European stocks edged higher on Wednesday as investors continued to assess the prospects for interest- rate cuts following last week's weaker-than-expected U.S. jobs report.

U.K. stocks rose slightly to hit another record high on Wednesday while the British pound slipped before the Bank of England's policy announcement on Thursday.

French stocks advanced on Wednesday as investors continued to assess the prospects for interest- rate cuts following last week's weaker-than-expected U.S. jobs report. It seems that markets have shrugged off comments from Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis President Neel Kashkari, who said Tuesday that rates will likely stay high for an "extending period" and that he would support a hike if inflation stalls near 3 percent.

AstraZeneca, a major provider of Covid-19 vaccines across the world mainly during the initial pandemic period, has initiated a process to withdraw its Vaxzevria COVID-19 vaccine worldwide, citing weak demand and the surplus availability of new vaccines. Meanwhile, AstraZeneca reportedly had admitted recently in court documents that the vaccine could cause side-effects such as blood clots...

German stocks traded higher on Wednesday as investors cheered strong earnings from the likes of Siemens Energy, Puma and Henkel.

The USD/JPY pair is on the rise again this Wednesday, recovering more than half of its previous losses despite ongoing warnings from Japanese authorities about sharp fluctuations in the yen. Finance Minister Shunichi Suzuki reiterated today that the government is prepared to act against excessive currency volatility.

Fed expectations drive the market; three Fed speakers on the wires today. Dollar recovers but all eyes are on the US stocks and Treasury yields. The pound prepares for the BoE meeting as elections gain more airtime. Yen on the back foot again; gold steady amid the Israeli ground operation

Bitcoin fell 0.2% against the dollar after a 1.8% rise. Amazon's stock corrected by 0.1%, but the MACD indicator is positive. The Australian dollar dropped 0.3% against the dollar, with an overbought market. Gold declined 0.5% against the dollar, with a negative MACD signal. Oil prices closed lower, and the Canadian dollar weakened. Bitcoin exchange inflows are at decade lows.

Expert market comment made by senior analyst Alex Kuptsikevich of the FxPro Analyst Team: Persisting pressure on crypto

the U.S. Dollar Index (DXY) has experienced a resurgence, presently holding above the 105 mark. This strength is supported by a hawkish tone from Federal Reserve officials,