The United States Treasury Secretary, Steven Mnuchin, said on Thursday that he will recommend to the next administration to consider selling the $700 million emergency government loan to YRC Worldwide at a profit. “We’ve been fortunate that the economy recovered, and that the equity is doing well and I am …
Read More »BoE Eases COVID-19 Restrictions
The Bank of England (BoE) has decided to ease some of the restrictions that it imposed on the banking sector to help face the economic consequences of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. After suspending dividends, bonuses, and share buy-backs until the end of 2020, the BoE has told Britain’s largest banks …
Read More »WTI Hits Fresh Eight-Month High
The West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures rose during Thursday’s trade to their highest level in about eight months, since early March. WTI is up by 3.84% or $1.75, trading at $47.27 a barrel. A recent agreement between members of the OPEC+ alliance to raise output by much less than …
Read More »European Stocks Close Lower Following ECB Meeting
European stocks closed lower on Thursday, following the European Central Bank’s (ECB) decision to expand its stimulus program and amid uncertainty surrounding post-Brexit trade talks between the European Union (EU) and the United Kingdom (UK). The STOXX Europe 600 index finished lower by 0.4%, despite a positive performance by oil …
Read More »ECB Maintains Rates and Expands Stimulus
The European Central Bank (ECB) has decided on Thursday to maintain interest rates unchanged, expecting its rates to remain at their present or lower levels until it has seen the inflation outlook robustly converge to a level sufficiently close to, but below, its 2% target. Moreover, the ECB board decided …
Read More »BoC Maintains Interest Rates in Last Meeting of 2020
The Bank of Canada (BoC) on Wednesday maintained interest rates unchanged, as well as its extraordinary forward guidance, reinforced and supplemented by its quantitative easing (QE) program, which continues at its current pace of at least $4 billion per week. The rebound in the global and Canadian economies has unfolded …
Read More »Oil Closes Mixed Following Inventory Report
Oil prices ended Wednesday on a mixed note, following a surprise surge in crude inventories in the United States last week. Brent crude futures for February delivery added 2 cents to close $48.86 a barrel. Meanwhile, the West Texas Intermediate (WTI) futures for January delivery fell by 8 cents to …
Read More »Gold Finishes Lower for First Time This Week
Gold prices declined for the first time this week, after two consecutive rises, as both the US Treasury yields and the US Dollar (USD) rose on Wednesday. In addition, positive news about Coronavirus vaccines are limiting demand for safe havens. Gold futures for February delivery decreased by $36.40, or 1.9%, …
Read More »European Stocks End Wednesday on Higher Note
European stocks closed higher on Wednesday, with growing anticipation for the outcomes of the post-Brexit trade talks. The STOXX Europe 600 index finished up by 0.4%, supported by the gains of major market sectors. The UK’s FTSE100, the main index of the London Stock Exchange (LSE), edged up by 0.08%. …
Read More »US Crude Oil Inventories Surge by 15.2 M Barrels
Crude oil inventories in the United States surged last week, data by the Energy Information Administration (EIA) showed on Wednesday. Oil stockpiles went up by 15.2 million barrels in the week to December 4, reaching a total of 503.2 million barrels. This is the largest rise in crude oil inventories …
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