OSLO (Reuters) – Norway’s consumer prices rose sharply in January from a year earlier, official data showed on Monday, strengthening the crown currency ahead of a major policy speech by the central bank governor on Thursday. Core inflation, a key measure for m... More »
SYDNEY (Reuters) – Asian shares fell on Monday as the death toll from a coronavirus outbreak exceeded the SARS epidemic of two decades ago, though Chinese shares gained as authorities lifted some work and travel restrictions, helping businesses to resume opera... More »
ISTANBUL (Reuters) – Turkey has reduced the range and the levels of fees and commissions that banks can charge clients, according to central bank and banking watchdog regulations announced on Monday. The measures will cut the various charges banks can charge f... More »
SINGAPORE (Reuters) – Asian currencies lifted a little on Monday amid hints that the spread of the coronavirus could be slowing down and as some big businesses resumed work in China after the Lunar New Year break. Workers began trickling back to offices and fa... More »
LONDON (Reuters) – Sovereign wealth funds’ investment moves are becoming more closely aligned with the global asset management industry as they mature, and their growing size makes it harder for them to make contrarian bets, a report showed. But the move to mo... More »
FRANKFURT (Reuters) – The euro zone’s top bank supervisor blamed a “mess” of diverging laws across the bloc on Tuesday for the European Central Bank’s failure to stop Angolan billionaire Isabel dos Santos, who is suspected of fraud, from controlling a bank in ... More »
ZURICH (Reuters) – The Swiss National Bank appeared to remain on the sidelines as the Swiss franc surged to its highest level in nearly three years on Monday, driven by concerns about the spread of the coronavirus. The franc fell to 1.069 versus the euro EURCH... More »
LONDON (Reuters) – Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar said the European Union will have the upper hand in post-Brexit trade talks with the United Kingdom and questioned Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s timetable of striking a deal by the end of the year, the BBC ... More »
TOKYO (Reuters) – Shares tumbled on Monday as investors grew increasingly anxious about the economic impact of China’s spreading virus outbreak, with demand spiking for safe-haven assets such as the Japanese yen and Treasury notes. Japan’s Nikkei average .N225... More »
TOKYO (Reuters) – The yuan fell in offshore trade on Monday to its lowest level in three weeks as the death toll in China from the spread of a new coronavirus mounted, raising worries authorities are struggling to contain the outbreak and sparking a bout of ri... More »
PARIS (Reuters) – Digital currency could be useful as cash transactions dwindle in some countries but central banks should be in charge of issuing it, not private companies, Bank of France Governor Francois Villeroy de Galhau said on Saturday. Spurred by the r... More »
LONDON (Reuters) – British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said he wants to lose weight in 2020, but will not do “Veganuary” – the popular practice of becoming vegan in January – as it would take too much concentration and mean giving up cheese. “I had thought of... More »
LONDON (Reuters) – World stock markets ticked higher on Monday, hovering just below record levels ahead of the expected signing of a Phase 1 China-U.S. trade deal, although markets have yet to see details of the agreement. After Asian shares touched 19-month h... More »
LONDON (Reuters) – China’s yuan led a rally in trade-sensitive currencies on Monday and the Australian dollar recovered some recent losses as the imminent signing of a preliminary U.S.-China trade deal boosted sentiment. The U.S.-China Phase 1 agreement, due t... More »
MANILA (Reuters) – Philippine financial markets were shut on Monday to ensure the safety of employees and traders after a volcano near Manila spewed huge volumes of ash that drifted across the nation’s capital. The suspensions cover stocks, fixed-income, and d... More »
LONDON (Reuters) – Safe-haven currencies such as the Japanese yen retreated on Thursday as the United States and Iran backed away from further conflict, with markets flipping back to a more risk-taking approach on hopes of a U.S.-China trade deal. U.S. Preside... More »
SINGAPORE (Reuters) – Asian stocks had their best session in weeks on Thursday, as the United States and Iran backed away from the brink of conflict in the Middle East and investors reversed their flight to safety. U.S. President Donald Trump responded to an I... More »
