US job openings inched lower last month to retreat only modestly from a record high, and vacancies still far outpaced new hires as employers struggled to bring back more sidelined workers.Though vacancies decreased in the latest survey, the data have been volatile and have yet to show a sustainable trend …
Read More »US Consumer Confidence Surges In March
US consumer confidence bounced back in March and remains high, though consumers’ short-term outlook is not promising.The Conference Board, a business research group, said Tuesday that its consumer confidence index, which takes into account consumers’ assessment of current conditions and their outlook for the future, rose to 107.2 in March …
Read More »US Equities Rally For Best One Week Gain Since November
US equities are higher for a fourth session, with the S&P 500 breaking to its highest levels since Russia invaded Ukraine. The index is trading in the 4430s, up 0.6% on the day and over 5.5% on the week. That would mark the best week of gains since November 2020.US …
Read More »EUR/USD Retreats Amid Euro Profit Taking
After a strong week, the euro is suffering from some profit-taking and EUR/USD has fallen back to the mid-1.10s. EUR/USD’s failure to press higher beyond the 1.1100 level was likely also due to hawkish Fed commentary.Though not the worst-performing currency in the G10 on the day, the euro currently sits …
Read More »Will BoE Hike Interest Rates To Pre-Covid Level?
On Thursday, March 17 at 12:00 GMT, the Bank of England will announce its decision and as markets get closer to the release time, the British central bank is widely expected to raise the benchmark interest rate by 25 bps from 0.50% to 0.75%, marking a lift-off for a third …
Read More »Powell: If required, Fed will hike interest rates as fast as practically possible
Fed Chair Jerome Powell said in his post-FOMC meeting press conference on Wednesday that the Fed will move interest rates higher as quickly as it practically can and will move rates beyond the neutral rate if required. We will not let high inflation become entrenched, he said. Key remarks:“Nothing in …
Read More »Powell: US Economy Very Strong, Labour Markets Extremely Tight, Inflation Above Goal
Fed Chair Jerome Powell said in his post-FOMC meeting press conference on Wednesday that the US economy is very strong and the Fed thus expects to reduce the size of its balance sheet. The slowdown from Omicron was mild and brief, Powell added, noting that labour markets are extremely tight …
Read More »How Important Is Fed’s First Rate Hike Since 2018 To Future of US Economy?
The Federal Reserve has just raised its benchmark interest rate for the first time since 2018, but it is already time for the market to look beyond this move. While there are complicating factors such as the war in Ukraine, the most prominent issue for the Fed is that economic …
Read More »Yellen Expects US Inflation To Remain High This Year
US Treasury sec Janet Yellen says it is likely to see inflation stay uncomfortably high this year.Key Comments ”Don’t want to make inflation predictions for H2 2022.”“I think that the labour market will remain strong,” Yellen said in a CNBC interview.“I think it’s appropriate for them to take action, but …
Read More »US Dollar Hovers Around 98.00 ahead of Initial Jobless Claims, CPI Data
The DXY is oscillating around 98.00 ahead of US inflation and Initial Jobless Claims. The risk-on impulse has brought a sell-off in the dollar index. Investors brace an aggressive tightening policy by the Fed.The US dollar index (DXY) is hovering around 98.00 as investors await the US Consumer Price Index …
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