Week Ending 17th May 2019 U.S. stocks fell for the first time in four days, with technology shares bearing the brunt of the selling in a market rattled by a barrage of trade-related headlines. The dollar rose. The S&P 500 declined a second week for the first time this year amid speculation U.S.-Chinese trade negotiations […]

The US has reached a deal with Canada to lift tariffs on steel and aluminium imports in a move that could lead to approval for a new North American trade deal. In a joint statement, the US and Canada announced that a 25% tariff on steel imports, and of 10% on aluminium, will end in […]

The US unemployment rate dropped to its lowest level for more than 49 years in April, according to official figures.The jobless rate fell from 3.8% to 3.6%, the US Labor Department said, the lowest since December 1969. However, the fall was due to a large number of people – 490,000 – leaving the labour force […]

Interest rate increases could be “more frequent” than expected if the economy performs as the Bank of England is expecting, governor Mark Carney says. The markets are forecasting just one interest rate increase by 2021. But if there is a resolution to the Brexit impasse, and inflation and growth continue to pick-up, then more increases […]

Singapore’s economy will slow in 2019, reflecting a weakening in key trading partners and a further cooling of the electronics sector, the central bank said. The city state is set to expand slightly below the midpoint of a 1.5 percent to 3.5 percent forecast range for this year after growing 3.2 percent in 2018, the […]

China’s economy grew slightly faster than expected in the three months to March, official figures released Wednesday showed. The economy expanded at 6.4% in the first quarter from a year earlier, ahead of a Reuters forecast of 6.3%. Beijing has taken steps to boost its slowing economy, including tax cuts, while trying not to inflate […]

Japan kicked off its G-20 presidency by reminding the world that the global economy isn’t out of the woods yet. “The extension of global growth continues but at a slower pace than anticipated in October,” Finance Minister Taro Aso said in a press conference wrapping up the gathering of Group of 20 finance ministers and […]

Federal Reserve officials signaled on Wednesday they’re prepared to move interest rates higher or lower as needed, but an unusual mix of risks means they could remain on hold all year. Despite an economy that is forecast to grow above trend with low unemployment, policy makers are worried about external drags such as slowing European […]

President Donald Trump says the US has found agreement on some of the toughest points in trade talks with China. He said a deal could come in the next four weeks, but added some sticking points remained. The Chinese echoed the optimism, with President Xi Jinping touting substantial progress, according to the Chinese state news […]

The US Federal Reserve does not expect to raise interest rates for the rest of 2019 amid slower economic growth. After a two-day meeting, monetary policymakers voted unanimously to keep the US interest rate range between 2.25%-2.5%. Fed members changed their outlook for 2019 from the two increases predicted in December to no movement. The […]