Federal Reserve Governor Christopher Waller said on Thursday he continues to believe the U.S. central bank should cut interest rates at the end of this month amid mounting risks to the economy and the strong likelihood that tariff-induced inflation will not drive a persistent rise in price pressures. "It makes sense to cut the FOMC's policy rate by 25 basis points two weeks from now," Waller told a gathering of the Money Marketeers of New York University. "I see the hard and soft data on economic activity and the labor market as consistent: The economy is still growing, but its momentum...
European stocks closed lower Thursday as global markets reacted to new automotive tariffs announced by U.S. President Donald Trump. The regional Stoxx 600 index closed 0.44% lower as all major bourses declined. The Stoxx Europe autos index was down nearly 1% as most firms pared earlier losses, with Jeep maker Stellantis shedding 4.2%, Mercedes-Benz down 2.7% and Germany's BMW down 2.55%.Trump said on Wednesday that he will impose a 25% tariff on "all cars that are not made in the United States" with the levies due to take effect on April 2. Trump White House aide Will Scharf said the new...
Stocks flitted between gains and losses on Thursday as investors weighed the latest tariff-related news from President Donald Trump, including his new tariffs aimed at foreign automakers. The Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped 142 points, or 0.3%. The S&P 500 lost about 0.2%, while the Nasdaq Composite shed 0.2%. Shares of several automakers declined after Trump on Wednesday evening announced 25% tariffs on "all cars that are not made in the United States," which will go into effect on April 2. General Motors pulled back 7.5%, while Stellantis lost 2% and Ford slipped 3%. Elon Musk's...
The S&P 500 fell 0.4%, the Nasdaq lost 0.7% and the Dow Jones sank about 180 points on Thursday, as traders digested the latest tariff announcements and fresh economic data. The Trump administration announced a 25% tariff on "all cars not made in the US," set to take effect on April 2, while Trump warned of imposing "far larger" tariffs on the EU and Canada if they coordinated efforts to counter US trade measures. Concerns are growing that these tariffs could hurt the US economy and drive inflation higher. On the data front, GDP growth for Q4 was revised slightly higher to 2.4% from...
Major bourses in Europe were lower on Thursday, with both the STOXX 50 and the STOXX 600 declining almost 1%, pressured by the auto sector. Yesterday, the Trump administration announced a 25% tariff on "all cars that are not made in the United States" due to take effect on April 2 and President Trump threatened to impose "far larger" tariffs on the EU and Canada if they work together to combat trade tariffs. The autos and part index sank about 3% to hit the lowest level since early December. Shares of Porsche (-5.4%), Mercedes-Benz (-5.4%), BMW (-4.3%), VW (-3.7%), Daimler Truck Holding...
The Hang Seng rose 95 points or 0.4% to end at 23,579 on Thursday, marking its second straight session of gains. Sentiment strengthened after U.S. President Trump suggested he may cut tariffs on China to facilitate the sale of TikTok by its owner, ByteDance. A slight drop of 0.3% yoy in Chinese industrial profits for the first two months of 2025 also provided support after a 3.3% drop in 2024. Most sectors advanced after JPMorgan joined other Wall Street banks in turning more bullish on China, raising its Q4 2025 target for the MSCI China Index to 95, about 7% higher than its prior...
According to a statement by the Federal Reserve (Fed), Fed Chair Jerome Powell met with United States (US) President Donald Trump on Thursday, where the head of the Fed reiterated that the Fed's...
The Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) maintained its cash rate at 4.1% during its April meeting, holding borrowing costs unchanged after slashing 25 bps in the February meeting, aligning with market...