Summary of market movements after the Federal Reserve's minutes: the dollar rises while oil and Bitcoin decline!

The financial markets witnessed noticeable movements following the release of the results of the U.S. Federal Reserve's meeting in November, which included some important points that significantly impacted the performance of various assets, including the dollar, gold, cryptocurrencies, and U.S. stock markets.

The results showed that U.S. Federal Reserve members believe that the uncertainty surrounding the neutral interest rate level has complicated the assessment of the degree of monetary policy restriction, and in their view, the most appropriate solution is to gradually lower interest rates. Some members also indicated that the committee might temporarily halt interest rate cuts and keep them at a restrictive level if inflation continues to remain high, which has been a significant factor in the movements of financial markets.

Here is an overview of the performance of financial markets:

Performance of the U.S. Dollar Index:

The U.S. Dollar Index rose slightly by 0.28% to settle at 107.12 points, amid strong yields from U.S. bonds of various maturities, as well as the hints from the U.S. Federal Reserve's results regarding the possibility of halting interest rate cuts if progress on inflation stalls.

Performance of Gold:

Spot gold contracts dropped slightly, reaching levels of $2,624 per ounce. This decline is attributed to optimism related to Israel's approval of a ceasefire agreement with Lebanon, which may, in turn, lead to a de-escalation of tensions in the Middle East.

Performance of Bitcoin Contracts:

Bitcoin recorded a drop of 1.18%, reaching a level of $91,939 for the currency, coinciding with discussions about the correction movement occurring in the cryptocurrency markets.

Performance of Crude Oil Contracts:

Crude oil contracts experienced a strong decline due to optimism regarding the easing of geopolitical tensions in the Middle East, especially after Israel's approval of the ceasefire agreement with Lebanon. U.S. crude contracts fell by 0.66%, settling at $68.56 per barrel. Meanwhile, Brent crude spot contracts dropped by 0.58%, settling at $72.12 per barrel.

Performance of U.S. Stock Indices:

The Dow Jones Industrial Average recorded a decrease of 0.023%, trading near levels of 44,726.15 points. In contrast, the S&P 500 rose by 0.31%, trading near levels of 6,005.91 points. Additionally, the Nasdaq Composite Index increased by approximately 32 points, settling close to levels of 20,188.09 points.

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