BANGKOK (Reuters) – Thailand’s central bank has not shut the door to further monetary policy easing should the economy worsen, the governor said on Monday, after two rate cuts this year to support flagging growth. The Bank of Thailand (BOT) last week left its ... More »
LONDON (Reuters) – From Harley Davidson to Colgate-Palmolive, U.S. companies are flocking to borrow in euros and their record issuance is breathing life into a market where yields have been hammered by the European Central Bank’s renewed stimulus push. Offshor... More »
SYDNEY (Reuters) – Asian markets idled near 18-month highs on Monday as trading volumes weakened ahead of the Christmas holiday break, with investors taking profit on gains made earlier this month. In early European trades, the pan-region Euro Stoxx 50 futures... More »
BEIRUT (Reuters) – Tear gas engulfed central Beirut as security forces chased protesters near Lebanon’s parliament on Sunday in a second night of street clashes that wounded dozens of people. Protesters had returned despite a fierce crackdown by security force... More »
SHANGHAI (Reuters) – Asian shares hit their highest in nearly eight months on Monday after the United States and China agreed on a preliminary trade deal, with Australian shares leading the way on expectations of more easing of monetary policy there. European ... More »
LONDON (Reuters) – Prime Minister Boris Johnson will welcome 109 new Conservative lawmakers to parliament on Monday, promising to honour his election pledges to get Brexit done as soon as possible and boost funding to the state health service. After winning a ... More »
LONDON (Reuters) – 1/AFTER PHASE ONE COMES PHASE TWO U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese officials have agreed to a “phase one” trade deal that includes cutting U.S. tariffs on Chinese goods. Washington has agreed to suspend tariffs on $160 billion in Chin... More »
NEW YORK (Reuters) – The U.S. dollar’s next big move will be lower, which could lead to a significant fall in U.S. bond prices and a slew of downgrades, Jeffrey Gundlach, chief executive of DoubleLine Capital said on Tuesday. Gundlach, who oversees around $147... More »
LONDON (Reuters) – BlackRock Investment Institute said on Tuesday it was cautiously rotating into cyclical assets, Japanese equities and emerging markets. “We are modestly positive on risk assets,” said Scott Thiel, chief fixed income strategist for BlackRock ... More »
LONDON (Reuters) – Turnover on some of the world’s biggest currency-trading venues has dropped as falling market volatility prompts some global banks to route more volumes onto their internal platforms, the Bank for International Settlements said in a quarterl... More »
WELLINGTON (Reuters) – At least one person was killed, several injured and others reported missing in New Zealand after a volcano erupted off the east coast of its North Island on Monday, spewing a plume of ash thousands of feet into the air. Twenty-three peop... More »
SYDNEY (Reuters) – Asian stocks edged up on Monday, catching some of Wall Street’s momentum after surprisingly strong U.S. jobs data, although regional gains were capped by concerns about China’s economic slowdown due to the prolonged Sino-U.S. trade war. Japa... More »
LONDON (Reuters) – British Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s Conservative Party extended its lead over the Labour Party to 14 percentage points, up from 9 percentage points a week ago, an opinion poll by Survation for ITV’s Good Morning Britain showed on Monday. ... More »
LONDON (Reuters) – Stock markets rebounded on Monday as decent manufacturing data in China and renewed optimism over a trade deal eroded some of the jitters which emerged among investors last week. The recovery in Europe followed gains in Asia, where share pri... More »
SYDNEY (Reuters) – Asian shares staged a cautious rally on Monday as investors dared to hope for some progress in the endless Sino-U.S. trade dispute, while the outperformance of recent U.S. economic data gave the dollar a leg up on its peers. MSCI’s broadest ... More »
LONDON (Reuters) – World shares were close to a record high on Monday, after Beijing surprised markets by trimming a key interest rate for the first time since 2015. In the latest show of support for its economy, China’s central bank cut rates on seven-day rev... More »
