A Week of Mixed Economic Signals and Key Developments

Major economic indicators and events last week painted a mixed picture of economic activity and market sentiment. US job openings held steady while inflation measures remained subdued, and the Bank of Canada cut rates amid escalating trade tensions. The UK recorded a slight contraction in January’s GDP, while exchange rates showed varied movements across the EURUSD, USDCAD, and GBPUSD. Commodities like gold and silver posted notable gains, even as major U.S. stock indexes trended downward. In corporate news, Oracle reported strong earnings despite a modest weekly drop in its share price.

Tuesday, March 11

16:00 – USA: JOLTS Job Openings (USD)

In January 2025, job openings remained steady at 7.7 million—down 728,000 year-over-year. Hires held at 5.4 million and total separations at 5.3 million, with minimal changes in quits and layoffs/discharges across most sectors.

The EURUSD increased by 0.77% compared to the previous day.

14:30 – USA: CPI m/m (USD)

In February 2025, the CPI for All Urban Consumers increased 0.2%, seasonally adjusted, following a 0.5% rise in January, with a 12-month increase of 2.8%. Shelter costs drove much of the monthly gain, while lower airline fares and gasoline prices helped offset some of the rise. Food prices were largely stable, with a modest 0.2% increase overall and a 0.4% uptick for meals away from home.

The EURUSD decreased by 0.29% compared to the previous day.

15:45 am – Canada: Overnight Rate (CAD)

The Bank of Canada cut its policy rate by 25 basis points to 2.75% on March 12, 2025. Despite solid Q4 growth, mounting US trade tensions and tariffs are expected to slow economic activity, prompting the rate cut to help keep inflation near the 2% target.

The USDCAD exchange rate fell by 0.46% compared to the previous daily session.

14:30 – USA: Core PPI m/m (USD)

The Producer Price Index for final demand was unchanged in February, with final demand goods up 0.3% (led by a 1.7% jump in food prices) and final demand services down 0.2%. Core PPI—excluding foods, energy, and trade services—increased 0.2% for the month, with a 12-month gain of 3.3%.

The EURUSD exchange rate declined by 0.33%.

09:00 am – UK: GDP m/m (GBP)

Real GDP fell by 0.1% in January 2025 after a 0.4% increase in December 2024. Over the latest quarter, GDP grew by 0.2%, with services up 0.4%, production down 0.9%, and construction rising 0.4%.

The GBPUSD exchange rate fell by 0.12% compared to the previous day’s closing price.

1. Crude Oil
   • Crude oil prices increased by 0.07% over the past week
2. Brent Oil
   • Brent was up 0.26% compared to the previous week
3. Gold
   • The precious metal Gold (XAUUSD) concluded the week on Friday with a 2.60% weekly increase
4. Silver
   • XAGUSD increased by 3.88% from the last week

1. S&P 500 decreased by 2.41%
2. DJIA was down by 3.10%
3. NASDAQ 100 declined by 2.46%

1. Regencell Bioscience Holdings Limited (RGC) 207.06%
2. CervoMed Inc. (CRVO) 191.40%
3. Columbus Acquisition Corp (COLA) 145.71%

1. Health In Tech, Inc. (HIT) -88.58%
2. Springview Holdings Ltd (SPHL) -85.03%
3. Wellchange Holdings Company Limited (WCT) -80.36%

Monday, March 10: ORCL (Oracle Corporation)

Oracle’s Q3 revenue rose 6% to $14.1B, with cloud services & license support up 10–12% to $11B. Remaining Performance Obligations (RPO) soared 60%+ to $130B. GAAP net income hit $2.9B ($1.02 EPS), and the dividend jumped 25% to $0.50.

ORCL shares experienced a weekly decrease of 3.8%.

In conclusion, the week’s economic data presented a mixed picture. While US job openings and subdued inflation underscore steady underlying trends, cautious signals emerged from a slight contraction in UK GDP and fluctuating exchange rates. Meanwhile, commodity rallies and robust corporate earnings from Oracle add complexity to the overall market sentiment amid ongoing global uncertainties.