The U.S. central bank, to President Donald Trump's chagrin, will likely leave interest rates unchanged at a policy meeting this week, but that's not to say there won't be a vigorous debate, with one if not two Federal Reserve governors possibly casting a rare dissent in support of lower borrowing costs. The majority of Fed policymakers, though, remain concerned that Trump's tariffs could undo progress on bringing inflation back to the central bank's 2% goal, outweighing for now worries about the labor market. The trade deal struck between the U.S. and Japan last week, with tariffs set at...
Gold prices are recovering during the US session on Monday, as escalating geopolitical tensions and shifts in the Federal Reserve's (Fed) interest rate narrative have led to a resurgence in bullish momentum. The US airstrikes on Iranian nuclear sites over the weekend triggered a sharp response from Tehran, which condemned the attacks as a major provocation and launched retaliatory missile and drone strikes on Israel. The renewed conflict has heightened fears of a broader regional escalation. Meanwhile, Fed Governor Michelle Bowman signaled openness to a potential interest rate cut as early...
Oil erased earlier gains as fears began to fade of an immediate disruption to supplies from the Middle East, following US strikes on key Iranian nuclear sites. Global benchmark Brent initially surged as much as 5.7% to $81.40 a barrel in heavy trading, but later dropped below $77. US President Donald Trump said that air attacks over the weekend had "obliterated" a trio of targets in Iran, and threatened more military action if the country didn't make peace. In reply, Tehran warned that the strikes would trigger "everlasting consequences." The oil...
Gold eased on Monday as the dollar held firm, while market participants remained cautious, watching out for any potential Iranian retaliation to U.S. strikes on its nuclear sites. Spot gold was down 0.1% at $3,365.29 an ounc. U.S. gold futures fell 0.1% to $3,381.30. The dollar rose 0.6% against its peers, making gold more expensive for foreign buyers. Higher energy prices could potentially delay a Fed rate cut and strengthen the dollar, said Ole Hansen, head of commodity strategy at Saxo Bank. "Continued and multiple geopolitical uncertainties will likely continue to underpin and...
Silver prices are showing increasingly solid fundamentals in mid-2025, driven by a supply deficit, surging industrial demand, and investor interest in safe haven assets. This combination makes silver one of the precious metals with the most promising growth prospects this year. This year is the fifth consecutive year of a global silver supply deficit, with a projected shortfall of 117–149 million ounces. Although mining production has increased slightly, its growth has not been able to keep up with the high surge in demand. Silver is a key component in clean technology and future energy....
Brent crude futures are little changed near $77 a barrel having erased kneejerk opening gains seen after the US launched a series of weekend strikes on key Iranian nuclear sites. US equity futures have also recovered from their opening fall with S&P 500 contracts now up 0.2%. The Stoxx 600 falls 0.2% but again is off its worst levels. Construction, technology and energy stocks outperform in Europe. Chemicals and industrials lag. The Bloomberg Dollar Spot Index extends its climb to 0.5%. The Japanese yen and kiwi dollar are the weakest of the G-10 currencies,...
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...
The United States and European Union have reached a landmark trade agreement that includes a 15% tariff on EU goods entering the U.S., President Donald Trump announced Sunday while in Scotland.
The...