Global stocks sank after the US Federal Reserve hinted it could hike interest rates again this year to tame inflation and other central banks warned they were not done either. London stocks bucked that trend, however, after the Bank of England held interest rates steady after 14 hikes.

Abu Dhabi, UAE -- In the wake of the US Federal Reserve's decision to maintain its interest rates, GCC countries, including the UAE and Qatar, have opted to follow suit. The US Federal Reserve, on Wednesday, voted to keep interest rates at a 22-year peak, suggesting that these rates might...

Brent North Sea crude oil traded above $95 per barrel Tuesday for the first time since November last year, supported by tight supplies and robust demand. "When central banks are starting to see the light at the end of the inflation tunnel, $100-plus oil will be incredibly unwelcome and unhelpful,"...

The Fed has raised interest rates 11 times over the last 18 months, lifting its key lending rate to a level not seen for 22 years as it tackles inflation still stubbornly above its long-term target of two percent. Goldman Sachs cut their forecast for a recession in the US...

Washington, United States - Consumer inflation in the United States picked up in August for a second straight month, according to government data released Wednesday, putting the heat on policymakers as they work to lower prices. The consumer price index (CPI), a key inflation gauge, jumped 3.7 percent from a year...

The comments from three regional Fed presidents with a vote on setting interest rates will likely solidify expectations that the US central bank intends to hold rates steady later this month amid growing signs of weaker labor market conditions. The Fed has raised its benchmark lending rate 11 times over...

Wall Street's three main indexes ended a volatile August on a tepid note Thursday after data showed the Fed's preferred gauge of inflation -- the personal consumption expenditures index -- ticked a little higher in July.

The US Federal Reserve is prepared to raise interest rates higher - and hold them there - to bring down above-target inflation, chairman Jerome Powell said. "We are prepared to raise rates …. until we are confident that inflation is moving sustainably down toward our objective," he told the Jackson...

A rally in Nvidia helped propel gains in global markets earlier this week, though traders could not keep up the buying owing to ongoing rate worries.

The gains, including a jump in US tech stocks, "looked more like a correction than a reaction to fresh news, as there was no fresh news that went against the slowing China rhetoric" or indication of a possible shift in policy by US monetary policymakers, said Swissquote Bank analyst Ipek...

European stocks rebounded but Asian markets ended mixed after a Chinese rate cut failed to reassure investors. At midday, Paris stocks were up by more than one percent, with both Frankfurt and London also pushing higher. Market sentiment has taken a hammering this month by a string of weak data...

Expectations of another Fed hike have pushed 10-year Treasury yields -- a gauge of future rates -- close to their highest levels since the global financial crisis. Data on Thursday did little to dissuade investors, with unemployment benefit applications falling the most since last month, indicating the labour market remains...

In Asian stock market trading, Hong Kong extended the week's losses Friday, even as e-commerce titan Alibaba surged on a forecast-busting rise in revenue.

A highly anticipated report showed July consumer prices rose more than the previous month but less than feared, giving the US central bank room to take a lighter touch with monetary policy after more than a year of tightening.The data also showed closely watched core inflation was easing, while jobless...

Washington, United States - The US trade deficit narrowed in June on a bigger pullback in imports than exports, according to government data released on Tuesday. The overall trade gap came in at $65.5 billion in June, down from a revised $68.3 billion figure in May, Commerce Department data showed. This...

A US central bank official said that more interest rate hikes "will likely be needed" to bring inflation down further, shortly after policymakers lifted rates to the highest level since 2001. Federal Reserve governor Michelle Bowman said she supported the policy-setting Federal Open Market Committee's decision for a rate hike...

Markets slid on Thursday as traders shifted to safer assets after Fitch downgraded the United States' credit rating from AAA to AA+. The decision sparked a strong rebuttal from Washington and confused analysts. Despite recent rallies on hopes of a "soft landing" for the US economy and in-line job data,...

