Bitcoin tapped $77,000 early Wednesday as analysts debate how the change at the helm of the Federal Reserve will impact the apex crypto. In an Apr.29 podcast, Benjamin Cowen said Bitcoin has historically performed best under loose monetary conditions.
The 2025-26 fiscal year deficit was still a substantial $66.9 billion, but came in lower than the $78.3 billion projected in Budget 2025, said Desjardins after the government's figures late Tuesday. A big part of the near-term improvement in the deficit was a better-than-expected economic performance, which is beyond the federal government's control, noted the bank.
CINCINNATI, April 29, 2026 The Federal Home Loan Bank of Cincinnati today released unaudited financial results for the first quarter ended March?31, 2026.
On Wednesday, Parsons discussed first-quarter financial results during its earnings call. This content is powered by Benzinga APIs. The full earnings call is available at https://edge.media-server.com/mmc/p/bj9subw7 Parsons reported a strong start to 2026, achieving record adjusted EBITDA margin of 10.1%, and record total and funded backlog of $9.3 billion and $6.6 billion respectively.
Canada's main stock index opened lower on Wednesday, as investors awaited interest rate decisions from the Bank of Canada and the U.S. Federal Reserve, with focus on policymakers' outlook amid the ongoing war in the Middle East. At 9:30 a.m. ET, the Toronto Stock Exchange's S&P/TSX composite index was down 0.1% at 33,525.03 points.
U.S. single-family homebuilding increased to a 13-month high in March, but the improvement was likely a blip as permits for future construction fell sharply and confidence among builders remained subdued.
U.S. single-family homebuilding increased to a 13-month high in March, but the improvement was likely a blip as permits for future construction fell sharply and confidence among builders remained subdued.
The Bank of Canada is set to leave the policy rate unchanged at 2.25% for the fourth straight meeting on Wednesday, at 9:45 a.m. ET, says Societe Generale. The rise in inflation expectations by businesses and households was evident in the latest BoC business survey, it noted.
The U.S. trade deficit in goods widened more than expected in March as a rise in imports outpaced exports, suggesting that trade was likely a drag on economic growth in the first quarter. The goods trade gap increased 5.3% to $87.9 billion last month, the Commerce Department's Census Bureau said on Wednesday.
The U.S. trade deficit in goods widened more than expected in March as a rise in imports outpaced exports, suggesting that trade was likely a drag on economic growth in the first quarter. The goods trade gap increased 5.3% to $87.9 billion last month, the Commerce Department's Census Bureau said on Wednesday.
News SummaryFortinet?, the global cybersecurity leader driving the convergence of networking and security, today announced it will return to participate in the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting on Cybersecurity 2026, this year taking place May 4?6 in Geneva, Switzerland, and as a flagship event of Geneva Cyber Week.
Investors are unlikely to see any change in interest rates from the Bank of Canada at 9:45 a.m. ET on Wednesday, said Commerzbank. Like many other G10 central banks -- except the Reserve Bank of Australia -- policymakers are likely to prefer waiting to see the ultimate impact of the conflict in the Middle East, stated Commerzbank.
March housing starts jumped by 10.8% from the previous month to a 1.502 million annual rate after a decrease to a 1.356 million pace in February, well above the 1.38 million rate expected in a survey compiled by Bloomberg as of 7:40 am ET.
* Rial falls nearly 15% in two days, ISNA reports. * US blockade disrupt exports, worsening Iran's access to hard currency. * Central bank reports 65.8% inflation, risks of further rises as rial weakens.
The Czech Central Bank purchased $1 million in bitcoin in October to run tests and conduct a study and found it is more efficient than stocks and gold but much too risky.
The Bank of Canada is widely expected to leave interest rates unchanged at 9:45 a.m. ET on Wednesday and Bank of Montreal is comfortable with the view that the BoC will be on hold through 2026, barring a material change in the growth and/or inflation backdrop. Canada's central bank is also scheduled to hold a press conference at 10:30 a.m. ET on Wednesday.
German inflation accelerated in April, reaching 2.9% year-on-year, preliminary data from the national statistics office showed on Wednesday. Analysts polled by Reuters had forecast the EU-harmonised consumer price index to increase to 3.1% from the 2.8% reported for March, reflecting the energy price surge due to the war in Iran.
Three University of Chicago Public Policy (PPHC) graduate students devised a Stadium Securitization Corporation, modeled after Chicago's Sales Tax Securitization Corp.
