By Mike Peacock. Bond vigilantism has returned to Britain, raising the prospect that the government will be forced to consider politically toxic tax rises or public spending cuts to placate investors concerned about the country's fiscal health. In the first weeks of 2025, certain gilt yields spiked to highs last seen in 2008.
Zou Lan, head of the monetary policy department at the People's Bank of China, will be promoted to deputy governor of the central bank, two sources with knowledge of the matter said. The appointment will be announced as soon as this week, according to the sources, who declined to be identified due to the sensitivity of the matter.
Japanese government bond yields eased on Monday as traders braced for potential volatility ahead of Donald Trump's swearing in as U.S. president later in the global day.
* Donald Trump takes office at noon ET. * Goldman Sachs raises central bank gold demand forecast. * Fed to hold rates steady in Jan, resume cutting in March- poll. By Rahul Paswan.
The Bank of Japan is expected to raise interest rates on Friday barring any market shocks when U.S. President-elect Donald Trump takes office, a move that would lift short-term borrowing costs to levels unseen since the 2008 global financial crisis.
China left benchmark lending rates unchanged at the monthly fixing on Monday, as a weakening yuan has limited Beijing's monetary easing efforts. The one-year loan prime rate was kept at 3.1%, while the five-year LPR was unchanged at 3.6%. Most new and outstanding loans in China are based on the one-year LPR, while the five-year rate influences the pricing of mortgages.
Japan's core machinery orders rose 3.4% in November from the previous month to beat analysts' forecast, government data showed on Monday, signalling a recovery in capital expenditure ahead of a central bank interest rate review later this week. The reading was stronger than a 0.4% decline estimated in a Reuters poll and marked a second consecutive month of increase.
* Small-cap Russell 2000 has pulled back sharply from Nov highs. * Trump's pro-growth policies seen helping small cap stocks. * Slower Fed rate cuts, tariffs could weigh on small caps. By Lewis Krauskopf. As investors seek assets that will shine under a Donald Trump presidency, one corner of the U.S. stock market expected to benefit from the Republican's policies has been stumbling.
- Norwegian Johannes Thingnes Boe, who dominated the biathlon at the 2022 Winter Olympics, has decided to retire at the end of the season and will not defend his titles at next year's Milan-Cortina Games, he said on Saturday. The 31-year-old won four of six possible gold medals at the Beijing Games and also took one gold from the 2018 edition in Pyeongchang.
By Elisa Martinuzzi. Armed conflict is the top risk in 2025, a World Economic Forum survey released on Wednesday showed, a reminder of the deepening global fragmentation as government and business leaders attend an annual gathering in Davos next week.
* Oil output increased to 616,000 bpd from 391,000 bpd. * Oil revenue rose to $2.57 billion, including crude sales, royalties. * Economy expected to expand 10.6% this year. By Kemol King and Marianna Parraga.
Brazil's central bank will hold two line auctions with a total offer of $2 billion on Jan 20, it said in a statement on Friday. Monday's intervention will mark the central bank's first extra supply of dollars in 2025.
Foreign holdings of U.S. Treasuries rose in November but held below a record high reached in September, as China increased its portfolio of U.S. debt, data from the Treasury Department showed on Friday. Holdings of U.S. Treasuries rose to $8.635 trillion in November from $8.583 trillion in October. Japan's Treasuries holdings decreased to $1.099 trillion from $1.102 trillion the previous month.
* US two-year, 10-year yields post biggest weekly drop in 7 weeks. * US two-year, 10-year yields hit two-week lows. * US rate futures price in nearly 40 bps of easing in 2025. * US 2/10 Treasury yield curve bear flattens. By Gertrude Chavez-Dreyfuss.
Brazil's Finance Minister Fernando Haddad said on Friday that high interest rates are poised to have a much stronger effect on inflation than many expect, dismissing fears that fiscal challenges could undermine the effectiveness of monetary policy.
The U.S. Federal Reserve announced on Friday it had withdrawn from a global body of central banks and regulators devoted to exploring ways to police climate risk in the financial system. In a statement, the Fed said it was exiting the Network of Central Banks and Supervisors for Greening the Financial System because its increasingly broadened scope had fallen outside the Fed's statutory mandate.
