The S&P US Global Manufacturing PMI edged up to 50.1 in January 2025 from 49.4 in December, beating market expectations of 49.7 and signaling a slight improvement in manufacturing conditions after six months of decline. Factory output edged up for the first time in half a year, with new orders also returning to modest growth. Employment rose for a third straight month, with the pace of job creation the fastest since July. Supplier lead times continued to lengthen, reflecting busier supply chains, although the impact on the PMI was less pronounced than in December. On the downside,...
U.S. Federal Reserve policymakers meeting next week are expected to keep interest rates on hold but the larger story unfolding will be how the central bank confronts early moves by President Donald Trump that are likely to shape the economy this year, including demands the Fed continue lowering borrowing costs. Trump was already complicating the Fed's job with moves to restrict immigration and raise import taxes, and on Thursday told global business leaders he would call on the Fed to cut interest rates. "I'll demand that interest rates drop immediately, and likewise they should be...
European tech shares came under pressure on Monday, after Chinese tech startup DeepSeek's low-cost artificial intelligence model sparked worries about returns in the AI business and the need for costly chips.The pan-European STOXX 600 dropped as much as 0.8% earlier in the day, tracking a global market sell-off on concerns about AI investment and tech sector valuations, after DeepSeek rolled out a free assistant that it says uses lower-cost chips and less data. [MKTS/GLOB]European tech stocks slid 3.4% and were on track for their biggest daily drop since October, with chip equipment maker...
U.S. President Donald Trump said on Monday that he plans to speak to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and that Netanyahu would be traveling to Washington to meet with him. Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One, Trump did not give a date for the face-to-face meeting, but said it would take place "very soon." The meeting comes amid a fragile six-week ceasefire that has brought a temporary pause to 15 months of fighting between Israel and militant group Hamas in Gaza. Trump also said Monday he wants Egypt to take in Palestinians from Gaza, where much of the population has been...
Australia's Consumer Price Index (CPI) rose 0.2% QoQ in the fourth quarter (Q4) of 2024, compared with the 0.2% increase seen in the third quarter, according to the latest data published by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) on Wednesday. The market consensus was for a growth of 0.3% in the reported period. The Australian monthly Consumer Price Index is foreseen at 2.5% in December. Quarterly CPI inflation expected to ease further below 3%, with core figures nearing RBA's goal. The Reserve Bank of Australia will meet on February 18 to decide on monetary policy. The Australian...