Economic news

Asian share markets recorded a positive performance on Friday, putting the region on course for its weekly gain. Investors’ enthusiasm could be attributed to easing inflation fears and the prospect of an early tapering of stimulus by the Federal Reserve. MSCI’s broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan gained 0.6%, while Japan’s benchmark index Nikkei […]

Japan’s core consumer prices declined further, tallying their ninth consecutive month of contraction in April. The drop could be attributed to fee reductions in cellphones that heavily offset surging energy prices. This, in turn, suggested that frail demand and upbeat costs will likely drag the country’s economic recovery. The core consumer price index (CPI) recorded […]

Thursday saw the tumbling of China’s main industrial commodities following the government’s announcement that it is stepping up measures to keep prices from soaring further on raw materials which are a threat to undermine the economic recovery of the country. The prices of iron ore and coking coal alongside other steel products like rebar and […]

Japan’s exports reached historic highs in April, while capital spending expanded as global demand for cars and electronics advanced. The positive readings brought in optimism that trade’s recovery could fuel the world’s third-largest economy back to growth. The country’s exports recorded a 38.0% year-on-year increase in April, official data showed on Thursday. The figure, which […]

Global share markets performed turbulently on Thursday. The weak session came after Wall Street recorded a choppy performance, which sent cryptocurrencies to low levels. More so, the U.S. Federal Reserve’s possible changes in policies supported bonds and the dollar. MSCI’s broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan dropped 0.04%. South Korean shares slipped 0.34%, while […]

Thursday saw Oil prices fall following a slump in the previous session with U.S. stockpiles rising adding to worries that this would hit demand from the surge of COVID-19 cases within Asia and potentially, U.S. rate hikes. Brent crude is hit with its decline by 0.1% (6 cents), now priced at $66.60 per barrel (0141 […]

New Zealand raised welfare benefit rates on Thursday and vowed to produce billions of dollars more to address rising inequality in its annual budget, as the country forecast smaller deficits and a rapid economic recovery from the coronavirus pandemic. New Zealand’s 2021 budget allocated big funds towards increasing the weekly benefit rates by up to […]

European stock markets bounced back on Thursday trade from the previous downbeat performance. This as the pandemic recedes and allows the Eurozone to reopen its economy. Germany’s DAX futures contract was up 0.3%. CAC 40 futures in France rose 0.1%. The FTSE 100 futures contract in the U.K. gained 0.8%. European indices dipped on Wednesday […]

The dollar hovered near a six-year trough against the loonie and several European currencies as expectations that U.S. interest rates will stay low undermined the dollar. Investors await consumer price data from Canada and Britain due later in the day to get hints at how fast major economies will rein in their accommodative monetary policy, […]

Oil prices dropped for a second day on Wednesday on the possible return of Iranian supply and as investors sold on speculation that inflation worries might urge the Fed to raise interest rates, limiting economic growth.  U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude futures fell 1.1%, or 73 cents, at $64.76 per barrel, after sliding 1.2% on […]