Apparel retailer Gap cut its annual sales forecast on Thursday, signaling pressure from budget-strained Americans pulling back on discretionary spending amid macroeconomic uncertainty. The company, which is undergoing a turnaround, joined affordable luxury goods maker Tapestry in expecting weak sales growth in the current quarter amid pressured demand for its brands, including Old Navy.
The US economy expanded at a slower rate in the first quarter than previously estimated as consumer spending growth decelerated, the Bureau of Economic Analysis' second estimate showed Thursday. Real gross domestic product increased at a 1.6% annualized rate in the March quarter, down from a 2% increase reported in the initial estimate.
* Musalem, Cook say rate hike may be needed if inflation doesn't ease. * April PCE inflation rose 3.8% year-on-year, driven by higher energy prices. * Debate intensifies over AI's potential to cool inflation, with Musalem and Goolsbee skeptical. By Ann Saphir.
* Crude drifts higher amid continued closure of the Strait of Hormuz. * US GDP revised lower, orders for capital goods unexpectedly drop. * Fed rate hike expectations rise as U.S. inflation data seen above target. * Dollar weakens against euro, yen. By Stephen Culp.
* Canadian dollar gains 0.4% against the greenback. * Rebounds from six-week low at 1.3869. * Current account deficit widens to C$7.18 billion. * Bond yields ease across the curve. By Fergal Smith. The Canadian dollar rebounded from a six-week low against its U.S. counterpart on Thursday as the prospect of a deal to extend the ceasefire in the Middle East boosted risk appetite.
Fed Vice Chair Philip Jefferson said that he remains focused on bringing inflation down to the 2% goal but would not comment on the future path of monetary policy, saying that he is taking a meeting-by-meeting approach. Fed Governor Lisa Cook said that she is prepared to raise interest rates if inflation remains elevated but said that she is expecting inflation to slow without rate increases.
The second estimate of Q1 GDP showed a 1.6% gain after a 0.5% increase in the previous quarter, but a downward adjustment from a 2% gain in the advance estimate. Personal spending growth was revised down 1.4% from a 1.6% increase in the advance estimate, below a 1.9% increase in the previous quarter.
One of new Federal Reserve Chairman Kevin Warsh's favorite inflation measures came in cool again on Thursday, offering evidence for his belief inflation is improving and against the view of a growing number of other policymakers that interest rate hikes may be needed to tamp down rising price pressures.
* Dallas Fed's trimmed mean inflation measure may currently understate true price pressures. * Core PCE inflation rose 3.3% year-over-year, fastest since 2023, per Commerce Department. * Warsh has said he prefers "trimmed averages" to core inflation measures. By Ann Saphir.
A growing number of U.S. central bankers say there may be a case for raising interest rates if inflation does not ease soon, even as they express skepticism over the power of AI to help that process along. The combination sets the table for a heated debate at Federal Reserve Chairman Kevin Warsh's first policy-setting meeting next month.
* Musalem says he would be concerned if disinflation doesn't resume in coming quarters. * April PCE inflation rose 3.8% year-on-year, driven by higher energy prices. * Musalem cautions against betting that AI-driven productivity will curb inflation. By Ann Saphir.
Federal Reserve Financial Services today announced the upcoming retirement of Mark Gould, Chief Payments Executive, culminating a distinguished career spanning more than three decades of leadership, thoughtful stewardship, and service to the nation?s payments system.
National Bank of Canada on Thursday reiterated its outperform rating on the shares of Cameco (CCJ) and and its C$180 price target after the company resumed much of its its northern Saskatchewan uranium operations. Cameco (CCJ) resumed full production at the McArthur River mine and Key Lake mill in Saskatchewan after a flooding-related logistics disruption announced on May 11.
Bank of Canada views households and businesses as being in "stable condition," said Desjardins after Thursday's presentation of the BoC's 2026 Financial Stability Report. While household debt levels remain elevated, the FSR pointed out that wealth has been on the rise, noted the bank. That said, there have been pockets of weakness even within mortgage holders, stated Desjardins.
Annual inflation hit the highest reading in almost three years in April even as consumer spending moderated in the face of high gasoline prices in the US. The personal consumption expenditure price index jumped 3.8% year over year in April, the largest print since May 2023, Bureau of Economic Analysis data showed Thursday.
* Crude drifts higher amid continued closure of the Strait of Hormuz. * US GDP revised lower, orders for capital goods unexpectedly drop. * Fed rate hike expectations rise as U.S. inflation data seen above target. * Dollar weakens against euro, yen. By Stephen Culp.
* Personal Consumption Expenditures Price Index rises 3.8% on year-over-year basis in April. * Core PCE inflation advances 3.3% on year-over-year basis, versus Fed's 2% target. * Consumer spending gains 0.5% * Income at the disposal of households after adjusting for inflation falls 0.5% By Lucia Mutikani.
Canada's financial system has functioned well through a challenging year as households and businesses remain in stable financial condition, and banks have strengthened their capacity to absorb shocks, said Bank of Canada on Thursday. However, vulnerabilities have increased in some parts of the system, noted the central bank in its annual Financial Stability Report.
St. Louis Federal Reserve President Alberto Musalem on Thursday offered a skeptical view of the expectation that artificial intelligence will reduce inflation by fueling a surge in productivity, arguing it would be a mistake for the U.S. central bank to count on that possibility by easing monetary policy.
