United Arab Emirates President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan's tour of Gulf countries is aimed at coordinating positions after Tuesday's Israeli attack on Hamas leaders in Doha, his diplomatic adviser said on Thursday. "The President's Gulf tour reflects a deep conviction in strengthening coordination and cooperation, and in reinforcing the concept of a common destiny," Anwar Gargash said in a post on X. Israel attempted on Tuesday to kill Hamas political leaders in an airstrike on the Qatari capital, escalating its military campaign in the Middle East and prompting a flurry of...
The European Commission proposed on Thursday removing duties on imported U.S. industrial goods in return for reduced U.S. tariffs on European cars, a key part of the trade agreement the EU and the United States struck last month. The proposals mark the EU's first step in enacting the framework agreement between U.S. President Donald Trump and Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on July 27, which saw the EU accept a broad 15% tariff to avoid a damaging trade war. The United States agreed to reduce its tariffs on cars built in the European Union to 15% from 27.5% from the first day of...
Pending home sales in the United States fell by 0.4% from the previous month in July of 2025, extending the 0.8% drop in the previous month to mark the first back-to-back contraction since January. Pending home sales were lower in the Northeast (-0.6%), the Midwest (-4.0%), and the South (-0.1%), which offset the 3.7% jump in the West. According to NAR Chief Economist Lawrence Yun, "Even with modest improvements in mortgage rates, housing affordability, and inventory, buyers still remain hesitant. Buying a home is often the most expensive purchase people will make in their lives. This...
According to a report from the US Department of Labor (DOL) released on Thursday, the number of Americans filing new applications for unemployment insurance fell to 229,000 for the week ending August 23. The latest figure was slightly lower than the initial estimate (230,000) and lower than the previous week's 234,000 (revised from 235,000). Furthermore, the 4-week moving average increased by 2.5,000, bringing the total to 228,500 from the previous week's revised average. The report showed a seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate of 1.3%, with Continuing Jobless Claims decreasing by...
The US Gross Domestic Product (GDP) grew at an annualized rate of 3.3% in the second quarter, the US Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) announced on Thursday. This figure was better than the preliminary estimate and market expectations of 3% and 3.1%, respectively. "Real GDP was revised up 0.3 percentage point from the preliminary estimate, primarily reflecting upward revisions to investment and consumer spending, partially offset by downward revisions to government spending and upward revisions to imports," the BEA explained in a press release. (alg) Source: FXstreet
The French prime minister's decision to hold a confidence vote next month carries heavy risks for the economy, bringing back fears of recession, business leaders said on Wednesday. Opposition parties have said they will bring down the minority government in the September 8 vote which Prime Minister Francois Bayrou unexpectedly announced on Monday, throwing the euro zone's second economy back into crisis. Opinion polls carried out after Bayrou's announcement show most French people now want new national elections, pointing to deepening dissatisfaction with politics and a risk of lasting...
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...