Artificial intelligence is boosting productivity in the euro zone but it is not yet causing a wave of layoffs due to greater automation of labour, European Central Bank President Christine Lagarde said on Thursday. "What we are seeing for the moment is that it's increasing productivity," Lagarde told a committee of the European Parliament.
* US, Iran to hold talks in Geneva later in the day. * U.S. tariff rate for some countries will rise to 15%, says Greer. * US weekly jobless claims data due later in the day. By Noel John. Gold prices edged up on Thursday as uncertainty over U.S. tariff policy boosted the metal's safe-haven appeal, while investors awaited further details on U.S.-Iran talks later in the day.
Copper was steady on Thursday after touching a two-week high in the previous session as a lack of fresh catalysts and concerns over rising inventories kept the red metal range-bound. The most-traded copper contract on the Shanghai Futures Exchange closed daytime trading, nudging 0.14% higher to 102,260 yuan a metric ton.
Japan's shorter-dated bond yields rose on Thursday, reversing the previous session's declines, as hawkish comments from the Bank of Japan officials stoked bets of early interest rate hikes.
AstraZeneca PLC (AZN): * AstraZeneca PLC (AZN) - ASTRAZENECA PRICES A $2BN BOND OFFERING. * AstraZeneca PLC (AZN) - ASTRAZENECA PRICES A $2BN BOND OFFERING. * ASTRAZENECA (AZN): EXPECTS TO USE NET PROCEEDS OF OFFERING FOR GENERAL CORPORATE PURPOSES, WHICH MAY INCLUDE REFINANCING OF EXISTING INDEBTEDNESS Source text: Further company coverage:
CFRA, an independent research provider, has provided MT Newswires with the following research alert. We increase our 12-month target price by CAD35 to CAD250, which is 17.9x our FY 27 EPS view, a premium to its five-year forward P/E of 10.7x given expected efficiency gains and improving revenue diversity. MT Newswires does not provide investment advice.
Abu Dhabi set an initial price guidance for its two-tranche U.S. dollar-denominated bonds sale, according to an arranging bank document. The indicative price for 5-year bond was set at 50 basis point over U.S. Treasuries, while 10-year debt carried an initial price of 55 bps over the same benchmark, the document, seen by Reuters on Thursday, showed.
* Trade policy uncertainty weighs on dollar as tech sector earnings boost optimism. * Yen recovers as BOJ Governor Ueda flags March and April for possible hike. * Fed hold in March still seen as a lock. By Gregor Stuart Hunter.
The University of California sold about $2 billion worth of general revenue bonds in the municipal market on Wednesday while U.S. President Donald Trump attempts a crackdown on the educational institution and other top schools. "The Regents continue to monitor the federal government's actions with respect to the higher education sector and, in particular, the university," a bond document said.
Copper eased on Thursday after touching a two-week high in the previous session, with a lack of fresh catalysts and concerns over rising inventories keeping the red metal range-bound. The most-traded copper contract on the Shanghai Futures Exchange dipped 0.02% to 102,100 yuan a metric ton as of 0330 GMT.
* BOK keeps policy rate unchanged at 2.50% as expected. * BOK adopted Fed style dot plot charting rate path. * Dot plot signals rates on pause for next six months. * BOK raised South Korea's GDP forecast to 2.0% in 2026. By Cynthia Kim and Jihoon Lee.
Gold prices edged higher on Thursday,
buoyed by a softer dollar and safe-haven demand fuelled by
uncertainty surrounding U.S. tariff policy and U.S.-Iran talks.
Japanese government bond yields climbed across the curve on Thursday after comments in local media from Bank of Japan Governor ?Kazuo Ueda fanned expectations of an early ?interest rate hike.
The Japanese yen recovered on Thursday after the head of the Bank of Japan said the decision on whether to increase interest rates at its March and April meetings will be based on economic data, while overall movements in the market were subdued as traders awaited fresh catalysts.
South Korea's central bank has decided to expand its forward guidance on monetary policy by providing the views of ?its seven board members on ?a quarterly basis with 21 dots in the six-month term, mirroring ?the U.S. Federal Reserve's so-called "dot plot".
The International Monetary Fund on Wednesday called on the United States to reduce its growing fiscal deficit as the best ?way to bring down current account and trade ?deficits that it views as too large, sharing some concerns with the Trump administration.