The U.S. Federal Reserve announced on Friday it had withdrawn from a global body of central banks and regulators devoted to exploring ways to police climate risk in the financial system. In a statement, the Fed said it was exiting the Network of Central Banks and Supervisors for Greening the Financial System because its increasingly broadened scope had fallen outside the Fed's statutory mandate.
The Federal Reserve announced on Friday it had withdrawn from a global body of central banks and regulators devoted to exploring ways to police climate risk in the financial system. In a statement, the Fed said it was exiting the Network of Central Banks and Supervisors for Greening the Financial System because its increasingly broadened scope had fallen outside the Fed's statutory mandate.
The Bank of Canada will communicate more clearly and improve its forecasting models to help predict future shocks, it said on Friday, after publishing a review of the steps taken to tackle the pandemic. The BoC, like every other global central bank, had to resort to unprecedented measures when COVID-19 stalled the economy, roiled financial markets, cratered demand and stoked job losses.
* US 10-year yield on track for biggest weekly drop in seven weeks. * US two-year, 10-year yields hit two-week lows. * US rate futures price in nearly 40 bps of easing in 2025. * US 2/10 Treasury yield curve bear flattens. By Gertrude Chavez-Dreyfuss.
-Argentina brought in its first budget surplus in more than a decade in 2024, data published on Friday showed, marking a win for libertarian President Javier Milei and his sweeping austerity push in his first full year in office. The nation's budget surplus came in at 1.76 trillion pesos, or 0.3% of gross domestic product in the full year, the economy ministry said.
* James Longsdon says should have better view of US by summer. * Fitch already has tariff assumptions baked into ratings. * UK rating has more 'headroom' that France's for now. By Marc Jones.
U.S. manufacturing output surged in December likely as production at Boeing picked up following the end of a crippling strike by factory workers at the aerospace giant. Factory output increased 0.6% last month after an upwardly revised 0.4% rebound in November, the Federal Reserve said on Friday. Production at factories was unchanged on a year-on-year basis in December.
* Global shares rise. * China's GDP meets target. * Dollar regains ground, still set for weekly loss. * Trump inauguration in view. By Samuel Indyk. Global equities rose on Friday, adding to weekly gains, as declining bond yields, stronger than expected Chinese growth figures and upbeat earnings supported riskier assets.
The International Monetary Fund on Friday raised its forecast for global growth in 2025 by one-tenth of a percentage point, with stronger-than-expected growth in the U.S. offsetting downward revisions in Germany, France and other major economies.
First Busey Corp (BUSE): * FIRST BUSEY CORPORATION RECEIVES FEDERAL RESERVE APPROVAL TO ACQUIRE CROSSFIRST BANKSHARES, INC. Source text: Further company coverage:
* IMF cuts forecasts for Germany, France. * Fund warns against protectionist measures. * Headline inflation seen declining to 4.2% this year. By Andrea Shalal.
U.S. single-family homebuilding increased to a 10-month high in December, indicating some improvement in housing activity at the end of the year, though rising mortgage rates and an oversupply of new properties on the market could constrain recovery.
U.S. single-family homebuilding increased solidly in December, but further gains were seen limited by rising mortgage rates and a glut of new homes on the market. Single-family housing starts, which account for the bulk of homebuilding, rose 3.3% to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1.050 million units last month, the Commerce Department's Census Bureau said on Friday.
China's central bank said on Friday it is confident it can keep the yuan exchange rate "basically stable" at a "reasonable and balanced" level. China's economy has solid foundations and a reasonable current account surplus, while the country's cross-border capital flows are balanced and foreign exchange reserves are sufficient, the People's Bank of China told Reuters.
A financial market association under China's central bank said on Friday it would promote the market in floating-rate bonds to help investors manage interest rate risks and improve the country's rate-management mechanism.
The U.S. Federal Reserve will hold interest rates steady on Jan. 29 and resume cutting in March, according to a slim majority of economists polled by Reuters, as policymakers digest an expected barrage of new economic policies from Washington.
* Aluminium hits highest since Nov. 25. * China's 2024 GDP expanded 5.0%, met official target. * U.S. tariffs in focus with Trump's Monday inauguration. * ANZ sees aluminium and copper supply deficit in 2025. By Polina Devitt.
The Russian rouble was flat against the U.S. dollar for a fourth consecutive session on Friday, as expectations of an easing of Russia-U.S. tensions under President-elect Donald Trump, higher oil prices and central bank forex sales offset the impact of new U.S. energy sanctions.
