Indonesian Stocks Plunge as MSCI Downgrade Risk Sparks Investor Exodus 
Gold Prices Fall Amid Rate Jitters; Copper Steady as China Stimulus Eyed 
U.S. Dollar Slides for Second Week as Tariff Threats and Iran Tensions Shake Markets 
Wall Street Slips as Tech Stocks Slide on AI Spending Fears and Earnings Concerns 
Asian Stocks Waver as Trump Signals Fed Pick, Shutdown Deal and Tech Earnings Stir Markets 
U.S. Eases Venezuela Oil Sanctions to Boost American Investment After Maduro Ouster 
Oil Prices Surge Toward Biggest Monthly Gains in Years Amid Middle East Tensions 
Dollar Struggles as Policy Uncertainty Weighs on Markets Despite Official Support 
The United Kingdom’s gilts slumped during European trading hours Thursday ahead of the Bank of England’s (BoE) monetary policy meeting, scheduled to be held today by 12:00GMT, followed by Governor Mark Carney’s speech later, later today at 12:30GMT.
The yield on the benchmark 10-year gilts, jumped 2 basis points to 0.738 percent, the 30-year yield surged 3 basis points to 1.264 percent and the yield on the short-term 2-year edged tad 1 basis point up to 0.551 percent by 10:45GMT.
Today’s focus is on the Bank of England; this is a ‘super Thursday’, when markets will get the full works including an updated set of forecasts in the Monetary Policy Report and a press conference from Governor Carney, Lloyds Bank reported.
A change to policy is very unlikely. The MPC has been indicating for some time that given ongoing uncertainties, including Brexit, they prefer to wait for now. Given the close proximity of the election, they will probably think there is even less reason to make an immediate move, the report added.
Meanwhile, the FTSE 100 remained tad higher at 7,424.45 by 10:50GMT.
