.40 and
Talanx AG NA O.N. (DE:TLXGn) which was down 3.24% to 39.96 at the close.

The top performers on the TecDAX were Morphosys AG O.N. (DE:MORG) which rose
2.59% to 24.56, Qiagen NV (DE:QIA) which was up 1.97% to settle at 43.58 and
Varta AG (DE:VAR1) which gained 1.93% to close at 94.88.

The worst performers were Suse SA (DE:SUSEG) which was down 7.03% to 25.14 in
late trade, Infineon Technologies AG NA O.N. (DE:IFXGn) which lost 2.24% to
settle at 29.87 and SMA Solar Technology AG (DE:S92G) which was down 1.15% to
37.72 at the close.

Rising stocks outnumbered declining ones on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange by 386
to 301 and 81 ended unchanged.

Shares in K&S AG (DE:SDFGn) rose to 3-years highs; up 6.67% or 1.60 to 25.59.
Shares in Rheinmetall AG (DE:RHMG) rose to all time highs; rising 4.29% or 6.70
to 163.00.

The DAX volatility index, which measures the implied volatility of DAX options,
was down 8.04% to 33.05.

Gold Futures for April delivery was up 1.64% or 31.30 to $1,940.50 a troy ounce.
Elsewhere in commodities trading, Crude oil for delivery in April rose 7.93% or
7.54 to hit $102.58 a barrel, while the May Brent oil contract rose 8.65% or
8.48 to trade at $106.50 a barrel.

EUR/USD was up 0.79% to 1.11, while EUR/GBP rose 0.70% to 0.84.

The US Dollar Index Futures was down 0.79% at 97.84.

France stocks higher at close of trade; CAC 40 up 0.36%
2022-03-17 18:00:00 GMT

Investing.com – France stocks were higher after the close on Thursday, as gains
in the Consumer Goods, Technology and Financials sectors led shares higher.

At the close in Paris, the CAC 40 added 0.36%, while the SBF 120 index gained
0.36%.

The best performers of the session on the CAC 40 were Veolia Environnement VE SA
(PA:VIE), which rose 2.77% or 0.81 points to trade at 30.02 at the close.
Meanwhile, Engie SA (PA:ENGIE) added 2.60% or 0.31 points to end at 12.09 and
Pernod Ricard SA (PA:PERP) was up 2.60% or 4.75 points to 187.75 in late trade.

The worst performers of the session were Renault SA (PA:RENA), which fell 5.49%
or 1.36 points to trade at 23.41 at the close. Alstom SA (PA:ALSO) declined
2.83% or 0.61 points to end at 20.98 and BNP Paribas SA (PA:BNPP) was down 2.39%
or 1.30 points to 53.05.

The top performers on the SBF 120 were Electricite de France SA (PA:EDF) which
rose 5.05% to 9.31, Getlink SE (PA:GETP) which was up 4.82% to settle at 15.99
and Orpea SA (PA:ORP) which gained 4.61% to close at 37.91.

The worst performers were Faurecia (PA:EPED) which was down 5.68% to 24.73 in
late trade, Renault SA (PA:RENA) which lost 5.49% to settle at 23.41 and Casino
Guichard Perrachon SA (PA:CASP) which was down 4.28% to 15.77 at the close.

Rising stocks outnumbered declining ones on the Paris Stock Exchange by 321 to
247 and 70 ended unchanged.

Shares in Getlink SE (PA:GETP) rose to 52-week highs; rising 4.82% or 0.74 to
15.99.

The CAC 40 VIX, which measures the implied volatility of CAC 40 options, was
unchanged 0.00% to 18.96 a new 52-week high.

Gold Futures for April delivery was up 1.77% or 33.80 to $1,943.00 a troy ounce.
Elsewhere in commodities trading, Crude oil for delivery in April rose 8.00% or
7.60 to hit $102.64 a barrel, while the May Brent oil contract rose 8.64% or
8.47 to trade at $106.49 a barrel.

EUR/USD was up 0.86% to 1.11, while EUR/GBP rose 0.75% to 0.85.

The US Dollar Index Futures was down 0.84% at 97.79.

Riot Blockchain Stock Gains 8% After Reporting Results
2022-03-17 17:41:58 GMT

By Sam Boughedda

Investing.com -- Riot Blockchain Inc (NASDAQ:RIOT) saw its shares rise 8% on
Thursday after the company announced its full-year earnings.

The bitcoin mining company reported revenue growth of 1,665% to $213.2 million
compared to 2020. However, it still reported a net loss of $7.9 million in 2021.
Total mining revenue in 2021 was $184.4 million compared to $12 million in 2020.

The company increased its hashing capacity by 444% to 3.1 EH/s and increased the
amount of bitcoin held on its balance sheet to 4,884 BTC.

Riot said 2022 will be "a year of consolidation in the Bitcoin mining industry,"
and they believe that, given their relative position in the competitive
landscape, the company is "likely positioned to benefit from this
consolidation."

"We are pleased to report that 2021 was a record financial year for the
Company," said Jason Les, CEO of Riot. "2021 was also a transformative year,
with the Company emerging as a vertically-integrated industry leader in Bitcoin
mining."

Despite rising on Thursday, Riot's stock is down 20% in 2022.

Delta and Airbus to Work on Concept for Hydrogen-Powered Plane
2022-03-17 16:39:40 GMT

By Sam Boughedda

Investing.com -- Delta Air Lines Inc (NYSE:DAL) and Airbus Group SE (PA:AIR)
have signed a memorandum of understanding to collaborate on researching and
developing a hydrogen-powered aircraft.

Delta is Airbus' first U.S.-based partner on hydrogen aircraft. It said it will
provide expertise to identify fleet and network expectations and operational and
infrastructure requirements required to develop commercial planes powered by
hydrogen fuel.

They will specifically focus on the aircraft concept and work more broadly on
coalition building, which includes working on a "decarbonized future in
aviation."

“Hydrogen fuel is an exciting concept that has the potential to redefine the
status quo. These tangible steps lay the groundwork for the next generation of
aviation," said Pam Fletcher, Delta’s Chief Sustainability Officer.

Delta shares fell 1.9% Thursday.

Signet Gains on Q4 Beat, Grows U.S. Market Share
2022-03-17 16:33:57 GMT

By Dhirendra Tripathi

Investing.com – Signet Jewelers stock (NYSE:SIG) jumped 4% Thursday after the
diamond retailer beat fourth-quarter estimates while grabbing a higher share in
the U.S., its biggest market.

Total sales in 2022 jumped 50% and the company is now forecasting the growth to
be around 6% in the current year, notwithstanding its decision to stop buying
diamonds and precious stones mined in Russia.

Total revenue in 2023 is seen between $8.03 billion and $8.25 billion with
profit per share at $12.64 at the midpoint of its guidance range.

The company improved its U.S. market share by 2.7 percentage points to 9.3% for
the year.

"Our fiscal 2023 guidance reflects topline performance that we believe will
outpace the market while also delivering a double-digit operating margin by
leveraging sustainable advantages, notably fleet optimization, inventory
efficiency and an enhanced labor model," CFO and Strategy Officer Joan Hilson
said in a statement.

The company has hiked its quarterly cash dividend by 11%, to 20 cents per share.
Margins improved on higher sales and tighter control on distribution costs. This
was even as selling, general and administrative expenses rose because of
advertising to push holiday sales.

Revenue in the fourth quarter rose 29% to $2.8 billion. Brick and mortar sales
were higher as customers returned to stores, shunning online that grew in the
single digit range.

