Category: global

Safe-Haven Demand Pins Euro Near a Five-Year Low

LONDON—The euro flattened on Monday, staying near a five-year low against the U.S. dollar, as investors sought safety in the greenback amid worries about slowing global growth. The war in Ukraine and its economic fallout, in particular soaring food and energy inflation, has been a major drag on the euro, which has weakened more than…


Oil Steadies as Recession Fears Balance Tight Supply

LONDON—Oil was little changed on Monday as fears of a global recession that would hit demand were balanced by concerns of tight supply amid lower OPEC output, unrest in Libya, and sanctions on Russia. Figures on Friday showed eurozone inflation hit yet another record high in June, firming the case for rapid European Central Bank…


World Shares Mostly Higher Ahead of July 4 Holiday in US

BANGKOK—World shares are mostly higher while U.S. futures fell ahead of the July 4 holiday in the U.S. Benchmarks rose in London, Paris, Frankfurt, and Tokyo but fell in Hong Kong and Seoul. Last week was the fourth losing week in the last five for Wall Street as investors fret over high inflation and the…


Downturn Fears Support Dollar, Aussie Slumps to Two-Year Low

LONDON—Gathering gloom about prospects for the global economy lifted the safe-haven dollar on Friday and pressured risk-sensitive currencies, with the Australian dollar tumbling to a two-year low. Rampant inflation and a rush by central banks to raise rates and stem the flow of cheap money has fuelled sell-offs across markets and lifted assets seen as…


Oil Prices up 2 Percent on Supply Outages

LONDON—Oil prices rose 2 percent on Friday, recouping most of the previous session’s declines, as supply outages in Libya and expected shutdowns in Norway outweighed expectations that an economic slowdown could dent demand. Brent crude futures were up $2.07, or 1.9 percent, at $111.10 a barrel by 0911 GMT, having dropped to $108.03 a barrel…


Second Half Starts With a Fresh Drubbing for Stocks

LONDON—The second half of the year started with another first class drubbing for global stock markets on Friday, as the recession concerns that have built in recent weeks also shoved oil and metals lower again. MSCI’s world stocks index has had its worst start to a year since its 1990 creation over the last six…


Euro Drops Against US Dollar Amid Renewed Safe-Haven Demand

LONDON—The euro fell to a two-week low against the U.S. dollar and remained close to a 2015 low versus the Swiss franc amid safe-haven demand on renewed worries about higher rates and a global recession. The Swedish crown trimmed early gains against the euro after briefly jumping on the country’s central bank decision to hike…


Oil Steady as Fuel Stocks Counter Supply Concerns

LONDON—Oil prices were largely steady in volatile trading on Thursday as the market weighed concerns over global supply against a build in U.S. fuel product inventories. Brent crude futures for September, the more actively traded contract, were up 28 cents, or 0.3 percent, at $112.73 a barrel by 0911 GMT. The August contract, which expires…


Stocks Slide on Renewed Economic Fears, Capping Worst First Half of the Year on Record

LONDON—Stocks sank on Thursday to extend what is the worst first half of the year for global share prices on record, as investors fret that the latest show of central bank determination to tame inflation will slow economies rapidly. Central bank chiefs from the Federal Reserve, European Central Bank, and Bank of England met in…


Euro Trims Declines Against US Dollar After Spanish Inflation Surge

LONDON—The euro steadied on Wednesday after falling to a six-day low, reacting to the release of conflicting inflation data in Germany and Spain that created a difficult backdrop for European Central Bank policymaking. The European common single currency declined in early London trading after data showed June prices in the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia…