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In the seven days leading up to December 6, 2023, U.S. equity funds experienced a second consecutive week of outflows, reflecting investor caution amid anticipation of economic data that could shed light on the Federal Reserve's stance on interest rates. Investors withdrew a net amount of $577 million from U.S. equity funds during this period, a notable reduction compared to the preceding week's $3.26 billion in net sales.

The Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries and allies (OPEC+) is the group of countries that together contribute to 40 % of global oil production which means they can significantly control oil prices. Since oil is still one of the world's most prominent commodities, it can have a huge impact on everyday lives. Recently traders were anxiously expecting what the outcome of the latest OPEC+ meeting that happened on 30th of November would be. 

Financial markets are facing a major expansion. Some experts and investment analysts think so. According to them, US and European stocks could surpass all-time highs next year. The current economic constellation in the developed world is said to be conducive to this. However, it will depend on how strong a recovery the economies of Western Europe, particularly in North America, can breathe. Equally important will be the policy of central banks, which in the last two years have focused primarily on curbing inflation, which the economically developed world last faced four decades ago.

Although a significant part of the world is applying anti-Russian sanctions, which also apply to Russian oil, the markets are literally overflowing with oil. As a result, its price is falling to its lowest level since mid-July. Black gold is not even becoming more expensive as a result of the tensions in the Middle East, where Israel's military operation in the Gaza Strip is ongoing and the threat of other states joining the conflict still hangs over the region.

The last three years have shown how quickly the situation can change, not only in the stock market as a whole, but also within a single sector. While as recently as the turn of 2020 and 2021, investments in shares of pharmaceutical companies focused on the development and delivery of an effective and safe vaccine against the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus seemed promising, today completely different companies are leading the way within the pharmaceutical sector.