With one week to go until the US Presidential election, there is a sense of calm in the markets. All major currencies are almost flat as the bulk of investors now await the closing of the polling stations late on November 3. This election carries perhaps more weight than previous ones; facing a global pandemic, growing friction with China and increasing social polarisation, the choice of who gets to be the next US president could be a crucial moment in history whose impact will be felt across several market-sensitive areas, such as the stimulus package, trade wars and even Brexit on the other side of the Atlantic. So, unless something very substantial occurs between now and November 3, we should expect lower than usual volatility until the polling stations close.
European shares continued their slide on Tuesday, following drops on US futures overnight. Investors continue to assess the possible impact of more and more restrictions on economies and prefer to limit their exposure to riskier assets due to rising uncertainty. This is especially true in Europe where French President Macron is now expected to announce an extended curfew as well as new social interaction limitations, following recent measures from both Italy and Spain. Furthermore, the uncertainty brought by the upcoming US Presidential election combined with disappointment over the lack of a new fiscal aid package keeps on denting investors’ risk appetite in the short-term. If this situation remains, investors are likely to increase their trading exposure towards safe havens like JPY, USD or even treasuries while equities will continue their bearish correction. Today’s session will be marked by US data with both Durable Goods Orders as well as the anticipated CB Consumer Confidence. On the corporate front, traders will be awaiting results from HSBC, Merck & Co., Microsoft, Pfizer and 3M due later today.
Experienced writer and journalist, working in the global online trading sector, Steffy is the Editor of LeapRate. She has previous experience as a copywriter and has been with the company since January 2020. Steffy has a British and American Studies degree from St. Kliment Ochridski University in Sofia.
