South Africa's rand, stocks and government bonds firmed on Wednesday after data showed April inflation accelerated sharply, raising expectations that the central bank could hike interest rates at its monetary policy meeting next week. * At 1300 GMT, the rand traded at 16.5950 against the dollar, up about 0.7% from its previous close.
Canadian headline consumer price index rose to 2.8% year over year in April from 2.4% in March, largely reflecting surging energy prices, said Nomura after Tuesday's CPI. Core inflation continued to cool with the Bank of Canada's preferred core measures averaging 2.1% year over year, the lowest since January 2021, noted Nomura.
* Investors pricing in higher rates in the face of rising inflation. * No end in sight for more than two-month-long Iran war. * US 30-year Treasury yield at 17-year high. * Yen back near 160 per dollar; traders wary of intervention. By Ankur Banerjee and Harry Robertson.
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The US dollar rose against its major trading partners early Wednesday, except for a decline versus the yen, as markets look ahead to the minutes of the April 28-29 Federal Open Market Committee meeting to be released at 2:00 pm ET. Before that, Federal Reserve Governor Michael Barr is due to speak at 9:15 am ET, followed by weekly petroleum stocks data at 10:30 am ET.
The rate on the most popular U.S. home loan rose last week to its highest in seven weeks, as concerns about inflation from higher oil prices and an uncertain outlook for the Iran war pushed benchmark U.S. Treasury yields higher. The average 30-year fixed-rate mortgage jumped 10 basis points to 6.56% for the week ended May 15, the Mortgage Bankers Association said on Wednesday.
The rate on the most popular U.S. home loan rose last week to its highest in seven weeks, as concerns about inflation from higher oil prices and an uncertain outlook for the Iran war pushed benchmark U.S. Treasury yields higher. The average 30-year fixed-rate mortgage jumped 10 basis points to 6.56% for the week ended May 15, the Mortgage Bankers Association said on Wednesday.
Fixes dateline to May 20. * Two new EX30 battery fires prompt Thai watchdog to weigh civil action. * Volvo faces complaints as customers await battery fixes after global recall. * Repair timelines vary, with some markets waiting until late-2026 for replacements. By Chayut Setboonsarng and Marie Mannes.
Sustained upward pressure on oil prices appears to be the sole focus of bond markets, said Bank of Montreal. Even the friendliest reading on core inflation in about five years couldn't halt the rout in Government of Canada bonds, noted the bank. Meanwhile, 30-year United States Treasury yields have rocketed to nearly 5.2%, the highest since June 2007, pointed out the BMO.
The depth of the differences among Federal Reserve policymakers' views on the direction of interest rates and severity of inflation will be on view on Wednesday with the release of a readout of the most divided meeting in a generation, one that also marked the end of Chair Jerome Powell's leadership tenure.
* Fed policymakers split over inflation risks and future rate cuts. * April meeting saw four dissents, most since 1992, over policy direction. * Market and economist expectations shift toward no rate cuts, some see possible hikes. By Dan Burns.
* Investors pricing in higher rates in the face of rising inflation. * No end in sight for more than two-month-long Iran war. * US 30-year Treasury yield at 17-year high. * Yen back near 160 per dollar; traders wary of intervention. By Ankur Banerjee and Harry Robertson.
Winner Medical has officially broken ground on its new manufacturing base in Hai Ha Industrial Park, Quang Ha Commune, Quang Ninh Province, Vietnam. Image: image1.jpeg From Foreign Trade to Local Manufacturing: A Solid Foundation for Globalization Winner Medical?s international journey began more than 30 years ago.
Emmanuel Moulin, President Emmanuel Macron's pick to head the Bank of France and his former chief of staff, said on Wednesday in hearings ahead of a vote by Parliament on Moulin's confirmation that he was sure he would run the national central bank in an independent manner.
Although some are puzzled by the coincidence of an artificial intelligence boom and rising borrowing costs, they are closely linked.Beyond the immediate heat of the AI investment frenzy, a long-term productivity surge is lifting estimates of neutral interest rates even as workers' share of the GDP pie declines. The idea remains controversial in some circles.
