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Financial stocks rose in late Friday afternoon trading with the NYSE Financial Index and the State Street Financial Select Sector SPDR ETF each adding 1.7%. The Philadelphia Housing Index increased 1.2%, and the State Street Real Estate Select Sector SPDR ETF gained 1.7%. Bitcoin jumped 12% to $70,591, and the yield on 10-year US Treasuries was little changed at 4.21%. In economic news, the Uni...

San Francisco Federal Reserve President Mary Daly on Friday said she thinks one or two more interest rate cuts may be needed to counteract weakness in the labor market, where workers are "walking a knife's edge" with higher prices eating into their wages and scarce opportunities for new jobs.

US equity indexes rebounded ahead of Friday's close, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average surging past the 50,000 milestone for the first time, amid a broad-based rally led by technology and value-oriented sectors.

Financial stocks rose in late Friday afternoon trading with the NYSE Financial Index and the State Street Financial Select Sector SPDR ETF each adding 1.7%. The Philadelphia Housing Index increased 1.2%, and the State Street Real Estate Select Sector SPDR ETF gained 1.7%. Bitcoin jumped 12% to $70,591, and the yield on 10-year US Treasuries was little changed at 4.21%. In corporate news, Goldma...

* Weak labor data raises concerns about job market health. * Fed funds futures indicate increased rate cut expectations. * Kevin Warsh's potential policies as Fed chair under scrutiny. By Karen Brettell.

Fed Vice Chair Philip Jefferson said that he supported the FOMC's decision to hold the policy rate steady at its January meeting and is "cautiously optimistic" about the outlook for the US economy, adding that he sees the current policy rate as already close to neutral.

AM Best has affirmed the Financial Strength Rating of B+ and the Long-Term Issuer Credit Rating of ?bbb-? of Orion Reinsurance Ltd.. The outlook of these Credit Ratings is stable. The ratings reflect Orion Re?s balance sheet strength, which AM Best assesses as strong, as well as its adequate operating performance, limited business profile and appropriate enterprise risk management.

* Bessent says Trump has 'great respect' for Fed, central bank's independence. * Senate Banking Chair Tim Scott has said Fed chief Powell did not break law. * Senator Tillis has vowed to block nomination for top Fed job until Powell probe resolved. By Andrea Shalal.

AM Best has affirmed the Financial Strength Rating of A+ and the Long-Term Issuer Credit Ratings of ?aa-? of the life/health insurance subsidiaries of Prudential Financial, Inc. (PRU) [NYSE: PRU], collectively referred to as Prudential.

Kutak Rock warns tax attorneys about the Internal Revenue Service doing compliance checks as opposed to formal audits on certain multifamily bond issues as tax season is expected to add more stress to an understaffed agency.

The rating agency cited weak operating results and high leverage.

Argentina's industrial output fell ?3.9% in ?December compared to ?the ?same ?month in 2024 in ?non-seasonally ?adjusted terms, data from ?national ?statistics agency ?INDEC showed on Friday. December industrial ?output in South America's second-largest economy decreased 0.1% ?compared ?to November in ?seasonally adjusted terms, according to the INDEC data.

Financial stocks rose in Friday afternoon trading, with the NYSE Financial Index climbing 1.6% and the State Street Financial Select Sector SPDR ETF adding 1.5%. The Philadelphia Housing Index increased 0.8%, and the State Street Real Estate Select Sector SPDR ETF rose 1%. Bitcoin was increasing 10% to $69,589, and the yield for 10-year US Treasuries was slightly higher at nearly 4.22%. In econ...

Financial stocks were advancing in Friday afternoon trading, with the NYSE Financial Index rising 1.6% and the State Street Financial Select Sector SPDR ETF adding 1.5%. The Philadelphia Housing Index increased 0.8%, and the State Street Real Estate Select Sector SPDR ETF rose 1%. Bitcoin was increasing 10% to $69,589, and the yield for 10-year US Treasuries was slightly higher at nearly 4.22%....

The era of "announcement" is over; the era of "execution" is here.

U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent on Friday stressed that President Donald Trump was joking when he said over the weekend that he could sue Kevin Warsh, his nominee to lead the Federal Reserve, if he doesn't lower interest rates.

U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent on Friday stressed that President Donald Trump ?was joking when he said over ?the weekend that he ?could sue Kevin Warsh, his ?nominee ?to lead the Federal Reserve, if ?he doesn't lower ?interest rates.

* Canadian dollar gains 0.5% against the greenback. * For the week, the loonie is down 0.2% * Economy sheds 24,800 jobs in January. * Bond yields edge higher across the curve. By Fergal Smith. The Canadian dollar strengthened against ?its U.S. counterpart on Friday as stock markets rebounded and investors weighed mixed domestic employment ?data.

US consumer sentiment reached its highest reading since August, but remained low compared with year-ago levels amid persistent concerns related to inflation and the labor market, preliminary results from a University of Michigan survey showed Friday. The main sentiment index rose to 57.3 this month from 56.4 in January.

AM Best has affirmed the Financial Strength Rating of B++ and the Long-Term Issuer Credit Rating of ?bbb? of RF&G Insurance Company Limited. The ratings reflect RF&G?s balance sheet strength, which AM Best assesses as very strong, as well as its adequate operating performance, neutral business profile and appropriate enterprise risk management.

