Tonight at 21:30: Major Preview! U.S. Initial Jobless Claims Coming Soon, Gold and the Dollar Face a Critical Decision

At 21:30 Beijing time on February 26, the U.S. will release the initial jobless claims for the week ending February 21. Market expectations are 215,000, with the previous figure at 206,000. The data is about to be released with significant impact.

As a key indicator of Federal Reserve policy direction and market sentiment, this initial claims data will directly influence the short-term trend of major global assets:

Gold: If the data exceeds expectations, it indicates a cooling labor market, which is bullish for gold prices; if below expectations, it highlights employment resilience, putting downward pressure on gold.

Dollar: If the data is weaker than expected, it will drag down the U.S. dollar index; if the data is strong, the dollar is likely to receive a clear boost.

Crude Oil: Weak data will lower expectations for U.S. economic demand, bearish for oil prices; positive data will provide support at the bottom for oil prices.

The market is currently in a critical window for re-pricing rate cut expectations. This initial claims report will be a key catalyst for triggering short-term movements in gold and the dollar, with a crucial battle between bulls and bears imminent.