US producer prices edged up 0.1% month-over-month in May 2025, following an upwardly revised 0.2% decline in April and compared with a 0.2% increase expected. Goods prices rose 0.2%, with tobacco costs rising 0.9%. Prices for gasoline, processed poultry, roasted coffee, household natural gas, and oilseeds also rose. In contrast, jet fuel prices fell 8.2%. In addition, service costs edged up 0.1%, with the margin for wholesale sales of machinery and vehicles jumping 2.9%. Costs for traveler accommodation services; retail sales of clothing, footwear, and accessories; retail sales of alcohol;...
US citizens filing new applications for unemployment insurance rose to 248K for the week ending May 31, the US Department of Labor (DOL) reported on Thursday. This was higher than the initial estimate and in line with the previous week's revised count. The report also highlighted the seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate at 1.3%, while the four-week moving average rose by 5K to 240.250K from the previous week's revised average. Additionally, Continuing Jobless Claims increased by 54K to 1.956M for the week ending May 24. (alg) Source: FXstreet
A tentative agreement between the United States and China may be a step back from the worst-case scenario of a complete collapse of trade between the world's two largest economies, but it creates more problems than it solves. President Donald Trump has hailed the deal, which is still awaiting final approval from both sides, as a "great deal" that will benefit both countries. While not all the details are known, what has been revealed suggests a deal that will likely hurt both economies and fail to address some pressing issues, such as China's dominance of the rare earths supply chain. The...
The Federal Reserve's path to interest rate cuts starting in September appeared to widen on Thursday, after a pair of government reports pointed to cooler inflation and signs of potential weakening in the labor market. U.S. producer prices advanced 2.6% in May from a year earlier, after rising 2.5% in April, the Labor Department reported. Taken together with tamer-than-expected increases in the Consumer Price Index in May, economists estimated that inflation by the Fed's preferred gauge of underlying price pressures, the core Personal Consumption Expenditures Price Index, likely rose in...
U.S. President Donald Trump continues to press Jerome Powell and the Federal Reserve to cut interest rates, as inflation data remains subdued despite his aggressive tariff policy. While Trump continues to press for lower rates, he said he won't fire Powell. "We're going to spend $600 billion a year because of one numbskull that sits here," Trump said. "Cut your rates now, there's no inflation." Trump suggested the Fed cut interest rates by two full percentage points, which could save the U.S. up to $900 billion. This is larger than his past ask for a one percentage point cut from the Fed....