Currencies

At Fed in 2020, division, independence were concerns in the face of pandemic

At the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, the U.S. Federal Reserve slashed interest rates and used massive bond purchases to flood financial markets with liquidity to try to offset the actual and...

Fed's Jefferson says current policy stance 'well positioned' 

Federal Reserve Vice Chair Philip Jefferson on Friday appeared to signal his support for leaving short-term borrowing costs unchanged at the central bank's January 27-28 meeting, saying he is...

Banco Master probe in Brazil may take up to six months, source says

Brazil's federal prosecutors will likely take four to six months analyzing evidence gathered in the latest operation probing liquidated lender Banco Master, a person in the prosecutor general's office...

Trump housing plan to allow 401(k) money for down payments, adviser says

The Trump administration plans to allow investors to use some of their retirement funds to make a down payment on a house, White House economic adviser Kevin Hassett said on Friday, adding that more...

US manufacturing production rises on primary metals surge, outlook unclear

U.S. factory production unexpectedly increased in December amid a surge in primary metals output that offset a decline at motor vehicle assembly plants, but activity contracted in the fourth quarter...

Britain has 'moved away' from aligning with EU regulation, financial district's ambassador says

The prospect of Britain realigning its financial rules with the European Union has passed, and the country should avoid linking its regulations to any single jurisdiction, the ambassador for London's...

White House adviser Hassett plays down probe of Fed chair Powell

White House adviser Kevin Hassett played down the federal criminal investigation into Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell on Friday, saying he expected there would be nothing to see here. ...

China and Russia in talks after halt to power supplies

China has stopped imports of electric power supplies from Russia, Kommersant newspaper reported on Friday, citing sources familiar with the situation and high prices, while Russia said it was ready to...

US equity funds see largest weekly inflow in 3-1/2 months

U.S. equity funds witnessed sharp inflows in the week to January 14 on upbeat earnings expectations ahead of the fourth quarter earnings season, with investors brushing off concerns around geopolitics...

Poker-faced Powell may have ace up sleeve to stymie Trump's Fed shakeup

At 72, U.S. Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell has grandkids to play with, a golf game to get back to and a tune or two to master on the guitar. He also faces a choice: Whether to...

Rupee slumps the most in nearly two months, state-run banks cap losses

The Indian rupee slid to its worst one-day fall in nearly two months on Friday, as elevated dollar demand from importers alongside maturing positions in the non-deliverable forwards market hurt the...

Some in BOJ see scope to raise rates sooner than markets expect, sources say

Some Bank of Japan policymakers see scope to raise interest rates sooner than markets expect with April a distinct possibility, as a sliding yen risks adding to already broadening inflationary...

ECB on a steady rate path for now but Fed tussle a risk, chief economist warns

The European Central Bank will not debate any rate change in the near term if the economy stays on course, but new shocks, like a potential deviation by the Federal Reserve from its mandate, could...

Russia's oil and gas budget revenue falls 24% to lowest since 2020

Russia's federal budget revenues from oil and gas dropped by 24% in 2025 to the lowest level since 2020, according to Finance Ministry data, as oil prices fell while the rouble appreciated. ...

Erosion of Fed independence would be 'credit negative' for US rating, Fitch says

A major erosion of the Federal Reserve's independence would be negative for the U.S. credit rating, Fitch's top sovereign analyst said on Thursday, with any sign that the dollar's top global currency...

Weekly US jobless claims fall unexpectedly, but labor market treading water

The number of Americans filing new applications for unemployment benefits unexpectedly fell last week, but the drop was likely due to ongoing challenges adjusting the data for seasonal fluctuations...

US lawmakers introduce bill to create $2.5 billion critical-minerals stockpile

A bipartisan group of U.S. lawmakers on Thursday introduced a bill to create a $2.5 billion stockpile of critical minerals, a move aimed at stabilizing market prices and encouraging domestic mining...

Sterling edges down versus dollar after UK data

Sterling slightly pared its fall against the dollar on Thursday after UK economic data showed the economy grew more strongly than expected in November, but failed to affect the policy rate outlook. ...

Canadian home sales fall 1.9% in 2025 on tariff shock

Canadian home sales posted an annual decline last year as sales and prices fell in December, data from the Canadian Real Estate Association showed on Thursday. Home sales fell 2.7% in...