- U.S. equity funds saw a spike in outflows for the week ending Jan. 15, as the outlook for Federal Reserve rate cuts this year had dimmed while investors were cautious about the ongoing quarterly earnings season. According to LSEG Lipper data, investors withdrew a sharp $8.23 billion from U.S. equity funds during the week on top of a net $5.01 billion worth of sales in the prior week.
- U.S. equity funds saw a spike in outflows for the week ending Jan. 15, as the outlook for Federal Reserve rate cuts this year had dimmed while investors were cautious about the ongoing quarterly earnings season. According to LSEG Lipper data, investors withdrew a sharp $8.23 billion from U.S. equity funds during the week on top of a net $5.01 billion worth of sales in the prior week.
As investors seek assets that will shine under a Donald Trump presidency, one corner of the U.S. stock market expected to benefit from the Republican's policies has been stumbling. Shares of smaller U.S. companies have been under pressure, with the small-cap Russell 2000 last week marking a 10% correction from its November highs.
As investors seek assets that will shine under a Donald Trump presidency, one corner of the U.S. stock market expected to benefit from the Republican's policies has been stumbling. Shares of smaller U.S. companies have been under pressure, with the small-cap Russell 2000 last week marking a 10% correction from its November highs.
A look at the day ahead in U.S. and global markets from Mike Dolan. Salvos from a Federal Reserve governor and the incoming Treasury Secretary helped nail down this week's inflation-inspired retreat in worrisome U.S. Treasury yields before Donald Trump's inauguration as president on Monday.
A look at the day ahead in U.S. and global markets from Mike Dolan Salvos from a Federal Reserve governor and the incoming Treasury Secretary helped nail down this week's inflation-inspired retreat in worrisome U.S. Treasury yields before Donald Trump's inauguration as president on Monday.
U.S. equity funds saw a spike in outflows for the week ending Jan. 15, as the outlook for Federal Reserve rate cuts this year had dimmed while investors were cautious about the ongoing quarterly earnings season. According to LSEG Lipper data, investors withdrew a sharp $8.23 billion from U.S. equity funds during the week on top of a net $5.01 billion worth of sales in the prior week.
* Small-cap Russell 2000 has pulled back sharply from Nov highs. * Trump's pro-growth policies seen helping small cap stocks. * Slower Fed rate cuts, tariffs could weigh on small caps. By Lewis Krauskopf. As investors seek assets that will shine under a Donald Trump presidency, one corner of the U.S. stock market expected to benefit from the Republican's policies has been stumbling.
- Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland President Beth Hammack said in an interview published in the Wall Street Journal on Friday that inflation remained a problem. "We still have an inflation problem.
Lithuania has committed to allocating 5% to 6% of its GDP for defence between 2026 and 2030, its foreign minister said on Friday. "Difficult times require bold decisions and leadership.
* STOXX 600 up 0.6%, FTSE, DAX at records. * Dollar hits one-month low to yen on Fed comments, hawkish BOJ. * Investors wary ahead of Trump's inauguration on Monday. By Samuel Indyk and Kevin Buckland.
Argentina likely logged the largest trade surplus in its history in 2024, a Reuters analyst poll released on Friday showed, on the back of libertarian President Javier Milei's bid to boost grains and energy exports in his first full year in office.
* Yen soft but hovering near one-month high. * Dollar to snap six-week winning streak on shifting rate views. * Yuan steady after GDP data meets 2024 target of 5% * Markets await Donald Trump's return to the White House. By Ankur Banerjee and Greta Rosen Fondahn.
- Demand for global equity funds declined sharply in the week through Jan. 15, as U.S. Treasury yields rose and expectations for the Federal Reserve's interest rate cuts fell following a robust jobs report. Global equity funds witnessed just $37.79 million worth of net purchases during the week, the smallest weekly buying since Dec. 18, 2024, as per LSEG Lipper data.
Demand for global equity funds declined sharply in the week through Jan. 15, as U.S. Treasury yields rose and expectations for the Federal Reserve's interest rate cuts fell following a robust jobs report. Global equity funds witnessed just $37.79 million worth of net purchases during the week, the smallest weekly buying since Dec. 18, 2024, as per LSEG Lipper data.
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.