Wall Street claws back week’s losses thanks to strong jobs report October 5, 2024 US stocks rallied on Friday after a surprisingly strong report on the US job market raised optimism about the economy. The S&P 500 climbed 0.9 per cent and got close to its all-time high set on Monday. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 341 points, or 0.8 per cent, to set its own record, while [...]
Pound’s strength against the dollar risks ‘damage’ to UK’s competitiveness September 25, 2024 The pound reaching its highest level in over two years against the dollar risks damaging the international competitiveness of the UK, City analysts have warned. Sterling now sits at $1.34, its highest since February 2022 and far from its low point of $1.03 in the days after Liz Truss’ mini budget. However, while the strength [...]
Interest rates heading lower after historic week for central banks September 23, 2024 For many central bankers, concerns about sluggish growth and the health of the labour market are now as prominent - if not more so - than fears about inflation, paving the way for an extended period of rate cuts.
US Fed’s preferred inflation metric set to validate jumbo rate cut September 22, 2024 Crucial US inflation data is poised to back up the Federal Reserve's jumbo interest rate cut as investors question where other central banks will follow in its footsteps.
Fed lowers interest rates by 50 basis points in first cut since 2020 September 18, 2024 Today's rate decision was the most uncertain in years, with investors torn in the run-up to the decision about whether the Fed would cut rates by 25 or 50 basis points.
US retail sales rise ahead of Fed’s interest rate decision September 17, 2024 July's figures were also revised up to show a 1.1 per cent gain having previously been estimated at 1.0 per cent increase.
US inflation falls to lowest level since February 2021 as Fed prepares to cut interest rates September 11, 2024 US inflation fell to its lowest level since February 2021 in August, new figures show, but core prices rose faster than anticipated. Figures from the Bureau of Labor Statistics showed that inflation fell to 2.5 per cent in August, down from 2.9 per cent the month before and in line with expectations. Prices increased 0.2 per [...]
Fed’s rate cut in the balance ahead of US inflation figures September 8, 2024 The figures come out a crucial time with the Fed preparing to cut interest rates for the first time since the pandemic.
US employment up after disappointment last month as interest rate cut awaits September 6, 2024 A key indicator for the health of the US economy has come in at a disappointingly stagnant rate, as experts mull over whether it could tip the balance of a recession, or impact the recent indication of interest rate cuts. The US Bureau of Labor Statistics released in monthly figures this afternoon, showing the number [...]
Federal Reserve: September rate cut ‘confirmed’ after latest releases August 22, 2024 A September rate cut looks nailed on after minutes from the US Federal Reserve’s last meeting, released last night, showed many rate-setters had considered a cut in July. Several members at the Fed’s last meeting thought there was a “plausible case” for cutting rates by 25 basis points given the progress on inflation and increases [...]