Gaming and Leisure Properties, Inc. (GLPI) today announced the pricing of a public offering of $800,000,000 aggregate principal amount of senior notes due 2036, to be issued by its operating partnership, GLP Capital, L.P., and GLP Financing II, Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Operating Partnership.
Targa Resources Corp. (TRGP) announced today the pricing of an underwritten public offering of $750 million aggregate principal amount of its 4.350% Senior Notes due 2031 and $750 million aggregate principal amount of its 6.050% Senior Notes due 2056 at a price to the public of 99.812% and 99.975% of their face value, respectively.
?The ?International Monetary ?Fund said ?on Wednesday ?the ?U.S. ?current ?account deficit is ?too ?big, ?but the best way ?to ?reduce it ?is ?by ?shrinking ?the U.S. fiscal deficit.
Fitch Ratings has today announced that it has upgraded the ratings of SiriusPoint Ltd. (SPNT), including the Insurer Financial Strength rating of its operating subsidiaries to 'A' from 'A-', its Long-Term Issuer Default Rating to 'BBB+' from 'BBB', and its senior debt rating to 'BBB' from 'BBB-'. The Rating Outlook is Stable.
KBRA and Fitch Ratings downgraded Chicago's general obligation bonds to BBB-plus from A-minus on Wednesday, and both kept their rating outlooks at negative.
Freddie Mac today posted to its website its?Monthly Volume Summary for January 2026, which provides information on Freddie Mac?s mortgage-related portfolios, securities issuance, risk management, delinquencies, debt activities, and other investments. Freddie Mac?s mission is to make home possible for families across the nation.
KBRA downgrades the long-term rating on the City of Chicago, IL General Obligation Bonds to BBB+. Concurrently, KBRA assigns a long-term rating of BBB+ to the City of Chicago, IL General Obligation Bonds, Taxable Series 2026A and General Obligation Bonds, Series 2026B.
There is a positive view of the muni market in the long-term due to a mix of attractive tax-adjusted yields and a generally favorable credit backdrop, said Cooper Howard, director of fixed income research and strategy at Charles Schwab.
Financial stocks gained in late Wednesday afternoon trading with the NYSE Financial Index rising 1.4% and the State Street Financial Select Sector SPDR ETF advancing 1.7%. The Philadelphia Housing Index fell 2.9%, and the State Street Real Estate Select Sector SPDR ETF shed 0.7%. Bitcoin jumped 7.2% to $69,136, and the yield for 10-year US Treasuries rose 1.5 basis points to 4.05%. In economic ...
Financial stocks gained in late Wednesday afternoon trading, with the NYSE Financial Index rising 1.3% and the State Street Financial Select Sector SPDR ETF ahead 1.6%. The Philadelphia Housing Index was falling 2.9%, and the State Street Real Estate Select Sector SPDR ETF was shedding 0.7%. Bitcoin was climbing 7.2% to $69,136, and the yield for 10-year US Treasuries rose 1.5 basis points to n...
* Canadian dollar gains 0.2% against the greenback. * Trades in a range of 1.3675 to 1.3706. * Price of oil dips 0.1% * 10-year yield steadies near a multi-month low. By Fergal Smith.
Outgoing Atlanta Federal Reserve President Raphael Bostic said on Wednesday that the political battles around the Fed are undermining public confidence in the central bank's independence, a "major concern" he said cuts to the heart of U.S. economic performance and the country's standing in the global economy.
Financial stocks gained in Wednesday afternoon trading, with the NYSE Financial Index rising 1.3% and the State Street Financial Select Sector SPDR ETF ahead 1.6%. The Philadelphia Housing Index was falling 3.1%, and the State Street Real Estate Select Sector SPDR ETF was shedding 0.6%. Bitcoin was climbing 7% to $68,526, and the yield for 10-year US Treasuries was slightly higher at 4.04%. In ...
Financial stocks gained in Wednesday afternoon trading, with the NYSE Financial Index rising 1.3% and the State Street Financial Select Sector SPDR ETF ahead 1.6%. The Philadelphia Housing Index was falling 3.1%, and the State Street Real Estate Select Sector SPDR ETF was shedding 0.6%. Bitcoin was climbing 7% to $68,526, and the yield for 10-year US Treasuries was slightly higher at 4.04%. In ...
