Analysis: Currencies

Fed rate cut in July? Inside the US central bank, few takers

President Donald Trump says that tame inflation means the Federal Reserve should already be reducing its policy rate, but inside the U.S. central bank the idea has little traction, with only two Fed...

US labor market softening as more people remain on unemployment rolls

WASHINGTON -The number of Americans filing new applications for jobless benefits fell last week, but work opportunities are becoming scarce as businesses remain hesitant to hire because of an...

Canada home prices to decline 2% as trade war hits homebuyer confidence 

BENGALURU -Canada home prices are set to decline 2% this year and stagnate in 2026, a significant downgrade from expectations of modest rises just three months ago, according to a Reuters poll of...

New home sales fall to seven-month low in May; supply increases

WASHINGTON -Sales of new U.S. single-family homes fell by the most in nearly three years in May as high mortgage rates and rising economic uncertainty sapped demand, lifting the supply of unsold...

JPMorgan sees tariff-induced US 'stagflationary' slowdown in 2025

NEW YORK -U.S. trade policies will likely slow down global economic growth and rekindle inflation in the United States, where there is a 40% probability of a recession in the second half of this...

Powell says Fed needs to manage against risk that tariff inflation proves persistent

WASHINGTON -The Trump administration's tariff plans may well just cause a one-time jump in prices, but the risk it could cause more persistent inflation is large enough for the central bank to be...

Fed's Williams sees slower growth, higher inflation this year on tariffs, uncertainty

ALBANY -Federal Reserve Bank of New York President John Williams expects slower growth and higher inflation this year due in large part to trade tariffs, in comments that suggested he is in no rush...

Instant View: Canada's annual inflation rate at 1.7% in May, unchanged from April

TORONTO -Canada's annual inflation rate in May was unchanged from the previous month at 1.7% as a drop in gasoline costs continued to keep the overall index stable while prices of shelter, food and...

Powell repeats rate cuts can wait as Fed studies tariff impacts

WASHINGTON -Higher tariffs could begin raising inflation this summer, a period that will be key to Federal Reserve consideration of possible rate cuts, Fed Chair Jerome Powell told members of...

Oil, rates and the dollar tumble

What matters in U.S. and global markets today By Mike Dolan, Editor-At-Large, Financial Industry and Financial Markets After a tentative ceasefire was announced in the...

Exclusive-Fed should wait on rate cuts with price hikes expected, Bostic says

ATLANTA -The Federal Reserve need not cut interest rates with companies planning to raise prices later this year in response to higher import taxes and with the job market still stable, Atlanta Fed...

Currencies: Renewed interest

The US military attack on Iranian nuclear facilities has allowed the dollar to regain some ground against several G10 currencies. However, it is still struggling against the euro; however, there are...

Fed's Bowman open to cutting rates at July policy meeting

NEW YORK -Federal Reserve Vice Chair for Supervision Michelle Bowman, recently tapped by President Trump as the U.S. central bank's top bank overseer, said Monday the time to cut interest rates is...

US existing home sales rise in May; mortgage rates still a constraint

WASHINGTON -U.S. existing home sales unexpectedly increased in May, but the trend remained weak amid high mortgage rates. Home sales climbed 0.8% last month to a seasonally adjusted...

Still early to assess tariff impact on economy, Fed report says

The Federal Reserve's latest Monetary Policy Report to Congress, released on Friday, said U.S. inflation is somewhat elevated and the labor market is in solid shape, but suggested that President...

Fed's Powell says central bank still has the needed data to do its work

Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell made a plea on Wednesday for the government not to cut back too aggressively on its efforts to collect data on the economy because the information it collects...

Fed officials see two rate cuts in 2025, but overall turn hawkish

WASHINGTON -U.S. central bankers are increasingly split over the appropriate path of policy, with the median of fresh forecasts published on Wednesday still pointing to a half percentage point of...

US-Canada deal prospect offers hope but inflation a worry if tariffs remain, says BoC

The Bank of Canada Governor Tiff Macklem said on Wednesday that the prospect of a new Canada-U.S. trade deal offers hope that tariffs will be removed, but cautioned that inflation could rise if...

US weekly jobless claims, housing data point to softening economic activity

WASHINGTON -The number of Americans filing new applications for unemployment benefits fell last week, but stayed at levels consistent with a further loss of labor market momentum in June and...