News Results

* Wall Street stocks down sharply with tech shares. * Investors brace for BoE, ECB, BOJ next week. * German bond yields rise, US yields up as well. By Caroline Valetkevitch. Major stock indexes were down sharply on Friday, with technology-related shares falling again as investors were wary of artificial intelligence bets, while the dollar and U.S. Treasury yields edged higher after recent losses.

* EU wants to use frozen Russian assets for loan to Ukraine. * Russian central bank says such a move would be illegal. * EU agrees to freeze Russian assets indefinitely. By Jan Strupczewski. BRUSSELS, Dec 12 - The European Union agreed on Friday to indefinitely freeze Russian central bank assets held in Europe, removing a big obstacle to using the cash to help Ukraine defend itself against Russia.

European Union governments signed off on Friday on an agreement to indefinitely freeze Russian central bank assets held in Europe, removing a big obstacle to using the cash to help Ukraine defend itself against Moscow's invasion.

* FTSE 100 down 0.6%; FTMC up 0.1% * Weak British GDP data fuels rate-cut bets. London's FTSE 100 fell on Friday, as a sell-off on Wall Street fuelled by AI angst spoiled the mood across European markets. The blue-chip FTSE 100 dipped 0.6%, retreating from gains of as much as 0.6%. The mid-cap FTSE 250 index edged up 0.1%, also pulling back from early highs.

Belgium, Bulgaria, Italy and Malta said in a joint statement on Friday they had voted in favour of the European Union's plans to indefinitely freeze Russian central bank assets held in Europe.

Peru's economy could have expanded by around 4% in October, the chief economist of the Andean country's central bank Adrian Armas said on Friday, noting that the economy is "performing well." Armas highlighted the importance of tight fiscal policies in a call with journalists, which came after the central bank held its benchmark interest rate at 4.25% for the third straight meeting.

* Silver hit record high at $64.64/oz. * Platinum climbs to 14-year peak. * Non-farm payrolls data due on December 16. By Sarah Qureshi. Silver hit a record high on Friday as gold prices rose more than 1% to hover at a seven-week peak, spurred by a softer dollar and this week's Federal Reserve interest rate cut.

The U.S. dollar drifted higher against major currencies on Friday after falling in recent sessions, but was still set for its third straight weekly drop amid the prospect of interest rate cuts by ...

Canada's benchmark stock index hit a fresh intraday peak on Friday, with cannabis and mining shares leading gains, ending a week filled with central bank meetings. The TSX index was up 0.2% at 31,731.35 points by 09:38 a.m. ET, and set for a weekly gain. "Global stocks are trading at record highs despite ongoing technology valuation doubts," said Bob Savage, head of markets macro strategy at BNY.

* Yields climb after two-day decline. * Fed dissenters express concerns over inflation. * 10-year yield poised for second straight weekly gain. By Chuck Mikolajczak. U.S. 10-year Treasury yields rose on Friday after two straight sessions of declines, as investors assessed commentary from a flurry of Fed speakers and a positive outlook on the economy.

Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland President Beth Hammack said Friday that given her own take on the economy she would prefer monetary policy to be tighter than it is currently. The Fed's rate cut this week along with past easings this year has interest rate policy "right around a neutral" level, Hammack said at an event in Cincinnati.

The European Commission is open to include guarantees that Belgium wants in the plan to use immobilised Russian central bank assets for a loan to Ukraine, European Economic Commissioner Valdis Dombrovskis said on Friday.

Belgian central securities depository Euroclear, which holds most of the Russian central bank assets frozen in Europe, can offset any seizure of its assets in Russia as a result of lawsuits with the Russian assets it holds in Belgium, a senior EU officials said.

Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia President Anna Paulson said Friday her main concern right now is the state of the job market, in remarks that also said the current state of monetary policy should help bring down inflation to the Fed's 2% target.

Federal Reserve officials who voted against the U.S. central bank's interest rate cut this week said on Friday they are worried that inflation remains too high to warrant lower borrowing costs, particularly given the lack of recent official data about the pace of price increases.

Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia President Anna Paulson said Friday her main concern right now is the state of the job market, in remarks that also said the current state of monetary policy should help bring down inflation to the Fed's 2% target.

U.S. investors bought equity funds for the first time in three weeks in the week through December 10 in anticipation of a policy rate cut by the Federal Reserve on Wednesday. They purchased a net $3.3 billion worth of U.S. equity funds during the week, closely reversing a net $3.52 billion outflow the prior week, LSEG Lipper data showed.

U.S. investors bought equity funds for the first time in three weeks in the week through December 10 in anticipation of a policy rate cut by the Federal Reserve on Wednesday. They purchased a net $3.3 billion worth of U.S. equity funds during the week, closely reversing a net $3.52 billion outflow the prior week, LSEG Lipper data showed.

Global equity funds attracted significant inflows in the week to December 10 as investors positioned for a potential Federal Reserve rate cut, despite lingering concerns over stretched tech valuations and heavy AI-related spending.

Global equity funds attracted significant inflows in the week to December 10 as investors positioned for a potential Federal Reserve rate cut, despite lingering concerns over stretched tech valuations and heavy AI-related spending.

* Euro and sterling rise as dollar weakens. * UK GDP data in focus. * Fed's less hawkish stance drags dollar. * Markets diverge from policymakers on rate cuts for next year. By Joice Alves.

