The ISM Services PMI rose to 52.4 in October 2025 from 50 in September, beating forecasts of 50.8, pointing to the strongest expansion in the services sector since February. Both business activity (54.3 vs 49.9) and new orders (56.2 vs 50.4) rebounded while the continued contraction in employmet (48.2 vs 47.2) shows a lack of confidence in the continued strength of the economy. "There was no indication of widespread layoffs or reductions in force, but the federal government shutdown was mentioned several times as impacting business activity and generating concerns for future layoffs",...
The University of Michigan's gauge of consumer sentiment fell slightly to 50.8 in a preliminary reading in May from 52.2 in the prior month. It was the fifth straight monthly decline. Inflation expectations have edged higher. Economists surveyed by the Wall Street Journal had forecast sentiment rising to 53.5. This is a breaking story. Check back here for updates. Source: Bloomberg
U.S. President Donald Trump said on Friday he was returning to Washington after wrapping up his Gulf tour. "Let's see what happens with Russia and Ukraine," he said, referring to Russia-Ukraine talks taking place in Turkey. Trump said he will meet Russian President Vladimir Putin "as soon as we can set it up". Russian and Ukrainian negotiators will meet in Istanbul on Friday for their first peace talks in more than three years as both sides come under pressure from U.S. President Donald Trump to end Europe's deadliest conflict since World War Two. The encounter at the Dolmabahce Palace...
Barclays no longer expects the U.S. economy to slip into a recession later this year and has revised up its growth forecasts, given signs of a de-escalation in U.S.-China trade tensions, the bank said in a note released late Thursday. Barclays said it now expects the U.S. economy to grow 0.5% this year and 1.6% next year, up from previous forecasts of -0.3% and 1.5%, respectively. Reduced uncertainty and an improved economic backdrop also led Barclays to lift its euro area growth expectations. It now forecasts flat economic growth this year, compared to a 0.2% contraction...
Donald Trump's tariffs on China are likely to remain at levels that are expected to severely restrict Chinese exports to the U.S. after a 90-day truce, analysts and investors say, suggesting Beijing may have to endure further economic pain despite active talks. U.S. levies on Chinese goods imposed this year are likely to remain at 30% through the end of 2025, according to a Bloomberg survey. While much lower than before this week's thaw, the current tariffs are high enough to wipe out 70% of China's shipments to the world's largest economy in the medium term, according to Bloomberg...
Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell said Thursday that longer-term interest rates are likely to be higher as the economy changes and policy is in flux. In remarks that focused on the central bank's policy framework review, last done in the summer of 2020, Powell noted that conditions have changed significantly over the past five years. During the period, the Fed witnessed a period of surging inflation, pushing it to historically aggressive interest rate hikes. Powell said that even with longer-term inflation expectations largely in line with the Fed's 2% target, the era of near-zero rates...
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...
American consumers struggling to access food assistance payments due to the government shutdown are unable to fill their shopping carts, and that's "hurtful," according to the company behind Stop...