New York, US - Wall Street stocks edged higher early Monday ahead of major economic reports and earnings releases later in the week, including from Apple and Amazon. After a strong first half of 2023, US equities have continued to trend higher in July behind hopes that the Federal Reserve will...

Washington, US - A Federal Reserve official left open the possibility on Monday of pausing or stopping interest rate hikes at the central bank's next policy meeting in September, saying "there's nothing off the table." "Thus far we're on the golden path and we've got to walk that line," Chicago Fed...

Doha, Qatar--Qatar National Bank (QNB) Group foresees a recession in the US economy during the upcoming 12 months, pointing out that the US economy continues to demonstrate its resilience despite significant headwinds from high inflation, tighter financial conditions, and an uncertain global environment. In its weekly commentary, QNB added that...

After a closely watched meeting, the Bank of Japan said it would allow "greater flexibility" in government bond markets, having allowed them to move in a tight band in a process known as yields curve control. But on Friday it said that while it would maintain that range, its upper...

Analysts are divided ahead of the Fed's next decision in September, with the so-called "hawks" predicting additional rate hikes in the face of strong economic data, and "doves" expecting an end to the current hiking cycle given recent inflation data.

The decision by the central banks, in the US and most of the Middle East, to hike interest rates are designed to fight off inflationary pressures and maintain economic stability.

The Fed paused its aggressive campaign of monetary tightening last month to give policymakers more time to assess the health of the US economy, and the impact of recent banking stresses on lending conditions. In the weeks since, positive upgrades to economic growth and cooler inflation data have reinforced the...

Asian equities wobbled at the end of a draining week as fresh US jobs data put revived bets on two more Federal Reserve interest rate hikes, adding to ongoing worries about China's economy. Investors have largely been on the back foot since Beijing announced a big miss on second-quarter growth.

Results of large US banks released underscored the boon from higher interest rates, as executives described the world's biggest economy as "resilient" but facing risks. JPMorgan Chase, Citi and Wells Fargo all enjoyed the benefits of being able to charge higher rates on loans, while not suffering much from elevated...

During periods of economic stability, government focus typically gravitates towards infrastructure development. Investments in sectors like construction, transportation, energy, utilities, and telecomms infrastructure, are likely to see a boost. The financial sector is also expected to be positively impacted, he adds.

London, United Kingdom - World stock markets mostly rose Wednesday as investors jockeyed for position before key US inflation data. London equities climbed after the Bank of England announced that all major UK retail lenders passed stress tests to assess their resilience to economic shocks. Frankfurt and Paris also advanced before...

New York, United States - Wall Street stocks mostly rose early Tuesday amid signs of greater broadening in the equity market beyond technology. Briefing.com analyst Patrick O'Hare pointed to greater momentum for industrials and other "cyclical" sectors tied to economic growth "suggesting that there was a rotation of money within the...

Asian stocks tumbled again after another round of strong US data reinforced expectations the Federal Reserve will resume its interest rate hikes as officials wrestle with stubbornly high inflation. After a strong start to the week fueled by signs that US prices were stabilizing, regional markets have taken a turn...

London, United Kingdom - Stock markets retreated Wednesday on poorly-received Chinese data, as investors looked ahead to the reopening of Wall Street after the Independence Day holiday. "There are fresh concerns about the global economy powering down as data from China's service sector underlines how tepid the post-pandemic recovery has become,...

The more positive environment came as concerns over Russia subsided following an aborted uprising, though developments in the nuclear-armed country are being closely followed. Sentiment was also boosted by comments from Chinese Premier Li Qiang, who said the government would roll out fresh measures to kickstart the nation's struggling economy...

A senior US Federal Reserve official said that additional interest rate hikes are needed to tackle historically high inflation. "I believe that additional policy rate increases will be necessary to bring inflation down to our target over time," Fed governor Michelle Bowman told a conference in Cleveland, Ohio, according to...

