Analysis: Currencies

US 30-year mortgage rate tops 7%, highest since May 2024

The interest rate for the most popular U.S. home loan rose last week to an eight-month high of 7.09%, extending an upward trend that's squeezing would-be homebuyers already facing rising house prices...

Japan likely to miss primary budget surplus target for FY2025, sources say

Japan is likely to miss achieving its goal of running a primary budget surplus by the next fiscal year, according to three sources with knowledge of fresh fiscal estimates, as the minority government...

Japanese investors exit foreign assets for third straight month in Dec

Japanese investors net sold foreign stocks and bonds for a third straight month in December, wary of rising U.S. bond yields, while some also booked profits amid sharp fluctuations in the yen. ...

Currencies: Two rooms, two atmospheres

While the rise in bond yields in the United States favors the dollar, the parallel rise in the United Kingdom is weighing on sterling. The cause is a struggling economy, which is weighing on the...

Robust US economy may not need Trump's big reforms

U.S. President-elect Donald Trump campaigned on promises of aggressive import tariffs, strict immigration curbs, deregulation and smaller government, but the economy he inherits next week may be...

China steps up policy measures to defend fragile yuan

China stepped up its policy measures on Monday to defend a weakening yuan by relaxing rules to allow more offshore borrowing and sending verbal warnings as the Chinese currency hovered around 16-month...

Canada's economy adds 90,900 jobs in December, jobless rate edges down

Canada's economy gained a net 90,900 jobs in December, largely in full-time work, and the jobless rate edged down to 6.7%, Statistics Canada data showed on Friday. Market reaction:...

Canada gains more jobs than forecast in December, jobless rate takes surprise dip

Canada's economy added nearly quadruple the number of jobs forecasted for December and the unemployment rate surprisingly ticked down to 6.7%, data showed on Friday, giving the central bank breathing...

Futures drop on caution ahead of key payrolls data

U.S. stock index futures slipped on Friday ahead of a crucial labor market report, at a time when concerns around inflation and the incoming Trump administration's policies have clouded the Federal...

Global money market funds draw huge inflows on caution over potential tariffs

Investors piled into global money market funds in the week through Jan. 8, spurred by concerns over potential tariff increases with the upcoming change in the U.S. administration and caution ahead of...

Fed's Schmid says central bank 'near' neutral interest rate level

Kansas City Federal Reserve President Jeff Schmid signaled on Thursday a reluctance to cut interest rates again as the U.S. central bank comes into the new year facing a resilient economy and...

US 30-year fixed-rate mortgage rate hovers just under 7%

U.S. mortgage rates increased to a fresh six-month high this week, a trend that together with elevated house prices could further squeeze potential buyers from the market. The average...

For good reasons and bad, global bond wobble passes over euro zone

Just as Britain and the United States come under pressure from investors worried about growing debt and sticky inflation, the euro zone seems to be largely escaping the market's wrath -- even if the...

Britain at centre of bond market storm

A look at the day ahead in European and global markets from Kevin Buckland The British bond market has become the focus of global investor attention, for some unenviable reasons. ...

Brazil's Azul inching closer to merger with Gol, says local media

Brazilian airline Azul is expected to sign in the next few weeks a memorandum of understandings with rival carrier Gol's parent Abra for a potential merger between Azul and Gol, newspaper Valor...

US dollar stranglehold on global FX sets stage for euro parity - Reuters Poll

The U.S. dollar will tighten its stranglehold over global currency markets with little standing in the way of its remarkable run, and a significant number of foreign exchange forecasters polled by...

Bonds flashing red, 'term premium' at 10y high

A look at the day ahead in U.S. and global markets from Mike Dolan Dragging up government borrowing costs across the world, the new year spike in long-term U.S. Treasury yields is...

Strong dollar, rising yields hog the spotlight

A look at the day ahead in European and global markets from Ankur Banerjee The dollar stood tall on Wednesday boosted by elevated Treasury yields after strong U.S. data rekindled worries...

Canada's services PMI shows activity shrinking at year-end

Canada's services economy deteriorated for the first time in three months in December as a postal workers' strike weighed on activity and work outstanding tumbled, S&P Global's Canada services PMI...