Analysis: Currencies

Kyiv says external funding critical, urges EU to unlock Russian assets

KYIV -Ukraine still has a critical need for external financing, officials said on Thursday, issuing a fresh appeal for the EU to approve a loan backed by frozen Russian funds after Kyiv secured...

Brazil seeks US cooperation in money-laundering probe

BRASILIA/RIO DE JANEIRO -Brazil will seek U.S. cooperation in fighting organized crime in its fuel sector, Finance Minister Fernando Haddad said on Thursday, after a police operation flagged money...

ECB's Kazaks says time is not ripe for a rate cut

FRANKFURT -It is too early for the European Central Bank to discuss another interest rate cut as inflation in the euro zone might still turn out higher than expected, ECB policymaker Martins Kazaks...

Russia's carmaker Avtovaz to restore full working week in January 2026

MOSCOW -Russia's largest carmaker Avtovaz plans to restore a full five-day working week on January 1 after three months of reduced working time, as the production outlook improves, the company said...

Bank of Japan's Noguchi advocates gradual interest rate hikes

TOKYO/OITA, Japan -The Bank of Japan can resume interest rate hikes as risks from U.S. tariffs subside but must do so at a measured, step-by-step pace, its board member Asahi Noguchi said, stressing...

IMF, Ukraine reach staff-level agreement on $8.2 billion, four-year program

The International Monetary Fund said on Wednesday it reached a staff-level agreement on a new four-year, $8.2 billion program for Ukraine as the country faces mounting wartime fiscal pressures. ...

Germany remains EU's top net contributor despite economic slump, study shows

BERLIN -Germany remained the European Union's largest net contributor in 2024 despite its ongoing economic crisis, though its payments have fallen sharply from previous years, according to a study by...

BOJ preps markets for near-term hike as weak yen overshadows politics

TOKYO -The Bank of Japan is preparing markets for a possible interest rate hike as soon as next month, sources say, reviving previous hawkish language as worries about sharp yen declines return and...

Japan's leading indicator of service inflation hits 2.7% in October

TOKYO -A leading indicator of Japan's services sector prices rose 2.7% in October from a year earlier, data showed on Wednesday, a sign labour shortages continue to prod companies to pass on rising...

US Treasury secretary takes aim at Fed's interest rate control system

U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said on Tuesday the Federal Reserve's system of managing interest rates is struggling and needs to be simplified. We've gotten to this point where...

Russia weighs how to prop up Russian Railways which is $51 billion in debt, sources say

MOSCOW -Russia's government is discussing different ways to prop up Russian Railways, the country's biggest commercial employer, which has built up a 4 trillion rouble debt pile, two people with...

Sterling edges up; pre-budget jitters stoke volatility

London -Sterling headed for a fourth daily rise on Tuesday, while traders piled into the options market seeking protection against heightened volatility in light of Britain's upcoming budget...

German home prices on track for 3%-plus annual rises, further stretching affordability- Reuters poll

German home prices will rise around 3% annually over the coming years, according to property analysts polled by Reuters, outstripping overall inflation and further stretching affordability for...

India considering import tariff on some steel products, source says

NEW DELHI -India is considering extending an import tariff, locally known as a safeguard duty, on some steel products to counter cheaper imports primarily from China, according to a source with...

IMF to reclassify India's FX management framework, Bloomberg News reports

MUMBAI -The International Monetary Fund is likely to reclassify India's foreign exchange rate management regime in the near future, Bloomberg News reported on Tuesday citing people familiar with the...

Bank of Korea to hold rates at 2.50% on November 27, cut pushed to next quarter

BENGALURU -The Bank of Korea will keep its key interest rate unchanged at 2.50% on Thursday as policymakers grapple with a volatile currency and an overheated housing market, according to a majority...

Finland clings to happiness crown as economic gloom deepens

HELSINKI -Harsh economic headwinds are sending a chill through the world's happiest country. But after 1,000 days of unemployment, 33-year-old Juho-Pekka Palomaa hasn't let Finland's problems get him...

Currencies: CAD and gold in sight

An interesting question from one of our readers: Why isn't the Canadian dollar rising even though Canada is one of the main gold-producing countries? Some answers. ...

TSX opens higher as investors weigh Fed rate-cut prospects

Canada's main stock index opened higher on Monday, with mining stocks leading the gains, as investors weighed growing odds of a U.S. Federal Reserve interest rate cut in December. At...