Both average transaction value and number of transactions were higher in North
America. However, in international markets, average transaction value fell even
as quantum of transactions went up.

Adjusted profit per share was $5.01, up from $4.15 in the same period a year
ago.

Denmark stocks higher at close of trade; OMX Copenhagen 20 up 2.43%
2022-03-17 16:35:00 GMT

Investing.com – Denmark stocks were higher after the close on Thursday, as gains
in the Consumer Goods, Oil&Gas and Healthcare sectors led shares higher.

At the close in Copenhagen, the OMX Copenhagen 20 gained 2.43% to hit a new
1-month high.

The best performers of the session on the OMX Copenhagen 20 were Novozymes A/S B
(CSE:NZYMb), which rose 4.87% or 20.50 points to trade at 441.60 at the close.
Meanwhile, Tryg A/S (CSE:TRYG) added 3.45% or 5.25 points to end at 157.60 and
Novo Nordisk A/S Class B (CSE:NOVOb) was up 3.21% or 22.80 points to 733.50 in
late trade.

The worst performers of the session were Ambu A/S (CSE:AMBUb), which fell 1.58%
or 1.65 points to trade at 102.60 at the close. GN Store Nord (CSE:GN) declined
1.57% or 5.30 points to end at 332.00 and Netcompany Group (CSE:NETCG) was down
0.37% or 1.60 points to 433.80.

Rising stocks outnumbered declining ones on the Copenhagen Stock Exchange by 106
to 52 and 10 ended unchanged.

Crude oil for April delivery was up 7.59% or 7.21 to $102.25 a barrel. Elsewhere
in commodities trading, Brent oil for delivery in May rose 8.52% or 8.35 to hit
$106.37 a barrel, while the April Gold Futures contract rose 1.80% or 34.30 to
trade at $1,943.50 a troy ounce.

USD/DKK was down 0.65% to 6.70, while EUR/DKK rose 0.08% to 7.44.

The US Dollar Index Futures was down 0.73% at 97.90.

Midday Movers: Guess, Dollar General, and Kidpik Rally
2022-03-17 15:57:36 GMT

By Sam Boughedda

Investing.com -- U.S. stocks are trading mixed Thursday, with the S$P 500
slightly rising and the Nasdaq and Dow making a small move lower. Here are the
midday movers on Thursday, March 17th.

Kidpik Corp (NASDAQ:PIK) is trading 77% higher Thursday after news it has teamed
up with Disney in celebration of the release of Disney's Cheaper by the Dozen.
Kidpik, a subscription styling business, has created four fashion boxes as part
of the link-up.

Guess? Inc (NYSE:GES) jumped 9% after the posting better than anticipated
fourth-quarter margins. However, it missed on both sales and profit fronts.

Mullen Automotive Inc (NASDAQ:MULN) made another leap higher Thursday after this
time being featured on Yahoo Finance Live. The stock is currently up 26% after
Monday's 17% gain following the company's feature on CarBuzz.

Dollar General (NYSE:DG) trades over 2% higher after a healthy forecast for
2022, with hopes inflation will drive bargain-hunting consumers to its stores.
The company's earnings beat analyst estimates, coming in at $2.57, above the
expected $2.56, while revenue was below forecasts at $8.65 billion, with
analysts polled by Investing.com expecting $8.7 billion.

Warby Parker Inc (NYSE:WRBY) stock fell more than 3% Thursday after the eyewear
retailer’s 2022 forecast fell short of estimates.

Crude Oil Surges Again as Officials Play Down Peace Hopes
2022-03-17 15:09:49 GMT

By Geoffrey Smith

Investing.com -- Crude oil prices surged back over $100 a barrel on Thursday as
Western and Russian officials played down suggestions of progress in peace talks
between Russia and Ukraine.

A Kremlin spokesman said that reports claiming solid progress were "wrong,"
while U.S. officials pointed to intelligence showing Russia extending its air
and artillery campaign across the south of the country as well as moving
reinforcements from the Far East and Caucasus. Ukrainian officials, meanwhile,
repeated that they would not consider ceding territory to end the war, a key
demand of Russia, which wants recognition for its annexation of Crimea in 2014
and for the breakaway republics it has sponsored in eastern Ukraine.

By 11:20 AM ET (1520 GMT), U.S. crude futures were up 7.0% at $102.20 a barrel,
while Brent futures were up 7.7% at $105.61 a barrel. U.S. gasoline RBOB prices,
meanwhile, were up 5.8% at $3.1606 a gallon.

The market continues to be prey to wild price swings due to a loss of liquidity
from the futures market, as financial players shun the increased volatility seen
in the three weeks since the invasion. Combined open interest in the benchmark
WTI and Brent contracts is currently the lowest since 2016.

Against that backdrop, the market is still absorbing warnings from the
International Energy Agency on Wednesday that some 3 million barrels a day of
Russian production could be shut in from April, due to the difficulty of finding
buyers. Western oil majors such as Shell (LON:RDSa) and BP (NYSE:BP) have said
they won't buy Russian crude any more, while many more buyers are trying to find
alternative sources to avoid the risk of violating U.S. sanctions
unintentionally. By contrast, Indian plans to circumvent Western measures by
trading in non-dollar currencies are still at an embryonic stage.

Vagit Alekperov, CEO of Lukoil, was quoted by RIA Novosti as saying that he
still hoped to avoid any fall in production this year, noting that his company's
drilling activity was up 5% on the year so far in 2022.

Importantly, Western governments are still failing to break the unity of the
OPEC+ bloc and tease more oil out of the Persian Gulf to replace the barrels
that will likely be lost from Russia. The United Arab Emirates' foreign minister
said Thursday after a meeting with Russia's Sergey Lavrov that: "It is important
to maintain the stability of energy and food markets," and signaled no deviation
from the bloc's agreed path of output increases. That's important because the
UAE, which has plenty of spare capacity, has repeatedly chafed at the slow pace
of output increases over the last six months.

Prices were also supported by evidence suggesting that China's lockdowns to
contain the latest outbreaks of Covid-19 may not be as severe as those seen two
years ago, and may thus avoid a repeat of the sudden stop to fuel consumption
witnessed then. Neighboring Japan said earlier Thursday that it would lift most
remaining restrictions on economic life as the winter Covid wave ebbs. And in
the U.S., data released on Thursday showed plenty of economic strength, with
manufacturing output rising at its fastest in four months and initial jobless
claims returning to their downward trend. Housing starts and building permits
were also both stronger than expected.

Guess Jumps on Better Q4 Profit Margins, Accelerated Share Buyback
2022-03-17 15:10:14 GMT

By Dhirendra Tripathi

Investing.com – Guess (NYSE:GES) stock climbed 8% Thursday after the retailer
posted better fourth quarter margins than anticipated, persuading traders to
ignore the misses on both sales and profit fronts.

Adding to the gains is the company’s plan to do a $175 million accelerated share
repurchase.

Adjusted operating margin in the fourth quarter rose 3.6% to 15.7% because of
higher markups, fewer discounts, and lower occupancy costs. Retailers have been
able to cut back on discounts as demand has stayed elevated while inventories
are stabilizing.

The gains were partially offset by lower comparable sales in Europe and higher
inbound freight costs.

Assuming no meaningful COVID-related shutdowns, the company expects 2023 revenue
to grow in low-single digits. It forecast a deterioration in operating margin,
but still sees it close to 10.5% for the year. Revenue in 2022 was $2.6 billion.

