FTSE 100 close: US inflation boost runs out of steam as De La Rue tumbles a third April 12, 2023 A sudden boost to London’s FTSE 100 from better than expected US inflation numbers ran out of steam toward the end of today’s trading session, although the premier index still notched gains. The FTSE 100 jumped 0.5 per cent to close at 7,824.83 points, while its mid-cap counterpart, the FTSE 250, which is more responsive [...]
US core inflation jumps to 5.6 per cent while CPI falls rapidly in mixed signal for Fed April 12, 2023 Underlying US inflation is putting up a strong fight against the Federal Reserve’s aggressive interest rate hike assault, while general price rises are falling quickly, sending mixed signals to chair Jerome Powell and co ahead of their interest rate decision next month. Official figures out from the US Bureau of Labor Statistics today showed the [...]
Soft landing? Why the latest jobs data could leave the Fed with a tricky call April 10, 2023 Analysts are divided about whether the US Federal Reserve should hike rates again as they digest last week’s figures on the labour market. On Friday last week, a closely watched survey of the US labour market showed the economy added 236,000 new jobs in March. While more jobs are still being added, the report suggests [...]
US economy adds 236,000 jobs in March as Fed rate hikes help cool labour market April 7, 2023 The US added 236,000 new jobs in March, the latest sign that the labour market is beginning to cool as the US Federal Reserve (Fed) continues to hike interest rates. The number of new jobs fell below the number added in February and the average monthly gain of 334,000 recorded in the last six months, [...]
Why the Bank of England and Fed could welcome Credit Suisse and Silicon Valley Bank failures March 28, 2023 There’s been reams and reams of wild predictions about whether we’re slipping into another financial crisis, triggered by the collapse of US tech lender Silicon Valley Bank (SVB) and Credit Suisse’s arranged marriage with its crosstown rival UBS. Blackrock chief Larry Fink even warned in his annual letter to shareholders we’re slipping into a slow [...]
US Federal Reserve presses on with interest rate hike amid banking chaos March 22, 2023 The US Federal Reserve today looked past the ongoing wobbles in the global banking system and hiked interest rates for the ninth time in a row, extending its aggressive fight against inflation. Chair Jerome Powell and the rest of the federal open market committee (FOMC) today bumped the world’s most important interest rate 25 basis [...]
Bank of England and Fed to ignore Credit Suisse chaos and hike interest rates this week March 21, 2023 The Bank of England and US Federal Reserve are this week expected to ignore the on-going financial market chaos which resulted in Credit Suisse being pawned off in a shotgun sale and hike interest rates. City analysts have tipped Fed Chair Jerome Powell and Bank Governor Andrew Bailey to prioritise fighting inflation instead of shielding [...]
European markets to open higher after Credit Suisse drama as investors split on central bank rate hikes March 21, 2023 European markets are set to open higher on Tuesday as investors bet that banking turmoil will put a halt to central banks’ battle to contain inflation The FTSE and Frankfurt’s DAX were called up 0.59 per cent while the CAC in Paris was called up 0.47 per cent. After the drama of the past few [...]
Banking crisis and Fed’s credit line: how does it work and how concerned should we be? March 20, 2023 Central banks around the world announced last night that they were taking steps to improve access to liquidity in the financial system. In a coordinated move reminiscent of Covid in 2020 and the financial crisis in 2008, central banks in the US, the eurozone, Britain, Japan and Canada announced new measures to calm financial markets. [...]
Fed set to hike rates by 25 basis points despite turmoil in US banking sector March 20, 2023 The Federal Reserve is expected to raise interest rates for the ninth time in a row later this week despite widespread instability in the US banking sector. According to Fedwatch there is a 62 per cent chance that the Fed will opt for a 25 basis point hike and 38 per cent chance that it [...]