The BRICS group of countries is increasingly being considered as an alternative for global diplomacy and cooperation amidst increasing tariff and protectionist policies from the United States. A number of developing countries view BRICS as a platform to strengthen trade, investment, and financial cooperation without over-reliance on a Western-dominated system. US tariff pressure is pushing many countries to seek a more balanced economic and political path. Through BRICS, member countries are seeking to expand the use of local currencies, strengthen supply chains, and enhance solidarity...
The US economy entered 2025 with a fair amount of momentum. However, GDP growth in the first quarter of the year looks to be soft. Real consumer spending declined in January, although the weakness may be attributable, at least in part, to bad weather. Furthermore, the surge in imports in January, which mechanically reduce GDP (everything else equal), will also weigh on output growth in Q1. In our view, the surge in imports reflects front-running ahead of potential increases in tariff rates.Tariff announcements have come and gone in recent weeks. In terms of our forecast, we assume that the...
US President Donald Trump said Monday that auto tariffs would go into effect soon, though he indicated that not all of the levies he has threatened would go into effect on April 2 and that some countries might get waivers, a move Wall Street took as a sign of flexibility on an issue that has roiled markets for weeks. At the same time, Trump opened another front in the global trade war by imposing secondary tariffs of 25% on any country that buys oil or gas from Venezuela, a directive that sent oil prices soaring. At the White House, Trump told reporters that not all of the new tariffs...
United States (US) President Donald Trump spoke with reporters in Washington, DC on Monday, re-announcing plans to issue additional tariffs on automobiles, aluminum, and pharmaceuticals "soon". This follows the Trump administration's recent unilateral 25% import tax on all steel and aluminum entering the US. President Trump also took the opportunity to make a new tariff threat, announcing that the US would be imposing an additional 25% tariff on all goods coming to the US from countries that buy Venezuelan Crude Oil products. Never one to miss an opportunity to make a statement, Donald...
The S&P Global US Services PMI rose to 54.3 in March 2025, a three-month high, from 51 in February, surpassing market expectations of 50.8, preliminary data showed. Service sector output rebounded strongly after hitting a 15-month low in February, driven by improved business inflows, strengthening customer demand, and better weather conditions. However, exports remained a weak spot, declining for the third straight month. Employment edged up in April, reversing February's small decline, though job growth remained sluggish as firms hesitated to hire amid demand uncertainty. Input costs...
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...
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...
Pasangan mata uang EUR/USD mengawali pekan ini dengan nada sedikit melemah di sesi Asia, diperdagangkan di sekitar 1,1730, turun kurang dari 0,10% dalam sehari. Meski terkoreksi, euro masih berada...
US President Donald Trump said Washington is willing to provide security assistance to Ukraine as part of a deal to end the war with Russia. He emphasized that security support is a crucial factor...