LONDON (Reuters) – The euro enjoyed a small respite on Monday, jumping to an 11-day high versus the U.S. dollar, on expectations that Washington and Beijing can soon sign off on a deal to end a trade war that has been a drag on global economic growth. Faint op... More »
LONDON (Reuters) – U.S. businesswoman Jennifer Arcuri said on Monday that she had “a very special relationship” with Prime Minister Boris Johnson while he was mayor of London but declined to say if it amounted to an affair. When asked by ITV if she had an affa... More »
BEIRUT (Reuters) – Demonstrations against Lebanon’s ruling elite have plunged the country into political turmoil at a time of acute economic crisis, driven by deepening anger at sectarian politicians who have dominated the government since the 1975-90 civil wa... More »
LONDON (Reuters) – Some are backed by dollars. Others by gold. But this “stablecoin” isn’t tied to any major asset – it’s backed by another cryptocurrency. Stablecoins, such as Facebook’s (FB.O) Libra, are a new breed of cryptocurrencies that aim to escape the... More »
HONG KONG (Reuters) – Hong Kong’s share index lost almost 3% as unrest in the Asian financial hub worsened on Monday, with police firing live rounds at anti-government protesters on the eastern side of island and firing tear gas at protesters in the Central bu... More »
MOSCOW (Reuters) – Russia’s central bank sees some room to further cut its key rate, First Deputy Governor Ksenia Yudayeva said on Monday. “…in principle, we currently see certain room for a further reduction, but we have to follow the situation very closely, ... More »
LONDON (Reuters) – Shares across the globe fell on Monday, buffeted by escalating violence in Hong Kong that pushed Asian stocks to their worst day since August and stoked demand for the safe-haven yen and gold. In the 24th straight week of pro-democracy unres... More »
LONDON (Reuters) – The euro edged down on Monday as investors awaited Christine Lagarde’s first speech as European Central Bank president, but hopes that the United States may choose not to impose tariffs on auto imports kept it near its highest level in weeks... More »
SHANGHAI (Reuters) – Asian shares surged on Monday, with a broad regional gauge hitting more than 14-week highs, as growing optimism over U.S.-China trade talks and upbeat U.S. job data boosted global investors’ appetite for riskier assets. MSCI’s broadest ind... More »
SYDNEY (Reuters) – Asian shares rose to a three-month high on Monday, as risk assets got a fillip from hopes of a trade deal and strong U.S. corporate earnings, while major currencies marked time as focus shifted to a Federal Reserve rate decision. European sh... More »
TOKYO (Reuters) – The dollar traded near its highest in more than two months versus the yen on Monday ahead of a U.S. Federal Reserve meeting this week where policymakers are expected to cut interest rates but emphasize their reluctance to ease policy further.... More »
BUENOS AIRES, Argentina (Reuters) – Argentina’s farmers have some questions for President-elect Alberto Fernandez, after the center-left Peronist won a decisive election on Sunday, ousting business-friendly leader Mauricio Macri. Across the country’s fertile P... More »
BUENOS AIRES (Reuters) – Argentina’s central bank announced early Monday morning it would sharply cut the amount of dollars individuals could buy, amid concerns over outflows of foreign exchange reserves accelerating after President Mauricio Macri was voted ou... More »
FRANKFURT (Reuters) – Christine Lagarde will ensure European Central Bank policymakers climb down from their “ivory tower” and face the political realities of the euro zone, the ECB’s vice president, Luis de Guindos, said in an interview published on Saturday.... More »
FRANKFURT (Reuters) – European Central Bank President Mario Draghi told his successor on Thursday to “never give up” on propping up the euro zone economy in the face of a worsening outlook and little help from governments. At the last press conference of his e... More »
LONDON (Reuters) – The British government insisted on Sunday the country will leave the European Union on Oct. 31 despite a letter that Prime Minister Boris Johnson was forced by parliament to send to the bloc requesting a Brexit delay. The Brexit maelstrom ha... More »
SYDNEY (Reuters) – Sterling fell over half a percent against the dollar on Monday, slipping from five-month highs after the British parliament delayed a crucial vote on a Brexit withdrawal agreement. The move derailed Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s plan for a ... More »
