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...
The U.S. dollar was steady on Friday, set to end a volatile week with modest gains as traders digested the implications of a new Trump presidency and a compliant Federal Reserve. At 4:30 a.m. ET (09:30 GMT), the Dollar Index, which tracks the greenback against a basket of six other currencies, was flat at 104.372. The index is on track for a gain of just 0.2% this week, even after rising 1.5% on Wednesday after Donald Trump's election victory, when it posted its biggest one-day gain since September 2022. The dollar jumped to a four-month high on Wednesday as traders braced for a new Trump...
Gold prices fell on Friday but held around $2,700 as markets reacted to the implications of Donald Trump's presidency and the Fed's latest interest rate decision. The Fed cut interest rates by 25 basis points as expected on Thursday, while signaling a cautious and considered stance on any further rate cuts. However, markets are pricing in higher rates from the Fed, as the new US president's policies—focused on raising tariffs, cutting taxes and deregulation—are expected to widen deficits and fuel inflation. Meanwhile, demand for gold remains strong. The World Gold Council reported that...
Silver (XAG/USD) met with fresh supply on Friday (08/11) and reversed a major part of the previous day's decent recovery move from over three-week lows. The white metal continued losing ground through the first half of the European session and refreshed daily lows, around the $31.30 area in the last hour. From a technical perspective, any further declines are likely to find some support near the $31.00 level ahead of the $30.85-$30.80 region, or multi-week lows. Some follow-through selling below the 50% Fibonacci retracement level of the August-October rally, around the $30.65-$30.60 area,...
Gold (XAU/USD) prices fell to the $2,680 area during the first half of the European session on Friday and was pressured by a combination of factors. Expectations that Trump's policies will spur economic growth and inflation, to a greater extent, overshadowed the Federal Reserve's (Fed) dovish outlook, which in turn, helped revive demand for the US Dollar (USD). Moreover, the generally positive risk sentiment undermined the safe-haven precious metal. Meanwhile, a decline in the US Treasury bond yields might hold US investors from placing aggressive bets and help limit any further...
The Japanese yen stabilized around 152.8 per dollar on Friday after Finance Minister Katsunobu Kato signaled that Japan would take "appropriate action" to address excessive foreign exchange fluctuations. Kato reiterated official warnings against speculative moves in the currency market and emphasized that the government is closely monitoring the impact of Donald Trump's policies on Japan's economy. Kato's comments came after opposition leader Yuichiro Tamaki warned that Trump's policies could intensify inflation in the US, potentially putting further downward pressure on the yen. On...
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...