Fourth quarter adjusted profit per share was $1.14, while revenue was down 5% to
$800 million.

CEO Carlos Alberini said the company’s 26% return on invested capital for the
year is the highest it has been in ten years.

“Our balance sheet is strong, and we plan to use our capital opportunistically
to return value to our shareholders through dividends and increased share
repurchases.”

The company will pay a quarterly dividend of 22 cents.

For the current quarter, the company is expecting first quarter revenue to be up
in low-teens.

Virgin Orbit Up After Polish Space Agency Cooperation Agreement
2022-03-17 14:55:40 GMT

By Sam Boughedda

Investing.com -- On Thursday, it was revealed that Virgin Orbit Holdings Inc
(NASDAQ:VORB) and the Polish Government have signed a Letter of Intent to
collaborate.

Virgin Orbit will work with the Polish Space Agency (POLSA) to analyze
LauncherOne's (Virgin Orbit's domestic launch system) applications "in support
of Poland’s science and economy industries."

Virgin Orbit said Poland’s space development body conveyed a strong interest in
bringing domestic launch capability to Poland.

"LauncherOne has demonstrated its unique ability to open space launch solutions
for regions where spaceflight would otherwise be limited or impractical – a
solution made possible through a dedicated carrier aircraft and ground support
systems," the company said.

“Today’s agreement marks an important step to providing assured access to space
for Poland and surrounding nations--serving Polish industry, science and
security,” added Virgin Orbit CEO Dan Hart.

Virgin Orbit shares rose 5% in early Thursday trading. However, they are down
22% so far this year.

Warby Parker Falls as Outlook Disappoints, Q4 Loss Widens
2022-03-17 14:16:08 GMT

By Dhirendra Tripathi

Investing.com – Warby Parker (NYSE:WRBY) stock traded 3% lower Thursday after
the eyewear retailer’s 2022 forecast fell short of estimates.

The company said it lost sales of around $15 million to disruption caused by
Omicron at the start of the year. It cost the company 3 percentage points of
growth, Warby Parker said. The company has, for long, strived to prove that
eyewear retailing can be a business of scales and profits.

The company now expects current-year revenue to be $655 million at the midpoint
of its guidance range, up 21%. This compares to the 2021 revenue of $541
million, which grew over 37% year-over-year.

WRBY went public through a direct listing on NYSE in September. Its market cap
has since halved to $3 billion now.

The company closed the year with 161 stores across U.S. and Canada; opened 35
new stores year-to-date, including seven openings in the quarter. It has a
unique ‘Buy a Pair, Give a Pair’ program under which it gives a pair to someone
in need against every pair of glasses or sunglasses sold.

Margins improved slightly in the quarter due to the scaling up of progressive
lenses business, partially offset by increased penetration of contact lenses.

Selling, general and administrative (SG&A) expenses rose due to higher staff
compensation and more spending on marketing to push sales in the holidays.

Net revenue jumped 17.8% year-over-year to top $133 million. Net loss was higher
by $41.6 million, reaching $46 million due to higher SG&A expenses.

Saudi Arabia stocks higher at close of trade; Tadawul All Share up 0.89%
2022-03-17 14:15:00 GMT

Investing.com – Saudi Arabia stocks were higher after the close on Thursday, as
gains in the Insurance, Financial Services and Petrochemicals sectors led shares
higher.

At the close in Saudi Arabia, the Tadawul All Share gained 0.89%.

The best performers of the session on the Tadawul All Share were Bupa Arabia for
Coop. Insurance (SE:8210), which rose 8.33% or 14.00 points to trade at 182.00
at the close. Meanwhile, Bindawood Holding Co (SE:4161) added 6.35% or 5.70
points to end at 95.50 and Saudi Industrial Investment Group (SE:2250) was up
5.34% or 1.90 points to 37.50 in late trade.

The worst performers of the session were Dur Hospitality (SE:4010), which fell
7.00% or 2.30 points to trade at 30.55 at the close. Saudi Electricity Company
(SE:5110) declined 6.14% or 1.70 points to end at 26.00 and AlJazira Mawten REIT
(SE:4331) was down 5.12% or 1.28 points to 23.72.

Rising stocks outnumbered declining ones on the Saudi Arabia Stock Exchange by
123 to 98 and 14 ended unchanged.

Shares in Bupa Arabia for Coop. Insurance (SE:8210) rose to all time highs;
rising 8.33% or 14.00 to 182.00.

Crude oil for April delivery was up 7.09% or 6.74 to $101.78 a barrel. Elsewhere
in commodities trading, Brent oil for delivery in May rose 7.42% or 7.27 to hit
$105.29 a barrel, while the April Gold Futures contract rose 2.00% or 38.10 to
trade at $1,947.30 a troy ounce.

EUR/SAR was up 0.37% to 4.15, while USD/SAR unchanged 0.01% to 3.75.

The US Dollar Index Futures was down 0.43% at 98.19.

AMD Announces Adrenalin Edition Software Release
2022-03-17 14:12:43 GMT

By Sam Boughedda

Investing.com -- On Thursday, Advanced Micro Devices (NASDAQ:AMD) announced the
AMD Software: Adrenalin Edition 2022 and the AMD FidelityFX Super Resolution
upscaling technology release.

The company said Adrenalin, the latest addition to the company's software suite,
will bring "advanced and innovative capabilities to unlock the full potential of
gaming experiences on AMD-powered systems."

The spring update features AMD Radeon Super Resolution technology, a new
upscaling technology that AMD says delivers increased performance with
high-quality visuals and is compatible with thousands of games.

“Great hardware demands exceptional software. AMD’s latest Adrenalin Edition
software arms gamers with reliability, day-0 support for new games as they
launch, and regular performance enhancements, including up to a 15-percent
gaming performance uplift compared to last year’s release2,” said Frank Azor,
chief architect of Gaming Solutions at AMD.

The company said Adrenalin Edition can be downloaded today, while the AMD
FidelityFX Super Resolution 2.0 is expected to be available in the second
quarter.

AMD shares are down 1% in early Thursday trading.

U.S. Stocks Rally on Energy Gains as Oil Prices Soar
2022-03-17 11:12:38 GMT

By Geoffrey Smith and Liz Moyer

Investing.com -- Wall Street rallied in New York on Thursday, lifted by the
energy sector after strong data on jobs followed the expected interest rate hike
by the Federal Reserve.

By 4:12 PM ET, the Dow Jones Industrial Average closed up 417 points, or 1.2%,
the S&P 500 rose 1.2% and the NASDAQ Composite was up 1.3%. The Dow rose 1.5% on
Wednesday after the Fed raised rates by 25 basis points and signaled at least
another six quarter-point increases over the next 12 months.

The hike had long been anticipated by markets, which chose to focus instead on
the accompanying economic forecasts from the Fed, which suggested that the
tightening cycle could proceed without causing a recession.

Also helping the mood on Wednesday had been reports of a detailed peace plan
drafted by Ukraine and Russia. However, the Kremlin said Thursday that reports
of significant progress were "wrong" and Russia has reacted angrily to President
Joe Biden's designation of Vladimir Putin as a "war criminal" on Wednesday. The
comments followed reports of a Russian strike on a theater in Mariupol that was
being used as a shelter by hundreds of civilians of all ages.

Analysts warned against what appeared to be some "magical thinking" by both the
Fed and by some market participants, noting that even a peace deal between
Russia and Ukraine will not remove all the headwinds currently blowing.