TOKYO (Reuters) – Asian stocks edged up on Monday as Chinese shares reversed early losses, supported by hopes for progress in resolving the U.S.-China trade war, while sterling slipped after the British parliament delayed a crucial vote on a Brexit withdrawal ... More »
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – China’s top central banker said on Saturday that potential escalation of trade tensions and policy uncertainty were the major risk factors facing the world economy, and market forces were keeping China’s yuan at an appropriate level. Yi ... More »
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Facebook Inc (FB.O), facing growing skepticism about its digital currency project Libra, on Sunday said the initiative could use cryptocurrencies based on national currencies such as the dollar, instead of the synthetic one it initially ... More »
LONDON (Reuters) – After three years of Brexit crisis, Sky News is betting that some viewers are so bored by the divorce drama that there is a market for a channel dedicated to news that has nothing to do with Britain’s exit from the European Union. Ever since... More »
LONDON (Reuters) – There is enough support among British lawmakers to pass a Brexit deal, the leader of the lower house of parliament Jacob Rees-Mogg said on Tuesday as talks continue in Brussels to thrash out a divorce agreement with the European Union. “I th... More »
WASHINGTON/BEIRUT/ANKARA (Reuters) – President Donald Trump imposed sanctions on Turkey on Monday and demanded the NATO ally stop a military incursion in northeast Syria that is rapidly reshaping the battlefield of the world’s deadliest ongoing war. Trump, who... More »
LONDON/SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) – Backers of Facebook Inc’s (FB.O) Libra cryptocurrency project pledged to forge ahead after selecting a five-member board on Monday, shrugging off the latest member defection by online travel company Booking Holding earlier in t... More »
LONDON (Reuters) – UBS Wealth Management said on Friday it still expects the UK government to ask for an extension to the deadline for exiting the European Union and to hold a general election, though it acknowledged that chances of a Brexit deal have increase... More »
LONDON (Reuters) – Global stocks were little changed on Monday as broadly positive U.S. jobs data quelled some fears about an economic slowdown, but nervousness over U.S.-China trade talks persisted and more weak European economic data trickled in. European sh... More »
LONDON (Reuters) – 1/TRADE TENSION HEADACHES Washington’s latest accusation that China is dumping wooden cabinets and vanities on U.S. shores sums up the mood between the two warring sides as they head into another round of high-level discussions. The talks in... More »
SINGAPORE (Reuters) – Singapore’s economy likely escaped a technical recession in the third quarter even as growth stayed subdued, weighed down by the prolonged trade dispute between the United States and China, a Reuters poll showed. Gross domestic product (G... More »
OSLO (Reuters) – Norway plans to spend less money next year from its $1.1 trillion sovereign wealth fund, the world’s largest, as economic growth remains strong and unemployment declines, the center-right majority government said on Monday. “The Norwegian econ... More »
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – U.S. payments processor PayPal Holdings Inc (PYPL.O) said on Friday it was leaving Libra Association, the entity managing the Facebook-led effort to build global digital currency Libra, making it the first member to exit the group. PayPa... More »
MANCHESTER, England (Reuters) – The United Kingdom will leave the European Union on Oct. 31, hopefully with a deal, finance minister Sajid Javid said on Monday. “Hopefully we leave with a deal,” Javid told ITV. “If we cannot strike a deal, I think it is import... More »
MANCHESTER, England (Reuters) – British finance minister Sajid Javid said on Monday the country could take advantage of record low interest rates to borrow to invest in infrastructure. Javid will later use his speech at the governing Conservative Party’s annua... More »
TOKYO/SINGAPORE (Reuters) – Asian stock markets, including China’s, were little changed on Monday, shrugging off news that the U.S. administration is considering delisting Chinese companies from U.S. stock exchanges. MSCI’s broadest index of Asia-Pacific share... More »
SINGAPORE (Reuters) – The dollar found broad support on Monday as global political uncertainty and fears over a widening of the Sino-U.S trade war kept investors in safe harbours ahead of a slew of global economic indicators this week. The greenback was steady... More »
