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 rose on Thursday as geopolitical concerns over rising tensions between Russia and Ukraine outweighed the impact of a larger-than-expected build in US crude inventories. Brent crude futures rose 60 cents, or 0.82%, to $72.81 by 0734 GMT. US West Texas Intermediate crude rose 64 cents, or 0.93%, to $69.39. Ukraine fired a series of British Storm Shadow cruise missiles at Russia on Wednesday, the latest Western weapons authorized for use on Russian targets, a day after firing US ATACMS missiles. Moscow says using Western weapons to attack Russian territory far from its borders...
Gold futures rose on safe-haven demand. Gold futures were up 0.7% at $2,670.80 an ounce. Rising geopolitical tensions between Russia and Ukraine, exacerbated by Russia's latest nuclear threats, have prompted investors to seek stable assets like gold, said Antonio Di Giacomo of XS.com. However, gold's rally has not been as sharp as some traders had hoped, capped by the strength of the dollar, he said in a note. Since both are considered safe-haven assets, the strength of the dollar reduces the relative demand for gold. Expectations of new monetary policy decisions by major banks—including...
The U.S. dollar stood broadly firm on Thursday as traders awaited more clarity on U.S. President-elect Donald Trump's proposed policies and sought to second-guess the prospects of less aggressive interest rate cuts from the Federal Reserve. After stalling for three sessions, the greenback was back on the march higher, with investors lifting the dollar index measure against its key rivals closer to a one-year high of 107.07 hit last week. The dollar has rallied more than 2% since the Nov. 5 U.S. presidential election on bets Trump's policies could reignite inflation and temper the Fed's...
Gold prices rose for the fourth straight session on Thursday, driven by safe-haven demand amid escalating tensions in the Russia-Ukraine conflict, while investors awaited remarks from Federal Reserve policymakers on the interest rate outlook. Spot gold was up 0.3% at $2,657.41 per ounce, as of 0238 GMT, hitting its highest since Nov. 11. U.S. gold futures rose 0.3% to $2,660.00. Ukraine fired a series of British Storm Shadow cruise missiles into Russia on Wednesday, marking the latest use of Western weapons on Russian targets, just a day after firing U.S. missiles. Meanwhile, the United...
Oil steadied as US crude stockpiles expanded for a third week, with traders monitoring an escalation of the war in Ukraine. West Texas Intermediate traded near $69 a barrel after closing 0.7% lower on Wednesday, while Brent settled below $73. US crude inventories rose by 545,000 barrels last week, according to government data. The volume was significantly smaller than figures flagged by an industry report. Oil has swung between gains and losses since mid-October, buffeted by a range of factors including signs of ample supply and a stronger dollar. Russia's war in...
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.
It...
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...