Author: FX

Pres. Trump commentsPrepared to double defense spending by 2027Approved $1B in foreign military sales for JapanDiscussed how our two nations can stay on the cutting edge of artificial intelligenceJapan assumed beginning 40 new shipments of American liquefied natural gasWe are going to work on trade deficit with JapanWe can do it with just oil and gasJapan will be opening new auto plantsNissan is looking to make an “investment” in US Steel (I think he meant Nippon Steel not Nissan)Japan PM Ishida comments:Confirmed that Japan will increase exports on US natural gas to JapanJapan and US work toward the denuclearization of…

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The Dow Jones shed 400 points after US NFP figures missed the mark. US consumer inflation fears rose, while their outlook deteriorated. US President Donald Trump puts tariffs back on the board. The Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA) took a fresh beating on Friday after Nonfarm Payrolls (NFP) missed market forecasts, and the University of Michigan’s (UoM) Consumer Sentiment Index showed a sharp downturn in consumers’ overall economic outlook. United States (US) President Donald Trump also put his long-awaited trade war back on the table, dropping hints of things to come with threats of reciprocal tariffs on countries that have…

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Federal Reserve (Fed) Board of Governors member Adriana Kugler noted on Friday that US growth and economic activity remain healthy overall, but noted that progress toward the Fed’s inflation goals has been somewhat lopsided. Key highlights In considering appropriate policy rates, we will watch developments, carefully assess data, outlook and risks. Recent progress on inflation is slow and uneven. Inflation remains elevated. January jobs report shows the US labor market is healthy, neither weakening nor overheating. Continued productivity gains would help the Fed attain goals. The US economy is on a firm footing. I anticipate solid GDP growth in Q1.…

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South_agencyRiot Platforms (NASDAQ:RIOT) rose 2% amid some takeover speculation on the bitcoin miner. Riot (NASDAQ:RIOT) may have attracted takeover interest amid activist Starboard’s reported stake, according to traders, who cited a Betaville “uncooked” alert circulating on Friday. Privately held CoreWeave Source link

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United States (US) President Donald Trump hit social media hard on Friday, noting through a series of posts that his plans to execute widespread tariffs on most of the US trading allies are back on the table as a means of addressing the US federal deficit. Without any changes to funding sources, the US’ budget shortfall is expected to swell under President Trump’s stewardship as his proposed tax cuts will cause the federal government’s inflows to evaporate. President Trump also voiced his desire to “end the trade deficit with Japan”, which currently stands at $65 billion annually. Key highlights Trump signs an…

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According to the University of Michigan’s (UoM) Consumer Sentiment Index, American consumers are beginning to grow increasingly concerned about United States (US) President Donald Trump’s approach to economic policy and international trade. Trade war fears have knocked back consumer confidence, and consumer inflation expectations have also climbed. The Preliminary UoM Sentiment Index showed that aggregate consumer outlook contracted in January, falling to 67.8 compared to investors’ median forecasts of a climb to 71.8 from December’s 71.1. It’s the lowest reading in the UoM’s main sentiment index since July of last year, and the average US consumer may not be in…

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Federal Reserve (Fed) Bank of Chicago President Austan Goolsbee hit markets on an already-volatile Friday with more bad news, noting that inconsistent policy approaches from the US government cause a high level of economic uncertainty that make it difficult for the Fed to draw a bead on where the economy, and inflation specifically, are likely heading.  Key highlights This was a solid jobs report. Tariffs add a little uncertainty. The potential of escalating trade wars throwing a wrench into supply chains is very real. I am hopeful, after what we saw recently, that tariffs end up not being a big…

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WTI crude oil surges as US labor market data fuels demand optimism. Nonfarm Payrolls miss expectations, but wage growth remains strong. The labor force participation rate edges higher, supporting the energy demand outlook. The West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude oil prices climbed on Friday to around $70.80, buoyed by renewed optimism over energy demand following the latest United States (US) labor market report. While Nonfarm Payrolls (NFP) data revealed a weaker-than-expected 143K job addition in January, the overall labor market resilience and steady wage growth helped drive crude prices higher. Despite the soft job additions, the US unemployment rate held…

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