Here are 4 tips for today's trading. This will help you decide where you should invest and what to look for:
1. Following the Fed
1. Following the Fed
U.S. stock futures are slipping a bit after markets made solid gains Wednesday.
The U.S. Federal Reserve kept interest rates on hold on Wednesday and significantly lowered its estimate for the number of rate hikes to expect in 2016.
Investors had cheered the prospect of continued low interest rates, which are designed to support economic expansion. But now the market mood has taken a somber turn.
The U.S. dollar fell and is still looking weak Thursday. Commodities companies are benefiting from the weaker dollar -- stocks in mining firms are rising in London.
2. Rate decisions in Europe
2. Rate decisions in Europe
Just like the Fed, the Bank of England is not expected to move interest rates Thursday. The Bank of England rate decision comes at 8 a.m. ET.
Norway's central bank took interest rates a notch lower -- to 0.5% from 0.75% -- due to weaker growth prospects.
The Swiss National Bank left its negative interest rates on hold Thursday. Negative rates operate like a bank charging customers to park their money in an account instead of paying them interest.
European markets were in positive territory in early trading but turned weaker by mid-morning.
3. Gold sparkles, oil rallies
3. Gold sparkles, oil rallies
Gold prices are rising by about 3% to trade near their highest level in over a year.
Crude oil futures are also surging by about 2% to trade just above $39 per barrel. Many traders are hopeful that major oil producers will soon agree to freeze production. Many of the world's top oil producers are meeting about this on April 17 in Doha, Qatar.
4. Wednesday market recap
4. Wednesday market recap
The Dow Jones industrial average was up 0.4% on Wednesday, the S&P 500 jumped 0.6% and the Nasdaq added 0.8%.
