Start of the week on Wall Street: record highs and an eventful week for investors

Start of the week on Wall Street: record highs and an eventful week for investors

According to a report from www.tagesschau.de,

After a hesitant start, the US stock markets recorded further record highs. The Dow Jones rose by 0.59 percent to 38,333 points, the S&P 500 index by 0.76 percent to 4,927 points. The Nasdaq technology exchange reached an all-time high of 15,630 points. These developments can be attributed to investors' positioning ahead of an eventful week that includes both economic and corporate data. The US Federal Reserve's upcoming interest rate meeting on Wednesday will also have an impact on the markets. From a company perspective, business figures from tech companies such as Apple, Microsoft and Alphabet, among others, are expected.

The DAX had a cautious start to the new week and closed at 16,941 points. The markets reacted to a new damages judgment against Bayer AG, which depressed sentiment. The company's shares lost around 4.5 percent. At the close of trading, the euro was trading at $1.0830, which corresponds to a slight loss of around 0.2 percent.

The German stock market is waiting for important quarterly balance sheets from major US tech companies as well as the Fed's interest rate decision. Another crucial factor is the renewed billion-dollar debacle at Bayer AG in the USA and speculation about key interest rate cuts by the ECB. Heidelberg Materials shares reached their highest level since the beginning of 2018 due to a spin-off of its US business by Holcim. Hensoldt shares were in high demand following a buy recommendation from Citigroup, while Hochtief and ACS lost significant value due to an unfavorable court ruling.

Delivery Hero's decision to divest its stake in Deliveroo could also have an impact on the market. The proceeds are to be used for general corporate purposes. The placement is expected to close on February 1 and no further shares in Deliveroo will be held thereafter. This could impact Delivery Hero shares, which have suffered in recent months. With all these developments, increased volatility is expected in the market as investors position themselves in anticipation of the upcoming events.