"It would be unwise to assume that even if actions do follow words, there is a
return to the pre-war status quo," said Paul Donovan, chief economist of UBS
Wealth Management, in a morning briefing. "Sanctions are likely to be unwound
slowly...There has been an irreparable break in how the world works.”

Thursday will be the busiest day this week for U.S. economic data. Weekly
jobless claims came in at 214,000, slightly below expectations. February housing
starts rose 6.8% and building permits were down 1.9%. The Philly Fed index was
27.4, above expectations for a reading of 15.

In corporate news, Accenture's (NYSE:ACN) quarterly report included guidance
that was above expectations and a warning about the loss of business in Russia,
while Dollar General (NYSE:DG) more or less met estimates for profit and
revenue. FedEx (NYSE:FDX) reports after the bell.

In commodity markets, oil prices have rebounded as the Kremlin downplayed peace
talks, and Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates rebuffed pleas from U.K.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson for more oil. By 4:12 PM ET, U.S. crude futures
were up 8.6% at $103.28 a barrel, while Brent was up 8.9% at $106.75 a barrel.

Gold Futures were up 1.5% at $1,937 an ounce.

This story was published at 7:12 AM ET and updated

Biden-Xi Talks, Russia Debt Payment, GameStop Loss - What's Moving Markets
2022-03-18 10:34:30 GMT

By Geoffrey Smith

Investing.com -- U.S. President Joe Biden will warn China's Xi Jinping that the
U.S. will retaliate against it if it provides active support to Russia's
invasion of Ukraine. Xi, meanwhile, signalled a subtle shift in China's Covid-19
policy to alleviate the stress on China's economy. Russia avoids default - at
least for now - but oil rises further on fears that it intends to escalate the
war. GameStop (NYSE:GME) shares stumble after a surprise loss over the holiday
quarter. Here's what you need to know in financial markets on Friday, 18th
March.

1. Biden – Xi talks

U.S. President Joe Biden will talk with his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping, and
will warn him that China will face “costs” if its verbal support of Russia over
Ukraine morphs into more substantial help, according to Secretary of State
Anthony Blinken.

According to various reports, the U.S. is determined to stop China undermining
Western sanctions against the country and to deter it from sending the military
assistance that it says the Kremlin has asked for. Russia denies that it has
asked for help.

China – like India – abstained from the UN motion two weeks ago condemning
Russia’s invasion, and official media have largely followed the Russian line in
blaming U.S.-led expansion of NATO for triggering the conflict. Chinese
officials have repeatedly expressed concern about the damage to the world
economy from the sanctions imposed by the U.S., EU and allies since the
invasion.

Federal Reserve officials Michelle Bowman, Charles Evans and Tom Barkin are all
due to speak later, giving their take on the events of earlier in the week.

2. Russia avoids default for now

The sanctions on Russia may not actually be as tight as advertised. Reports
suggest that Russia has serviced its international debt payments, using central
bank reserves that were supposed to be frozen under the measures announced two
weeks ago.

Newswire reports said that bondholders had started to receive payments in
respect of interest totalling $117 million, avoiding what would have been a
momentous default that would have sent shockwaves through the emerging market
debt universe.

Bloomberg reported that various leading Russian companies, such as Norilsk
Nickel (OTC:NILSY) and Severstal (LON:0SJQ), have also serviced their foreign
debt obligations. Russia’s central bank will hold a regular policy meeting
later, and Governor Elvira Nabiullina, who was earlier re-nominated for another
term by President Vladimir Putin, is likely to be asked about both this week’s
payments and future ones.

3. Stocks set to open lower; Boeing-Delta deal in focus

U.S. stock markets are set to open lower later but still in the green for the
week after two days of solid gains since the Federal Reserve raised U.S.
interest rates for the first time in over three years.

By 6:15 AM ET (1015 GMT), Dow Jones futures were down 187 points or 0.5%, while
S&P 500 futures were down 0.6% and Nasdaq 100 futures were down 0.7%. The three
indices had all risen by over 1% on Thursday, after even bigger gains
immediately after the Fed decision on Wednesday.

Stocks likely to be in focus later include Boeing (NYSE:BA), which was reported
by Reuters to be in advanced talks with Delta Air Lines (NYSE:DAL) over an order
for around 100 of its 737 MAX 10 aircraft. FedEx (NYSE:FDX) will be in the
spotlight after its earnings spoke of increasing cost pressures, while
GameStop’s turnaround again looks in doubt after it posted a surprise loss
during the holiday quarter.

4. Xi signals shift in Covid policy

Chinese President Xi Jinping signalled a shift in the country’s ‘zero-tolerance’
policy to Covid, bolstering hopes that the country will come to terms with a
virus that has become too hard to suppress entirely.

China will “strive to achieve the maximum prevention and control effect at the
least cost and minimize the impact of the epidemic on economic and social
development,” Bloomberg reported Xi as telling a Politburo standing committee
meeting on Thursday.

The lockdowns in Shenzhen and Jilin over the last two weeks have not been as
severe as those seen in 2020, although they have been enough to lead to
widespread factory closures. Shenzhen, a major manufacturing hub, is set to
loosen its restrictions soon, local authorities said on Thursday, but gave no
precise timetable.

Hong Kong, meanwhile, continues to suffer one of the highest death rates seen
anywhere in the world over the last two rates, as a combination of low
vaccination rates and high population density takes its toll.

In Europe, Germany is also set to drop most of its Covid restrictions from
Monday, despite a continued run of high infections.

5. Oil pushes higher on Ukraine escalation fears

Crude oil prices drifted higher again on Friday as fears of further escalation
to the war in Ukraine predominated. U.S. officials have warned that, after
suffering repeated battlefield setbacks, Russia may be preparing to use chemical
weapons to increase the pressure on Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to
accept its demands.

By 6:30 AM ET, U.S. crude futures were up 1.3% at $104.35 a barrel, while Brent
futures were up 1.3% at $107.97 a barrel.

Fears that Western sanctions could lead to a sudden stop of Russian export
appear to be misplaced, however. India has quadrupled its imports of Russian oil
this month to some 360,000 barrels a day, according to Kpler data cited by the
Financial Times.

Baker Hughes’ rig count and the CFTC’s positioning data round off the week
later.

European Stocks Open Mostly Lower; Biden-Xi Call Awaited
2022-03-18 07:47:25 GMT

By Geoffrey Smith

Investing.com -- European stock markets opened slightly lower on Friday but were
still on course for a weekly gain, as participants awaited the outcome of key
talks between U.S. President Joe Biden and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping.

By 4:20 AM ET (0820 GMT), the Euro Stoxx 50 was down 6 points, or 0.2% while the
broader-based Stoxx 600 was flat. The best performing major index was the FTSE
MIB in Italy, while France's CAC 40 underperformed with a 0.4% drop, a day after
President Emmanuel Macron warned that the state may have to nationalize "certain
energy companies" - a comment taken to refer to Electricite de France (PA:EDF).

Stocks look likely to finish the week higher; thanks to the ongoing diplomacy
that has accompanied Russia's war in Ukraine, which has seen the two sides'
positions inch closer to each other since last weekend. However, on the ground,
the campaign remains as destructive as ever, with Russian rockets striking the
city of Lviv in western Ukraine overnight.