* Trump unhappy with latest Iran peace proposal. * FOMC decision due at 1800 GMT followed by Powell speech. * Global gold demand rose 2% y/y in Q1 - World Gold Council. By Pablo Sinha.
The US dollar rose against its major trading partners early Wednesday, except for a decline versus the Canadian dollar, ahead of a series of economic releases in the morning and the Federal Open Market Committee policy statement in the afternoon. Durable goods orders, housing starts, and advance trade data, all for March, are due to be released at 8:30 am ET.
Company Will Host Webcast at 8 A.M. Eastern to Discuss Results WASHINGTON, April 29, 2026 Fannie Mae?today reported its first quarter 2026 financial results and filed its First Quarter 2026 Form 10-Q with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Fannie Mae has scheduled a webcast to discuss the company's results today at 8:00 a.m., ET.
The Canadian dollar is close to unchanged versus the US dollar since the conflict in the Middle East began and is the fourth best performing currency alongside the US dollar, with the Norwegian krone, Australian dollar and sterling outperforming, said MUFG. The Bank of Canada meets on Wednesday and an unchanged monetary stance is widely expected at 9:45 a.m. ET policy statement, noted MUFG.
* TSX futures up 0.08% * Oil prices up nearly 3%; gold slips. Futures for Canada's main stock index were muted on Wednesday ahead of interest rate decisions from the Bank of Canada and the U.S. Federal Reserve, with markets focused on policymakers' outlook amid the ongoing war in the Middle East. June futures on the S&P/TSX index were up 0.08% at 07:17 a.m. ET.
* Fed expected to hold rates, focus on Powell's future and war's economic impact. * Oil prices rise, boosting dollar demand as safe haven. * Yen steady near intervention levels, BOJ signals gradual rate hikes if conditions allow. By Rae Wee and Amanda Cooper.
Yum Brands (YUM) beat Wall Street estimates for first-quarter same-store sales growth and profit on Wednesday, as affordable meal offers drove demand at Taco Bell and KFC (YUM) chains amid economic uncertainty.
U.S. mortgage rates rose last week for the first time in a month, with the average 30-year fixed-rate mortgage up 2 basis points to 6.37% for the week ended April 24, the Mortgage Bankers Association said on Wednesday. Mortgage applications dropped 1.6% from a week earlier, driven by a 4% decline in refinancing, the MBA said.
* Haleon (HLN) warns of rising freight costs. * North American organic revenue up 1% on strong toothpaste sales. * Weak cold and flu season reduced global sales growth. * Haleon (HLN) maintains 2026 outlook on revenue and profit growth. By Raechel Thankam Job.
Banco Santander Brasil's (BSBR) first-quarter net profit fell 1.9% from a year earlier to 3.79 billion reais, the lender said on Wednesday, below analysts' expectations of 4.13 billion reais in an LSEG poll. Latin America's largest economy is a key market for its Spanish parent Banco Santander, which reported its own results earlier in the day.
* Defence spending to reach 3.1% of GDP in 2027. * Infrastructure and climate fund targets transport, digitalisation, hospitals for economic growth. * Total investment to be at 118.5 billion euros in 2027 draft budget. By Maria Martinez.
Copper eased on Wednesday after a strong start and was heading for a fifth straight daily loss as equity markets slipped and fears over global economic growth returned due to rising oil prices.
Federal Reserve officials last met just over two weeks into the U.S.-led war on Iran and then had little data at their disposal beyond surging gasoline prices to assess its impact on the economy and the outlook for interest rates.
Federal Reserve officials last met just over two weeks into the U.S.-led war on Iran and then had little data at their disposal beyond surging gasoline prices to assess its impact on the economy and the outlook for interest rates.
Kevin Warsh, U.S. President Donald Trump's pick to lead the Federal Reserve, cleared a key procedural hurdle on Wednesday, opening a path for him to succeed Jerome Powell next month amid the White House's unprecedented efforts to exert control over the world's most powerful central bank.
The Federal Reserve is expected to hold interest rates steady on Wednesday as officials debate whether to flag risks of rising inflation in a policy statement issued after what may be Jerome Powell's final meeting as head of the U.S. central bank.
On a chilly spring day in 2017, Jerome Powell made a six-hour round trip by car through heavy mountain fog from Washington to West Virginia University for an evening talk with students about Federal Reserve history and the political balance of its structure, topics that can be ponderous even for close watchers of the U.S. central bank.
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.
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