The head of the House Financial Services Committee on Friday told Bloomberg TV that he hoped that the first of the twice-yearly updates to Congress from the chair of the Federal Reserve will occur soon.
* Middle East conflict stokes demand for the safest assets. * Oil surge raises inflation risks, affects central bank policies. * Fed rate cut bets pushed out, wagers rise for ECB hike this year. By Sophie Kiderlin. The U.S. dollar edged higher on Friday and was set for its steepest weekly gain in more than a year as the escalating conflict in the Middle East drove demand for safe-haven assets.
The benchmark US stock measures were down before the open Friday while oil prices continued to rise as investors monitor the ongoing conflict in the Middle East and await key employment data for February. The S&P 500 decreased 0.3%, the Dow Jones Industrial Average declined 0.2% and the Nasdaq was off 0.4% in premarket activity.
Kazakhstan's central bank held the base rate steady at 18.00% on Friday, signaling patience despite slowing inflation, said ING. Domestic utility tariffs, fiscal and external risks call for an extended period of tight policy, wrote the bank in a note. ING expects year-end inflation to ease to around 10% year over year.
* German 2-year yields set for biggest weekly rise in almost 3 years. * Investors are awaiting remarks from ECB's Isabel Schnabel later in the session. * Strategists say it's too early to price additional rate hikes. By Stefano Rebaudo.
BEIJING, March 6, 2026 This is a report from China?SCIO: China has set an economic growth target of 4.5% to 5% for this year, while pledging to strive for better results as authorities aim to balance structural reforms, risk prevention, and long-term development goals. The goals are outlined in this year's government work report submitted Thursday to the national legislature for deliberation.
Aluminium soared to its highest in nearly four years on Friday and was set for its biggest weekly rise since early-2023 as supply concerns due to the U.S.-Israel war on Iran intensified. Benchmark three-month aluminium on the London Metal Exchange was up 3.4% at $3,408.50 per metric ton as of 1700 GMT.
* European stocks and U.S. futures slip. * Oil prices hit highest levels since mid-2024. * Qatar energy minister warns oil could hit $150. By Harry Robertson. European stocks slipped along with U.S. futures on Friday as the U.S.-Iran war drove fresh concerns about oil supplies, prompting traders to rethink their expectations for central bank rate cuts.
* Oil prices in focus as Brent crude tops $80 a barrel. * CPI on Wednesday to give February inflation view. * Higher inflation could temper rate-cut hopes. By Lewis Krauskopf. Investors will seek signs in the coming week of how sprawling the war in the Middle East will become and how much it will disrupt energy supplies, as they chew over fresh inflation data.
Regulatory News: Eutelsat today announces the closing of its ?1.5 billion senior notes offering on 5 March 2026. This transaction represents the final milestone in the Group?s comprehensive c. ?5 billion equity and debt financing strategy, supported by its main shareholders.
Greece's jobless rate rose to 8.3% in the fourth quarter from 8.2% in the third quarter, data by the country's statistics service ELSTAT showed on Friday. The jobless rate for women was 10.8% versus 6.3% for men in the fourth quarter. About 58% of Greece's 394,894 jobless are long-term unemployed, meaning they have been out of work for at least 12 months, the figures showed.
* Middle East conflict stokes demand for the safest assets. * Oil surge raises inflation risks, affects central bank policies. * Fed rate cut bets pushed out, wagers rise for ECB hike this year. By Sophie Kiderlin and Rocky Swift.
Baker Hughes (BKR) said Thursday it has priced a $6.5 billion debt offering made up of five tranches of senior unsecured notes and a 3 billion euro debt offering that includes four tranches of senior unsecured notes.
Kazakhstan's central bank on Friday held its policy rate unchanged at 18%, amid stubbornly high inflation in Central Asia's largest economy, a major energy and minerals exporter. Although the regulator lowered its inflation forecast for 2026 to 9.5-11.5% from 9.5-12.5%, it said there was still no scope for easing monetary policy.
Waste Connections (WCN) said late Thursday it priced an underwritten public offering of $600 million of its 4.800% senior notes due 2036. The notes were priced at 99.732% of their face value, according to the company. Waste Connections (WCN) anticipates to raise about $593 million in net proceeds from the offering, which is expected to close on March 16.
European Central Bank policymaker Jose Luis Escriva said on Friday it was "very improbable", based on current information, that the bank would make a decision on interest rates in the governing council's next meeting.
* Middle East conflict stokes demand for the safest assets. * Oil surge raises inflation risks, affects central bank policies. * Fed rate cut bets pushed out, wagers rise for ECB hike this year. By Rocky Swift.
Arthur Hayes, Chief Investment Officer at?Maelstrom?Fund, told Benzinga on Thursday that rising oil prices and treasury yields could prove positive for Bitcoin . Hayes pointed out the surge in yields on the 10-year Treasury note, which is not typical in a ?risk-off? scenario. Hayes argued that the surge in oil prices has disrupted ?normal investor behavior.
U.S. job growth likely cooled in February, with hiring in the healthcare sector expected to return?to normal trends after an outsized increase in January, but the unemployment rate is anticipated to have remained steady at 4.3%. The Labor Department's closely watched employment report on Friday is likely to project a picture of labor market stability after stumbling in 2025 amid what economists...
* Nonfarm payrolls forecast increasing 59,000 in February. * Anticipated slowdown follows outsized gain in January. * Unemployment rate expected to have held steady at 4.3% By Lucia Mutikani.
CGTN published an article examining the resilience of China's economy amid global uncertainties. BEIJING, March 05, 2026 -- As the global economy faces mounting uncertainties and domestic structural adjustments continue, China's economic resilience has become a frequent topic of discussion.