* FTSE 100 up 0.3%; FTMC up 0.7% * Gold, silver miners soar on rate-cut hopes. * Weak UK GDP data fuels rate-cut bets. The main UK stock indexes rose on Friday, with a gauge of precious metal miners jumping to a record high following a stunning rally in gold and silver prices this year as traders priced in more U.S. interest rate cuts.

Futures for Canada's benchmark stock index edged higher on Friday after the index notched a record closing high in the previous session, in a week filled with highly anticipated central bank meetings. Canada's TSX index ended the prior session at 31,660.73 points, boosted by metal prices and domestic data, while the S&P 500 and Dow also posted record closes.

Everything Mike Dolan and the ROI team are excited to read, watch and listen to over the weekend. From the Editor. Hello Morning Bid readers!?. Federal Reserve Chair Jay Powell buoyed markets by executing that most rare of monetary policy moves:?the dovish 'hawkish cut'.?But the spectre of AI anxiety threatens to hold off a "Santa Claus" rally.

The S&P 500 and the Nasdaq closed down more than 1% on Friday with investors leaving?technology for other sectors as Broadcom (AVGO) and Oracle fueled concerns about an AI bubble and rising U.S. Treasury yields added pressure after some policymakers spoke out against easing monetary policy.

* Futures: Dow up 0.17%, S&P 500 slips 0.20%, Nasdaq off 0.56% Futures tracking the S&P 500 and Nasdaq slid on Friday as chipmaker Broadcom's (AVGO) results sparked fresh worries about a potential artificial intelligence bubble, dampening investor optimism from a less hawkish Federal Reserve monetary policy decision earlier in the week.

Even if overall inflation slows next year as the U.S. Federal Reserve anticipates, President Donald Trump will still face political headwinds over the cost of living with home mortgage rates expected to remain comparatively high, tariff-related price increases on goods seen persisting through the first part of the year, and cost pressures building around items like beef and electricity that can...

* Jobs report due Tuesday, CPI out on Thursday. * Report on economy follows dovish Fed meeting. * S&P 500 hits record high, up 17% in 2025. By Lewis Krauskopf. A host of delayed employment, inflation and other data in the coming week will give a long-anticipated view of the U.S. economy that could help guide markets into year-end.

* EU wants to use frozen Russian assets for loan to Ukraine. * Russian central bank says such a move would be illegal. * EU wants to freeze Russian assets indefinitely. * It currently must roll over the freeze every six months. By Jan Strupczewski.

* Silver hit record high at $64.32/oz. * Weekly jobless claims at 4-1/2-year highs. * Dollar hovers near two-month low. By Pablo Sinha. Gold prices rose to a seven-week high on Friday, bolstered by a soft dollar, expectations of interest rate cuts and safe-haven demand prompted by geopolitical turbulence, while silver hit a record high.

* Euro and sterling rise as dollar weakens. * UK GDP data in focus. * Fed's less hawkish stance drags dollar. * Markets diverge from policymakers on rate cuts for next year. By Joice Alves.

* November new loans at 390 bln yuan, vs forecast 500 bln yuan. * New loans dragged down by weak household borrowing. * November outstanding yuan loan growth at record low. * Chinese leaders pledge more stimulus next year. By Shi Bu and Kevin Yao.

Chinese banks extended 390 billion yuan in new loans in November, up from 220 billion yuan in October but missing expectations, according to Reuters calculations based on data from the People's Bank of China on Friday. The figure was below the 500 billion yuan expected by analysts polled by Reuters and lower than the 580 billion recorded a year earlier.

* German bond yields rise as investors anticipate euro zone rate hike. * ECB not expected to deliver any change in rates. * US rate cuts widen opportunity for euro debt investments, strategists say. By Amanda Cooper.

European Union leaders meet for one last push to secure a deal and fund Ukraine with frozen Russian cash, while the United States releases overdue labour market and retail sales data. Meanwhile, central banks in the euro area, Japan, Britain, Norway, and Sweden hold their last get-together of the year.

The Bank of Japan will likely maintain a pledge next week to keep raising interest rates, but stress the pace of further hikes will depend on how the economy reacts to each increase, said three sources familiar with its thinking.

Yields on benchmark Japanese government bonds rose on Friday as markets anticipated an interest rate hike by the central bank next week. The 10-year JGB yield rose 2.5 basis points to 1.95% on Friday, still down from an 18-year high of 1.97% touched on Monday.

* Euro and sterling rise as dollar weakens. * Fed's less hawkish stance drags dollar. * Markets diverge from policymakers on rate cuts for next year. By Ankur Banerjee.

* Silver hits record high at $64.31/oz on Thursday. * Weekly jobless claims at 4-1/2-year highs. * All metals headed for weekly gains. By Ishaan Arora. Gold prices held near a seven-week high on Friday, supported by expectations of more interest rate cuts next year after the U.S. Federal Reserve pushed back against hawkish market bets, while silver hovered just below Thursday's record peak.

The U.S. dollar rose against major currencies on Friday after falling in recent sessions, but was still on track for its third straight weekly drop amid the prospect of interest rate cuts by the Federal Reserve next year. Sterling also eased after data showed the UK economy unexpectedly shrank in the three months to October.