President Donald Trump announced a new peace pact between Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo, which he linked to US access to critical minerals. At a meeting in Washington, Trump claimed his administration had "succeeded where many others have failed," calling this the eighth war he has ended in less than a year. However, the reality on the ground is far more complicated, as fighting in eastern Congo continues despite the signing of the previous peace agreement. The agreement is not just about a ceasefire; it also concerns the mineral trade. The agreement grants US companies access...
The bottom line: The release of official US data is delayed because the federal government is currently in shutdown. While the budget hasn't been passed, the Antideficiency Act prohibits federal agencies from spending funds—including on statistical activities—so the publication of non-essential data must be temporarily halted. That's why reports like the non-farm payrolls (NFP), weekly jobless claims, CPI, retail sales, PCE, and even GDP releases could be delayed. The shutdown began Wednesday, October 1, 2025, after a funding impasse in Washington. The impact is immediate: the monthly...
The US Supreme Court said Wednesday that it will hear arguments in January on Donald Trump's attempt to fire Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook, who will remain in office for the time being, setting up a major legal battle over the first attempt by a president to fire a Federal Reserve official because she challenges the central bank's independence. The justices declined to immediately rule on a Justice Department request to stay a judge's order temporarily blocking the Republican president from firing Cook, an appointee of Democratic former President Joe Biden. The court postponed...
US President Donald Trump said he will meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping in the next four weeks, with soybeans a key topic of discussion. Trump made the announcement in a post on Truth Social on Wednesday, highlighting the recent decline in Chinese purchases being hit hard by US farmers. The meeting comes amidst still-strained trade relations. The Trump administration has called the 55% tariffs on Chinese imports a "good status quo" ahead of the November 10 deadline; without a new deal, tariffs could potentially rise significantly higher. Trump also previously hinted at plans to meet...
The Institute for Supply Management's (ISM) data showed the Manufacturing PMI edging higher to 49.1 in September, up from 48.7 in August and slightly above analysts' expectations of 49. Meanwhile, the Prices Paid Index, which tracks inflation, retreated to 61.9 from 63.7, the Employment Index improved to 45.3 from 43.8, and the New Orders Index deflated to 48.9 from 51.4. Source: FXstreet
The ADP report showed private employment fell in September; economists had expected a rise. Private employment fell 32,000 (estimated +51,000) in September compared with a revised -3,000 in August, according to the ADP Research Institute and the Stanford Digital Economy Lab. Estimates ranged from +25,000 to +80,000, according to 28 economists. Employment in the goods-producing sector fell 3,000. Employment in the services sector fell 28,000. (alg) Source: Bloomberg
Asian stock markets fell in unison on Thursday, following Wall Street's decline. A brief rally in tech stocks led by Nvidia quickly faded, prompting investors to turn away from riskier assets like...
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 announced a new peace pact between Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo, which he linked to US access to critical minerals. At a meeting in Washington, Trump claimed...