Waiting for Non-Farm Payrolls! U.S. stock futures and European stocks slightly rise, U.S. Treasury yields decline, and gold hovers above $3,350

Trump announces trade agreement with Vietnam boosted risk appetite. However, the negative impact of the trade war began to show in the small non-farm data yesterday, and ahead of the release of U.S. non-farm payroll data and the vote on the Inflation Reduction Act on Thursday, the market atmosphere remained cautiously optimistic, as more and more U.S. economic indicators showed signs of slowing down. If the non-farm report to be released tonight is further weak, traders expect the Federal Reserve may cut interest rates sooner.

On Thursday, Asian stock markets rose slightly, European stocks also edged higher after U.S. stocks hit new highs, and U.S. stock futures were up slightly. As expectations for interest rate cuts increased, U.S. Treasury yields fell, the U.S. dollar index remained basically flat, and spot gold erased earlier losses. After Stamer reassured the market, UK stocks, bonds, and currency rose slightly. Among other assets, oil prices fell, while Bitcoin rose.

Here are the movements of core assets:

U.S. stock index futures rose slightly across the board.

Major European stock markets opened slightly higher, with the pan-European index up over 0.3%, and German and British stocks up over 0.4%.

The Nikkei 225 index closed up 0.06%. The South Korea Composite Stock Price Index closed up 1.34%.

Most U.S. Treasury yields fell, with the benchmark 10-year U.S. Treasury yield down over 3 basis points.

The U.S. dollar index and euro remained basically flat, the British pound rose slightly by 0.2%, the New Taiwan dollar rose over 0.5%, and the Korean won rose slightly by 0.1%.

Spot gold recovered earlier losses of 0.4% and is now basically flat. Spot silver rose over 0.6%.

Both WTI and Brent crude oil fell over 0.9%.

Bitcoin rose over 2%, and Ethereum rose over 6%.

Tomokazu Kinoshita, global market strategist at Invesco Asset Management in Tokyo, said, “Investors are generally taking a cautious wait-and-see attitude ahead of the employment report to be released later today.” He noted that more and more U.S. economic indicators are showing signs of potential economic slowdown.

Yesterday, the UK bond market was hit hard, affecting global bond markets, and U.S. Treasury yields rose. Today, Japan's 30-year bond auction was successful, temporarily stabilizing market confidence. After Stamer stepped in to reassure the market, U.S. Treasuries stabilized slightly, and UK bond prices rose.

Yesterday, Chancellor of the Exchequer Reeves' future prospects raised new concerns about the UK's fiscal situation. UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer stated that Reeves would continue to serve as Chancellor to quell earlier speculation about her position, which had triggered a sell-off of UK government bonds