Former U.S. President Donald Trump threatened to impose tariffs on members of the BRICS group of nations on Friday, warning the alliance would quickly collapse if it ever becomes a significant economic force. "When I heard about this group from BRICS, six countries, basically, I hit them very, very hard. And if they ever really form in a meaningful way, it will end very quickly," Trump said without specifying which nations he was referring to. The BRICS group currently includes Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa, and has recently expanded to include other nations. In addition to...
Oil prices were little changed on Friday after rising in the previous session as concerns drone attacks on northern Iraqi oil fields will cut supply vied with worries of potential demand declines amid uncertainty in U.S. tariff policy. Brent crude futures eased 4 cents, or 0.06%, to $69.48 a barrel as of 0239 GMT, U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude futures edged down 3 cents, or 0.04%, to $67.51 a barrel. Four days of drone attacks on oil fields in Iraqi Kurdistan that shut down half of the region's output have supported prices, pushing both contracts up $1 on Thursday. Additionally,...
The Australian dollar strengthened to around $0.651 on Friday, recouping some losses in the previous session, as a surge in iron ore prices, driven by renewed optimism over Chinese economic support, lifted demand for the commodity-linked currency. The rally in iron ore came as China's June import volumes hit a 2025 high, reflecting strong restocking demand and expectations of further policy support for infrastructure and property. Traders grew more optimistic after Chinese authorities signaled fresh stimulus measures, including targeted credit easing and fiscal aid to boost construction...
The dollar edged lower against most Group-of-10 peers after Federal Reserve Governor Christopher Waller said the central bank should cut rates at its next meeting. Bloomberg Dollar Spot Index slipped 0.1%, while the yield on 2-year Treasuries fell two basis points to 3.88% With limited risk to price pressures and inflation within target, the Fed shouldn't wait until the labor market deteriorates before it cuts, Waller said in the text of a speech. "I believe it makes sense to cut the FOMC's policy rate by 25 basis points two weeks from now" NOTE: Traders are pricing effectively...
Gold steadied and was set for a moderate weekly loss as investors assessed the outlook for Federal Reserve rate cuts after resilient US jobs and retail data eased concerns about the economy. Bullion traded below $3,340 an ounce in early Asian hours, heading for a 0.5% drop on the week. That came after data that showed applications for unemployment benefits fell for a fifth straight week to the lowest level since mid-April, and advancing retail sales in June. San Francisco Fed President Mary Daly said she still thinks it's reasonable for policymakers to plan on two interest-rate cuts this...
The Japanese yen rose to around 148 per dollar on Friday, rebounding from a significant drop in the previous session, as investors digested the latest inflation data. Headline inflation ticked down to 3.3% in June 2025 from 3.5% in May, yet it marked the 39th consecutive month that inflation remained above the Bank of Japan's 2% target. This bolstered expectations that the BoJ may consider tightening monetary policy, given the prolonged period of above-target inflation. Meanwhile, data on Wednesday showed Japan's trade surplus shrank in June, falling short of expectations as exports fell...
China's official NBS Manufacturing PMI increased to 49.7 in June 2025 from May's 49.5, matching market expectations while marking the third consecutive month of contraction in factory activity.
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Both the STOXX 50 and STOXX 600 hovered around the flatline on Friday, as investors adopted a cautious stance ahead of further developments in trade talks between US President Trump and Chinese...
President Donald Trump said Wednesday he plans to send a single letter to over 150 countries outlining the tariff rate they will face, saying, "It's all going to be the same for everyone, for that...