The CAC 40 Futures is trading at 4,660.50 up with +0.27% percent or +12.70  point.The FTSE 100 Futures is trading at 6,600.20 up with +0.70% percent or +46.20 point.  The DAX Futures is trading at 10,499.50  with a loss of -0.94% percent or -100.00 point. The EURO Stoxx 50 Futures trading at 2,952.00  with a loss of -1.17% percent or -35.00 point.

TODAY’S FACTORS AND EVENTS

Equity markets have shown plenty of volatility in December, and this trend has continued this week. The catalyst was the Federal Reserve rate statement, which soured the markets and sent equities lower. Investors had expected a rate hike, which the Fed delivered. However, there was hope for a dovish rate statement, given that the markets have been in turmoil for weeks and the U.S. economy appears to be cooling down. Instead, policymakers maintained plans to continue raising rates. Most significantly, policymakers did not remove the critical phrase “further gradual increases” from their statement. At the same time, the dot plot forecast was lowered for 2019, from three rate rises to two

PREVIOUS DAY ACTIVITY

WORLD MARKETS

For the day the Dow is trading at 22,445.37  with a loss of  -1.81% percent or -414.23 point. The S&P 500 is trading at 2,416.62  with  a loss of -2.06% percent or -50.80 point. The Nasdaq Composite is trading at 6,332.99  with a loss of -2.99% percent or  -195.41 point.

In other parts of world, Japan’s Nikkei 225 is trading at 20,166.19   with a loss of -1.11% percent or -226.39 point. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng is trading at 25,651.38   with a loss of -0.40% percent or -102.04 point. China’s Shanghai Composite is trading at 2,527.01 up with +0.43% percent or  +10.76 point. India’s BSE Sensex is trading at 35,749.81 up with +0.022% percent or +7.74 point at 12:15 PM.