By: DailyForex.com
Friday marked the final trading session for the month of September and the third quarter of the year. The major stock markets finished the week down significantly as worries about weak global demand replaced more recent optimism.
In Europe over the course of the week, the FTSE was down by 1.9%, it closed at 5742.1 and ended the month 0.91% down, but rallied by 1.4% over Q3; the Dax ended at 7216.2 falling by 3.2% over the course of the week, it was flat over the month but recovered by 12.5% over the quarter; the CAC was down by 5% to end the session at 3354.82, it lost 4.7% in September, but rallied by 5.9% over Q3.
The Dow ended the week lower to the tune of 1.1 % at 13473.1, it climbed by 1% over the month and made 5.2% during the third quarter. The Nasdaq composite index ended at 3116.2, falling 2% over the course of the week and slipping by 0.6% in September, but it ended the quarter stronger by 6.1%.
The Nikkei closed down over the course of the week’s trading, slipping 2.6% to end the trading session at 8870.2, it was unchanged over the month, but declined by 1.7% over Q3.
On the currency markets last week, the Yen saw the best of trading. The Dollar strengthened against Sterling, making 0.72% and closing at 1.61324 to the Pound, sterling gained 0.73% over the month and 3.8% over the quarter. The Greenback was stronger against the Euro last week, making 1.0% to close at 1.28558, but it weakened by 0.5% over the month and 3.9% in Q3. The Dollar lost ground against the Japanese currency, closing at 77.91817 to the Yen, a fall of 0.32%, it fell by 0.3% in September and by 2.5% in Q3.
The Euro slipped back against the Yen ending at 100.1704, a fall of 1.4% over the course of the week, but it rallied by 0.2% in September and by 1.3% in Q3. The Euro was weaker against Sterling over the course of the week, losing 0.31%; the close saw one £ buying 1.254872, it lost 0.26% in September but regained 0.05% over the quarter.
On the commodities market, the price for Brent crude ended higher, closing at $112.4 per barrel (for November delivery); a rise of 0.87% over the course of the week’s trading, it fell by 1.6% in September, but rose by 14.5% over the quarter. The value of gold was lower last week, closing at $1776 per ounce, representing a fall of 0.5% over last week’s value, it appreciated by 2.8% over the month and by 11.9% over the quarter.