Mixed economic data and corporate earnings kept the global market volatile this week. Also, the uncertain economic conditions in the US and Europe, geopolitical tensions in the middle-eastern region involving Israel and Iran are keeping investors on the edge.
Throughout the week, Brent Crude traded around $75, and gold prices continued to rise. Gold prices are up more than 3% this week, and 33% year-to-date, making it the best ever run in the last few years.
Now, let’s take a look at how the major stock market indices performed this week.
Index | Previous Day Change (%) | WoW Change (%) |
US Markets | ||
Dow Jones | -0.61 | -2.68 |
S&P 500 | -0.03 | -0.96 |
Nasdaq | 0.56 | 0.16 |
European Markets | ||
FTSE 100 | -0.25 | -0.06 |
CAC 40 | -0.08 | -1.06 |
DAX | 0.11 | 0.46 |
Asian Markets | ||
Nifty 50 | -0.90 | -2.86 |
Nikkei 225 | -0.60 | -4.27 |
Straits Times | -0.32 | 0.38 |
Hang Seng | 0.49 | -2.38 |
Taiwan Weighted | 0.67 | 1.95 |
KOSPI | 0.09 | -0.65 |
SET Composite | 0.19 | -0.45 |
Jakarta Composite | -0.28 | 2.31 |
Shanghai Composite | 0.59 | 2.55 |
World Stock Market Index US Markets
During the week, growth and tech stocks continued to outperform the broader market. Overall, the momentum of the market continues to be in the positive zone with improved investors’ sentiment.
Let’s check how the top US indices performed during the week.
Dow Jones
Weakness in the financial and consumer defensive stocks kept the 30 stocks index- Dow Jones under pressure during the week. McDonald was the worst performer in the index during the week, and is down by 7.66% at close.
On Friday, the index closed 0.61% lower and on a week-on-week basis, it was down by 2.68%.
S&P 500
S&P 500 index finished lower this week after posting gains for six consecutive weeks. However, the sentiment continues to be positive on the back of supporting economic data reports.
At close on Friday, the index closed flat and compared to previous week, it was down by nearly 1%.
Nasdaq
Nasdaq gained on the back of heavy demand for tech stocks. Stocks of Intel, Tesla, Super Micro Computers were the top gainers. In Friday’s session, the index was up by 0.56% at close and on a week-on-week basis, it was up by 0.16%.
World Stock Market Index European Markets
Shrinking economic activity in the Eurozone area continues to affect investors’ sentiment and ECB officials are divided over the pace of future rate cuts, with no signs of revival. France and Germany, the two largest economies in the Eurozone, continue to be the biggest source of weakness in the economy.
Now, let’s look, how different economies performed during the week.
FTSE 100
In the UK, an early estimate from S&P Global put composite PMI at an 11-month low of 51.7 in October, down from 52.6 in September, as new orders slowed. Also, the UK consumer confidence in October fell to its lowest level this year.
In Friday’s session, the index was down by 0.25%, and on a week-on-week basis, it closed flat.
CAC 40
Losses in technology, financial, and utility stocks drove France’s primary stock market index, the CAC 40, lower this week. The index traded flat on Friday and closed 1.06% lower at the end of the week.
DAX
It was a mixed week for the German stock market as investors tried making sense of the market. On Friday, the index traded flat and closed 0.11% higher and compared to previous week, it was up by 0.46%.
World Stock Market Index Asian Markets
Compared to the US and European markets, the Asian market was much more volatile due to heightened FII activity and uncertainties around the economic activities.
Let’s now have a look, how the major stock market index performed during the week.
Nifty 50
The Indian market continued to be volatile and registered the worst month since the Covid. It’s primarily because of heavy FII selling in October and muted corporate earnings growth. On Friday, the index closed 0.90% lower, and on a week-on-week basis, it was down by 2.86% lower. Alone in October, Nifty 50 has corrected by more than 6%.
Nikkei 225
Japan’s stock markets lost ground over the week because of the weakening dollar and rising inflation hurting economic growth. On Friday, Nikkei 225 was down by 0.60% and on a week-on-week basis, it posted losses of 4.27%.
Straits Times
Singapore’s primary stock market index, Straits Times, traded flat during the week. During Friday’s session it was down by 0.32% and on a week-on-week basis, it closed 0.38% higher.
Hang Seng
Chinese stocks continued to move higher on the back of more stimulus packages announced by the country’s central bank, raising hopes of economic revival. Despite the positive sentiment, profit booking resulted in the Hang Seng index to trade lower during the week. On Friday, it was slightly up by 0.49%, and on a week-on-week basis, the index was down by 2.38%.
Taiwan Weighted
Taiwan’s primary stock market index, Taiwan Weighted Index, traded higher on Friday’s session and was up by 0.67%. On a week-on-week basis, it was up by 1.95%.
KOSPI
The South Korean stock market traded on a mixed note during the week. In Friday’s session, the South Korean stock market closed flat and on a weekly basis, it was down 0.65%.
SET Composite
Thai stocks traded weak during the week and closed flat with a slight gain of 0.19% on Friday. On a weekly basis, the index was down by 0.45%.
Jakarta Composite
The Indonesian stock market index, Jakarta Composite, traded flat on Friday, up 0.23%. On a weekly basis, the index closed with another week of gains, increasing by 2.31%.
Shanghai Composite
On the back of more stimulus packages and cheaper consumer credit, the market sentiment has improved a lot with FIIs betting more on Chinese stocks. On Friday, the Shanghai Composite was up by 0.59% and on a week-on-week basis, the index closed 2.55% higher.
Wrapping Up
Looking ahead, global markets are likely to remain volatile due to mixed economic indicators, uncertain corporate earnings, and rising geopolitical tensions. With the US and European economies facing challenges and inflationary pressures, particularly in the Eurozone, investor sentiment has remained cautious. Meanwhile, in Asia, China’s stimulus measures and ongoing FII activity continue to shape the market landscape, increasing volatility and growth potential.
Rising gold and stable crude prices also point to a defensive stance, with gold posting strong year-to-date gains. Amidst these global dynamics, investors can expect short-term market swings and should be prepared for both opportunities and risks in the coming weeks.
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I’m Archana R. Chettiar, an experienced content creator with
an affinity for writing on personal finance and other financial content. I
love to write on equity investing, retirement, managing money, and more.