The United States Federal Reserve’s Beige Book for February 2021 showed that overall economic activity expanded modestly from January to mid-February for most districts, which reflected in improved business confidence, as most businesses remain optimistic regarding the next 6-12 months. The optimism is driven by the rollout of Coronavirus vaccines, …
Read More »US: ADP Employment Change Arrives at +117K in February
Employment in the US’ private sector increased by 117,000 in February, the monthly data published by the Automatic Data Processing (ADP) Research Institue revealed on Wednesday. This reading fell short of the market expectation of 177,000. On a positive note, however, January’s reading got revised up to 195,000 from 174,000.
Read More »OPEC+ Considering Extending Oil Production Cuts in April
Sources in OPEC+ told Reuters that the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) and its allies, a group known as OPEC+, are considering extending oil production cuts from March to April instead of increasing production due to the fragility of crude markets due to continuing concerns about the Coronavirus …
Read More »Currencies Overview: The US Dollar Weakened as Risk Sentiment Recovered
The dollar, which is generally considered a safe haven, remained weak on Wednesday, March 3rd, as Treasury yields continued to decline, restoring some calm to global markets and sparking renewed demand for riskier assets. Riskier currencies, including the Australian dollar and the Norwegian kroner, held onto the two-day streak of …
Read More »Senate Debating Biden’s $1.9 T Rescue Plan
The United States is debating the $1.9 trillion stimulus package, as proposed by President Joe Biden, after the House of Representatives passed the relief bill. Democrats are expected to pass the “American Rescue Plan” bill through the reconciliation option, which allows approving the bill with a simple majority without any …
Read More »Rising US Bond Yields Give a Boost to The Dollar in February
The currency markets witnessed a lot of fluctuations in February, as the US dollar fell sharply over the past month, to fall to its lowest level in nearly two months against a basket of major currencies but quickly returned to correct its course, supported by high bond yields. The dollar …
Read More »Weekly Recap: 22-26 February
Rising treasury yields continued to make the biggest effect on the market last week, amid expectations for a surge inflation due to the increased government stimulus and monetary easing policies. Treasury yields in the United States rose last week to their highest level in about a year, with the benchmark …
Read More »U.S. Retail Sales Expected to Grow by 6.5-8.2%
The National Retail Federation (NRF) expects retail sales in the United States to grow by a rate of 6.5% to 8.2% this year, exceeding $4.33 trillion in volume. The expectation comes as the American economy is recovering from the impact of the Coronavirus pandemic, with the rollout of vaccines set …
Read More »House to Vote on $1.9 T Stimulus Bill Friday
The United States House of Representatives will vote on the American Rescue Plan Bill on Friday, according to House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer. “The American people strongly support this bill, and we are moving swiftly to see it enacted into law,” Hoyer recently tweeted. The bill includes raising unemployment insurance …
Read More »PAHO: Coronavirus Cases in The Americas Decreased Last Week
The Pan American Health Organization said on Wednesday that the number of cases and deaths of Covid-19 in the United States decreased 30% in the past week and is declining in most South American countries, but the effect of vaccines will take months. WHO director Carissa Etienne urged governments and …
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