Richmond Federal Reserve President Thomas Barkin has shown an unwavering stance when it comes to changing his monetary policy outlook, despite the release of unexpectedly weak U.S. jobs data. He acknowledged that the job growth was weaker than what was forecasted by professional economists, but he remains cautious and refrains from prejudging meetings. This cautious
Economy
The U.S. dollar plummeted to a four-month low after a disappointing employment report for July, which indicated that employers added 114,000 jobs, falling short of expectations for an increase of 175,000. The unemployment rate also rose to 4.3%, exceeding economists’ forecast of 4.1%. This data has raised concerns about an economic slowdown, leading to expectations
The Bank of England made a historic decision to cut interest rates from a 16-year high in a tight 5-4 vote by its policymakers. This move was led by Governor Andrew Bailey, who emphasized the need for cautiousness in the face of uncertainty. The reduction of rates by a quarter-point to 5% marked the first
In an unprecedented move, a Chinese property developer in Nanjing is returning the deposits paid by homebuyers for apartments in a project that could not be completed. The initiative, coordinated by local authorities, marks the first of its kind in China and has the potential to set a precedent for other cities and developers facing
The Federal Reserve recently made the decision to leave interest rates untouched, despite acknowledging progress in key economic indicators. The Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) decided to keep the benchmark rate within a range of 5.25% to 5.5%. This decision comes after a period of keeping rates steady, allowing time for data assessment to inform
The Federal Reserve is poised to keep interest rates steady following a two-day policy meeting, with indications pointing to the possibility of a cut in borrowing costs in the near future. Investors are optimistic about a rate reduction occurring at the September 17-18 meeting, with discussions revolving around whether the Fed will opt for a
The recent statements made by U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Kurt Campbell regarding India’s potential increase in engagement with Ukraine have sparked discussions about India’s evolving role in global affairs. As Western countries continue to impose sanctions on Russia for its invasion of Ukraine, countries like India and China have chosen to maintain trade relations
The recent analysis conducted by Piper Sandler on investment portfolios under the potential of a Kamala Harris presidency provides key insights into the future market scenarios. The review highlights the similarities between President Biden’s agenda and the anticipated agenda under a Harris administration. Despite potential differences in execution style, the core policies are expected to
Evercore ISI strategists believe that the Federal Reserve will most likely not explicitly pre-signal a rate reduction at the September meeting. They argue that the leadership of the Fed is methodically building a case for a rate cut and establishing internal consensus before making any definitive decisions. This caution in signaling a rate cut is
Is central banking truly as boring as some may think? Departing Swiss National Bank Chairman Thomas Jordan doesn’t seem to think so. In a recent interview, Jordan defended his tenure at the central bank, emphasizing the importance of staying focused on the task at hand and fulfilling the mandate of the institution. He believes that
China’s industrial profits have seen a 3.6% year-on-year rise in June, a significant improvement from the 0.7% gain in May. Despite this positive trend, the first half of the year only saw a 3.5% increase, slightly higher than the 3.4% growth in the preceding period. The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) attributed this growth to
As the Bank of England (BoE) prepares for its upcoming meeting, speculation looms large over whether the central bank will cut interest rates from their current 16-year high of 5.25%. With key policymakers remaining silent due to election rules, investors are left in the dark regarding the potential outcome of the decision. Interest rate futures
The recent surge in the yen has caught the attention of traders and investors alike, with the currency poised for its strongest week in nearly three months. This unexpected turnaround comes after a period of weakness, during which the yen hit 38-year lows against the US dollar. The sudden shift in momentum can be attributed
In response to the surprise lowering of lending benchmarks to boost economic growth, five major state-owned Chinese banks have taken the initiative to cut deposit rates. Industrial and Commercial Bank of China (ICBC), Agricultural Bank of China, China Construction Bank, Bank of China, and Bank of Communications have all announced varying reductions in their deposit