Editor?s Note: This article has been updated to reflect that Ferguson?s adjusted EPS beat the consensus estimate. Ferguson Enterprises Inc.? on Tuesday reported fourth-quarter FY25 results. The company disclosed that residential revenue declined 2% Y/Y as the U.S. residential end markets remained weak in the quarter amid lower housing starts, permit activity, and subdued RMI demand.
Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City President Jeffrey Schmid said on Wednesday that overly high inflation remains a key ?problem the central bank needs to ?address, but he stopped short of saying how monetary policy should respond.
Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City President Jeffrey Schmid said on ?Wednesday that overly high inflation remains ?a key problem the central bank needs to address, but he stopped short of ?saying how monetary policy should respond.
The strengthening eurozone economy adds to ABN Amro's conviction that the European Central Bank will keep policy on hold for the "foreseeable" future, despite the current inflation undershoot and euro strength. The current inflation undershoot is expected to be short-lived, while the euro strength is largely driven by the US dollar, wrote the bank in a note.
* Investors shift from bonds to stocks amid rising risk appetite. * Heavy government and corporate bond issuance pressures Treasury prices. * Yield curve steepens slightly as short-term yields rise. By Gertrude Chavez-Dreyfuss.
?The European Central ?Bank on ?Wednesday approved ?the appointment ?of ?Boris ?Vujcic ?as its new Vice-President ?for ?an ?eight-year term starting in June. Vujcic, ?currently ?Croatia's central bank ?governor, ?was picked by ?euro ?zone's finance ministers last month.
After Columbus, Ohio, voters gave the green light in November, Mayor Andrew Ginther this month released his plan for the affordable housing bond proceeds.
U.S. primary credit markets are now the most competitive on record, based on Barclays' analysis of over one million investor records since 2017, ?driven by high demand for new ?corporate bonds.
U.S. primary credit markets are now the most competitive on record, based on Barclays' analysis of over one million investor records since ?2017, driven by high demand for new ?corporate bonds.
* Yen weakens due to new central bank board appointments. * Prime Minister Takaichi's stance affects yen's strength. * U.S. tariffs create trade uncertainty, impacting forex markets. By Karen Brettell.
Greystone, a leading national commercial real estate finance company, has provided a $22,336,000 Fannie Mae Delegated Underwriting & Servicing loan to refinance Canyon View Living on 12th, a 108-unit multifamily property in Ogden, Utah. Constructed in 2024, Canyon View Living on 12th in Weber County is a 4-story apartment building with well-appointed one- and two-bedroom units.
* Iran and US to hold new round of talks on Thursday. * Gold may soften into spring but tariffs could limit downturn, BofA says. * Platinum hits highest level since January 29. By Anmol Choubey. Gold gained on Wednesday ?as investors moved into safe havens on concerns that ?tariffs could stoke inflation, while ongoing tensions between Iran the United States also kept bids for safety intact.
There has been a clear underperformer on Wednesday and Tuesday this week so far, and that's the yen after the government announced Bank of Japan board picks to replace Asahi Noguchi at the end of March and Junko Nakagawa at the end of June, said MUFG.
The Australian consumer price index surprised a bit higher overnight Tuesday and drove a modest gain in the Australian dollar and higher local bond yields, with two-year yields up about 4bps in a mild bear flattener, Scotiabank noted.
South Korea?s leading paper manufacturer cuts SAP ECC 6 and Oracle Database maintenance costs with Rimini Support?, freeing up funds and team focus for AI-driven innovation and growth Rimini Street, Inc. (RMNI), the Software Support and Agentic AI ERP Company?, and the leading third-party support provider for Oracle, SAP and VMware software, today announced KleanNara has selected Rimini Street (RMNI) to prov...
Company now distributes KANHA flower in Australia and Europe, with edibles soon to follow LOS ANGELES, Feb. 25, 2026 Sunderstorm, a California-based leader in premium cannabis products and owner of the globally-recognized KANHA brand, today announced a strategic partnership with New Garden Pharma, a licensed manufacturer in North Macedonia, to further expand its global footprint into Europe an...
German Chancellor ?Friedrich Merz welcomed ?the chance ?to expand economic ?cooperation ?with China ?on Wednesday but ?said ?Germany's widening trade deficit over ?the ?past ?five years was "not healthy" and ?needed to ?be addressed. "We are therefore addressing it ?and ?want ?to open ?up ways to reduce the trade deficit," he told ?reporters.
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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