Analysis: Currencies

Russia keeps key rate on hold, braces for global turbulence

MOSCOW -The Russian central bank maintained its key interest rate at 21% on Friday, with inflation starting to decline but new risks facing the Russian economy because of global economic turbulence...

Canada's main election contenders raise investor hopes of pro-business era

TORONTO -Canada stands to elect a more business-friendly government than has been the case in recent years but its trade-dependent economy could be in line for an increased level of deficit spending,...

US bank regulators pull back guardrails on bank crypto activities

WASHINGTON -U.S. banking regulators announced on Thursday they were pulling back several documents that urge banks to show caution when dabbling in cryptocurrency and related activities. The Federal...

Dollar rally unravels as investors shrug off Trump U-turns

NEW YORK -The dollar staged a broad retreat on Thursday, as investor gloom over the lack of progress toward defusing the U.S.-China trade war reasserted itself following an interlude of optimism the...

US labor market holds steady for now; tariffs keep businesses on edge

WASHINGTON - The number of Americans filing new applications for unemployment benefits increased marginally last week, suggesting the labor market remained resilient despite darkening clouds over the...

Emerging economies face longer period of tighter financing, South African central banker says

WASHINGTON -Emerging economies will have to grapple with tighter global financing conditions for longer while the future of risk-free assets is very much in focus, the head of South Africa's central...

Republican task force chief wants to shield Fed from political influence, including Trump

WASHINGTON -A Republican lawmaker tasked with scrutinizing Federal Reserve monetary policy wants the U.S. Congress to help stabilize financial markets by insulating the central bank from political...

Analysts game out use of Fed toolkit if market needs central bank's help

NEW YORK -Market participants unsettled by the Trump administration's choppy policy rollout are working to game out what the Federal Reserve would do if asset prices spiral out of control and require...

Bridgewater three co-CIOs warn 'exceptional risks' to US assets

HONG KONG -Bridgewater Associates' three Co-Chief Investment Officers said they see exceptional risks to U.S. assets under the Trump administration's rapid shift to modern mercantilism that puts...

Tariffs restrain US business activity, boost asking prices for products

WASHINGTON -U.S. business activity slowed to a 16-month low in April while prices charged for goods and services soared amid uncertainty caused by tariffs, reinforcing financial market fears of...

Currencies: Major maneuvers

The sometimes contradictory statements coming from the Trump administration are fueling the current uncertainty and continuing to weigh on the dollar while keeping rates high.

BOJ calls on Japan banks to be vigilant against trade policy risks

TOKYO -Japanese banks must monitor various risks associated with high levels of uncertainty over global trade policies, the Bank of Japan said on Wednesday, as U.S. President Donald Trump's tariffs...

BOJ to raise rates in Q3 though Trump tariffs will disrupt policy normalisation

TOKYO - The Bank of Japan is likely to hold its key interest rate through June, showed a Reuters survey of economists, with a 25-basis-point hike next quarter expected by a slight majority of...

IMF cuts growth forecasts for most countries in wake of century-high US tariffs

WASHINGTON - The International Monetary Fund on Tuesday slashed its growth forecasts for the United States, China and most countries, citing the impact of U.S. tariffs now at 100-year highs and...

Fed's Harker says US poverty levels may be understated

NEW YORK -Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia President Patrick Harker said on Tuesday the true level of poverty in the United States might be understated, in comments that did not address the...

BOJ likely to keep rate-hike signal intact despite Trump tariff risks, sources say

TOKYO -The Bank of Japan is expected to signal next week that risks from higher U.S. tariffs will not derail a cycle of rising wages and inflation seen as crucial to keep raising interest rates, said...

Wall St ends sharply lower following Trump's anti-Powell tirade

STORY: U.S. stocks suffered steep losses on Monday, with all three of Wall Street's main indexes falling more than two percent. President Donald Trump ramped up his criticism of Federal Reserve Chair...

Trump warns of economic slowdown unless Fed cuts rates, triggering selloff

The U.S. economy could slow unless interest rates are lowered immediately, President Donald Trump said on Monday, repeating his criticism of Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell, who says rates should...

China central bank urges state-owned businesses to prioritise yuan in overseas expansion

SHANGHAI -China's central bank said on Monday it was encouraging state-owned enterprises to prioritise yuan usage in payment and settlement in their overseas expansion, in what is seen as an official...