The US economy is expanding rapidly, yet inflation is still there. In the meantime, the Federal Reserve conveys, via Chair Jerome Powell, conflicting messages: while the US central bank supports market-led tightening through higher rates, it is not a big fan of immediate rate cuts. Economic DataOn the data front; …
Read More »Fed’s Powell hints at keeping rates higher for longer
The Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell stated on Tuesday that the US central bank is unlikely to lower interest rates at its next policy meeting, which is just two weeks away, due to the US economy’s continued strength and a “lack of progress” on inflation. Powell stated during a moderated …
Read More »Market Drivers; US Session, April 15
Amidst rising Treasury yields, the US dollar’s upward momentum persisted, pushing it to new annual highs around 106.20. This week seems to be dominated by escalating geopolitical concerns, especially in the Middle East. Indicated by the USD Index (DXY), the US dollar held its bullish tilt and surged to new …
Read More »Financial Markets’ Weekly Recap
US Inflation Surges: CPI Hits 3.5% in March In the latest update from the US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), inflation in the US, as gauged by the Consumer Price Index (CPI), demonstrated a notable uptick. March saw a year-on-year increase to 3.5%, up from February’s 3.2%, surpassing market forecasts …
Read More »ECB sticks to independent dovish stance despite hotter US inflation
Despite rising US inflation, the ECB maintains its independent dovish stance. ECB officials are reiterating their resolve to lower interest rates in June while downplaying worries about US inflation. This is the case even though the US Federal Reserve and the European Central Bank may have different monetary policies, as …
Read More »IMF managing director: Fed should be able to cut rates by end 2024
The Federal Reserve (Fed) should be able to start cutting interest rates by the end of 2024, according to Kristalina Georgieva, managing director of the International Monetary Fund.At the press time, the US Dollar Index (DXY) was down 0.01% on the day to trade at 105.27.Key Quotes“We remain on our …
Read More »Gold soars to all-time highs again after US PPI data
Falling US Treasury yields and a declining US dollar have helped to dramatically boost gold prices. In an uncertain environment, mixed signals from labour data and producer inflation support gold. Fed officials’ concerns about inflation strengthen Gold’s appeal as a safe haven, influencing sentiment. The price of gold recovered its …
Read More »European Central Bank holds interest rates
The European Central Bank (ECB) decided to maintain interest rates at all-time highs following its governing council meeting in Frankfurt on Thursday. However, the ECB signaled a potential rate cut at its next meeting in June. The benchmark deposit rate was kept at 4 percent until policymakers were confident that …
Read More »FOMC Minutes: Evidence required that inflation is cooling toward target
According to latest FOMC meeting minutes, the US Federal Reserve wants greater assurance that inflation is heading towards its target of 2%. At their meeting in March, Federal Reserve officials voiced concern that inflation was not decreasing rapidly enough, but they still anticipated lowering interest rates later in the year. …
Read More »Bank of Canada keeps rates unchanged
Bank of Canada left its interest rate unchanged in April meeting, reiterating that it’s premature to discuss turning to QE anytime soon. The central bank left policy rates at 5.00% for the sixth time in a row, in line with market expectations. The BoC statement also referred to increasing growth …
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