This week's data releases could reignite hopes that the Federal Reserve will soon provide more policy stimulus. May's producer price index and consumer price index should show that inflationary pressures are easing, with the latter falling below the Fed's 2 percent target rate. Retail sales and industrial production figures for May are likely to come in on the soft side, as well.
While the euro zone fiscal crisis has grabbed the spotlight, the U.S. faces its own fiscal crisis. The simultaneous onset of tax increases and spending cuts scheduled for Jan. 1 -- which will trigger unless Republicans and Democrats can agree on a balanced budget solution -- will likely send the economy plunging off a $720 billion fiscal cliff and into the arms of another recession.
Asian stock markets reported their first weekly gains in six weeks amid hopes that major central banks, including the U.S. Federal Reserve, might act to tackle deteriorating global economic conditions.
Without a stronger effort by the central banks -- in the form of a coordinated quantitative easing measure to correct the ailing European banking system -- the global economy (at best) will only limb along.
The Federal Reserve is proposing that U.S. banks, large and small, abide by a rigorous interpretation of an international capital standards agreement known as Basel III.
Crude oil futures declined Friday as the lack of explicit hints about further quantitative easing from Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke disappointed investors.
Japan's Nikkei 225 Stock Average fell Friday as lack of indications of more monetary stimulus in the U.S. by the Federal Reserve undermined the interest rate cut by China.
Global stocks rose Thursday after China unexpectedly cut its interest rate and continued rising even after Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke declined to commit to more economic intervention to boost the U.S. economy.
The price of gold on the New York Mercantile Exchange fell by more than 2 percent on Thursday, ending six days of consecutive price increases so far this month.
Stocks jumped at the open on Thursday after China's central bank cut bank lending and deposit rates, fueling hopes of simultaneous action to aid a flagging global economy.
In 2009, the Economist Intelligence Unit devised an acronym for six emerging countries, CIVETS, which includes Colombia, Indonesia, Vietnam, Egypt, Turkey and South Africa. These countries were categorized as the six countries with the best chance of high, long-term growth.
Hong Kong shares advanced Thursday, following solid gains on Wall Street overnight on hopes that major central banks including the US Federal Reserve might act to tackle deteriorating global economic conditions.
Asian shares nudged up Wednesday but were capped by concerns that Europe's financial strains could intensify without a global response, as Spain warned that it was being shut out of credit markets.
The Democrats have a disingenuous narrative that they espouse boldly and without apology.
Home prices are stagnant, crude oil is tumbling and copper has fallen to a seven-month low. Inflation is not the problem. What is the problem is inflation's evil twin, deflation.
The April trade data is likely to garner the most market attention, while the Fed Beige Book will set the tone for the upcoming Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) meeting. On Thursday, markets will also be watching Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke's testimony to Congress, which could provide clues on whether the Fed is ready to take additional steps to support growth.
The U.S. had been losing industrial jobs to low-cost countries, particularly in Asia, for years, but its manufacturing sector appears to be staging a surprising turnaround. In 2009, manufacturing accounted for about 11 percent of U.S. gross domestic product; in 2011, the comparable figure was 12.2 percent.
A shockingly weak jobs report hammered U.S. equities Friday, as major stock indexes headed for their worst loss of the year and erased all of their 2012 gains.
This backdrop of the weakening of the global economy could promote a broad round of coordinated central bank easing.
U.S. stock futures plunged Friday after a surprisingly weak nonfarm payrolls report raised fears that the nation's nascent recovery may be losing steam and raising the possibility that the Federal Reserve may opt for economic stimulus measures.
Economic data and news flows are light this morning as market participants take stock of the significant moves across asset classes in the past wee
Texas manufacturing grew in May while the state's production index was steady, indicating sustained growth from the month before, although the outlook is poor, the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas said Tuesday.
