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Major Gulf Bourses Ease on US-Iran Caution

Most Gulf stock markets ended lower as investors turned cautious ahead of renewed U.S.-Iran talks, with regional equities pressured by geopolitical uncertainty and oil market volatility.

U.S. Treasury yields moved higher on Wednesday after the release of the Federal Reserve’s latest meeting minutes revealed a growing divergence among policymakers regarding the future path of monetary policy.

The yield on the benchmark 10-year U.S. Treasury note climbed by more than 3 basis points to reach 4.087%, reflecting shifting investor expectations around interest rate policy. Meanwhile, the 30-year Treasury yield rose by over 2 basis points to 4.711%, and the 2-year Treasury yield also increased by more than 3 basis points, reaching 3.468%.

According to the minutes, Federal Reserve policymakers broadly agreed on the decision to keep interest rates unchanged after holding the key benchmark rate steady in January within a range of 3.5% to 3.75%, aligning with market expectations.

However, the discussions highlighted differing views on the future direction of monetary tightening. While some officials emphasized the importance of maintaining focus on inflation control, others pointed to the labor market as a critical factor in shaping upcoming policy decisions.

This divergence signals potential uncertainty in the Federal Reserve’s next steps, as markets continue to assess whether policymakers will prioritize inflation stability or labor market resilience in future interest rate decisions.

As Treasury yields react to these evolving expectations, investors are closely monitoring upcoming economic data releases for further clues on the Fed’s monetary policy outlook and the broader direction of financial markets.

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