Category: global

Bulls on the Charge After Fed Signals Smaller Hikes Ahead

LONDON—The bulls were enjoying the good life in Europe on Thursday after the world’s most influential central banker, Jerome Powell, signaled this year’s frantic pace of U.S. interest rate hikes could be about to slow. It was a textbook ‘risk on’ pattern, with both the STOXX 600 and MSCI’s main world stocks index hitting their…


Dollar Heads for Biggest Monthly Loss Since 2010 Ahead of Powell Speech

LONDON—The dollar eased from a one-week high on Wednesday ahead of a speech by Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell, while optimism over a possible loosening in China’s COVID-19 restrictions set it on course for its biggest monthly loss since late 2010. Eurozone inflation in November showed the first monthly deceleration since June last year, as…


Oil up Over 2 Percent on Tighter Supply

LONDON—Oil prices rose by over 2 percent on Wednesday on signs of tighter supply, a weaker dollar, and optimism over a Chinese demand recovery. Brent crude futures rose $2.06, or 2.48 percent to $85.09 per barrel by 1044 GMT. The more active February Brent crude contract rose by 2.02 percent to $85.95. U.S. West Texas…


Global Shares Mostly Higher Ahead of Fed Chair’s Key Speech

TOKYO—Global shares were mostly higher on Wednesday, ahead of a closely watched speech by the Federal Reserve chief that may give clues about future interest rate hikes. Investors were also eyeing developments in China, where protests have erupted over the “zero-COVID” strategy that has confined millions of people to their homes, sometimes for months. France’s…


Yuan Rallies on Hopes of China COVID-19 Policy Relief, Euro Surges

The yuan jumped against the dollar on Tuesday amid hopes of a potential easing in the country’s strict pandemic restrictions following an unprecedented episode of unrest. The euro rose ahead of inflation data due on Wednesday. The offshore yuan surged 0.9 percent to 7.1850 a dollar. The onshore yuan was up 0.6 percent at 7.1666…


Oil Jumps on Hopes for Easing of China’s COVID-19 Controls

LONDON—Oil prices jumped by 3 percent on Tuesday on hopes for a relaxation of China’s strict COVID-19 controls after rare protests in Chinese cities over the weekend. Brent crude futures gained $2.50, or 3 percent, to $85.69 a barrel at 1119 GMT. U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures rose $1.98, or 2.6 percent, to…


Stocks and Oil Rise on Hopes of Looser COVID-19 Curbs in China

LONDON/SYDNEY—Stocks and oil gained on Tuesday on hopes that public unrest in China might prompt an earlier loosening of COVID-19 curbs in the world’s biggest economy, with the yuan up and the dollar down as investor appetite for riskier assets grew. The Euro STOXX 600 gained 0.4 percent, recovering from its worst session in almost…


Dollar Slips, While Yuan Slumps on COVID-19 Unrest in China

SINGAPORE/LONDON—The dollar weakened on Monday as investors weighed up the recent drop in U.S. government bond yields, while anti-regime protests in China sent the yuan to a two-week low. Protests have flared across China and spread to several cities in the wake of an apartment fire that killed 10 people in the city of Urumqi…


Oil Prices Erase 2022 Gains as China’s Protests Spark Demand Worries

Oil prices fell to near their lowest levels this year on Monday as street protests against strict COVID-19 curbs in China, the world’s biggest crude importer, stoked concern about the outlook for fuel demand. Brent crude dropped $2.66, or 3.1 percent, to trade at $80.97 a barrel at 1000 GMT, after diving more than 3…


China’s Anti-Lockdown Protests Shake Stocks and Oil

SYDNEY/LONDON—Stocks and commodities prices suffered a broad sell-off on Monday as rare protests in major Chinese cities against the country’s strict zero-COVID-19 curbs hit growth expectations in the world’s second-largest economy. Clashes between police and protesters across several major cities over the weekend halted a tentative stocks rally that gathered pace last week as hope-starved…