Mixed Global Markets Amid Stagflation Worries and Oil Price Volatility
Global stock markets were mixed on Monday as investors digested a weaker-than-expected report on the US economy. The S&P 500 index edged back from its all-time high, while the Dow Jones Industrial Average slipped 0.2%. The Federal Reserve's interest rate policy remains uncertain due to concerns about stagflation, which combines slow economic growth with high inflation.
The FTSE 100 in Britain gained 0.2%, while Germany's DAX was nearly unchanged at 26,438.04. Tokyo's Nikkei 225 index rose 0.7% after Japan reported its economy grew slightly faster than forecast in the April-June quarter, expanding at a 1.1% annual pace.
Oil prices were also mixed, with Brent crude rising 0.4% to $88.84 per barrel and US benchmark crude slipping 0.2% to $82.20 per barrel. The stability of oil supplies remains uncertain due to the ongoing conflict in Iran and the closure of the Strait of Hormuz.