* Dollar slips from two-week high as risk assets rebound. * Yen weakens ahead of Japan's national election. * Euro and sterling recover after central bank decisions. By Laura Matthews and Amanda Cooper.

The Toronto Stock Exchange is up near 370 points midday with most sectors higher. Best performers are miners, boosted by higher gold prices, and healthcare. Telecoms, down 1.1%, is the worst performer. The focus in Canada is on the jobs data. The unemployment rate was pulled down by 119,000 people leaving the labor force, but the economy still shed 25,000 jobs, TD points out.

* Daly sees disconnect between cautious optimism among businesses, job worries for workers. * Fed policymakers are weighing the balance of inflation and employment risks. * Upcoming jobs report a key focus as central bankers weigh options. By Ann Saphir.

AM Best has affirmed the Financial Strength Rating of B++ and the Long-Term Issuer Credit Rating of ?bbb? of M&C General Insurance Company Limited. The ratings reflect M&C General?s balance sheet strength, which AM Best assesses as very strong, as well as its adequate operating performance, limited business profile and appropriate enterprise risk management.

Federal Reserve Vice Chair Philip Jefferson said on Friday he was "cautiously optimistic" about the 2026 economic outlook, with growth expected to remain slightly above trend, the labor market stabilizing, and inflation resuming a decline to the U.S. central bank's 2% target.

European stock markets gained in Friday trading as the Stoxx Europe rose 0.9%, Germany's DAX gained 0.9%, the FTSE 100 was up 0.6%, France's CAC increased 0.5%, and the Swiss Market Index advanced 0.3%. According to the European Central Bank's Q1 survey of professional forecasts, headline and core harmonized index of consumer prices inflation expectations were unchanged, as were GDP growth expe...

KBRA releases the January 2026 issue of CMBS Trend Watch. The commercial real estate securitization market has remained hot, even while much of the country has been in a deep freeze. In January, KBRA published pre-sales for 11 deals, including four SB, three conduits, two CRE CLO, one Agency, and one single-family rental.

KBRA assigns a long-term rating of AAA with a Stable Outlook to the State of Wisconsin General Obligation Refunding Bonds of 2026, Series 1 and General Obligation Refunding Bonds of 2027, Series 1. Key Credit Considerations The rating actions reflect the following key credit considerations: Credit Positives. Credit Challenges. Rating Sensitivities For Upgrade. For Downgrade.

San Francisco Federal Reserve Bank President Mary Daly said on Friday she thinks the U.S. labor market is in a "precarious" position, saying there could have been a case for the Fed to cut rates last week and that further interest-rate cuts may be needed.

* German yields take cues from elsewhere. * BofA no longer expects March rate cut. * French 10-year yield spread versus Bund at widest in two weeks. By Stefano Rebaudo. German government bond yields were little changed on Friday after earlier touching multi-week lows, a day after the European Central Bank kept interest rates unchanged.

Piper Sandler (PIPR) will price $100 million of electric revenue bonds for Iowa public utility Muscatine Power and Water on Wednesday.

* TSX up 1.4% * Miners lead as gold rebounds. * Consumer staples record biggest weekly gain ever. * Canada's unemployment rate falls to 6.5% By Utkarsh Hathi. Feb 6 - Canada's main stock index jumped on Friday in a broad-based rally led by ?mining shares as precious metals rebounded on safe-haven demand, setting up the index to finish a ?volatile week with healthy gains.

Company Will Host Webcast to Discuss Results WASHINGTON, Feb. 6, 2026 Fannie Mae?plans to report its fourth quarter and full-year 2025 financial results on Wednesday morning, February?11, 2026, before the opening of U.S. financial markets.

Canadian economic activity expanded at a slower pace in January as ?a measure of employment dipped, ?Ivey Purchasing Managers Index ?data showed on Friday. The ?seasonally adjusted ?index edged down to 50.9 ?last month from ?51.9 in December.

U.S. consumer sentiment increased to a six-month high in February, though anxiety over the labor market and the rising cost of living because of import-tariff-related inflation remained widespread.

Bitcoin surged 6% as U.S. planned layoffs more than tripled in January to their highest level since 2009, raising hopes the Federal Reserve will cut rates to support the economy and put a floor under risk assets down nearly 50% from highs.

The University of Michigan's preliminary consumer sentiment index rises to 57.3 in February from 56.4 in January, higher than expectations for a decrease to 55.0 in a survey compiled by Bloomberg. This is the highest reading since August 2025, Michigan said.

* Weak labor data raises concerns about job market health. * Fed funds futures indicate increased rate cut expectations. * Kevin Warsh's potential policies as Fed Chair under scrutiny. By Karen Brettell.

The ECB's plan to make it easier for foreign central banks to secure funding in euros is the latest part of Europe's emerging strategy to win trade and political friends and hold its own against the United States and China.

Brazil's economic policy chief Guilherme Mello said on Friday that stabilizing the country's gross debt-to-gross domestic product ratio depends on monetary policy decisions, offering a glimpse of what he could support as a potential central banker.