The business activity in the US service sector stagnated in September, with the Institute for Supply Management's (ISM) Services Purchasing Managers Index (PMI) declining to 50 from 52 in August. This reading came in below the market expectation of 51.7. The Employment Index of the PMI survey edged higher to 47.2 from 46.5 in August, while the Prices Paid Index, the inflation component, rose to 69.4 from 69.2. Assessing the survey's findings, "September's Services PMI level returned to numbers very similar to May and July, with weakness in business activity and continued weakness in...
The S&P Global US Manufacturing PMI fell to 49.8 in March 2025 from 52.7 in February, missing market expectations of 51.8, a preliminary estimate showed. Manufacturing output declined after February's sharpest increase in nearly three years, with factories reporting fewer instances of output being boosted by the front-running of tariffs and new orders growth nearly stalling. Input purchasing in the sector also slipped back into decline. However, export sales saw their smallest decline in nine months, supported by rising orders from Canada, Germany, and other EU countries, suggesting...
The White House is adjusting its approach to tariffs that will take effect on April 2, likely eliminating a series of industry-specific tariffs while imposing reciprocal tariffs aimed at countries with significant trade ties with the United States, according to the Wall Street Journal. US President Donald Trump has declared April 2 as "Liberation Day" for the US, when he will implement so-called reciprocal tariffs that seek to match US tariffs with those imposed by trading partners, as well as tariffs on sectors such as autos, pharmaceuticals and semiconductors, which he has repeatedly said...
Donald Trump's top trade chief, Jamieson Greer, plans to speak with his Chinese counterpart next week, the U.S. president said on Friday amid an escalating tariff war. Talks between the world's biggest economies would occur just days before the long-threatened April 2 unveiling of fresh U.S. tariffs on every country that taxes U.S. imports, potentially including new steps against China. Trump did not say what he hoped the next set of U.S.-China talks would achieve, or whether they might lead to a roll-back of levies on Chinese imports. Trump has imposed 20% levies on all imports from...
President Donald Trump said on Thursday the United States will sign a minerals and natural resources deal with Ukraine shortly and that his efforts to achieve a peace deal for the country were going "pretty well" after his talks this week with the Russian and Ukrainian leaders. Trump made the comments at a White House event after signing an order to increase U.S. production of critical minerals. "We're doing very well with regard to Ukraine and Russia. And one of the things we are doing is signing a deal very shortly with respect to rare earths with Ukraine." Trump referred to his...
US citizens filing new applications for unemployment insurance rose to 223K for the week ending March 15, the US Department of Labor (DOL) reported on Thursday. This missed the preliminary estimate and was slightly higher than the previous week's revised count of 221K (revised from 220K). The report also highlighted the seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate at 1.2%, while the four-week moving average rose by 750 to 227K from the previous week's revised average. Additionally, Continuing Jobless Claims rose by 33K to 1.892 million for the week ending March 8. (Newsmaker23) Source:...
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...
The U.S. government shut down much of its operations on Wednesday as deep partisan divisions prevented Congress and the White House from reaching a funding deal, setting off what could be a long,...