Tag: recession

European Stocks Rise Ahead of Inflation Data, Central Bank Meetings

LONDON—European stocks rose in early trading on Monday and world stocks were just below 13-month highs ahead of key inflation data and U.S. Federal Reserve and European Central Bank meetings later in the week. After lacking direction during Asian trading, market sentiment picked up in early European trading, as investors waited for U.S. CPI data…


Spike in US Corporate Bankruptcies, Number of Filings Highest in Over a Decade

Corporate bankruptcies in the United States rose in May, based on the latest reports, with the first five months of 2023 seeing the highest number of filings since 2010. There were 54 corporate bankruptcy filings in May, up from 52 in April, according to a June 6 report published by S&P Global. In the first…


Biden Pretends to Defend His Economic Record

Commentary The Wall Street Journal, as if participating in some kind of inside joke, published an opinion piece ostensibly by President Biden, in defense of his economic record. It’s a dark comedy. Actually worse. It seems to symbolize that to this administration there is no longer truth and no longer lies. It’s all just propaganda….


Is the Jobs Market Strong?

Commentary Not too long ago, talk of recession dominated the financial headlines. Much of the flow of economic information still points in that direction. The dramatic interest rate increases orchestrated by the Federal Reserve (Fed) count as one such consideration, as does sluggish consumer spending and a clear reluctance by businesses to spend on new…


Dollar Peels Off 2-Week Lows Ahead of Central Bank Deluge

LONDON—The dollar bounced off two-week lows on Friday, shrugging off some of the weakness that has set in this month as expectations have grown that the Federal Reserve may not raise interest rates again for some time. Next week is packed with key monetary policy meetings, including those of the Federal Reserve, the European Central…


Global Shares Edge Up as Fed Pause Bets Bolster Sentiment

LONDON, TOKYO—Global equities were set for a small weekly gain on Friday following a Wall Street rally overnight, as rising bets the Federal Reserve will skip a rate increase next week overshadowed worries about U.S. markets being drained of cash. MSCI’s broad index of global shares edged 0.2 percent higher, on track for a weekly…


Australia’s Official Cash Rate Could Rise to 4.85 Percent: Economists

Australian borrowers have been hit with 12 interest rate hikes since the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) embarked on a monetary tightening policy in May 2022, causing many to fall into mortgage stress. However, some economists have warned the ordeal is far from over, as they expect the official cash rate to reach as high…


High Interest Rates, High Inflation, and Record Debt

Commentary Financially, it’s going to be an interesting summer. At the moment mortgage rates are hitting 7 percent, median rent prices are at $1,850 per month, and the average car payment is around $950 per month. Household debt is currently at $17.1 trillion, mortgages are at $12 trillion, and auto loans are at $1.6 trillion….


US Applications for Jobless Benefits Highest Since October 2021

The number of Americans applying for unemployment benefits last week rose to its highest level since October 2021, but the labor market remains one of the healthiest parts of the U.S. economy. The Labor Department reported Thursday that U.S. applications for jobless claims were 261,000 for the week ending June 3, an increase of 28,000…


S&P 500, Nasdaq Open Higher as Jobless Claims Rise

The S&P 500 and Nasdaq opened slightly higher on Thursday as Treasury yields slipped after data showed weekly jobless claims rose more than expected, countering some concerns about further interest rate hikes. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 8.04 points, or 0.02 percent, at the open to 33,656.98. The S&P 500 opened higher by 1.17…