Oil prices are headed for a second weekly decline as concerns over a growing oversupply outweigh geopolitical risks to supply. Brent crude edged up to $60 a barrel on Friday but is still down about 2% for the week, while West Texas Intermediate is trading near $56 a barrel. Ukraine attacked an oil tanker linked to a shadowy Russian fleet in the Mediterranean Sea, a new escalation in a series of attacks on ships that help Moscow export oil. Despite these risks, nearly all of the world's largest traders see the market in oversupplied territory by early next year, with industrial giant...
US companies increased hiring in July after a sharp decline the previous month, although the pace remained consistent with weakening labor demand. Private-sector jobs increased by 104,000, according to ADP Research data released Wednesday. The median estimate in a Bloomberg survey of economists was for a gain of 76,000. (alg) Source: Bloomberg
The Federal Reserve is expected to hold interest rates on hold on Wednesday (July 30), six days after President Donald Trump renewed his demand that the US central bank cut borrowing costs during a rare presidential visit to its Washington headquarters. The sharp rate cut Trump is seeking he has suggested cutting it from the current 4.25%-4.50% range to as low as 1% is highly inconsistent with economic conditions that have largely stabilized in the six weeks since the Fed's last meeting. Such a dramatic rate cut would likely increase inflation, according to many economists, and is more in...
The Australian monthly Consumer Price Index is foreseen stable at 2.1%. Quarterly CPI inflation is expected to have modestly decreased in Q2. The Reserve Bank of Australia kept the OCR at 3.85% at its May meeting. The Australian Dollar is set to post lower lows vs its American rival. Australia will release inflation updates on Wednesday, two weeks ahead of the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) monetary policy meeting, scheduled for August 11-12. The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) will publish two different inflation gauges: the quarterly Consumer Price Index (CPI) for the second...
U.S. President Donald Trump said on Tuesday that India will likely face trade tariffs of 20% to 25%, although a deal is yet to be finalized. The tariff level is far greater than the 15% duties recently imposed on Japan and the European Union, and comes despite earlier signaling from Trump that talks with India were progressing well. "I think so," Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One when asked if 20% to 25% was a possible tariff rate against India. A Reuters report earlier in the day suggested that India was likely to face the tariffs on some exports as a temporary measure. The...
U.S. and Chinese officials agreed to seek an extension of their 90-day tariff truce on Tuesday, following two days of what both sides described as constructive talks in Stockholm aimed at defusing an escalating trade war between the world's two biggest economies that threatens global growth. No major breakthroughs were announced, and U.S. officials said it was up to President Donald Trump to decide whether to extend a trade truce that expires on August 12 or potentially let tariffs shoot back up to triple-digit figures. But U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent tamped down any expectation...
The United States and the European Union agreed on a framework trade deal to end months of uncertainty for industries and consumers. The two sides aim to produce a joint statement to clarify what they have agreed to, but here are the main elements of the deal that will enter into force on August 1 through an executive order by President Donald Trump, according to EU officials: * BASELINE TARIFF RATE: Almost all EU goods entering the U.S. will be subject to a 15% baseline tariff. The 15% tariff is not added to any existing rates. * CARS: Cars and car parts will be subject to the 15%...
US job openings declined to 7.44 million in June from a revised 7.71 million in May, according to data released Tuesday by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The drop follows two consecutive months of gains and keeps the overall level within a consistent range observed over the past year, suggesting generally stable demand for workers. The figure came in slightly below the median estimate of 7.5 million in a Bloomberg survey of economists. This data is closely watched by the Federal Reserve as it evaluates the health of the labor market and its impact on inflation. Despite the monthly dip, the...
The Kremlin said it was "taking note" of Donald Trump's threat to sharply shorten Vladimir Putin's deadline to end his war in Ukraine, although it stressed that the Russian president was unlikely to change course. "I would like to avoid making any judgments" about Trump's statement, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters on Tuesday. Russia continues the war and is also committed to resolving the conflict "and to ensuring our interests in this settlement," he said. Trump threatened on Monday to impose secondary sanctions within 10-12 days on countries buying Russian exports,...
Gold rises in the early Asian trade. There's a broad commodities uptrend, driven by macro uncertainty, a weaker dollar, and persistent demand for "hard" assets, says Fawad Razaqzada, market analyst...
Oil extended declines after OPEC+ agreed to a bigger-than-expected production increase next month, raising concerns about oversupply just as US tariffs fan fears about the demand outlook.
Brent...
The Japanese Yen (JPY) weakened against its US counterpart and reversed part of Friday's recovery from the lowest level since July 23 following Bank of Japan (BOJ) Governor Kazuo Ueda's remarks....