S & P 500 chart.

The US stock market continued to decline, albeit moderately. Dow closed 0.2% lower on Wednesday, while NASDAQ and S&P 500 closed minus 0.6% and 0.1% respectively.

Following this, Asian markets also dropped this morning. Japan indices fell by 0.5%, while China indices slipped 0.6%.

On the bright side, the oil market posted growth, rising by as much as $1. Now, Brent is worth $ 72.80, which is near the highest price one and a half months ago. Apparently, excess US oil dropped by 2.9 million barrels over the week, and the Department of Energy said production in the Gulf of Mexico, which was damaged by Hurricane Ida, will be restored this September. The department also gave a positive forecast, that is, an increase in global oil demand in 2022. They said it will soar to 101 million barrels per day.

With regards to the coronavirus, there is a slight jump in cases from the United States. It rose to 157,000, which, in turn, pushed global incidence to approximately 600,000 on Wednesday.

As for macro statistics, inflation on manufactured goods in China rose to 13-year highs in August despite attempts of the authorities to combat the rise in commodity prices.

In Europe, the ECB is scheduled to have a policy meeting today, but it is unlikely that they will adopt any changes in the course. They may, however, give hints of a potential tapering, similar to that of the US Federal Reserve. After all, Spain's new Treasury chief said he was preparing the country for ECB stimulus cuts next year.

Bank of England Governor Andrew Bailey said the same.

So, it was not a surprise that the S&P 500 valued 4.514 points, ranging from 4.470 to 4.540. Data released by the Fed in its Beige Book also indicated widespread slowdown in economic growth amid the re-outbreak of COVID-19. Although the US labor market remains strong, the rate of hiring is slowing due to a shortage of skilled workers. And even though wages are rising, it inevitably dampens hiring growth. All districts are also experiencing a rise in prices, especially in metal, building materials, and transport services.

But even though the US market has been declining for the past two days, it is actually at yearly highs so a correction is very likely.

Talking about dollar, it hit 92.70 points yesterday and ranged from 92.40 to 93.00. Buying pressure clearly took a pause, but it may resume today after the ECB's decisions.

As for USD/CAD, price hit 1.2720 yesterday, ranging from 1.2650 to 1.2780. Surprisingly, the pair has been growing for three consecutive days despite high oil prices. It seems that investors are waiting for the Fed to tighten its policy.

Conclusion: Market sentiment will depend on the the decisions of the ECB over its monetary policy.