Aluminium is set to end the week higher on Friday due to supply concerns, as all eyes are on the war-hit Middle East, which produced 8% of the world's aluminium last year.
* Impact on growth in developing Asia would be modest if the conflict lasts a month. * Prolonged conflict could cause energy price hikes and trade disruptions. * ADB advises central banks to stabilise markets if financial disruption occurs. By Karen Lema and Mikhail Flores.
BEIJING, March 5, 2026 China targets economic growth of 4.5 percent to 5 percent this year and will strive for better in practice, according to a Government Work Report submitted Thursday to the country's top legislature for deliberation.
Following the previous announcement of the launch of a senior notes offering, Waste Connections, Inc. (WCN) announced today that it has priced an underwritten public offering of $600 million aggregate principal amount of its 4.800% Senior Notes due 2036 at a price to the public of 99.732% of their face value.
Baker Hughes Company (BKR) today successfully priced a $6.5 billion debt offering consisting of five tranches of senior unsecured notes and a ?3 billion debt offering consisting of four tranches of senior unsecured notes: The notes will be issued by Baker Hughes? wholly owned subsidiary, Baker Hughes Holdings LLC and by BHH LLC?s wholly owned subsidiary Baker Hughes Holdings Co-Obligor, Inc., and wil...
KBRA assigns a long-term rating of A+ to the Unlimited Tax General Obligation Bonds, Series 2026 issued by Community College District Number 508, which does business as the City Colleges of Chicago.
Valero Energy Corporation (VLO) announced today that it has priced a public offering of $850,000,000 aggregate principal amount of 5.150% Senior Notes due 2036. The offering is expected to close on March 10, 2026, subject to the satisfaction of customary closing conditions.
US equity indexes fell while government bond yields jumped on Thursday as the Middle East war escalated, sending crude oil to its highest since mid-2024. The Dow Jones Industrial Average slumped 1.6% to 47,954.74, the Nasdaq Composite slid 0.3% to 22,748.99, and the S&P 500 declined 0.6% to 6,830.71 at the close.
The Federal Reserve and other banking regulators clarified that the capital tally in banks needs identical treatment whether securities are tokenized or not.
?. SAN FRANCISCO---- Samsara Inc. (IOT), the pioneer of the Connected Operations? Platform, today announced strong financial results and performance for the fourth quarter and fiscal year 2026, highlighted by: Q4 FY26 Results: Ending FY26 Results: Delivering Impact with Industry-Leading Operators Physical operations organizations select Samsara to solve their most complex challenges, driving innovati...
* Oil prices in focus as Brent crude tops $80 a barrel. * CPI on Wednesday to give February inflation view. * Higher inflation could temper rate-cut hopes. By Lewis Krauskopf. Investors will seek signs in the coming week of how sprawling the war in the Middle East will become and how much it will disrupt energy supplies, as they chew over fresh inflation data.
Market technicals should weaken this month in line with seasonal expectations, with estimated redemption capital of $32 billion compared to estimated supply of $41 billion, said Appleton Partners strategists.
Financial stocks were decreasing in late Thursday afternoon trading, with the NYSE Financial Index falling 1.2% and the State Street Financial Select Sector SPDR ETF shedding 0.6%. The Philadelphia Housing Index was dropping 2.5%, and the State Street Real Estate Select Sector SPDR ETF was down 1%. Bitcoin was declining 2.1% to $71,169, and the yield for 10-year US Treasuries rose 6.6 basis poi...
US equity indexes fell ahead of Thursday's close as the war in Iran sent crude oil prices surging and government bond yields jumped. The Nasdaq Composite fell 0.4% to 22,661.1, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average down 0.8% to 47,895.2 and the S&P 500 lower by 0.8% to 6,814.9. West Texas Intermediate crude oil futures soared 6.5% to $79.48 a barrel.
Financial stocks were decreasing in late Thursday afternoon trading, with the NYSE Financial Index falling 1.2% and the State Street Financial Select Sector SPDR ETF shedding 0.6%. The Philadelphia Housing Index was dropping 2.5%, and the State Street Real Estate Select Sector SPDR ETF was down 1%. Bitcoin was declining 2.1% to $71,169, and the yield for 10-year US Treasuries rose 6.6 basis poi...
AM Best has affirmed the Financial Strength Rating of B++ and the Long-Term Issuer Credit Rating of ?bbb? of Gulf Insurance Limited. The ratings reflect Gulf?s balance sheet strength, which AM Best assesses as very strong, as well as its strong operating performance, limited business profile and appropriate enterprise risk management.
AM Best has upgraded the Long-Term Issuer Credit Ratings to ?bb+? from ?bb? and affirmed the Financial Strength Rating of B of First Chicago Insurance Company and United Security Insurance Company.
Evidence that two senior regulators at Brazil's central bank secretly advised embattled banker Daniel Vorcaro has sent shockwaves through the capital Brasilia, threatening to drag the institution deeper into a snowballing scandal.
US nonfarm payrolls are expected to rise by only 55,000 in February after a 130,000-jobs gain in January, based on a survey compiled by Bloomberg, while the unemployment rate is expected to remain at 4.3% after falling to that point in January. The February employment report is due to be released at 8:30 am ET Friday.
Evidence that two senior regulators at Brazil's central bank secretly advised embattled banker Daniel Vorcaro has sent shockwaves through the capital Brasilia, threatening to drag the institution deeper into a snowballing scandal.
The Kansas City Fed may term this "Tier 3" access, but Kraken's entry into the vaunted Fed payments system has riled bankers and raised Crypto (CRCW) hopes.
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.
Log In Required
Publication Date