Skip Header
Important information: The value of investments can go down as well as up so you may get back less than you invest. Investors should note that the views expressed may no longer be current and may have already been acted upon. This is a third-party news feed and may not reflect Fidelity’s views.

Sector movers: Miners pace losses at the end of the week

(Sharecast News) - Miners paced losses at the end of the week as increased talk of a further interest rate hike by the Federal Reserve on 3 May weighed on metals' prices. But company-specific news was also a drag with BHP among the top fallers after the company cut its targets for nickel and copper production while output of iron ore slid.

As were geopolitical tensions between China and the US.

"Risk appetite was shaken by the prospect of a fresh standoff between the US and China, which hit Chinese tech stocks early on this morning, but the afternoon session has seen Europe stabilise," said IG chief market analyst Chris Beauchamp.

"Overall stocks are still unable to establish a clear direction - having rebounded from the March lows there is a sense of caution about where we go from here."

According to Fed funds futures the odds of another 25 basis point interest rate hike in the target range for short-term rates stood at 88.0%, in effect pricing-in.

In parallel, July copper futures on COMEX were falling by 0.78% to $4.0 per pound.

Gold futures were trading down by 1.59% alongside to $1,986.90/oz. while silver was off by 1.23% to $25.28/oz..

Top performing sectors so far today

Automobiles & Parts 1,721.16 +2.22%

Beverages 28,838.50 +1.18%

Real Estate Investment & Services 2,328.35 +1.06%

Industrial Support Services 10,455.89 +1.00%

Media 10,394.64 +0.99%

Bottom performing sectors so far today

Industrial Metals & Mining 6,820.44 -4.18%

Precious Metals and Mining 11,675.54 -2.42%

Life Insurance 7,054.14 -0.46%

Banks 3,505.50 -0.37%

Aerospace and Defence 6,487.00 -0.18%

Share this article

Related Sharecast Articles

Sector movers: Precious metals miners dip ahead of Fed decision
(Sharecast News) - Stocks fell in the middle of the week with investors opting to sit on their hands ahead of the US central bank's interest rate decision scheduled for later.
Sector movers: Autos, Big Oil drop as Brent futures and US Treasury yields slide
(Sharecast News) - Stocks on the FTSE 350 slumped on Tuesday led by declines in cyclical areas of the market such as Autos and Banks.
Sector movers: Investors seek out high dividend names
(Sharecast News) - Utilities paced gains on the FTSE 350 on Thursday as investors added to their positions in interest rate sensitive names in a bid to lock in current dividend yields.
Sector movers: China and US growth concerns weigh on commodity plays
(Sharecast News) - Stocks in the UK ended the session clearly in the red amid growth concerns in China and the US, which resulted in broad-based losses in the commodities space.

Important information: This information is not a personal recommendation for any particular investment. If you are unsure about the suitability of an investment you should speak to one of Fidelity’s advisers or an authorised financial adviser of your choice. When you are thinking about investing in shares, it’s generally a good idea to consider holding them alongside other investments in a diversified portfolio of assets. Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future returns.

Award-winning online share dealing

Search, compare and select from thousands of shares.

Expert insights into investing your money

Our team of experts explore the world of share dealing.