Equities enjoyed a strong run-up last week, partly on the back of hopes that Beijing would unveil a raft of economic stimulus to go with two interest rate cuts. Expectations have been high that officials would provide help for the struggling property sector and introduce measures to kickstart consumer activity.

The Bank of Japan (BoJ) has gone against the grain set by the Fed and ECB, announcing on Friday that it would maintain its long-standing, ultra-loose monetary policy as it looks to boost economic growth. Officials left the bank's negative interest rate in place, pushing down the value of the...

The hike was the highest since 2001, despite a darkening economic outlook. The ECB increased rates by another 25 basis points, taking the closely watched deposit rate to 3.50 percent -- its highest level since 2001. "Inflation has been coming down but is projected to remain too high for too...

The US central bank, as expected, opted to hold its benchmark lending rate between 5.0 percent and 5.25 percent. But forecasts from policymakers indicated strong support for two more hikes in 2023. Major indices tumbled just after the policy statement was released but recovered somewhat later during Fed Chair Jerome...

WASHINGTON, US - Consumer inflation in the United States cooled for an 11th straight month in May, the Labor Department said on Tuesday, in an encouraging sign for policymakers seeking to rein in price increases. The consumer price index (CPI), a key gauge of inflation, jumped 4.0 percent from a year...

Stock markets jumped after data showed US inflation slowed further in May, raising hopes the Federal Reserve will pause its interest rate-hike campaign. Wall Street indices advanced at the open while European markets climbed after official figures showed US consumer prices rose by 4.0 percent year-on-year in May, compared to...

Members of the rate-setting Federal Open Market Committee remain divided going into the meeting on June 13-14, with a minority still pushing for an 11th straight hike to fight inflation, which remains above the Fed's long-term target of two percent. The Fed has raised its benchmark lending rate by five...

Expectations the Fed will stand pat next week -- for the first time since starting its hiking cycle last year -- pushed equities higher for most of the month, helped by the end of the US debt ceiling standoff. Confidence was dealt a blow this week by the Bank of...

Washington, United States - US economic output increased by more than previously thought in the first quarter of this year, the Commerce Department said Thursday, although it still indicates the economy is weakening. The US economy has cooled this year as the impact of multiple rounds of interest-rate hikes to tackle inflation...

Retail sales in the United States returned to growth in April fueled by a rebound in motor vehicle sales, data released showed, but not by as much as many expected. The US Federal Reserve has hiked interest rates 10 times in a row since last year in a bid to...

There are three reasons why the Fed should not increase interest rates further: First, the US financial system is still fragile. Second, the effects of rate hikes take a long time to filter through the economy, and third, the bond market is suggesting a possible recession, adds Green.

Rallying of gold prices and growing concern about a potential global banking crisis are seen as key reasons for the increased allocations, says a latest global report.

The US Federal Reserve called for greater banking oversight while admitting to its own failures in a report published into the collapse of Silicon Valley Bank last month. "Following Silicon Valley Bank’s failure, we must strengthen the Federal Reserve’s supervision and regulation," Federal Reserve vice chair for supervision Michael Barr...

US consumer confidence fell more than many predicted in April, fueled by a deterioration in expectations among Americans over 55 and households with annual incomes over $50,000, according to survey data released. The pessimistic results may ease some of the pressure on the Federal Reserve as it prepares to consider...

Signaling its resolve to keep fighting price rises, the US central bank has said that interest rates may need to increase further, and remain high, to control inflation. The Fed has raised its benchmark lending rate nine times in a row to tackle inflation, which remains well above its long-term...

Dubai, UAE - The US dollar could record some gains as markets increasingly see a higher probability that the Federal Reserve will raise interest rates one more time at their next meeting, Wael Makarem, Senior Market Strategist, MENA at Exness said on Monday.  The constant surprises in US economic data...

Stock markets traded mixed as last week's optimism gave way to worries that central banks may wait longer than expected to end their policy of raising interest rates. After the Paris CAC 40 reached a fresh record-high at 7,552 points, profit-taking set in and the French index was flat in...