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 edged higher but remained close to its lowest in almost seven weeks amid concerns about excess supply and weak Chinese demand. Global benchmark Brent inched up, after earlier dipping to its lowest level since the start of October, though it continued to trade below $72 a barrel following its tumble last week. A slower than usual selling pace for Angolan crude was the latest signal of weak Chinese demand, and the International Energy Agency has warned that global oil markets face a sizeable surplus next year. Oil has swung between gains and losses in...
The U.S. dollar eased slightly from a recent one-year high at the start of a week that was light on major economic data but included comments from a series of Fed speakers. At 4:50 AM ET (09:50 GMT), the Dollar Index, which tracks the greenback against a basket of six other currencies, was trading 0.1% lower at 106.497, just below a one-year high of 106.72. The index gained 1.6% for the week, marking its sixth winning week in the past seven. Dollar holds its strength The dollar has benefited from a structural bullish shift since the election of Donald Trump toward the start of the month,...
Gold (XAU/USD) prices struggled to capitalize on its modest intraday uptick to the $2,600 range, albeit managed to hold in the positive territory through the early European session on Monday (18/11). Concerns over escalating geopolitical tensions, coupled with a weaker US Dollar (USD), turned out to be key factors that acted as a tailwind for the safe-haven precious metal. However, expectations of a less dovish Federal Reserve (Fed) capped gains for the yellow metal that did not deliver a balanced outcome. Investors remain hopeful that US President-elect Donald Trump's expansionary policies...
The Australian Dollar (AUD) came under pressure against the US Dollar (USD) on Monday (11/18). However, the decline in the AUD/USD pair could be limited due to aggressive comments from Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) Governor Michele Bullock on Thursday. Bullock emphasized that interest rates are currently quite tight and will not change until the central bank is confident about the inflation outlook. The yield on the benchmark 10-year Australian government bond eased slightly to around 4.66%, down from a one-year high. Recent data showed a slowdown in employment growth in October, while...
Oil prices edged up on Monday after fighting between Russia and Ukraine intensified over the weekend, although concerns about fuel demand in China, the world's second-largest consumer, and forecasts of a global oil surplus weighed on markets. Brent crude futures gained 29 cents, or 0.4%, to $71.33 a barrel by 0502 GMT, while U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude futures were at $67.20 a barrel, up 18 cents, or 0.3%. Russia unleashed its largest air strike on Ukraine in almost three months on Sunday, causing severe damage to Ukraine's power system. In a significant reversal of Washington's...
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...