Articles in this Cluster
21-04-2025
Asia-Pacific stocks were mixed Monday as China kept its 1-year and 5-year loan prime rates unchanged at 3.10% and 3.60%, supporting the yuan amid U.S.-China trade tensions. Mainland China’s CSI 300 rose 0.15%, India’s Nifty 50 and Sensex gained 0.56% and 0.73%, while Japan’s Nikkei 225 and Topix fell about 1.3%. South Korea’s Kospi slipped 0.16% and Kosdaq 0.51%. Hong Kong and Australia were closed for Easter.
Currencies strengthened against the U.S. dollar, with the yen hitting a seven-month high and the Singapore dollar near its strongest since Oct 2024. Spot gold surged to a record above $3,300 amid safe-haven demand. Asian chip stocks were mixed; Japanese semiconductor names fell while SK Hynix and Samsung edged up. Chinese bank shares rose after the PBOC’s decision. Auto stocks in Japan and Korea mostly declined. U.S. futures dipped after Wall Street logged another weekly loss, as investor focus stayed on trade policy and Fed dynamics.
Entities: China, People's Bank of China (PBOC), yuan, CSI 300, Nikkei 225 • Tone: analytical • Sentiment: neutral • Intent: inform
21-04-2025
China kept its loan prime rates unchanged, holding the 1-year LPR at 3.1% and the 5-year at 3.6%, prioritizing yuan stability amid escalating U.S.-China tariff tensions. The move follows stronger-than-expected Q1 GDP growth of 5.4% and better March retail and industrial data, with markets largely anticipating no change. While low inflation and external headwinds argue for easing, analysts say the PBOC may wait for the U.S. Fed to cut before moving to avoid pressuring the currency and triggering capital outflows. CPI remains slightly negative and producer prices continue to deflate.
Entities: People's Bank of China, loan prime rate (LPR), yuan (CNY), U.S.-China tariffs, U.S. Federal Reserve • Tone: analytical • Sentiment: neutral • Intent: inform
21-04-2025
CNBC’s Daily Open warns that political interference in the Federal Reserve—amid President Trump’s renewed calls for Chair Jerome Powell to cut rates and potential moves to remove him—could undermine central bank independence, risk reaccelerating inflation (especially alongside new tariffs), and unsettle markets. A Chicago Fed official cautioned current economic activity may be front-loaded before tariffs, with a potential summer slowdown. The administration is weighing a sweeping State Department overhaul, imposing fees on Chinese-built ships, and exploring a minerals partnership with Ukraine. Investor focus may shift from tariffs to upcoming earnings from Tesla and Alphabet. A report finds China’s “Made in China 2025” met or exceeded goals in shipbuilding, high-speed rail, and EVs, but lagged in aerospace, advanced robotics, and broader manufacturing value-added growth.
Entities: Federal Reserve, Donald Trump, Jerome Powell, tariffs, Chicago Fed • Tone: analytical • Sentiment: neutral • Intent: warn
21-04-2025
Gold prices surged to a record above $3,400 per ounce, driven by investor flight to safety as President Trump escalated attacks on Fed Chair Jerome Powell and threatened the central bank’s independence. The dollar fell to a three-year low, tariffs heightened growth and inflation worries, and central bank buying boosted demand. Gold is up about 30% year-to-date and roughly 8% since the April 2 tariff announcement, with Citi forecasting a move to $3,500 in the next three months amid strong investment demand and limited supply.
Entities: Gold, Donald Trump, Federal Reserve, Jerome Powell, U.S. dollar • Tone: urgent • Sentiment: negative • Intent: inform
21-04-2025
U.S. stock futures fell Monday after a third losing week for major indexes, with S&P 500, Nasdaq-100, and Dow futures down around 0.8%. Last week, the S&P 500 dropped 1.5%, the Dow 2.66%, and the Nasdaq 2.62%, while the Russell 2000 gained 1.1%. Markets were pressured by a 22% plunge in UnitedHealth after a guidance cut, continued declines in Nvidia amid a $5.5 billion export-related charge, and mounting concerns over President Trump’s tariffs, which Fed officials warned could slow growth and complicate inflation control. Some strategists see extreme volatility easing, though uncertainty may cap valuations. More than 100 S&P 500 companies report this week, including Alphabet, Tesla, and Boeing. Ahead of Tesla’s results Tuesday, Wedbush’s Dan Ives warned brand damage could worsen if Elon Musk stays in government roles; Tesla shares are down over 40% year-to-date amid weaker Q1 deliveries and political backlash.
Entities: S&P 500, Nasdaq-100, Dow Jones Industrial Average, UnitedHealth, Nvidia • Tone: analytical • Sentiment: negative • Intent: inform
21-04-2025
The U.S. dollar fell to its lowest level since 2022 as investors pulled back from U.S. assets amid escalating tensions between President Trump and the Federal Reserve. The ICE U.S. Dollar Index dropped to 97.92 intraday, pressured by Trump’s public attacks on Fed Chair Jerome Powell and reports the White House is exploring Powell’s removal, compounding concerns sparked by recent reciprocal tariffs. Analysts say the prospect of interference with the Fed is undermining confidence in U.S. economic policymaking, contributing to a weaker dollar alongside mixed signals in bond markets. The euro, yen, and Swiss franc strengthened against the greenback.
Entities: U.S. dollar, Federal Reserve, Jerome Powell, President Trump, ICE U.S. Dollar Index • Tone: analytical • Sentiment: negative • Intent: inform
21-04-2025
US stocks fell sharply Monday as President Trump intensified attacks on Fed Chair Jerome Powell and floated removing him, stoking fears over Fed independence amid ongoing tariff uncertainty. The Dow dropped 972 points (2.48%), the S&P 500 fell 2.36%, and the Nasdaq slid 2.55%, with broad-based declines and all three indexes on track for their worst month since 2022. The US dollar index sank over 1% to a three-year low as investors questioned policy stability, while safe-haven assets like gold rose. Analysts warned that efforts to influence monetary policy and prolonged tariff talks are undermining confidence in US markets and complicating the Fed’s rate-cut path.
Entities: Donald Trump, Jerome Powell, Federal Reserve, US stocks, Dow Jones Industrial Average • Tone: urgent • Sentiment: negative • Intent: inform
21-04-2025
Stocks, bonds, oil and the U.S. dollar fell after President Trump renewed attacks on Fed Chair Jerome Powell, stoking fears about the Fed’s independence amid tariff-driven policy uncertainty. The S&P 500 dropped 2.4% Monday and is down roughly 9% since Trump’s April 2 tariff announcement, nearing bear-market territory. Treasury yields rose as bonds sold off, and the dollar hit multi-year lows against the euro and yen, reflecting waning safe-haven confidence. Investors worry that political pressure on the Fed, combined with steep, expanding tariffs and global trade tensions—especially with China—will raise prices and slow growth. Oil slid nearly 2%, South Korean exports to the U.S. fell sharply, and the I.M.F. is set to project slower growth and higher inflation.
Entities: Donald Trump, Jerome Powell, Federal Reserve, S&P 500, U.S. dollar • Tone: analytical • Sentiment: negative • Intent: inform
