President Donald Trump picked Kevin Warsh to deliver the rate cuts the White House has been demanding for more than a year. But the incoming Federal Reserve chairman is arriving in Washington with a different product. Warsh?s opening statement for Tuesday?s confirmation hearing before the Senate Banking Committee refuses to commit to any.
Former Fed nominee Judy Shelton unloaded on Fed Chair Jerome Powell in a Sunday Wall Street Journal op-ed, branding the central bank?s 2% inflation target a policy of ?intentional debasement? and invoking James Madison?s view that a depreciating currency is unconstitutional because it erodes property rights. The timing is not subtle.
Pablo Hern?ndez de Cos, General Manager of the?Bank for International Settlements, said Monday that stablecoins present both ?opportunities and challenges,? urging coordinated efforts to move forward. Stablecoins are cryptocurrencies designed to maintain a stable value by pegging it to a reserve asset.
U.S. stocks traded higher this morning, with the Dow Jones index gaining over 100 points on Thursday. Following the market opening Thursday, the Dow traded up 0.27% to 48,593.82 while the NASDAQ rose 0.07% to 24,032.72. The S&P 500 also rose, gaining, 0.16% to 7,033.84. Leading and Lagging Sectors Energy shares climbed by 1% on Thursday.
The IMF warns that global public debt could reach about 100% of world GDP by 2029, a scenario where Bitcoin could stand out as investors seek alternatives outside traditional finance. Global public debt approaching 100% of GDP means that every dollar, yuan, pound, euro, yen, and rupee earned in a year will be used to pay off government debt.
The global economy is facing renewed challenges as conflict in the Middle East threatens to derail growth and slow the pace of disinflation, according to the International Monetary Fund. In its latest World Economic Outlook report, the IMF projects global growth will slow to 3.1% in 2026 before edging up to 3.2% in 2027, assuming the conflict remains limited in scope and duration.
Editor?s Note: This article has been updated with additional content. Wall Street braced for the Hormuz shock to hit wholesale prices in March. The Producer Price Index for final demand rose 0.5% month-over-month in March, matching February?s pace of 0.5% but landing below the 1.1% consensus estimate, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
U.S. home sales dipped last month to their slowest pace in nine months, indicating a sluggish start to what is typically the busiest season for the housing market. A report from the National Association of Realtors revealed that existing home sales fell 3.6% in March from February to an annual pace of 3.98 million units.
Wall Street braced for the Hormuz shock to hit wholesale prices in March. The Producer Price Index for final demand rose 0.5% month-over-month in March, matching February?s pace of 0.5% but landing below the 1.1% consensus estimate, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Existing-home sales declined 3.6% month-over-month in March to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 3.98 million units, the National Association of Realtors reported on Monday. "March home sales remained sluggish and below last year?s pace," said NAR Chief Economist Dr. Lawrence Yun. Total housing inventory increased 3.0% from February to 1.36 million units, representing a 4.1-month supply.
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent urged the Federal Reserve to hold off on cutting interest rates for now, especially given the uncertainty surrounding the ongoing Iran war. Speaking in an interview on Monday with Semafor Editor-in-Chief Ben Smith, Bessent said the Fed is ?doing the right thing by sitting and watching? how the conflict plays out.
China's factory sector is finally showing signs of life, but ETF investors aren't ready to price in a full recovery just yet. After more than three years of falling factory-gate prices, China's Producer Price Index rose 0.5% year over year in March 2026, marking its first expansion since September 2022.
A new Federal Reserve study reveals that sweeping U.S. tariffs implemented in 2025 by President Donald Trump are entirely responsible for the recent surge in core goods inflation, hitting consumers with a direct, ?dollar-for-dollar? price increase.
Carvana Co (CVNA) shares are falling Thursday morning as fresh U.S. economic data pointed to a softer consumer backdrop just as inflation pressures were already running hotter than the Federal Reserve's target, a setup that can matter directly for used-car demand and financing-sensitive names like Carvana (CVNA). Here?s what investors need to know.
U.S. stocks traded lower this morning, with the Dow Jones index falling more than 100 points on Thursday. Following the market opening Thursday, the Dow traded down 0.27% to 47,778.78 while the NASDAQ fell 0.40% to 22,544.04. The S&P 500 also fell, dropping, 0.23% to 6,767.01. Leading and Lagging Sectors Utilities shares climbed by 1.6% on Thursday.
The Federal Reserve leadership transition is scheduled to occur during a turbulent time. Each of these variables alone would be manageable. Wells Fargo has revised its rate change projection on April 6. According to Reuters, the bank scrapped its expectation of two rate cuts this year, expecting a transient inflation bump and higher uncertainty.
The U.S. economy ended 2025 barely moving while Americans opened their wallets anyway ? and Thursday?s data dump exposed just how wide that gap has become.