* Investor pricing in higher rates in the face of rising inflation. * No end in sight for the over two-month-long Iran war. * US 30-year Treasury yield at 17-year high. * Yen back near 160 per dollar; traders wary of intervention. By Ankur Banerjee.
President Donald Trump signed an Executive Order on Tuesday directing regulators to take measures to promote fintech innovation, including an assessment of extending access to Federal Reserve payment rails. The Executive Order specifically instructed the Fed to evaluate the potential for uninsured depositories and non-bank fintechs to access?Fed payment accounts and?services.
European Union governments are discussing whether former European Central Bank President Mario Draghi, or former German Chancellor Angela Merkel, could represent the bloc in potential negotiations with Russian President Vladimir Putin, the Financial Times reported on Wednesday.
U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent's jab at Japan's dovish premier may help clear political hurdles for the Bank of Japan to raise interest rates in June, analysts say, though there is uncertainty on whether it can support the yen.
* Bessent says BOJ can do what's needed if granted independence. * Remarks reinforce Washington's preference for higher BOJ rates. * PM Takaichi, aides wary of further BOJ rate hikes. * Key would be whether Ueda can meet PM, analysts say. By Leika Kihara.
The U.S. dollar hit a six-week high on Wednesday as investors came to terms with the possible need for higher interest rates to tackle inflation resulting from the Iran war. The uncertainty over when the conflict may end has fanned inflation fears and triggered a global bond selloff, with the yield on the U.S. 30-year Treasury bond hitting its highest level since 2007.
* Investor pricing in higher rates in the face of rising inflation. * No end in sight for the over two-month-long Iran war. * US 30-year Treasury yield at 17-year high. * Yen back near 160 per dollar; traders wary of intervention. By Ankur Banerjee.
Gold prices edged higher on
Wednesday, as optimism over a potential peace agreement between
the United States and Iran tempered concerns around inflation
and interest rates staying higher for longer.
It remains too early to estimate how the use of AI technology will influence inflation, jobs and monetary policy, Philadelphia Federal Reserve Bank president Anna Paulson said on Tuesday, addressing an issue likely at the center of coming Fed deliberations.
U.S. President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Tuesday calling on regulators and the Federal Reserve to review rules that may be stifling financial innovation, including whether the central bank could expand fintech access to its payment rails, the systems that move money between banks.
The current level of interest rates is appropriate for the moment, putting downward pressure on inflation at a time when price pressures remain elevated, Philadelphia Federal Reserve Bank President Anna Paulson said on Tuesday, but she added it was "healthy" that investors had begun considering scenarios where rates might need to rise.
U.S. President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Tuesday calling on regulators and the Federal Reserve to review rules that may be stifling financial innovation, including whether the central bank could expand fintech access to its payment rails, the systems that move money between banks.
G7 finance ministers agreed on Tuesday on the need for action to tackle trade imbalances in a fragmented global economy, saying the current situation was unsustainable with U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent arguing for more protections against a flood of cheap Chinese imports.
The current level of interest rates is appropriate for the moment, putting downward pressure on inflation at a time when price pressures remain elevated, Philadelphia Federal Reserve Bank President Anna Paulson said on Tuesday, but she added it was "healthy" that investors had begun considering scenarios where rates might need to rise.
Donald Trump's executive order asks the Fed to review how depository institutions may be granted access to payment services, an area the crypto industry is deeply involved with.
The United Nations on Tuesday cut its forecast for global economic growth, saying the Middle East crisis had reignited inflationary pressures and heightened uncertainty. * Global GDP growth is forecast at 2.5% in 2026, compared with an estimated 3.0% in 2025, 0.2 percentage points below the January projection and well below pre-pandemic growth rates.
The Toronto Stock Exchange fell again Tuesday, following Friday's tumble ahead of the holiday weekend in Canada, but this time it was lower on a more local issue as market watchers are divided over whether to prepare for the Bank of Canada turning more dovish or hawkish on interest rates.