LONDON (Reuters) – Precious metals enjoyed their second biggest inflows in the week to Wednesday, Bank of America Merrill Lynch said on Friday, as festering trade tensions and global growth woes triggered a rush for safe haven assets. A total of $2.8 billion w... More »
NEW YORK (Reuters) – The dollar edged higher while global shares slid on Monday as euro zone equities clocked their worst day in a month after dismal business activity readings in Europe deepened fears of a looming recession there. Bond yields across the euro ... More »
(Reuters) – Global regulators will question Facebook on Monday about its Libra cryptocurrency, amid concerns from European Union governments over the threat the digital currency poses to financial stability, the Financial Times reported on Sunday. Officials fr... More »
HELSINKI (Reuters) – France and Germany said on Friday that Facebook Inc’s (FB.O) Libra currency posed risks to the financial sector that could block its authorization in Europe, and backed the development of an alternative public cryptocurrency. The criticism... More »
SAN FRANCISCO/NEW YORK (Reuters) – Facebook Inc (FB.O) revealed lofty plans to establish a cryptocurrency called Libra in June, but the project quickly ran into trouble with skeptical regulators around the world. Opposition deepened on Friday, when both France... More »
FRANKFURT (Reuters) – European Central Bank chief Mario Draghi pledged indefinite stimulus on Thursday to revive an ailing euro zone economy, tying the hands of his successor for years to come and sparking an immediate conflict with U.S. President Donald Trump... More »
FRANKFURT (Reuters) – The European Central Bank is giving euro zone banks a small reprieve from a penalty charge on their idle cash but this is likely to prove too little, too late for a sector hurt by years of low interest rates. In its latest bid to shield t... More »
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The European Central Bank’s move to cut interest rates and restart a larger stimulus program drew fast reaction from the White House on Thursday, with President Donald Trump saying the ECB was undercutting the value of its currency and “... More »
FRANKFURT (Reuters) – The European Central Bank approved a fresh stimulus package as expected on Thursday, cutting interest rates and approving a new round of bond purchases to prop up euro zone growth and halt a worrisome drop in inflation expectations. Follo... More »
FRANKFURT (Reuters) – Euro zone banks will be exempted from paying the European Central Bank a penalty charge on idle cash worth six times their mandatory reserves, the ECB said on Thursday. “This decision aims to support the bank-based transmission of monetar... More »
FRANKFURT (Reuters) – European Central Bank President Mario Draghi said on Thursday that the euro zone economy was in a period of “protracted” economic weakness, with inflation staying low and the balance of risks tilted toward the downside. “Incoming informat... More »
LONDON (Reuters) – World stocks rose for the sixth straight day on Wednesday and bond prices fell as investors continued to unwind safety bets, encouraged by hopes of a resolution to the Sino-U.S. trade standoff and signs Europe may be preparing to ease budget... More »
LONDON (Reuters) – The Japanese yen fell on Wednesday as the rush into safe-haven assets during the summer continued to unwind on the back of rising risk appetite, while the euro paused before Thursday’s European Central Bank meeting. The yen had rocketed towa... More »
ZURICH (Reuters) – Facebook’s (FB.O) Libra cryptocurrency project is seeking a Swiss payment system license, financial watchdog FINMA said on Wednesday, noting the breadth of the planned services would require broad oversight. The world’s largest social media ... More »
NEW YORK (Reuters) – Investment firm VanEck and financial technology company SolidX Management LLC will sell shares in their bitcoin trust to “qualified institutional buyers,” the companies said on Tuesday, in a move aimed at further attracting institutional m... More »
TOKYO (Reuters) – Global stock prices fell on Monday after the United States and China imposed new tariffs on each other’s goods, reinforcing investors’ worries over slowing global growth, with no clear end in sight for the trade war. The E-mini futures for U.... More »
