The US Department of Labor (DOL) released its weekly figures on Thursday, showing that there were 191,000 new claims for unemployment benefits during the week ending March 18. This print exceeded the market forecast of 201,000 and followed the previous week’s print of 192,000. The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment …
Read More »BOE hikes policy rate by 25 bps to 4.25% in March
Following its March policy meeting, the Bank of England (BOE) announced that it raised the policy rate by 25 basis points (bps) to 4.25% as expected. Two policymakers, Tenreyro and Dhingra, vote to keep the policy rate on hold at 4%. “If there were to be evidence of more persistent pressures, then …
Read More »Gold consolidates its gains amid bets on halting US interest increases
Gold prices extended gains on Thursday after the Federal Reserve indicated that the end of the monetary tightening cycle may be on the horizon. Gold in the spot market rose 0.4 percent to $1,976.80 an ounce by 0910 GMT, while US gold futures rose 1.5 percent to $1,979.20. The dollar …
Read More »European stocks open lower after the US interest rate hike
European stocks opened lower on Thursday, after a weak trading session on Wall Street the day before, when the Federal Reserve announced a widely expected rate hike of 25 basis points, and hinted it might suspend monetary tightening soon. The pan-European Stoxx 600 index was down 0.4% by 0808 GMT, …
Read More »Chinese tech stocks rise, Tencent surges on strong FY results
Thursday saw gains in the majority of Chinese technology equities, with Tencent shares rising substantially after the internet giant reported stronger-than-expected annual results. Less aggressive signals from the Federal Reserve also helped to boost mood. Tencent Holdings Ltd. gained more than 6% to HK$368.40 per share and was poised for …
Read More »Oil prices are falling as investors evaluate the US interest rate hike
Oil prices fell on Thursday, following three sessions of gains, after Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell renewed his commitment to curbing inflation, including possibly raising interest rates again. And by 0009 GMT, Brent crude futures fell 80 cents, or 1 percent, to $ 75.89 a barrel, and West Texas Intermediate …
Read More »SNB Preview: Acting with caution
On Thursday, March 23, at 08:30 GMT, the Swiss National Bank (SNB) is scheduled to declare its Monetary Policy Decision. As the release time draws near, below are the predictions made by the economists and researchers of 5 major banks on the impending central bank’s Interest Rate Decision. Notwithstanding the …
Read More »Forex: Dollar eases as investors weigh up outlook for Fed
Prior to the completion of the Federal Reserve’s policy meeting, when investors will be seeking for any indication of what could happen with interest rates given the upheaval in the banking sector, the dollar lingered at five-week lows on Wednesday. The most likely conclusion, according to the markets, is a …
Read More »UK factory price expectations fall to lowest since March 2021
A gauge of British manufacturers’ inflation expectations fell to its lowest in two years after output slid again in the three months to March, the Confederation of British Industry’s (CBI)said on Wednesday. The CBI’s gauge of expected selling prices fell to +25 in March, the lowest since March 2021 and …
Read More »Russia confirms the reduction of oil production by about 500 thousand barrels per day
Russian Deputy Prime Minister and Energy Minister Alexander Novak said, during press statements, today, Tuesday, that his country will continue to reduce crude oil production by about 500,000 barrels per day until the end of next June. The Russian minister added that his country is close to achieving its targets …
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