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* Canadian dollar falls 0.1% against the greenback. * Touches its weakest since April 15 at 1.3773. * CPI increases at an annual rate of 2.8% in April. * Bond yields trade mixed across a steeper curve. By Fergal Smith.
Bank of Japan Governor Kazuo Ueda said on Tuesday that the central bank would work closely with the government on the market situation concerning Japanese government bonds. "As for long-term interest rates, we recognise that they have been rising recently, and at a relatively fast pace," Ueda told reporters after a Group of Seven finance chiefs and central bankers' meeting in Paris.
Incoming Federal Reserve Chair Kevin Warsh on Tuesday disclosed an initial round of planned asset sales ahead of being sworn in for the job, though the disclosures did not say who the sales were made to.
Prospective Federal Reserve Chair Kevin Warsh disclosed on Tuesday his initial round of asset divestitures ahead of being sworn in as central bank leader.
Having had nightmares about another round of persistently high inflation, Canadian monetary policymakers can now rest easier after Tuesday's consumer price index for April, said Desjardins. Tuesday's CPI data suggest that underlying price pressures remain extremely muted, noted the bank.
The Federal Reserve will respond as needed with its monetary policy operations to any changes in how the Treasury Department manages a large account of cash currently parked at the central bank, Roberto Perli, the Federal Reserve Bank of New York official responsible for implementing monetary policy, said Tuesday.
Nauticus Robotics (KITT) released first-quarter financial results and hosted an earnings call on Tuesday. This content is powered by Benzinga APIs. Access the full call at https://events.q4inc.com/attendee/228928122 Nauticus Robotics Inc (KITT) reported Q1 2026 revenue of $0.2 million, a decline from the previous quarter, attributed to seasonal softness in the offshore market.
Canadian consumer prices rose 0.4% month over month non-seasonally adjusted in April, or 0.3% in seasonally adjusted terms, lifting the headline inflation rate to 2.8% year over year from 2.4% the prior month, said Bank of Montreal. The bump was driven by an 8.9% jump in gasoline prices, which the bank saw coming a mile away.
A Federal Reserve Bank of New York official responsible for implementing monetary policy said on Tuesday that the central bank's current rate control toolkit would still work in a system allowing banks to hold fewer reserves. New York Fed System Open Market Account Manager Roberto Perli also said the pace of future Treasury bill buying will be determined by market conditions.
Canadian inflation accelerated sharply in April, though less than expected, driven primarily by higher gasoline prices and fading favorable energy base effects, said RBC after Tuesday's consumer price index. Headline CPI rose 0.3% month-over-month seasonally adjusted in April, lifting the annual rate to 2.8% from 2.4% in March, below market expectations, according to the bank.
Brazil's central bank governor Gabriel Galipolo said on Tuesday that the country's heavy reliance on sovereign debt linked to the benchmark interest rate Selic weakens monetary policy transmission, as higher borrowing costs end up boosting disposable income for bondholders.
The headline consumer price index accelerated in April as gasoline prices surged, but the jump wasn't as high as expected and core measures of inflation remained muted, supporting the current wait-and-see stance of the Bank of Canada, said CIBC. Earlier Tuesday, Canada released April's CPI.
Headline prices rose just 0.4%, well below the 0.7% consensus forecast. After declining 0.1% in March, prices excluding food and energy were unchanged in April. The breadth of Canadian outsized price increases narrowed in April, with the share of consumer price index components rising faster than 3% year over year falling to 38% from 41%, said Desjardis after Tuesday's CPI.
A 17-year investigation argues modern financial and digital systems are built to extract value, not create it VANCOUVER, BC, May 19, 2026 A new 17-year forensic audit by Marpole.AI of the global economy is making a stark claim: the financial and digital?systems shaping modern life are not failing; they are functioning exactly?as designed.
Brazil's central bank governor Gabriel Galipolo said on Tuesday the economy is set to face two supply shocks - higher oil prices and the risk of a very strong El Nino - at a time of elevated inflation. Speaking at a Senate hearing, Galipolo said the average of core inflation measures is currently running at the same level as headline inflation, both above the official 3% target.
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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