Reuters US Economy

By Lucia Mutikani WASHINGTON (Reuters) – U.S. consumer confidence unexpectedly improved in May after deteriorating for three straight months amid optimism about the labor market, but worries about inflation persisted and many households expected higher interest rates over the next year. The mixed survey from the Conference Board on Tuesday also showed more consumers believed …

US consumer confidence recovers; inflation worries persist Read More »

By Leika Kihara and Takahiko Wada TOKYO (Reuters) – The Bank of Japan’s key measurements of underlying inflation in April all fell below its 2% target for the first time since August 2022, data showed on Tuesday, heightening uncertainty on the timing of its next interest rate hike. The weighted median inflation rate, among the …

BOJ’s underlying inflation measures in April all fall below 2% Read More »

(Reuters) – Federal Reserve policy statements would benefit from somewhat lengthier passages than currently employed to describe assessments of economic developments, how that influences the central bank’s outlook and the risks to that outlook, Cleveland Fed President Loretta Mester said on Tuesday. “While simpler is often seen as a virtue, it can also be a …

Fed’s Mester: Fed statements would benefit from some added length Read More »

(Reuters) – Federal Reserve Governor Michelle Bowman on Tuesday said she would have supported either waiting to start slowing the run-off in the U.S. central bank’s balance sheet or a more moderate tapering process than announced earlier this month. Bowman, in remarks prepared for delivery to a Bank of Japan conference in Tokyo, said she …

Fed’s Bowman: Would have backed waiting to taper balance sheet run-off Read More »

A look at the day ahead in European and global markets from Tom Westbrook The European Central Bank publishes inflation expectation surveys on Tuesday, which along with policymaker speeches are the highlight of an otherwise quiet calendar. Easing forecasts would reinforce market bets on a rate cut next week, which is priced at a 92% …

Morning Bid: Inflation expectations Read More »

By Daniela Desantis and Lucinda Elliott NANAWA, Paraguay (Reuters) – Paraguayan shoppers used to flock in their droves to the border town of Nanawa to buy cheap imports from Argentina, where the weak peso currency for years kept relative prices low for fuel, medicine and groceries smuggled in across the frontier. Now Nanawa is a …

Argentina’s 300% inflation and propped-up peso spawn Paraguay border ghost town Read More »

By Steven Scheer JERUSALEM (Reuters) -The Bank of Israel held short-term interest rates steady on Monday for the third straight meeting, citing rising price pressures, a rebound in economic activity and continued geopolitical uncertainty resulting from Israel’s war with Hamas in Gaza. The central bank kept its benchmark rate at 4.50%. It had lowered the …

Bank of Israel holds rates, can’t cut again while inflation rising Read More »

By Walter Bianchi BUENOS AIRES (Reuters) – Argentina’s markets have a wary eye on President Javier Milei’s sprawling reform bill that is grinding through Congress and facing likely amendments in the Senate that will push it back to the lower house and gum up its final approval. The country’s bonds and peso, which rallied strongly …

Argentina markets keep wary eye on Milei reform bill hold-ups Read More »