TOKYO (Reuters) – The yen strengthened on Monday, thanks to bigger appetites for safe-haven assets as Washington and Beijing put additional tariffs on each other’s exports, adding to the gloom hanging over the global economic outlook. The United States slapped... More »
BUENOS AIRES (Reuters) – Argentina’s government authorized currency controls on Sunday in an about-face by President Mauricio Macri, who had previously lifted many protectionist practices of his predecessor, Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner. The central bank is ... More »
MANILA, Sept 1 – (Reuters) – Philippine boxing champion Manny Pacquiao launched his very own cryptocurrency on Sunday at a free concert in Manila, where he serenaded more than 2,000 fans to drum up interest in the product. The 40-year-old boxer, who defeated K... More »
LONDON (Reuters) – Bank of America Merrill Lynch said on Friday its market sentiment indicator has fallen to a level so bearish it has triggered a “contrarian” buy signal for assets considered more risky, such as equities, for the first time since January. The... More »
SYDNEY (Reuters) – Australia’s central bank would consider unconventional monetary options if the cash rate was cut to 0.5%, Deputy Governor Guy Debelle said on Tuesday, though he hoped such heavy policy adjustments would not be needed. Debelle said the Reserv... More »
TOKYO (Reuters) – Asian stocks rose in step with their global peers on Tuesday while safe-haven bonds retreated, after U.S. President Donald Trump softened his tone against China and predicted the two countries would be able to reach a trade deal. In early Eur... More »
BIARRITZ, France (Reuters) – Iran has an opportunity to come back into compliance with the nuclear deal and resume dialogue about its nuclear activities, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said on Monday. U.S. President Donald Trump said earlier he would mee... More »
LONDON (Reuters) – With banks’ bond trading desks increasingly going electronic, another of the last bastions of old-school banking – the business of helping companies and countries raise capital – may be about to succumb to the tide of technology. A clutch of... More »
LONDON (Reuters) – Global equity markets rose on Monday on signs that major economies would look to prop up stalling growth with fresh stimulus measures, easing pressure on bonds and dampening demand for perceived safe-havens such as gold. Hopes of government ... More »
LONDON (Reuters) – Britain’s parliament needs to be recalled immediately to discuss Brexit, the opposition Labour Party’s finance spokesman John McDonnell said on Monday, after leaked official documents forecast possible food, fuel, and medicine shortages. Bri... More »
LONDON (Reuters) – Britain’s opposition Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn will meet with other British political leaders next week to discuss tactics to prevent a no-deal Brexit, Corbyn’s second-in-command John McDonnell told the BBC on Monday. “He’ll bring th... More »
LONDON (Reuters) – The euro steadied on Monday after suffering its biggest weekly drop in nearly two months as risk appetite gradually returned to global markets after a week of turmoil. With hopes of fiscal stimulus from Germany growing and steps by China ove... More »
WELLINGTON (Reuters) – New Zealand’s Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said on Monday that spending promised in the annual budget would help stimulate the economy, but the government is always looking at other things it can do. “We are certainly mindful of the rol... More »
SHANGHAI (Reuters) – Worries that a prolonged Sino-U.S. trade war could tip the world and U.S. economies into recession weighed on Asian equities on Monday, offsetting a welcome a lift from Chinese shares and a stronger-than-expected daily fixing for the yuan.... More »
SYDNEY (Reuters) – The dollar remained on the defensive against the safe-haven yen on Monday as the Sino-U.S. trade dispute looked set to drag on with no settlement in sight, while holidays in Japan and Singapore made for very thin trading. Confusion still lin... More »
OSLO (Reuters) – Norway’s central bank is expected to keep interest rates on hold on Aug. 15 while signaling that a hike will likely follow later this year amid solid growth, above-target inflation and currency weakness, a Reuters poll of economists showed. De... More »
BUENOS AIRES (Reuters) – Argentine voters soundly rejected President Mauricio Macri’s austere economic policies in primary elections on Sunday, casting serious doubt on his chances of re-election in October, early official results showed. A coalition backing o... More »
