The Federal Reserve is likely to start a series of interest-rate cuts next week and keep going through the end of the year, traders bet on Wednesday after tamer-than-expected producer price inflation last month calmed worries that price pressures would hold the central bank back from policy easing. Traders stuck to bets the Fed will start with a quarter-point reduction at its meeting next week, and continue with same-sized cuts through year-end, based on pricing of futures contracts that settle to the Fed's policy rate. The producer price index increased 2.6% in August from a year earlier,...
Gold price (XAU/USD) struggles to break above $3,400.00 after testing this key level early Thursday. The precious metal hesitates to extend upside even as Federal Reserve (Fed) officials have shown support for interest rate cuts in the remainder of the year. On Wednesday, Minneapolis Fed President Neel Kashkari, San Francisco Fed President Mary Daly and Fed Governor Lisa Cook argued in favor of reducing interest rates amid growing labor market concerns. "The economy is slowing and the Fed needs to respond to the slowing economy," Kashkari said in an interview with CNBC. Kashkari added, "It...
Oil prices edged higher Thursday, benefiting from signs of healthy U.S.demand, while traders assessed the potential impact on supply from U.S. tariffs as well as Ukraine peace talks. At 08:30 ET (12:30 GMT), Brent oil futures for October rose 0.5% to $67.19 a barrel and West Texas Intermediate crude futures gained 0.5% to $64.66 a barrel. Both benchmarks slid about 1% on Wednesday, touching their lowest in eight weeks. U.S. crude stocks fall Crude prices have pushed higher after the Energy Information Administration said on Wednesday that U.S. crude oil stockpiles fell by 3 million...
Gold pared gains as markets weighed prospects for a truce in Ukraine after the Kremlin confirmed Presidents Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump would hold talks in the next few days. Bullion traded near $3,373 an ounce after earlier rising as much as 0.8%. Russia's announcement came a day after Putin met with Trump's envoy, Steve Witkoff, for almost three hours as the US pushed for an end to the Ukraine war. Bloomberg earlier reported that the Kremlin is considering options including an air truce, falling short of committing to a total ceasefire. Any easing of...
Oil prices steadied on Thursday, paring early gains after the Kremlin announced that Russian President Vladimir Putin will meet U.S. President Donald Trump in the coming days, raising expectations for a diplomatic end to the war in Ukraine. Brent crude futures were up 21 cents, or 0.3%, at $67.1 a barrel by 0902 GMT while U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude gained 20 cents, or 0.3%, to $64.55. Both benchmarks slid about 1% on Wednesday, touching their lowest in eight weeks, after comments from Trump on progress in talks with Moscow. Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov said on Thursday that Trump and...
Gold prices edged higher Thursday, aided by growing safe-haven demand after fresh tariff threats from U.S. President Donald Trump and weak U.S. economic data, which renewed bets on a Federal Reserve interest rate cut. At 04:30 ET (08:30 GMT), Spot Gold edged up 0.1% to $3,373.80 an ounce, while Gold Futures for December gained 0.4% to $3,447.90/oz. Trump threatens semiconductor tariffs Investor appetite for bullion strengthened after Trump said the U.S. would impose a 100% tariff on imported semiconductors from certain countries unless they invest in American chip manufacturing. The...
President Donald Trump said he would fire Lisa Cook from the Federal Reserve's Board of Governors if she does not resign her post over mortgage-fraud accusations from a top...
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...