Welcome to Markets Desk, your midday read on what's moving money and markets.
All eyes are on SpaceX as the company prepares for its market debut, with analysts framing the listing as nothing short of a referendum on Elon Musk himself. Capital markets will be watching closely — investor appetite here signals how much tolerance remains for Musk's brand of leadership amid ongoing political noise.
Shifting to Europe, the CAC forty pushed higher Thursday as traders positioned ahead of the European Central Bank's rate decision. The rebound follows a rough prior session, and the move suggests investors are betting on a dovish signal from Frankfurt — though with inflation data still uneven across the eurozone, the ECB's tone will matter enormously.
Meanwhile, gold caught a bid after sliding to a six-month low earlier in the session. The rebound came on the back of heightened tensions between the United States and Iran, alongside renewed concern about Federal Reserve rate policy. Safe-haven demand returned just quickly enough to arrest what had been a notable technical breakdown.
That's the tape. Markets Desk, signing off the floor.
