Global and Croatian stock markets rise on tech recovery

Global and domestic stock markets saw gains last week, driven by a recovery in the technology sector and shifting expectations regarding US Federal Reserve interest rate policies. On Wall Street, the Dow Jones, S&P 500, and Nasdaq all rose, with the Dow and S&P 500 reaching record levels. This surge is attributed to strong corporate earnings and investor hope that the Fed will not significantly raise rates following reports of declining US employment numbers.

In Croatia, the Crobex index rose 0.21% to 4,430 points, and the Crobex10 increased 0.06% to 2,868 points, recovering some previous losses despite modest trading volumes. Major Croatian companies like Atlantic Grupa, Končar, and Žito reported strong half-year results, showing growth in revenues and EBITDA.

The US dollar index fell for a second consecutive week, dropping 0.2% to 99.60 points. This decline followed interventions by US and Japanese authorities to stabilize the yen, and was further pressured by weak US labor market data showing a loss of 23,000 jobs in July.