A vital part of that diplomatic process - despite its location on the other side
of the world - is China, whose political support for Russia has cushioned the
impact of the West's economic sanctions on the country. Secretary of State
Antony Blinken warned on Thursday that “China will bear responsibility for any
actions it takes to support Russia’s aggression and we will not hesitate to
impose costs.”

Foreign exchange markets were broadly stable although the dollar pushed back
toward a six-year high against the yen after the Bank of Japan warned of
negative impacts to the Japanese economy from the Ukraine war, largely through
the channel of higher raw material costs. That follows similar warnings from the
European Central Bank and Bank of England this week. The BoE hiked its key rate
for a third straight meeting to 0.75% on Thursday, but sterling weakened as the
Bank's warning about war impacts put a greater emphasis on the downside risk to
growth than on the upside risk to prices. As such, traders scaled back their
bets on the BoE, keeping step with the Fed as it tightens policy throughout
2022.

By 4:20 AM ET, the euro was down 0.1% at $1.1077 while the pound was up 0.1% at
$1.3153. The dollar was also trading at 118.90 yen, up 0.3% on the day.

A busy week for central banks comes to an end later with the Central Bank of
Russia's policy meeting. The pressure on the ruble has eased off in recent days,
but it has still lost one-third of its value since the invasion. President
Vladimir Putin proposed a new term for Governor Elvira Nabiullina on Thursday,
days after rumors swirled about her unsuccessfully offering her resignation.

Among early movers, Danish shipping giant Maersk (CSE:MAERSKb) rose 0.4% after
it warned that China's string of COVID-19 outbreaks could revive disruptions to
global supply chains, while Dutch-listed Prosus (AS:PRX), which holds Naspers'
strategic stake in Chinese Internet giant Tencent, rose 2.3% as sentiment toward
Chinese stocks continued to improve gradually.

Australia stocks higher at close of trade; S&P/ASX 200 up 0.60%
2022-03-18 07:45:00 GMT

Investing.com – Australia stocks were higher after the close on Friday, as gains
in the Energy, IT and Resources sectors led shares higher.

At the close in Sydney, the S&P/ASX 200 added 0.60%.

The best performers of the session on the S&P/ASX 200 were Nuix Ltd (ASX:NXL),
which rose 5.93% or 0.08 points to trade at 1.43 at the close. Meanwhile, Iluka
Resources Ltd (ASX:ILU) added 5.45% or 0.55 points to end at 10.64 and Atlas
Arteria (ASX:ALX) was up 5.23% or 0.36 points to 7.24 in late trade.

The worst performers of the session were Megaport Ltd (ASX:MP1), which fell
8.06% or 1.14 points to trade at 13.00 at the close. Abacus Property Group
(ASX:ABP) declined 5.90% or 0.21 points to end at 3.35 and Mesoblast Ltd
(ASX:MSB) was down 4.76% or 0.06 points to 1.20.

Rising stocks outnumbered declining ones on the Sydney Stock Exchange by 836 to
527 and 410 ended unchanged.

Shares in Atlas Arteria (ASX:ALX) rose to 52-week highs; rising 5.23% or 0.36 to
7.24.

The S&P/ASX 200 VIX, which measures the implied volatility of S&P/ASX 200
options, was down 6.30% to 15.49.

Gold Futures for April delivery was down 0.42% or 8.25 to $1,934.95 a troy
ounce. Elsewhere in commodities trading, Crude oil for delivery in April rose
1.27% or 1.31 to hit $104.29 a barrel, while the May Brent oil contract rose
0.89% or 0.95 to trade at $107.59 a barrel.

AUD/USD was unchanged 0.27% to 0.74, while AUD/JPY rose 0.53% to 87.91.

The US Dollar Index Futures was up 0.15% at 98.12.

Japan stocks higher at close of trade; Nikkei 225 up 0.65%
2022-03-18 07:35:00 GMT

Investing.com – Japan stocks were higher after the close on Friday, as gains in
the Transportation Equipment, Transport and Power sectors led shares higher.

At the close in Tokyo, the Nikkei 225 rose 0.65%.

The best performers of the session on the Nikkei 225 were Pacific Metals Co.,
Ltd. (T:5541), which rose 8.38% or 290.00 points to trade at 3,750.00 at the
close. Meanwhile, Toho Zinc Co., Ltd. (T:5707) added 8.09% or 220.00 points to
end at 2,940.00 and Mitsui Mining and Smelting Co. (T:5706) was up 5.80% or
190.00 points to 3,465.00 in late trade.

The worst performers of the session were Tokyo Gas Co., Ltd. (T:9531), which
fell 2.89% or 67.00 points to trade at 2,252.00 at the close. JTEKT Corp.
(T:6473) declined 2.85% or 27.00 points to end at 920.00 and Dentsu Inc.
(T:4324) was down 2.78% or 135.00 points to 4,725.00.

Rising stocks outnumbered declining ones on the Tokyo Stock Exchange by 2360 to
1201 and 228 ended unchanged.

The Nikkei Volatility, which measures the implied volatility of Nikkei 225
options, was down 5.02% to 27.05.

Crude oil for April delivery was up 2.02% or 2.08 to $105.06 a barrel. Elsewhere
in commodities trading, Brent oil for delivery in May rose 1.51% or 1.61 to hit
$108.25 a barrel, while the April Gold Futures contract fell 0.45% or 8.65 to
trade at $1,934.55 a troy ounce.

USD/JPY was up 0.28% to 118.93, while EUR/JPY rose 0.17% to 131.72.

The US Dollar Index Futures was up 0.17% at 98.14.

Gold Down, Hopes Rise for Ukraine Conflict Resolution
2022-03-18 04:25:06 GMT

By Gina Lee

Investing.com – Gold was down on Friday morning in Asia, easing towards its
biggest weekly drop since late November 2021. Hopes that progress in ceasefire
talks between Ukraine and Russia dented the yellow metal’s safe-haven appeal.

Gold futures were down 0.40% to $1,935.40 by 12:24 AM ET (4:24 AM GMT), dropping
around 2.4% in the week to date.

"The reality is that as the concerns about the outlook for Ukraine eased, so did
the gold price and talks this week of the 15-point peace plan and potential for
agreement between Russia and Ukraine has seen prices come off," Tiger Brokers
chief strategy officer Michael McCarthy told Reuters.

"To some extent, the U.S. dollar has been an important factor and one of the
things that pulled back gold from that attempt at the all-time highs."

Russia appeared to have stalled its advance on Ukrainian cities after its
invasion on Feb. 24. Officials from the two countries met again for peace talks,
however, progress was limited.

"Certainly a quarter-point lifting rates was expected, but what wasn't expected
was six more increases over the course of 2022. This is a hawkish statement from
the U.S. Federal Reserve," said McCarthy. He was referring to the central bank’s
interest rate to 0.5% as it handed down its policy decision on Wednesday.

Across the Atlantic, the Bank of England hiked its interest rates to 0.75% as it
handed down its policy decision on Thursday. Meanwhile, the Bank of Japan kept
its interest rate steady at -0.10% as it handed down its policy decision earlier
in the day.

In other precious metals, palladium jumped 2.7% but was set for a second
consecutive weekly fall of about 8%. Silver was down 0.3% and was set for its
first weekly dip in seven. Platinum was flat at $1,021.62 but was set for a
weekly dip of 5%, the biggest since November 2021.

Oil Up, Jumps as Chances of Ukraine Conflict Resolution Fall
2022-03-18 04:02:02 GMT

By Gina Lee

Investing.com – Oil was up on Friday morning in Asia, extending its rally at the
end of a third volatile week. The slim chance of progress in ceasefire talks
between Ukraine and Russia raised the possibility of tighter sanctions and
continued disruption to oil supply.

