Category: inflation

World Shares Reach 14-month Highs as Investors Shrug Off the Fed

LONDON—Global shares rose to 14-month highs on Friday, as investors took the view that the Federal Reserve may not need to raise rates much more, while the dollar headed for its biggest weekly slide since January. The MSCI All-World index was up 0.2 percent, around its highest since mid-April 2022. This has been an intense…


One, Two More Rate Hikes Won’t Make Big Difference to Economy: Strategist

The Federal Reserve kept interest rates unchanged on Wednesday, but signaled another half-of-a-percentage-point hike may be coming by the end of this year. The U.S. central bank acknowledged a stronger-than-expected economy and a slower decline in inflation. NTD Business spoke with Sam Burns, chief strategist at Mill Street Research, to find out his thoughts on…


To Reduce Airline Ticket Prices, Expand Washington’s Reagan Airport

Commentary Those who live in or near the nation’s capital, or routinely travel there, know that the Washington, D.C., region is home to the best airport in the country, Reagan National. It’s also home to one of the worst airports, Dulles International. Reagan is a gem for air travelers. It’s beautifully remodeled, usually easy to…


New Zealand’s Economy Dips Into Recession as Higher Interest Rates Bite

WELLINGTON, New Zealand—New Zealand’s economy has dipped into recession as higher interest rates take their toll, new figures released Thursday show. Gross domestic product fell by 0.1 percent in the March quarter, following a revised 0.7 percent fall in the previous quarter, Statistics New Zealand said. That fulfils the nation’s definition of a recession, which…


Retail Sales Rose 0.3 Percent in May Despite Pressure From Higher Inflation and Interest Rates

NEW YORK—Americans increased their spending at retailers last month despite pressure from still-high inflation and rising borrowing costs. Thursday’s report from the Commerce Department showed that retail sales rose 0.3 percent from April to May, boosted by stronger sales of auto and parts dealers. Economists had been expecting a decline in sales for the month….


Number of Americans Filing for Jobless Claims Is Elevated for 2nd Straight Week

The number of Americans applying for unemployment benefits remained elevated last week, a possible sign that the Federal Reserve’s interest rate hikes over the past year may taking hold in what’s proved to be a resilient job market. U.S. applications for jobless claims were 262,000 for the week ending June 10, the Labor Department reported…


ECB Lifts Interest Rates to 22-year Highs

LONDON—The European Central Bank raised interest rates for the eighth successive time, as expected, on Thursday and signalled further policy tightening, as it battles high inflation. The central bank for the 20 countries that share the euro also said it expected inflation to stay above its 2 percent target through 2025 and hinted once again…


Apartment Rent Growth Is Declining Fast

Apartment rent growth in the United States is declining fast, after years of soaring prices. The decline in rents are giving many millions tenants relief for the first time since the early months of the pandemic, partially due to the increasing amount of apartments on the market. Rental prices may start to ease more this…


Dollar Ekes out Gain After Fed Hike Hint; Yen Slips

LONDON—The U.S. dollar strengthened on Thursday after the Federal Reserve left interest rates unchanged but signalled further rate hikes to come this year as attention turned to the European Central Bank policy announcement later in the day. The Fed’s policy decision snapped a string of 10 consecutive rate hikes, but the projections, or dot plot,…


Stocks Slip as ECB Prepares Hike After Hawkish Fed Pause

LONDON—World stocks slipped from 18-month peaks and the dollar pushed higher on Thursday as traders readied for what is expected to be the eighth straight rate hike from the European Central Bank (ECB) later. Europe’s groggy start came after Wednesday’s first pause in the U.S. Federal Reserve’s rapid hiking cycle in over a year was…