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 US dollar (USD) weakened on Friday (July 18th), retreating from a three-week high as momentum waned. However, the greenback remained supported by strong US economic data released this week, which has reduced the likelihood of an immediate interest rate cut by the Federal Reserve (Fed). The US Dollar Index (DXY), which tracks the greenback against a basket of six major currencies, fell about 0.36%, approaching 98.30 in the European session on Friday. This decline came after the index hit a three-week high on Thursday, briefly approaching 99.00. This week's US data has reinforced the...
Oil prices edged higher on Friday (July 18th), heading for a slight weekly loss, as investors weighed new EU sanctions against Russia. Brent crude futures rose 50 cents, or 0.72%, to $70.02 a barrel at 09:12 GMT, while U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude futures rose 61 cents, or 0.9%, to $68.15 a barrel. At those levels, the contracts were headed for marginal weekly losses of 0.5% and 0.4%, respectively. Investors were weighing the potential impact on global oil balances of the European Union's agreement on an 18th package of sanctions against Russia over its war in Ukraine, which includes...
Gold prices rose on Friday (July 18th), but were on track for a weekly decline as concerns about the US Federal Reserve's independence eased and strong US data emerged, while platinum rose to a nearly 11-year high. Spot gold rose 0.3% to $3,349.49 an ounce, as of 08:34 GMT, after falling 1.1% in the previous session. Bullion has fallen 0.2% so far this week. US gold futures fell 0.3% to $3,354.70. The US dollar, open a new tab, fell 0.4% for the day, but was headed for a second straight weekly gain. A stronger dollar tends to make gold more expensive for buyers holding other...
The dollar headed for a second straight weekly gain against major peers, buoyed by some solid U.S. economic data that supported the view the Federal Reserve can afford to wait a while longer before cutting interest rates again. The yen remained on the back foot heading into upper house elections on Sunday in Japan, with polls suggesting the ruling coalition is at risk of losing its majority - a development that would stir policy uncertainty and complicate tariff negotiations with the U.S. Bitcoin hovered just above $120,000, after this week pushing to an all-time peak of $123,153.22, with...
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, 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 it's reasonable for policymakers to plan on two interest-rate cuts this year, emphasizing that the central bank...
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...