Inflation rates in the euro area remained constant at 2.4% in April 2024, and the economy experienced growth in the first quarter, as indicated by preliminary figures released on Tuesday. Headline inflation at 2.4% aligned with economists’ forecasts, while monthly inflation registered at 0.6%. Core inflation, which excludes energy, food,Read More →
Inflation has become a persistent challenge for the Fed The battle against inflation persists, gradually impacting the U.S. economy and presenting substantial challenges for the Federal Reserve. Despite concerted efforts to control it, inflation remains stubbornly remains, leaving policymakers in a dilemma – to stimulate economic growth or to curbRead More →
Powering artificial intelligence (AI) models takes a substantial toll on our planet’s energy resources. Delving deeper into AI, it becomes crucial to comprehend the environmental impact of this technological revolution. Current trends A new peer-reviewed study featured in ‘Joule‘ highlights the significant energy requirements of AI. The research, carried outRead More →
Inflation in the U.K. eased to 3.2% from 3.4% in March, the Office for National Statistics said on Wednesday 17th April 2024. But a higher-than-expected reading creates more concern as investors push back bets on the timing of the first Bank of England (BoE) rate cut. Economists expected 3.1% asRead More →
The latest figures on UK pay growth and unemployment present a complex picture of the country’s labour market. The unemployment rate has seen a slight uptick to 4.2%, a rise from the previous 3.9%. This increase, which is more than anticipated, suggests a softening in the labour market. Conversely, wage growthRead More →
Gold at all-time high above $2,400 Technical analysis indicates that the risk trends towards the upside, with indicators showing overbought conditions and prices rising above moving averages. However, it’s crucial to remember that markets are subject to change and can be affected by various factors, including geopolitical risks and economicRead More →
Markets have fretted about core inflation recently, now analysts are concerned about a highly specific price gauge within the data – ‘supercore’ inflation. This measure tracks services inflation, excluding food, energy, and housing, which has recently surged, rising 4.8% year-over-year in March 2024 and over 8% on a three-month annualisedRead More →
The U.S. economy is on a rip, with employers adding around 303,000 jobs in March 2024 – the largest increase in almost a year. As the world’s largest economy continues to surge, questions arise about the Federal Reserve’s next move regarding interest rates. Stronger-than-expected Job Growth The unemployment rate fellRead More →
The precious metal has reached consecutive record highs this year, including a peak on Thursday 4th April 2024. The gold price surpassed $2,300 before slightly retracting. By early Friday, it was trading at approximately $2,278 per ounce. According to some analysts, geopolitical and structural factors are setting gold on aRead More →
Eurozone inflation eased to 2.4% in March 2024, as indicated by preliminary figures released on Wednesday 3rd April 2024. This decrease has increased expectations that interest rate cuts may start in the summer 2024. Market analysts anticipate that the central bank will commence reductions in interest rates starting in JuneRead More →
Japan’s Nikkei 225 index briefly surpassed 41000, reaching a new all-time high on Friday 22nd March 2024, as the nation’s inflation rate reportedly accelerated in February 2024. Other Asia-Pacific markets experienced declines. The headline inflation rate in Japan for February 2024 was reported at 2.8%, an increase from the 2.2%Read More →
The surge in gold prices continues, reaching a new peak on Thursday 21st March 2024, with predictions of further increases as central banks around the world persist in acquiring significant amounts of bullion. Some analysts believe the gold price could climb as high as $2300 per ounce in the latterRead More →
On Wednesday, 20th March 2024, the three major U.S. indices soared to record all-time closing highs after the Federal Reserve decided to maintain rates and kept its ‘expectations’ for three rate cuts by the end of 2024. The Dow Jones Industrial Average surged 401.37 points to close at 39,512. TheRead More →
In February 2024, inflation decreased to 3.4%, a decline from January’s 4%, moving closer to the Bank of England’s self-imposed target of 2% This reduction signifies that the cost of living is increasing at its least rapid rate since September 2021, when it was recorded at 3.1%. Since reaching aRead More →
In his Capitol Hill testimony on 6th March 2024, Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell reiterated that was not yet time to begin cutting interest rates. To fight inflation, which reached a rate of 9% in the summer of 2022, the central bank has significantly increased interest rates in recent times. However, prices are still stubborn, especiallyRead More →
The U.S. national debt has been growing more quickly in recent months, increasing about $1 trillion nearly every 100 days. U.S. debt permanently crossed over $34 trillion on 4th January 2024 according to data from the U.S. Department of the Treasury. It reached $33 trillion on 15th September 2023, and $32 trillionRead More →
Gold futures for April settled at $2126 per ounce, the highest-level going back to the *contract’s creation in 1974. Analysts suggest that, adjusting for inflation, gold set an all-time high of approximately $3200 in 1980 and bodes well for big gold increases to come in the future. Why is goldRead More →
Japan’s Nikkei 225 hit a record high of: 39098 on Thursday 22nd February 2024. The rally was propelled by electronics, banking and consumer stocks as robust earnings and investor-friendly measures fuel a blistering rally in Japanese equities. The Nikkei 225 jumped 2%, surpassing the previous record high of 38,915.87 reached in 1989.Read More →
The Magnificent Seven, or MAMA ANT, is a term coined by Bank of America to describe the seven most dominant tech companies in the world The Seven are: Microsoft, Amazon, Meta Platforms, Apple, Nvidia, Tesla, and Alphabet. These companies have not only led the tech sector in terms of innovation,Read More →
Retail sales rebounded in January as shoppers went on a determined spending spree, latest figures show. ONS figures revealed a 3.4% jump in sales following a drop in December 2023. Food sales at supermarkets rose strongly while department stores reported a good impact from January sales. The Office for NationalRead More →
After a decade-long bull run throughout the 1980’s, the Nikkei 225 index reached an all-time high of 38,915 on December 29, 1989, the last trading day of the year. Few could have imagined, on New Year’s Eve of 1989, that the index would be lower 34 years later. As the New YearRead More →
In January 2024, inflation logged its biggest monthly jump since August with a 6.7% rise from December 2023. Year-on-year inflation hit nearly 65%, according to the Turkish Central Bank’s figures released Monday 5th January 2024 The consumer price index (CPI) for the country of 85 million people increased by 64.86%Read More →
Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell said in a U.S. TV interview on Sunday 4th January 2024 that the central bank will proceed carefully with interest rate cuts this year and likely will move at a considerably slower pace than the market expects. Election year rate cuts? In the interview andRead More →
Gold demand hit record highs in 2023 on the back of persistent geopolitical tensions and continued weakness in some world economies, particularly China according to the World Gold Council. Total gold demand stood at 4,899 tons in 2023 compared to 4,741 tons in 2022. Gold purchases from central banks ledRead More →
HSBC fined £57.4m by the Bank of England for ‘serious failings’ to protect customer deposits. The bank failed to accurately identify deposits eligible for the UK’s Financial Services Compensation Scheme, the Bank’s Prudential Regulation Authority (PRA) announced. HSBC was fined by the Bank of England’s Prudential Regulation Authority (PRA) forRead More →
Turkey’s central bank on Thursday 25th January 2024 hiked its key interest rate to 45%. It comes amid an ongoing struggle against double-digit inflation for Turkey’s policymakers, with the rate hike the latest step in that ongoing fight. 30 Turkish Lira to 1 U.S. dollar Inflation in Turkey increased nearly 65%Read More →