
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 Bank of Japan (BoJ) is widely expected to leave short-term interest rates unchanged at 0.5% after its two-day June monetary policy review ends on Tuesday (6/17). With no quarterly economic projections due, all eyes will be on the BoJ's plan to taper its purchases of Japanese government bonds (JGBs) and hints on the timing of its next rate hike. The BoJ's policy announcement is likely to fuel volatility around the Japanese yen (JPY). What to expect from the BoJ's rate decision? The BoJ is set to extend the pause in its rate-hike cycle to a third straight month in June, keeping its...
US President Donald Trump called for the evacuation of Iran's capital, Tehran, on Monday, hours after urging the country's leaders to accept a deal to curb its nuclear program as Israel signaled that attacks would continue, according to Bloomberg "Iran should sign the 'deal' I asked them to sign," Trump wrote in a social media post from a Group of Seven leaders summit in Alberta, Canada. "What a disgrace, and a waste of human lives. Simply put, IRAN SHOULD NOT HAVE NUCLEAR WEAPONS. I've said it over and over again! Everyone should evacuate Tehran immediately!" (alg) Source: FXstreet
With just days to go until the Federal Reserve delivers its rate decision due Wednesday, expectations for the Fed to lean more dovish are gaining traction following a string of cooler inflation reports but Barclays is pushing back, warning it's much too early for a Fed pivot as tariff-induced inflation is just a matter of time. "Although May's inflation estimates were soft, we retain our view that it is just a matter of time until cost-push pressures from tariffs feed through to consumer prices," Barclays' analysts said, cautioning, "we do not expect the FOMC will take much signal" from the...
Iran called on U.S. President Donald Trump on Monday to force Israel to cease fire as the only way to end the four-day-old aerial war, while Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said his country was on the "path to victory". Israeli forces stepped up their bombardment of Iranian cities, while Iran proved capable of piercing Israeli air defences with one of its most successful volleys yet of retaliatory missile strikes. "If President Trump is genuine about diplomacy and interested in stopping this war, next steps are consequential," Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said on...
European Union Council President Antonio Costa called for a "constructive position" with the United States on trade tariffs to prevent a trade war, speaking on Monday ahead of a G7 meeting in Canada. Costa emphasized that if the EU faced discriminatory measures, it would need to respond, noting that "the European Commission is prepared to respond, particularly in trade matters." "We have to keep nerves of steel. I have great hope that, in the end, some line of rationality will guide political action... as no tariff will increase U.S. exports of goods or services to Europe," Costa said in a...
	    	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...