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 settled higher on Friday and recorded a second consecutive weekly gain as fresh U.S. sanctions on Iran and the latest output plan from the OPEC+ producer group raised expectations of tighter supply. Brent crude futures rose 16 cents, or 0.2%, to settle at $72.16 a barrel. U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude futures rose 21 cents, or 0.3%, to $68.28. On a weekly basis, Brent rose 2.1% and WTI about 1.6%, their biggest gains since the first week of the year. On Thursday, the U.S. Treasury announced new Iran-related sanctions, which for the first time targeted an independent...
The USD/CHF pair flattens around 0.8820 during North American trading hours on Friday. The Swiss Franc pair trades sideways even though the US Dollar (USD) exhibits strength amid expectations that the Federal Reserve (Fed) will not cut its key borrowing rates in the near term. The US Dollar Index (DXY), which tracks the Greenback's value against six major currencies, rises to near 104.00.Fed officials have stated that they are not in a hurry to move to interest rate cuts as they struggle to interpret the outcome of United States (US) President Donald Trump's economic policies. In Friday's...
The AUD/USD pair struggles to capitalize on the overnight bounce from the 0.6270 area or a one-week low and meets with a fresh supply on Friday. Spot prices remain depressed below the 0.6300 mark through the first of the European session and could slide further amid a goodish pickup in the US Dollar (USD) demand. The Federal Reserve (Fed) maintained its forecast for two 25 basis points rate cuts in 2025 at the end of March policy meeting on Wednesday and gave a bump higher to its inflation projection. The outlook assists the Greenback to build on its modest recovery from a multi-month low...
EUR/USD trades lower to near the 10-day low of 1.0815 in Friday's North American session. The major currency pair faces selling pressure as the US Dollar (USD) strengthens after the Federal Reserve (Fed) expressed in the policy meeting on Wednesday that interest rate cuts are not on the table in the current scenario. The US Dollar Index (DXY), which tracks the Greenback's value against six major currencies, rises to near 104.15. On Wednesday, the Fed kept interest rates steady in the range of 4.25%-4.50% for the second time in a row, as expected. Fed Chair Jerome Powell said in the press...
The US Dollar Index (DXY), which tracks the performance of the US Dollar (USD) against six major currencies, is able to print a third consecutive day of gains, trading around 104.00 at the time of writing on Friday. The DXY tries to move away from the 2025 low at 103.20 reached on Tuesday, after the Financial Times reported European countries are drawing up plans to take on responsibilities for the continent's defence from the United States (US), including a pitch to the Trump administration for a managed transfer over the next five to 10 years, which would reshape the North Atlantic Treaty...
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...