The gold market's sharp March drop, down 12% to roughly $4,690 was, was the worst monthly decline since 2008. The latest study by EBC Financial Group notes that the bloc now controls more than 6,000 tons of gold, or 17.4% of global reserves. "This is not speculative demand, it is policy," EBC analyst Michael Harris noted, according to KITCO. Gold's March weakness was multi-pronged.
The latest U.S. jobs report delivered a headline surprise, but some economists say the strength is overstated. March payrolls rose by 178,000, more than double expectations, yet much of that gain came from temporary factors. The unemployment rate fell. Bob Schwartz, senior economist at Oxford Economics, said the data tells a very different story beneath the headlines.
U.S. stocks traded lower this morning, with the Dow Jones index falling around 200 points on Tuesday. Following the market opening Tuesday, the Dow traded down 0.45% to 46,460.40 while the NASDAQ fell 0.59% to 21,867.13. The S&P 500 also fell, dropping, 0.44% to 6,582.86. Leading and Lagging Sectors Energy shares climbed by 1% on Tuesday.
The Iran war has lit a fire under oil prices ? and under Fed hike bets. Since Operation Epic Fury began in late February, markets have swung dramatically, now pricing a roughly 45% probability that the Federal Reserve raises rates in 2026 ? up from just 12% before the war, as per CME FedWatch. Goldman Sachs says that?s too hawkish by a wide margin.
U.S. stocks traded lower this morning, with the Nasdaq Composite falling around 1% on Thursday. Following the market opening Thursday, the Dow traded down 0.84% to 46,176.67 while the NASDAQ fell 0.99% to 21,625.40. The S&P 500 also fell, dropping, 0.71% to 6,528.80. Leading and Lagging Sectors Energy shares climbed by 1.4% on Thursday.
Federal Reserve Governor Michael Barr warned Tuesday that stablecoins present money laundering and financial stability risks, citing a ?long and painful history of private money created with insufficient safeguards? as stablecoin issues stall progress on the Clarity Act in Congress. Barr focused his concerns on how stablecoin issuers manage reserves backing their tokens.
The Bond Vigilantes had been dormant for much of the past three to four years, until President Donald Trump's war in Iran snapped them back into action. Now they are back, repricing sovereign bond yields?from Washington to London to Frankfurt, punishing governments and central banks for any perceived leniency on inflation and forcing a wholesale rethink of where interest rates are headed in 2026.
A new policy initiative from the Federal Reserve, through one of its governors, Stephen Miran, is bringing bank loan ETFs back in focus. ??Invesco Senior Loan ETF (BKLN) stock is taking a breather. Some of the most popular bank loan ETFs could face challenges to their core investment thesis: All these ETFs have benefited from rising rates, as they have floating coupons.
U.S. stocks traded lower this morning, with the Dow Jones index falling more than 250 points on Thursday. Following the market opening Thursday, the Dow traded down 0.56% to 46,171.31 while the NASDAQ fell 1.15% to 21,677.52. The S&P 500 also fell, dropping, 0.82% to 6,537.54. Leading and Lagging Sectors Energy shares climbed by 0.6% on Thursday.
Ripple is piloting its RLUSD stablecoin in a trade finance sandbox backed by Singapore's central bank, targeting faster and more efficient cross-border payments. The pilot, part of the Monetary Authority of Singapore's BLOOM initiative, involves Ripple partnering with Unloq to automate trade payments, CoinDesk reported on Wednesday.
Gold's violent reversal this month shows how a quick sentiment flip can erase value. Prices peaked just shy of $5,600 an ounce in late January, capping a powerful rally driven by geopolitical tension, central bank demand, and retail momentum.
Every Bank of Japan rate hike since 2024 has caused a Bitcoin crash of at least 20%. With Japanese 10-year yields hitting a 27-year high if 2.32% on Monday, fears abound that another BOJ tightening cycle could trigger the next crypto selloff. The BOJ raised rates four times since March 2024, and Bitcoin fell sharply after three of them.
Federal Reserve Governor Stephen Miran ? who has dissented in favor of rate cuts at every meeting since his appointment by President Donald Trump last year ? said Monday that the Iran-driven oil shock does not alter his policy outlook, arguing the Fed should wait for clearer evidence before assessing the inflation impact of higher energy prices.
Federal Reserve Governor Christopher Waller said Friday he was planning to vote against the central bank?s decision to hold rates steady this week after February?s jobs report showed 92,000 payroll losses. ?I thought that?s it, I?m dissenting,? Waller told CNBC?s Squawk Box.
President Donald Trump has spent months aggressively pushing Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell to cut interest rates. A rate hike. Short-term interest-rate futures are now pricing chances of a Federal Reserve rate hike before the end of the year. The Iran war has not just reversed that assumption ? it has flipped it.
Bitcoin is back at $70,000 on weakening bullish momentum, setting up a key test for its next move. Prominent analyst Trader Mayne on Friday said rising geopolitical tensions and the aftermath of recent Federal Reserve policy decisions are driving volatility across crypto markets. He noted that macro conditions remain critical.
