In a widely anticipated move, the U.S. Federal Reserve opted to keep its benchmark interest rate unchanged at the 4.25%-4.5% range during its March policy meeting, marking the second consecutive pause after a 25-basis-point cut in December. With the U.S. economy facing lingering uncertainties—compounded by speculation over potential tariffs under …
Read More »“Trump’s Tariff Tango: Backtracks, Ceasefire Hopes, and Economic Optimism
In a whirlwind of announcements, former U.S. President Donald Trump has stirred both domestic and international attention. Within hours of declaring on his Truth Social account a plan to impose a 50% double tariff on Canadian steel and aluminum, Trump appeared to backtrack. Facing pressure from market reactions and his …
Read More »Trump Ignites Trade Firestorm: Reciprocal Tariffs on Canada Escalate Economic Tensions
US President Donald Trump has reignited trade tensions with Canada by imposing sweeping tariffs, marking a significant escalation in his administration’s trade policies. On March 4, 2025, the United States implemented a 25% tariff on all Canadian goods entering the country, with a slightly reduced rate of 10% applied to …
Read More »US Manufacturing Sector Shows Signs of Weakness, Inflationary Pressures Mount
The U.S. manufacturing sector exhibited unexpected signs of deceleration in February, according to data released by the Institute for Supply Management (ISM). The closely watched Manufacturing Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) fell to 50.3, a decline from January’s 50.9 and below the consensus forecast of 50.5. This figure indicates a marginal …
Read More »Bessent: I aim to reduce spending and ease monetary policy at the same time
US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent reiterated some of President Donald Trump’s policy goals during a hosted event in Australia on Tuesday. Treasury Secretary Bessent reiterated that tariffs remain a key funding source for the Trump administration’s plans moving forward, and that Bessent fully believes that the Trump administration will find …
Read More »FOMC Minutes Reveal Discussions on Balance Sheet, Inflation Risks
The minutes from the Federal Reserve’s January 28-29 meeting, where the FOMC unanimously decided to maintain the target interest rate range at 4.25%-4.5%, revealed discussions surrounding the balance sheet and potential risks to the inflation outlook.Balance Sheet Discussions and Debt Ceiling ConcernsThe minutes disclosed that Fed officials debated the timing …
Read More »FOMC Minutes reflect concerns over Trump’s policies
At January’s meeting, Fed officials debated whether it might be wise to slow or even pause the reduction of their balance sheet holdings, given that renewed concerns over the federal debt ceiling have come back into play. In addition, the Minutes showed the staff’s economic outlook remained largely unchanged from …
Read More »Breaking: Gold prices surged to a fresh all-time high
Gold prices surged to a fresh all-time high on Wednesday, extending their third consecutive day of gains amid geopolitical tensions and renewed trade tariff concerns from U.S. President Donald Trump. Spot gold (XAU/USD) climbed above $2,947.08 per ounce during the European trading session. Gold futures also saw strong upward momentum, …
Read More »First Remarks By Fed Chair Before Lawmakers As Investors Lend All Ears
The US Federal Reserveis not in a rush to cut its short-term interest rate again due to an “strong overall” economy, low unemployment, and inflation that remains above the Fed’s 2% target. Fed Chair Jerome Powell stated that the economy is strong overall and has made significant progress toward its …
Read More »U.S. Job Growth Slows in January Amid Revisions and Weather Disruptions
The U.S. economy added fewer jobs than expected in January, signaling a potential slowdown in labor demand. However, analysts cautioned that the figures may be distorted by annual revisions and extreme weather conditions. Nonfarm payrolls: 143,000 (below the forecast of 169,000). December jobs revised upward: 307,000 (previously reported as 256,000). …
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