The case for a U.S. interest rate cut remains unresolved as Federal Reserve officials head into their policy meeting later this month, with data showing fresh signs of higher inflation and President Donald Trump intensifying his demands for lower borrowing costs. Trump appeared near the point of trying to fire Fed Chair Jerome Powell this week, but backed off with a nod to the market disruption that would likely follow, and the U.S. central bank's policy rate outlook remains virtually unchanged despite the drama. Fed officials haven't mentioned raising rates, but headlines about an...
Consumer confidence in the US took a hit in February, with the Consumer Confidence Index falling to 98.3 (from 105.3) according to the Conference Board. The index fell to its lowest level since June 2024. Consumers' views of current business and job market conditions deteriorated, with the Current Situation Index dropping 3.4 points to 136.5. Meanwhile, their near-term outlook for income, business, and employment weakened further, with the Expectations Index dropping 9.3 points to 72.9. Stephanie Guichard, Senior Economist, Global Indicators at The Conference Board, explained that in...
US President Donald Trump was on the news on Monday (24/2), commenting on the ongoing Ukraine-Russia peace situation. With Russia now more than a thousand days into a three-day military operation intended to bring the country back under Russian control, the US President, who has been allied with Russia's Vladimir Putin for years, is trying to isolate Ukraine from NATO and get Ukraine to sign up to a half-trillion-dollar deal. This follows accusations from President Trump that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy was ultimately responsible for Russia's invasion of Ukraine in the first...
The Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA) recovered on Monday (2/25), rising about 300 points and turning around its peak in an attempt to recoup some of last week's losses triggered by an unexpected drop in consumer confidence figures. The market started the new trading week with a bullish bias, but gains remained limited as tensions persisted on the upside and investors remained overall uneasy on multiple fronts. February consumer sentiment figures raised some concerns last week, and now investors will turn to key earnings numbers this week from consumer building suppliers Home Depot (HD)...
Russia's overheating economy is on the cusp of serious cooling, as huge fiscal stimulus, soaring interest rates, stubbornly high inflation and Western sanctions take their toll, but after three years of war, Washington may just have thrown Moscow a lifeline. U.S. President Donald Trump is pushing for a quick deal to end the war in Ukraine, alarming Washington's European allies by leaving them and Ukraine out of initial talks with Russia and blaming Ukraine for Russia's 2022 invasion, political gifts for Moscow that could also bring strong economic benefits. Washington's push comes as...
The US Manufacturing Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI), a key indicator of economic performance in the manufacturing sector, has reported a higher than anticipated figure. The actual number came in at 51.6, exceeding both the forecasted and previous numbers. This figure was higher than the forecasted number of 51.3, indicating an increase in activity level of purchasing managers in the manufacturing sector. The PMI is a closely watched survey as purchasing managers often have early access to data about their company's performance, which can be a leading indicator of overall economic...
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...
President Donald Trump said Wednesday he plans to send a single letter to over 150 countries outlining the tariff rate they will face, saying, "It's all going to be the same for everyone, for that...