Despite the fact that the current market is a very, very bearish one, gold and silver have still managed to add value over the last few days. Both metals have received a good bit of support and are making this week look like it will be the first week of gains in just about a month. Still, with that being said, there is plenty of information for investors to mull over still and the week is far from over. Just today, in fact, the market will be dealt the latest minutes from the Fed’s most recent meeting. Though the minutes are mostly expected to reiterate the things Janet Yellen has been saying for the past few months now, investors are hoping that some more information regarding the future of interest rates in the United States will be dealt.
In addition to the focus on the release of the Fed’s minutes today, investors are also keeping a close eye on the Japanese and EU economies. The reason for this is due to the fact that both parts of the world have been worthy of the attention of investors. Just a few days ago it was announced that the Japanese economy is experiencing another recession, so it will be interesting to see what, if any, further measures the Bank of Japan pursues in order to stem economic growth across the region.
Draghi Speaks on Possible ECB Policy Shifts
European Central Bank president Mario Draghi has been in and out of the news for the past few months now. With the European Union economy posting record-breaking numbers with regard to how slow the region’s economy is growing, it should come as no surprise that the investing world is looking to Draghi to make the crucial monetary policy decisions that will either worsen the EU economy or dig them out of the hole. While the ECB has already made moves such as lowering interest rates and approving the purchase of stocks, there is a call for more action to be taken.
Just the other day, while speaking to members of the media, Draghi commented that the purchase of government bonds is not yet out of the question. This news did come as a bit of a surprise, but did not have that much of an impact on the marketplace.
Just yesterday, it was announced that the latest ZEW German expectations index for November came back far stronger than expected. While this is an encouraging sign, the overall EU economy is still struggling and far from what is considered to be stable. As has been the case for the past few months now, the investing world will keep a close eye on any and all data from Europe as it is sure to have some sort of impact on the wider, global marketplace.
