The economic activity in the United States' (US) manufacturing sector continued to contract in October, with the Institute for Supply Management's (ISM) Manufacturing Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI) dropping to 48.7 from 49.1 in September. This reading came in weaker than the market expectation of 49.5. Other details of the PMI report showed that the Employment Index edged higher to 46 from 45.3 in this period, while the New Orders Index improved to 49.4 from 48.9. Finally, the Prices Pair Index, the input inflation component of the survey, declined to 58 from 61.9. Source: FXstreet
The European Union announced on Sunday that it will extend its suspension of countermeasures to U.S. tariffs until early August, aiming to pursue a negotiated settlement. This comes after President Trump on Saturday warned of a 30% tariff on most imports from the EU and Mexico starting August 1, pressuring countries to agree on new trade frameworks within weeks. White House economic adviser Kevin Hassett stressed, "the tariffs are real" unless better deals are made, saying Trump "sent these letters out to folks" to mark a clear stance. EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen...
U.S. tariffs take center stage but China and the EU are quietly clashiThe U.S. tariff saga has stolen global spotlight from trade tensions between China and the European Union, which are now heating up. Accusations and investigations over each other's trade practices have long been a staple of EU-China trade relations, underpinned by concerns over how domestic economies are likely to be impacted by competing imports. In recent weeks, EU restrictions on Chinese companies taking part in public tenders for medical devices were quickly met with China imposing import curbs on such products....
The pharmaceutical industry is scrambling with scenario planning as U.S. President Donald Trump's 200% tariff proposal threatens to drive up drug prices and rip out corporate profit margins. The president once again warned on Tuesday that long-awaited industry-wide tariffs would be announced "very soon" after the administration launched a so-called 232 investigation into the sector in April. Trump suggested that those levies would not go into effect immediately, but get a grace period of "about a year, year and a half to come in." Analysts nevertheless warn that such a rate — even with a...
U.S. President Donald Trump announced on Thursday that he will impose a 35% tariff on imports from Canada starting August 1, warning that it could rise further if Canada retaliates. In a letter to Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, released on his social media platform, Trump also signaled plans to apply blanket tariffs of 15% to 20% on most other trade partners. The move is part of a broader escalation in his trade war, with new tariffs already targeting allies such as Japan and South Korea, as well as a 50% levy on copper. In an interview with NBC News, Trump said not all countries...
Federal Reserve Board of Governors (Fed) member Christopher Waller reiterated his argument for why the Fed should cut interest rates earlier in July. In a speech at the Dallas Fed, Waller noted that the inflationary impact of tariffs would likely be short-lived and stated that a rate cut would not be politically motivated. Fed Governor Waller is one of the favorites to replace Fed Chairman Jerome Powell in 2026. Key Highlights Tariffs raise prices once, and the central bank can anticipate that. The impact of tariffs is not zero, but it is also not large. Waller argued that a moderately...
Asia-Pacific markets traded higher, tracking Wall Street gains overnight.
Japan's benchmark Nikkei 225 rose 0.41% after hitting a fresh record high on Thursday, while the Topix added 0.61%. South...
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...
As the U.S. government shutdown disrupts federal employee paychecks across the country, it also exacerbates the financial hardship of attorneys who represent the poorest members of society when they...