European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said she will travel to Scotland this weekend to meet with US President Donald Trump, as both sides aim to reach a trade deal before the August 1 deadline when 30% tariffs on the bloc's exports are due to take effect. After months of negotiations and back-and-forth diplomacy between Brussels and Washington, D.C., the two sides have zeroed in on a deal last week that will see the EU face 15% tariffs on most of its trade. Limited exceptions are expected to apply to aviation, some medical devices and generic drugs, some alcoholic beverages,...
Silver price (XAG/USD) edges higher after registering losses over 1% in the previous session, hovering around $33.10 per troy ounce during the Asian trading hours on Friday. The manufacturing-sensitive commodities, including Silver, faced challenges due to growing concerns regarding the increase in the fiscal deficit in the United States (US). However, rising safe-haven demand over these fiscal concerns could offset the demand-related threat surrounding such commodities. On Thursday, US President Donald Trump's "One Big Beautiful Bill" passed the US House of Representatives and is on its...
The Japanese yen strengthened to around 143.6 per dollar on Friday and was set to advance more than 1% for the week, underpinned by hotter-than-anticipated inflation data. Japan's core inflation rate accelerated more than expected to 3.5%, the highest in over two years. This reinforces expectations that the Bank of Japan will continue tightening monetary policy in response to sustained inflationary pressures. Meanwhile, the headline inflation rate remained steady at 3.6%. The yen also benefited from a general weakness in the dollar amid concerns about the US fiscal outlook. Elsewhere,...
The dollar index fell to around 99.6 on Friday and was set to lose more than 1% for the week, weighed down by concerns over the US fiscal outlook. President Trump's new budget bill, which includes tax cuts and increased defense spending, has raised concerns that it could further inflate the US national debt. The Congressional Budget Office estimates the bill will add nearly $4 trillion to the national debt, fueling fears of long-term fiscal instability. These concerns were compounded by Moody's recent downgrade of the US credit rating from Aaa to Aa1, citing ballooning deficits and the...
WTI crude oil futures fell below $61 per barrel on Friday, heading for its first weekly decline in three, pressured by the potential for OPEC+ to raise crude production. The group is reportedly considering a third consecutive monthly increase in output quotas, possibly adding 411,000 bpd in July, though no agreement has been finalized. This adds to growing oversupply concerns, following an unexpected rise in US crude stockpiles earlier in the week. Data from The Tank Tiger also showed that US crude storage demand has recently surged to levels last seen during the COVID-19 pandemic, as...
Gold steadied after its first decline this week, as some traders turned to longer-term U.S. Treasury bonds and the dollar instead of the precious metal. Bullion traded near $3,300 an ounce, reversing gains made on Thursday, and is still up nearly 3% this week after buying the safe-haven asset following a Moody's downgrade of the U.S. rating. The world's largest economy faces a precarious fiscal situation, with a growing debt pile and rising interest payments that could lead to higher borrowing costs and make it harder to reduce the deficit. The precious metal has surged by about a quarter...
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 locked horns with Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell during a rare presidential visit to the U.S. central bank on Thursday, criticizing the cost of renovating two historical...