Initial jobless claims in the US surged by 27,000 from the previous week to 263,000 in the first week of September, the highest single-week figure since October 2021, and well above market consensus of 235,000 initial claims. This finding aligns with a series of downbeat labor market surveys released since the beginning of the month, adding to evidence of worsening employment conditions in the US. (alg) Source: Trading Economics
Japan's 10-year government bond yield dropped below 1.5% on Wednesday, hitting a four-week low as concerns over upcoming US tariffs fueled demand for safe-haven assets. President Donald Trump is set to impose reciprocal tariffs on countries that levy duties on US goods, along with additional levies on car imports—posing risks to Japan's key export sector. Meanwhile, Bank of Japan Governor Kazuo Ueda warned that the new US tariffs could significantly impact global trade and economic growth. Earlier data showed that Japanese business sentiment weakened in the first quarter amid mounting...
The German economy will recover from its prolonged period of weakness very slowly, growing by only 0.2% this year, according to the new forecasts of Germany's banks' association, seen by Reuters on Wednesday.The association had previously forecast growth of 0.7% for this year in its forecasts published in September.The economy is not expected to recover noticeably until 2026, with growth of 1.4%, the Association of German Banks said.The German economy has contracted for two consecutive years and its prospects for this year have worsened after U.S. President Donald Trump announced a 25%...
US job openings fell in February while layoffs remained subdued, adding to evidence of a labor market that's only gradually cooling. The number of available positions decreased to 7.57 million from a revised 7.76 million reading in January, the Bureau of Labor Statistics Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey, known as JOLTS, showed Tuesday. The median estimate in a Bloomberg survey of economists called for 7.66 million openings. The pullback in openings was driven by declines in retail trade, financial activities and accommodation and food services. After steadily declining...
US factory activity contracted in March for the first time this year and prices accelerated sharply for a second month as the drumbeat of higher tariffs reverberated through the economy. The Institute for Supply Management's manufacturing index declined 1.3 points last month to 49, according to data released Tuesday. Readings below 50 indicate contraction and the figure was slightly weaker than the median production in a Bloomberg survey of economists. The group's price measure increased another 7 points to 69.4, still the highest since June 2022. Over the past two months, the...
China's official NBS Non-Manufacturing PMI rose to 50.8 in March 2025, up from 50.4 in February, marking the highest reading in three months and exceeding market expectations of 50.5. The new orders index climbed to 46.6%, up 0.5 percentage points from the previous month, signaling a rebound in demand within the non-manufacturing sector. The input price index edged up to 48.6%, rising 0.2 points, indicating a slower decline in operating costs for non-manufacturing firms. Meanwhile, the sales price index fell to 46.7%, down 1.1 points, suggesting that overall sales prices continued to...
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...
Less than four months ago, President Donald Trump met with Qatar's leader, praised his magnificent palace, and signed a comprehensive defense agreement with the Gulf monarchy, a key ally that hosts...