Finance

U.S. Treasury yields remained highly elevated at the close of the trading week following the central bank's tightening move. The benchmark 10-year Treasury yield fluctuated just below the key 5% psychological threshold, finishing near its highest level in nearly two decades. Concurrently, the policy-sensitive 2-year Treasury yield settled at 4.741%, marking its highest closing mark since July 2024.

Spot gold prices climbed above $4,350 per ounce, securing their first weekly gain in a month. The precious metal rebounded from initial pressures caused by the Federal Reserve's 25-basis-point rate hike, finding strong support from a weakening U.S. dollar and stalling Treasury yields. The rally was further bolstered as fears of persistent inflation began to recede among market participants.

Crude oil futures fell by approximately 1% on Friday, extending a three-day losing streak as concerns regarding Middle East supply blockades began to dissipate. The drop was accelerated by progress on alternative transportation pipelines, such as Saudi Arabia's East-West pipeline, which reassured traders of continued market supply. Despite the pullback, both Brent crude and West Texas Intermediate contracts managed to maintain their positions above the $100 per barrel mark.