Brent oil futures rose 2.65% to $109.47 by 11:58 PM ET (3:58 AM GMT), after
climbing nearly 9% on Thursday in the largest percentage gain since mid-2020.
WTI futures jumped 2.86% to 105.93 after an 8% jump during the previous day.
However, both Brent and WTI futures were set to end the week down about 4%,
after trading in a $16 range. The black liquid also dropped from the 14-year
highs hit nearly two weeks ago.

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday warned "traitors and scum" at home
who helped the West that they would be spat out like gnats, which added to
concerns that the conflict stemming from Russia’s invasion of Ukraine on Feb. 24
will drag on.

Putin's comments, alongside comments from a Russian spokesperson saying a report
of major progress in peace talks was "wrong" and U.S. President Joe Biden
calling Putin a "war criminal", all drove a wave of buying on Thursday,
according to some analysts.

"I'm still expecting more volatility. There's a lot of uncertainty out there
still," Westpac senior economist Justin Smirk told Reuters.

This recent volatility has scared players out of the oil market, which in turn
is likely to exacerbate price swings, traders, according to bankers and
analysts.

Western sanctions on Russia, alongside stalled talks to revive a 2015 nuclear
deal with Iran, falling oil stockpiles, and the latest COVID-19 outbreak in
China are all adding to the market’s volatility.

"In such a tight market and such an illiquid paper market, you're going to get
some volatility," said Smirk.

Dollar Up, but Near One-Week Low, as Fed Decision Impact Continues
2022-03-18 03:33:31 GMT

By Gina Lee

Investing.com – The dollar was up on Friday morning in Asia but was set for its
first down week in six and remained near a one-week low, as the impact of the
U.S. Federal Reserve’s latest policy decision continues.

The U.S. Dollar Index that tracks the greenback against a basket of other
currencies edged up 0.15% to 98.120 by 11:30 PM ET (3:30 AM GMT).

The USD/JPY pair edged up 0.16% to 118.78.

The AUD/USD pair inched down 0.01% to 0.7373 while the NZD/USD pair inched up
0.01% to 0.6880.

The USD/CNY pair edged up 0.18% to 6.3584 and the GBP/USD pair inched up 0.05%
to 1.3153.

The dollar’s losses were the euro’s gain, with the single currency little
changed at $1.10885 on Friday but up 1.67% for the week. Hopes for an end to
conflict stemming from Russia’s invasion of Ukraine on Feb. 24 rose. Talks
between the two countries continue but Thursday’s progress was elusive. Russia’s
avoidance of default on its dollar-denominated debt also boosted sentiment.

U.S. President Joe Biden and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping will speak later
in the day, where he is expected to warn China not to provide support to Russia.

The pound was higher and set for its first winning week in four. Investors
continued to digest the Bank of England hiking interest rates to 0.75% as it
handed down its policy decision on Thursday. The central bank also softened its
language around the need for future rate hikes to "might be appropriate" from
"likely to be appropriate."

However, "a more favorable diplomatic backdrop between Russia and Ukraine
appears to be developing and there's more dollar index downside to be had if
momentum moves toward a ceasefire," Westpac strategists said in a note.

The dollar index still looks headed to 100 and above as the Fed's hiking cycle
progresses, the note added. The U.S. currency paused for breath and was set for
a 1.09% loss over the period. The greenback fell to 97.724 on Thursday for the
first time since Mar. 10.

The ripple effects from Wednesday’s Fed’s policy decision, which saw the central
bank hike its interest rate to 0.5%, also continue. The Fed also hinted at hikes
at each of its six remaining policy meetings in 2022, with some investors
wondering whether the economy will be able to handle the tightening.

"A well-worn market axiom, that says sell the dollar on the first Fed rate hike,
is circulating with added momentum after the dollar's failure to rally in the
wake of this week's indisputably hawkish Fed," TD Securities analysts said in a
research report.

The Bank of Japan also kept its interest rate steady at -0.10% as it handed down
its policy decision earlier in the day. The widening policy gap with its U.S.
counterpart pushed the yen to a six-year high at 119.13 on Wednesday. The yen is
set for a 1.15% weekly decline after falling 2.26% during the previous session,
its worst in two years.

Asian Stocks Mixed, U.S. Chinese Shares Cool Rally
2022-03-18 02:38:50 GMT

By Gina Lee

Investing.com – Asia Pacific stocks were mixed on Friday morning, with a rally
in Chinese shares in the U.S. cooling. Investors continue digesting mixed
signals on peace talks to end the conflict in Ukraine.

Japan’s Nikkei 225 was up 0.28% by 10:36 PM ET (2:36 AM GMT), with the Bank of
Japan handing down its monetary policy earlier in the day. Data also showed that
the national core consumer price index (CPI) grew 0.6% year-on-year in February
2022. The national CPI grew 0.9% year-on-year and 0.4% month-on-month.

South Korea’s KOSPI inched down 0.02% while in Australia, the ASX 200 was up
0.32%

Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index slid 1.7%.

China’s Shanghai Composite inched up 0.02% while the Shenzhen Component fell
0.64%. U.S.-traded Chinese shares eased a historic rally as investors await
follow-up action from the government on its vow to stabilize markets.

The ceasefire talks to resolve conflict stemming from Russia’s invasion of
Ukraine on Feb. 24 are also on investors’ radars. However, Russia has cast doubt
on the talks’ progress and the Pentagon warned that Russian President Vladimir
Putin may threaten to use nuclear weapons if the conflict drags on.

Global shares have rallied in recent days and are set for their best week since
November 2020. This suggests that some of the worst fears about the inflationary
commodity shock and the conflict in Ukraine are easing.

However, continued fighting and tightening Federal Reserve monetary policy could
mean more cross-asset swings ahead.

“I don’t necessarily expect the rest of the year to be that easy,” RBC Capital
Markets LLC head of U.S. equity strategy Lori Calvasina told Bloomberg.

“Volatility is likely to stay elevated for quite some time” even as sentiment
gauges “have been a screaming buy in some respects for quite some time.”

U.S. President Joe Biden will discuss the situation in Ukraine with Chinese
counterpart Xi Jinping later in the day. Biden will warn of “costs” if China
backs Russia, according to U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken.

The U.S. House of Representatives voted to end Russia’s Most Favored Nation
status, leading the way to sharply higher tariffs on Russian goods. S&P Global
(NYSE:SPGI) Ratings also slashed Russia’s credit score to CC, saying its debt is
“highly vulnerable to nonpayment.”

However, JPMorgan Chase&Co. processed funds for interest payments due on Russian
government dollar bonds, which eased fears of a default.

U.S. data showed that building permits showed a reading of 1.859 million while
contracting 1.9% month-on-month in February. The reading for housing starts was
1.769 million, while it grew 6.8% month-on-month.

The data also showed that industrial production grew 7.45% year-on-year and 0.5%
month-on-month. This supported U.S. Federal Chairman Jerome Powell’s view that
the economy can withstand monetary tightening.

Investors are now bracing for the quarterly triple witching event later in the
day, where roughly $3.5 trillion of single-stock and index-level options are set
to expire, according to Goldman Sachs Group Inc.

