ECB Governing Council member Robert Holzmann has highlighted the growing complexity of the central bank’s interest rate decision. While acknowledging increasing risks of undershooting the ECB’s 2% inflation target, he emphasized that current inflation figures present a mixed picture, making policy adjustments challenging.Holzmann stated that the risk of undershooting the …
Read More »European Government Bonds Decline Amid Security Spending Speculation
Bond Market Update: German 30-year bond yields: +8 basis points to 2.76% France and UK bond yields: Also increasing, following a similar trend to Germany. This decline in longer-dated European government bonds comes amid speculation about increased security spending in Europe, potentially following a high-level meeting in Paris between EU …
Read More »European Aerospace & Defence Stocks Rally Amid Calls for Higher Military Spending
European aerospace and defence stocks surged on Monday as political leaders across the region called for an emergency summit on the Ukraine war, following growing U.S. pressure to boost military spending. Stock Market Performance (as of 08:20 GMT): Rheinmetall (Germany): +8.3% Saab AB (Sweden): +7.1% BAE Systems (UK): +6.5% Leonardo …
Read More »Gold Prices Edge Higher Amid Tariff and Geopolitical Uncertainty
Gold prices remained firm on Monday, hovering just below record highs, as uncertainty over U.S. trade policies and interest rates kept safe-haven demand intact. Key Price Movements (as of 00:35 ET / 05:35 GMT): Spot gold ↑ 0.6% to $2,901.21 per ounce Gold futures (April) ↑ 0.3% to $2,910.70 per …
Read More »CAD Edges Higher Following USD’s Decline
The Canadian dollar edged higher against the US dollar on Friday, gaining 0.18%. This rise comes as US dollar demand cooled, fueled by weaker-than-expected US retail sales figures for January. While the decline in retail sales wasn’t enough to fully dampen investor risk appetite, it did weaken the US dollar. …
Read More »Profit Taking Drags Gold Lower Amid Pale US Data
Gold prices experienced renewed volatility, after struggling to hold above $2,900, but eventually the precious metal retreated to $ 2,880.38, down -1.61% at the time of writing. The precious metal is facing pressure as weak U.S. consumer data heightened economic concerns. Retail sales figures released Friday revealed a sharp 0.9% …
Read More »Dollar Feels the Pinch Following US Retail Sales Data
The US dollar weakened, with the US Dollar Index (DXY) hovering around 107.00 after Thursday’s sharp drop. Disappointing January retail sales figures (-0.9% vs. -0.1% expected) fueled speculation of potential Federal Reserve rate cuts. While December’s retail sales were revised upward to 0.7%, the January decline raised concerns about consumer …
Read More »Pound Strengthens Against Dollar Amid Weak US Data
The British Pound has rallied against the US Dollar, surpassing the 1.2600 mark. This surge is primarily attributed to unexpectedly weak US retail sales data, which suggests a pullback in consumer spending. The Pound’s upward momentum has also been bolstered by positive UK economic indicators. US Retail Sales DisappointUS retail …
Read More »Decoding the January Retail Sales Dip
January’s US retail sales figures revealed a surprising 0.9% month-over-month decline, the sharpest drop in nearly two years. This figure initially sparked concerns about the economy’s health. However, a closer examination reveals a more nuanced picture, suggesting that the drop may not signal a significant shift in consumer spending. Several …
Read More »Russia Holds Interest Rate at 21% as Rouble Strengthens
The Russian central bank kept its benchmark interest rate unchanged at 21% during its board meeting on Friday, maintaining a tight monetary stance despite recent economic optimism fueled by improving U.S.-Russia relations. Key Takeaways from the Decision: The rate remains at 21%, a level set in October 2024 to combat …
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