Precious metals faced a sell-off on Thursday. Silver dropped as low as 10% toward $65 per ounce, marking its lowest level since mid-December, according to data from Trading Economics. The Federal Reserve, European Central Bank and Bank of England held rates steady this week. However, they adopted aggressive tones regarding inflation risks.
SPDR Gold shares are plummeting Thursday as gold's historic selloff deepens as the Federal Reserve held rates steady even as crude prices surge and reignite inflation fears. With rate?cut hopes gone, gold is losing one of its strongest tailwinds. Gold has plunged 13% so far this month, falling to around $4,580 per ounce Thursday morning.
The national debt hit a record $39 trillion this week, which comes as spending on defense ramps up after an attack on Iran and heightened tension in the Middle East. Here's a look at when the country could hit the next milestone of $40 trillion. After hitting the $38 trillion milestone in October 2025, the U.S. national debt has passed its newest milestone of $39 trillion.
Major U.S. indexes closed lower, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average dropping 1.6% to 46,225.15, the S&P 500 slipping 1.36% to 6,624.70, and the Nasdaq falling 1.46% to 22,152.42. The Federal Reserve maintained interest rates at 3.50%?3.75% for the third consecutive meeting.
U.S. national debt will hit $39 trillion on March 25, 2026, growing at $7.23 billion per day as the Iran war added $12 billion in costs during the first two weeks. Total gross national debt will reach $39 trillion, equivalent to $113,638 per person or $288,283 per household.
U.S. national debt will hit $39 trillion on March 25, 2026, growing at $7.23 billion per day as the Iran war added $12 billion in costs during the first two weeks. Total gross national debt will reach $39 trillion, equivalent to $113,638 per person or $288,283 per household.
Klarna Group PLC (KLAR) shares are trading lower on Wednesday afternoon after the Federal Reserve left interest rates unchanged at 3.50% to 3.75% for a third straight meeting, while signaling that inflation could remain firmer than previously expected. The central bank said economic activity continues to expand at a solid pace, but noted job gains have stayed low and inflation remains somewhat elevated.
XRP fell 4% while Cardano dropped 5% on Wednesday as the Federal Reserve held rates at 3.50%-3.75% and raised 2026 inflation expectations to 2.7% from 2.4%. XRP trades trapped between Supertrend resistance at $1.5890 and support near $1.20.? All four EMAs remain bearishly stacked above price, with the 20 EMA at $1.4285, 50 at $1.5068, 100 at $1.6978, and 200 at $1.9518. Price hasn?t tra...
Affirm Holdings Inc (AFRM) shares are trading lower Wednesday afternoon as investors weigh a fresh Federal Reserve policy decision that kept interest rates unchanged and signaled inflation may remain stickier than previously expected.
Editor?s Note: Article has been updated with additional information. The Federal Reserve held interest rates unchanged at 3.50%?3.75% for the third straight meeting on Wednesday, as widely expected by market participants. The FOMC statement noted that while economic activity has been expanding at a solid pace, job gains have remained low, and inflation remains somewhat elevated.
The Federal Reserve held interest rates unchanged at 3.50%?3.75% for the third straight meeting on Wednesday, as widely expected by market participants. The FOMC statement noted that while economic activity has been expanding at a solid pace, job gains have remained low and inflation remains somewhat elevated.
Donald Trump said Monday that ?a third-grade student? would know it?s time to cut rates and called for an emergency Fed meeting. Polymarket traders have put $500 million behind a 99.7% chance the Fed holds at 3.50%-3.75%. Oil near $100 a barrel is pushing inflation up while the labor market is cooling with a 92,000-job loss in February.
Bitcoin moved swiftly above $74,000 on Tuesday, buoyed by strong institutional demand and improving sentiment. Notable Statistics: Notable Developments: Trader Notes: CryptosBatman warns that both macro and technical factors are aligning bearishly for Bitcoin.
Newmont Corporation (NEM) shares are trading lower Friday morning as the world's largest gold miner faced pressure from shifting economic data. U.S. economic growth slowed sharply at the end of 2025. Gross domestic product expanded at an annualized rate of 0.7% in the fourth quarter. Separate data showed mixed inflation readings for the new year.
In general the bond market is volatile, and fixed income securities carry interest rate risk. (As interest rates rise, bond prices usually fall, and vice versa. This effect is usually more pronounced for longer-term securities.) Fixed income securities also carry inflation risk and credit and default risks for both issuers and counterparties. Unlike individual bonds, most bond funds do not have a maturity date, so avoiding losses caused by price volatility by holding them until maturity is not possible.
Lower-quality debt securities generally offer higher yields, but also involve greater risk of default or price changes due to potential changes in the credit quality of the issuer. Any fixed income security sold or redeemed prior to maturity may be subject to loss.
Before investing, consider the funds' investment objectives, risks, charges, and expenses. Contact Fidelity for a prospectus or, if available, a summary prospectus containing this information. Read it carefully.
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