Energy Stocks, FedEx Earnings, GameStop Report: 3 Things to Watch
2022-03-17 20:51:49 GMT

By Sam Boughedda

Investing.com – Stocks rallied on Thursday as investors settled into the
knowledge that the Federal Reserve is likely to raise rates at each of its
remaining meetings this year, after lifting the short-term benchmark a
quarter-point on Wednesday.

The Fed’s move was of course well-telegraphed and long expected. The central
bank’s policy setting members are forecasting the fed funds rate to end up the
year around 1.9%

Despite rising rates, tech stocks rose 1% on Thursday. Normally rising interest
rates would spark a sell-off in growth stocks, but investors can’t seem to
resist big tech companies.

The broader rally in stocks could also indicate investors believe the Fed will
be able to fight inflation by raising rates without tipping the economy into a
recession, as is what tends to happen.

Economic data on Thursday showed new claims for unemployment insurance dropped
to 214,000 last week, beating expectations. Continuing claims dropped to the
lowest level since 1970.

Earnings season is largely over, though a couple more reports are due out from
GameStop and FedEx on Thursday after the closing bell.

President Joe Biden is scheduled to talk with China’s Xi Jinping on Friday,
expected to emphasize the consequences of assisting Russia either militarily or
financially in getting around Western sanctions for its incursion into Ukraine.

Here are three things that could affect markets tomorrow:

1. Another day watching oil

The International Energy Agency said three million barrels per day of Russian
oil and products could be shut in from April, and that sent energy stocks up,
including Occidental Petroleum (NYSE:OXY), Devon Energy (NYSE:DVN), and APA
(NASDAQ:APA) which rose more than 9%, 9% and 7%, respectively.

Occidental Petroleum was also boosted by news that Warren Buffett’s Berkshire
Hathaway (NYSE:BRKa) purchased 18.1 million more shares of Occidental.

2. Logistics play

FedEx Corporation (NYSE:FDX)missed earnings per share expectations, while
revenue exceeded forecasts thanks to a boom in online shopping. FedEx revealed
earnings per share of $4.59 on revenue of $23.6 billion. Analysts polled by
Investing.com anticipated EPS of $4.68 on revenue of $23.4 billion.

The company said its results benefited from lower variable compensation costs
and less severe winter weather, resulting in favorable year-over-year
comparisons. However, the positive numbers were partially offset by the effects
of the Omicron variant and higher purchased transportation costs and wage rates.

3. GameStop earnings

GameStop Corp (NYSE:GME) fell more than 7% in after-market trading after it
reported a fourth quarter loss of $1.86, from $1.39 a year earlier, but that
missed expectations for a profit of 85 cents a share. Revenue rose to $2.25
billion from $2.12 billion a year earlier.

GameStop, one the original so-called meme stocks, entered into a partnership
with Immutable X to create a marketplace for nonfungible tokens, or NFTs. The
partnership will provide the company with up to $150 million in IMX tokens upon
achievement of certain milestones.

–Investing.com staff contributed to this report

U.S. stocks higher at close of trade; Dow Jones Industrial Average up 1.23%
2022-03-17 20:25:00 GMT

Investing.com – U.S. stocks were higher after the close on Thursday, as gains in
the Oil&Gas, Basic Materials and Healthcare sectors led shares higher.

At the close in NYSE, the Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 1.23%, while the
S&P 500 index climbed 1.23%, and the NASDAQ Composite index added 1.33%.

The best performers of the session on the Dow Jones Industrial Average were Dow
Inc (NYSE:DOW), which rose 5.38% or 3.21 points to trade at 62.85 at the close.
Meanwhile, American Express Company (NYSE:AXP) added 3.53% or 6.37 points to end
at 186.98 and Caterpillar Inc (NYSE:CAT) was up 2.58% or 5.58 points to 221.66
in late trade.

The worst performers of the session were McDonald’s Corporation (NYSE:MCD),
which fell 0.28% or 0.67 points to trade at 237.47 at the close. Verizon
Communications Inc (NYSE:VZ) declined 0.25% or 0.13 points to end at 52.36 and
Walmart Inc (NYSE:WMT) was up 0.08% or 0.12 points to 144.91.

The top performers on the S&P 500 were Devon Energy Corporation (NYSE:DVN) which
rose 9.65% to 57.52, Occidental Petroleum Corporation (NYSE:OXY) which was up
9.45% to settle at 58.00 and APA Corporation (NASDAQ:APA) which gained 7.00% to
close at 39.43.

The worst performers were SolarEdge Technologies Inc (NASDAQ:SEDG) which was
down 5.85% to 314.60 in late trade, HP Inc (NYSE:HPQ) which lost 3.71% to settle
at 34.48 and Advanced Micro Devices Inc (NASDAQ:AMD) which was down 3.19% to
111.69 at the close.

The top performers on the NASDAQ Composite were Kidpik Corp (NASDAQ:PIK) which
rose 158.15% to 4.75, Cuentas Inc (NASDAQ:CUEN) which was up 54.55% to settle at
1.70 and Marrone Bio Innovations Inc (NASDAQ:MBII) which gained 49.70% to close
at 1.05.

The worst performers were MDJM Ltd (NASDAQ:MDJH) which was down 25.36% to 2.06
in late trade, Akanda Corp (NASDAQ:AKAN) which lost 19.26% to settle at 8.89 and
Apptech Corp (NASDAQ:APCX) which was down 16.00% to 1.05 at the close.

Rising stocks outnumbered declining ones on the New York Stock Exchange by 2544
to 665 and 81 ended unchanged; on the Nasdaq Stock Exchange, 2910 rose and 947
declined, while 128 ended unchanged.

Shares in Akanda Corp (NASDAQ:AKAN) fell to all time lows; down 19.26% or 2.12
to 8.89.

The CBOE Volatility Index, which measures the implied volatility of S&P 500
options, was down 3.75% to 25.67.

Gold Futures for April delivery was up 1.50% or 28.65 to $1,937.85 a troy ounce.
Elsewhere in commodities trading, Crude oil for delivery in April rose 8.64% or
8.21 to hit $103.25 a barrel, while the May Brent oil contract rose 8.81% or
8.64 to trade at $106.66 a barrel.

EUR/USD was up 0.58% to 1.11, while USD/JPY fell 0.05% to 118.67.

The US Dollar Index Futures was down 0.62% at 98.01.

GameStop Reports Surprise Q4 Loss; Shares Slump
2022-03-17 20:12:46 GMT

By Yasin Ebrahim

Investing.com – Video game retailer GameStop (NYSE:GME) reported a surprise loss
in the fourth quarter as rising costs offset a climb in revenue.

GameStop fell more than 7% in after-market trading following the report.

The company reported a fourth quarter loss of $1.86, from $1.39 a year earlier,
but that missed expectations for a profit of 85 cents a share. While revenue
rose to $2.25 billion from $2.12 billion a year earlier, below estimates of
$2.16 billion.

In its push to make a big splash in the world of cryptocurrency, the video game
retailer said it hired "dozens of additional individuals with experience in
areas such as blockchain gaming, ecommerce and technology, product refurbishment
and operations."

FedEx Gains Despite Earnings Miss
2022-03-17 20:17:33 GMT

By Sam Boughedda

Investing.com -- Shares of FedEx Corporation (NYSE:FDX) rose 2% in extended
trading after the company reported its fiscal third quarter ended February 28.

The company missed earnings per share expectations, while revenue exceeded
forecasts.

FedEx revealed earnings per share of $4.59 on revenue of $23.6 billion. Analysts
polled by Investing.com anticipated EPS of $4.68 on revenue of $23.4 billion.

