Reuters US Economy

By Lucia Mutikani WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The number of Americans filing new claims for jobless benefits fell last week, unwinding nearly half of the jump at the start of the month, indicating that labor market conditions remain fairly tight even as job growth is cooling. There are signs the economy slowed further early in the …

US labor market fairly tight, broader economy losing steam Read More »

By Marcelo Teixeira NEW YORK (Reuters) – Sales of agricultural inputs such as fertilizers and crop care products have been near normal in the United States despite lower grain prices, while they are not as good in South America, according to agricultural input producers. Executives from companies such as Mosaic, Bayer AG and Corteva said …

Ag inputs sales seen at good level in the US, not as good in South America Read More »

By Satoshi Sugiyama and Tetsushi Kajimoto TOKYO (Reuters) -Japan’s economy fell faster than expected in the first quarter as the weak yen continued to batter consumers, throwing a fresh challenge to the central bank’s push to get interest rates further away from near zero. Preliminary gross domestic product (GDP) data from the Cabinet Office on …

Japan’s economy skids, clouding BOJ’s rate hike plans Read More »

By Matt Tracy (Reuters) – Global corporate debt defaults more than doubled in April from March to their highest monthly tally since October 2020, according to a report from S&P Global Ratings. April saw 18 defaults globally, led by the 10 U.S. defaults worth $7.1 billion, according to the S&P report published on Monday. These …

Global corporate defaults doubled from March to April, S&P finds Read More »

(Reuters) – Minneapolis Federal Reserve Bank President Neel Kashkari on Wednesday reiterated his view that he is unsure how restrictive monetary policy is right now, and that borrowing costs should stay where they are as U.S. central bankers take stock of inflation.    “The biggest uncertainty in my mind is how much downward pressure is …

Fed’s Kashkari: rates should stay on hold ‘for a while longer’ Read More »

By Ann Saphir (Reuters) – Federal Reserve policymakers waiting to see renewed progress on inflation before reducing borrowing costs got some encouraging data on Wednesday with a government report showing inflation eased a bit in April.    The 3.4% rise in the consumer price index from a year earlier, and the 0.3% increase from March, …

Fed gets some good news on inflation progress Read More »

LONDON (Reuters) – A “disorderly evolution” of the situation in Slovakia following an attempted assassination of Prime Minister Robert Fico could raise the political risk level for the country’s credit rating, Moody’s said on Wednesday. Fico was in a life-threatening condition having been shot in the central Slovak town of Handlova. Moody’s, which rates Slovakia …

Slovak PM shooting could add political risk to credit rating – Moody’s Read More »

By Marcela Ayres BRASILIA (Reuters) -Brazil’s central bank is firmly committed to pursuing its 3% inflation target, board members said on Wednesday, noting that they share concerns about rising price expectations despite disagreements about lowering interest rates at last week’s monetary policy meeting. Governor Roberto Campos Neto stressed that the bank will not shy away …

Brazil’s central bank fully committed to 3% inflation target, board members say Read More »

By Libby George LONDON (Reuters) – Two wars and high borrowing costs have trimmed expected growth in countries covered by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), the bank said in a semi-annual report released on Wednesday. The EBRD, which covers economic trends across emerging Europe, central Asia, the Middle East and Africa, still …

Conflict, high borrowing costs clip growth in EBRD regions, report says Read More »