Reuters US Economy

By David Ljunggren OTTAWA (Reuters) – The shortage of affordable housing in Canada is “a very serious challenge” that could ease as inflation eases and interest rates become more predictable, newly-appointed Housing Minister Sean Fraser told Reuters on Tuesday. Fraser was appointed last month as part of a wide-ranging shuffle by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau …

Easing inflation to help Canada’s ‘serious’ housing shortage -minister Read More »

By Ann Saphir (Reuters) -Americans borrowed more than ever on their credit cards in the last quarter, the New York Federal Reserve Bank said on Tuesday, with balances surpassing $1 trillion for the first time even as overall household debt loads were largely unchanged. Credit card balances rose by $45 billion to $1.03 trillion in …

US credit card debt tops $1 trillion, overall consumer debt little changed Read More »

By Lucia Mutikani WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The U.S. trade deficit narrowed sharply in June as businesses cut back on purchases of foreign-made capital goods, resulting in imports falling to the lowest level in more than 1-1/2 years. The decline in imports reported by the Commerce Department on Tuesday potentially signals a slowdown in business investment …

Declining imports compress US trade deficit in June Read More »

BERLIN (Reuters) – German inflation eased in July, the federal statistics office said on Tuesday, confirming preliminary data. German consumer prices, harmonised to compare with other European Union countries, increased by 6.5% on the year in July. This follows a 6.8% increase in June. (This story has been corrected to say inflation eased, not rose, …

German inflation eases to 6.5% in July Read More »

MEXICO CITY (Reuters) – Rising consumer prices in Mexico likely slowed in July, which would mark the sixth straight monthly inflation rate drop, a Reuters poll showed on Monday, reinforcing bets that the central bank’s key borrowing rate will likely remain at its record high. The median forecast of 11 analysts surveyed was for annual …

Mexican prices seen sticking to downward trend, likely eased in July: Reuters poll Read More »

By Claudia Martini and Miguel Lo Bianco BUENOS AIRES (Reuters) – Argentines, who have seen jobs and wages hit by economic malaise and rampant inflation, lined up at churches on Monday to ask St. Cayetano, the patron saint of bread and labor, for employment, with some critical of politicians for not doing enough to help. …

Hard-hit Argentina workers ask saints, not politicians, for jobs Read More »

By Saqib Iqbal Ahmed NEW YORK (Reuters) – An options strategy that bets on stocks logging larger-than-expected moves on corporate results has been a surprising winner this earnings season, data from options analytics service ORATS showed. Buying options straddles on U.S. companies reporting results over the last three weeks – a strategy that combines a …

Options bets on earnings-fueled volatility in US stocks paying off Read More »

By Kevin Buckland and Brigid Riley TOKYO (Reuters) – Japanese government bond yields fell from multi-month highs on Monday, mirroring a sharp retreat in their U.S. peers at the end of last week after data showed U.S. jobs growth had cooled. The 30-year JGB yield fell 2 basis points (bps) to 1.595%, after reaching 1.63% …

Japan yields follow U.S. peers lower as 30-year auction looms Read More »