US and China Building Groundwork for Possible Trade Agreement

The United States on Thursday welcomed China’s promise to buy agricultural goods while maintaining the threat of U.S. tariff hikes as the world’s two largest economies sought to prepare the ground for upcoming in-person talks. Lower-level U.S. and Chinese officials are expected to meet within days in Washington ahead of talks between top trade negotiators […]

US Inflation Firming Up but will Not Derail Fed Rate Cuts

U.S. underlying consumer prices increased solidly in August, leading to the largest annual gain in a year, but rising inflation is unlikely to deter the Federal Reserve from cutting interest rates again next week to support a slowing economy. Other data on Thursday showed the number of Americans filing applications for unemployment benefits dropped to […]

ECB Rate Cut and QE Boost Was Short-lived As Doubts Remain

German bond yields and the euro rebounded on Thursday and European banking shares were whipsawed as doubts crept in about the effectiveness of the ECB’s decision to cut interest rates and pledge an indefinite supply of asset purchases. The ECB cut its deposit rate by 10 basis points to a record low of -0.5%, promised […]

US CFOs Still Sceptical About a US-China Trade Deal

If you follow the markets, there’s been recent reason for optimism about a U.S.-China trade deal. Some investors are buying it — literally — with recent gains in stocks attributed to positive signals from the U.S. and China after a volatile August. But there’s one group of market insiders not buying the talk: corporate executives. […]

China Adds US Farm Goods to Tariff Exclusions

China plans to exclude American farm goods, including soybeans, from tariffs in the latest move to ease trade tensions before the two countries restart trade talks next month. The Chinese Ministry of Commerce said Friday that China welcomed President Donald Trump’s decision to delay tariffs by two weeks and said it will exempt U.S. agricultural […]

Pound Soars on No-Deal Brexit Declining Possibility Even as Doubts Remain

The pound has hit its highest level against the dollar since July amid hopes a no-deal Brexit can be avoided. Sterling jumped more than 1% on Friday to over $1.24 against the dollar, its highest level in seven weeks. The pound was boosted after a report in the Times said the DUP, Northern Ireland’s largest […]

Gold Higher on US dollar Softness

Gold prices rose back above the key $1,500 level on Friday as the U.S. dollar slipped on the back of a strong euro, though hopes for a thaw in Sino-U.S. trade tensions supported equity markets, capping bullion’s gains. Spot gold was up 0.6% to $1,507.96 per ounce as of 1156 GMT, up marginally for the […]

Oil Falls on Demand Concerns and Oversupply

Oil slipped to around $60 a barrel on Friday as concern about a slowdown in the global economy and oil demand outweighed hints of progress in the U.S.-China trade dispute. The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and the International Energy Agency (IEA) both issued reports this week pointing to an oil surplus next year, […]

US Peter Navarro Calls for Investor to be Patient Ahead of US-China Trade Talks

White House adviser Peter Navarro on Tuesday called for investors, the public and others to be patient ahead of key U.S.-China trade negotiations planned for next month between top officials in Washington. “If we’re going to get a great result, we really have to let the process take its course,” Navarro said in an interview […]

Peter Navarro Confident US Congress Will Pass USMCA

President Donald Trump’s trade advisor Peter Navarro believe’s it’s certain that Congress passes landmark trade legislation known as the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement before the end of the year. “I’m going to give it a 100% here because it’s so important for this country and I can’t imagine that Nancy Pelosi would not put this on […]