The company said its results benefited from lower variable compensation expense
and less severe winter weather, resulting in favorable year-over-year
comparisons. However, the positive numbers were partially offset by the effects
of the Omicron variant and higher purchased transportation costs and wage rates.

“We successfully executed during the holiday peak season, resulting in record
December operating income,” said Michael Lenz, FedEx Corp. executive vice
president and chief financial officer.

“Our strong quarterly operating income increase was dampened by the surge of the
Omicron variant which caused disruptions to our networks and diminished customer
demand in January and into February. We remain focused on revenue quality and
operational efficiency initiatives to mitigate inflationary pressures and drive
earnings improvement," added Lenz.

Looking ahead, the company expects earnings per share for the fiscal year to be
between $18.60 and $19.60.

S&P 500 Extends Climb as Energy Resumes Rally on Prolonged War Bets
2022-03-17 19:36:22 GMT

By Yasin Ebrahim

Investing.com -- The S&P 500 rallied Thursday, led by energy as investors mulled
the Federal Reserve’s plan to hike rates several times this year, and the
reports suggesting that a solution to ending the Ukraine-Russia war is still
some ways off.

The S&P 500 rose 1.2%, the Dow Jones Industrial Average added 1.2%, or 416
points, the Nasdaq Composite gained 1.3%.

Energy stocks rallied sharply, up more than 3%, as oil prices clawed back some
recent losses to trade above $100 a barrel after Russia downplayed progress on
peace talks with Ukraine.

The Kremlin reportedly said that news pointing to progress in Ukraine-Russia
peace talks was “wrong,” prompting investors to resume bets for a prolonged war
that could disrupt energy supplies and keep oil prices rising.

Adding to expectations for a shortfall in supply, the International Energy
Agency said three million barrels per day of Russian oil and products could be
shut in from April.

Occidental Petroleum (NYSE:OXY), Devon Energy (NYSE:DVN), and APA (NASDAQ:APA)
were up more than 9%, 9% and 7% respectively.

Occidental Petroleum was also boosted by news that Warren Buffett’s Berkshire
Hathaway (NYSE:BRKa) purchased 18.1 million more shares of Occidental.

Consumer discretionary was also involved in the heavy lifting of the broader
market, pushed higher by in Etsy (NASDAQ:ETSY), Garmin (NYSE:GRMN) and Dollar
General (NYSE:DG).

Dollar General jumped more than 4% as the company hiked its quarterly dividend
by 31% after reporting fourth-quarter results that missed on both the top and
bottom lines.

Pagerduty Inc (NYSE:PD) rallied more than 20% after reporting
better-than-expected quarterly results, as new product launches helped bolster
results.

Bank stocks, meanwhile, which delivered swashbuckling gains on Wednesday, failed
to keep up momentum as the further flattening in the yield curve - when short
term rates increase faster than longer term rates – added to worries about the
Federal Reserve causing a recession by slowing the economy down too much.

Fifth Third Bancorp (NASDAQ:FITB), Regions Financial (NYSE:RF), Truist Financial
(NYSE:TFC) were down more than 1%.

“We would expect some type of inversion of the yield curve, which is definitely
going to get the recession word thrown around much more given that it's going to
skew growth to the downside," David Wagner, portfolio manager at Aptus Capital
Advisors told Investing.com in an interview on Thursday.

Tech, meanwhile, was the relative underperformer on the day as big tech traded
mostly positive, led by Amazon (NASDAQ:AMZN), but weakness in Microsoft
Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT) and Advanced Micro Devices Inc (NASDAQ:AMD) weighed.

Netflix Survey Results Show a Decline In Satisfaction Says Evercore ISI
2022-03-17 19:47:19 GMT

By Sam Boughedda

Investing.com -- Evercore ISI analyst Mark Mahaney reiterated an in line rating
and $525 price target on Netflix (NASDAQ:NFLX) Thursday after conducting a
survey on U.S. and Japanese users.

Mahaney said the 1,500 respondents in the U.S. quarterly survey were "modestly
positive," with penetration reaching a "record high."

However, the analyst revealed respondents that were “Extremely/Very satisfied,"
came in at 52%, down 9% quarter-over-quarter. Mahaney stated it is the "largest
sequential decline in years – we believe this could be due to both rising
competition and a negative reaction to the recent price increase."

Feedback from Japan was described as "a mixed bag" with 73% of respondents
“Extremely/Very satisfied”, down 1% year-over-year.

Netflix shares rose 3.9% Thursday.

On Wednesday, the company announced they were testing a new approach to password
sharing.

Oil Back Above $100 as War Risk Pendulum Swings
2022-03-17 18:56:47 GMT

By Barani Krishnan

Investing.com -- Don’t ever count the oil bulls out — not with Vladimir Putin
around.

Crude futures flew back to above $100 per barrel levels on Thursday after a
Kremlin spokesman described reports claiming solid progress in Russia-Ukraine
talks as "wrong" and Putin himself vowed not to succumb to Western pressure in
ceding Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine.

U.S. crude’s West Texas Intermediate, or WTI, benchmark settled up $7.94, or
8.4%, at $102.98 a barrel. WTI lost a total of 13% in three prior days, settling
at just above $95 on Wednesday.

London-traded Brent, the global benchmark for oil, settled up $8.62, or 8.8%, at
$106.64 a barrel. Brent fell below $98 in the prior session, also losing 13%
from the Monday-Wednesday slump.

“The West thinks we'll take a step back, but the west doesn't understand
Russia,” Russia's president Putin said, as U.S. officials pointed to
intelligence showing Moscow extending its air and artillery campaign across the
south of the country as well as moving reinforcements from the Far East and
Caucasus.

Ukrainian officials, meanwhile, repeated that they would not consider ceding
territory to end the war, a key demand of Russia, which wants recognition for
its annexation of Crimea in 2014 and for the breakaway republics it has
sponsored in eastern Ukraine.

Ukrainian forces also carried out counter-offensives against Russian positions
on Wednesday, seeking to inflict what one official called “maximum losses,” even
as the invading Russian military stepped up its lethal attacks on cities.

The combined actions reversed the downdraft in crude prices that came amid the
notion that diplomacy was working between the two sides, and more than
previously.

Both WTI and Brent both settled below the $100 mark on Wednesday, the first time
since Feb. 25. The three-day selloff was the largest market drop percentage-wise
since the crude price collapse of April 2020, that occurred during the height of
the demand destruction to oil from the Covid-19 outbreak.

Thursday’s rebound was especially acute as Putin spoke.

Adding to the upward pressure were remarks from the Paris-based International
Energy Agency, or IEA, on Wednesday that some 3 million barrels a day of Russian
production could be shut in from April, due to the difficulty of finding buyers.

Western oil majors such as Shell (LON:RDSa) have said they won't buy Russian
crude any more, while many more buyers are trying to find alternative sources to
avoid the risk of violating U.S. sanctions unintentionally. By contrast, Indian
plans to circumvent Western measures by trading in non-dollar currencies are
still at an embryonic stage.

Russia’s push back against reports of substantial progress in ceasefire talks
felt like “a real setback just as things appeared to be heading in the right
direction (and) had allowed oil prices to fall considerably from the highs,”
said Craig Erlam, analyst at online trading platform OANDA.

The IEA’s assessment of a 3.0-million barrels per day loss in Russian exports
was also “far more than the lost demand growth” expected from higher crude
prices, noted Erlam.