Federal Reserve Bank of New York President John Williams said on Thursday central bank monetary policy is in the right place given the outlook, adding he expects inflation to be high in the near term with the pressures easing later in the year. "Right now monetary policy for the Fed is, is right where we want it to be," Williams said at the Reykjav?k Economic Conference in Iceland.
Royal Bank of Canada (RY) reported second-quarter financial results on Thursday. This transcript is brought to you by Benzinga APIs. Access the full call at https://edge.media-server.com/mmc/p/2hjtq8wq/ Watch the full earnings call below: Royal Bank of Canada (RY) reported earnings of $5.5 billion and adjusted earnings of $5.6 billion, marking the second-highest quarterly performance on record.
Royal Bank of Canada (RY) released second-quarter financial results and hosted an earnings call on Thursday. This transcript is brought to you by Benzinga APIs.
Canada's current account deficit widened to $7.2 billion, or $28.7 billion a.r., in Q1, following a shortfall of $1.0 billion, or $4.0 billion a.r., in Q4 2025, noted Bank of Montreal after Thursday's data. This amounts to an estimated 0.9% GDP, in line with recent norms, BMO said, while noting the latest GDP data will be released Friday.
Federal Reserve Bank of New York President John Williams said on Thursday central bank monetary policy is in the right place given the outlook, adding he expects inflation to be high in the near term with the pressures easing later in the year. "Right now monetary policy for the Fed is, is right where we want it to be," Williams said at the Reykjav?k Economic Conference in Iceland.
Estimated U.S. economic growth for the first quarter was revised lower on Thursday and a closely watched measure of price pressures came in largely in line with expectations. Gross domestic product increased at a 1.6% annualized rate last quarter, the Commerce Department's Bureau of Economic Analysis said in its second estimate of first-quarter GDP on Thursday.
U.S. economic growth was not a strong as initially thought in the first quarter, and momentum is set to slow this quarter, with the war with Iran stoking inflation and squeezing households finances. Gross domestic product increased at a 1.6% annualized rate last quarter, the Commerce Department's Bureau of Economic Analysis said in its second estimate of first-quarter GDP on Thursday.
U.S. economic growth was not a strong as initially thought in the first quarter, and momentum is set to slow this quarter, with the war with Iran stoking inflation and squeezing households finances. Gross domestic product increased at a 1.6% annualized rate last quarter, the Commerce Department's Bureau of Economic Analysis said in its second estimate of first-quarter GDP on Thursday.
By Jamie McGeever. A gap is widening between two key measures of underlying U.S. inflation. The Bureau of Economic Analysis on Thursday released April's personal consumption expenditures figures, one of two closely watched measures of price changes across a wide range of goods and services. Annual headline PCE inflation rose to 3.8% from 3.5% in March, on the back of soaring energy prices.
Brazil's economy is expected to have grown faster in the first quarter against the last three months of 2025 aided by stronger manufacturing activity, a Reuters poll showed. The service sector also contributed to the recovery, particularly in commerce, professional and household segments supported by a healthy job market, analysts said.
US economic growth, as measured by gross domestic product, rose by 1.6% in Q1, revised lower from a 2.0% increase in the advance estimate. There was no revision expected in a survey compiled by Bloomberg as of 7:00 am ET. GDP rose by 0.5% in Q4. Personal consumer expenditures rose by 1.4% after a 1.9% gain in Q4, a downward revision from a 1.6% gain in the advance estimate.
?Spring demand boosts prices nationally, though most major markets remain flat or below year-ago levels, says Chief Economist Mark Fleming? First American Data & Analytics, a leading national provider of property-centric information, risk management and valuation solutions and a division of First American Financial Corporation (FAF), today released its April 2026 Home Price Index report.
Federal Reserve Bank of New York President John Williams said Thursday it's hard to spot fundamental shifts in the level of productivity as they are happening.
Canada's current account deficit on a seasonally adjusted basis widened by $6.2 billion to $7.2 billion in Q1, said the country's statistical agency on Thursday. The Q1 deficit was much higher than the $3.9 billion consensus deficit provided by MUFG.
The number of Americans filing claims for unemployment benefits increased marginally last week amid relatively low layoffs, despite the dragging war with Iran. Initial claims for state unemployment benefits rose 5,000 to a seasonally adjusted 215,000 for the week ended May 23, the Labor Department said on Thursday.
The number of Americans filing claims for unemployment benefits increased marginally last week amid relatively low layoffs, despite the dragging war with Iran. Initial claims for state unemployment benefits rose 5,000 to a seasonally adjusted 215,000 for the week ended May 23, the Labor Department said on Thursday.
U.S. inflation increased at its fastest pace in three years in April, driven by higher energy prices due to the Iran war and cementing economists' views that the Federal Reserve would hold interest rates unchanged well into next year. Surging price pressures are eroding household income and threatening to restrain consumer spending and economic growth this year.
US initial jobless claims rose to a level of 215,000 in the week ended May 23 from an upwardly revised 210,000 level in the previous week, compared with expectations for a level of 211,000 in survey of analysts compiled by Bloomberg. The four-week moving average rose by 6,250 to 209,000 after decreasing by 1,250 to a level of 202,750 in the previous week.
Bulgaria is keen to respect?its commitment to NATO and increase its defence spending to 5% of its gross domestic product, Prime Minister Rumen Radev said on Thursday. Previously president of Bulgaria, Radev resigned from that role ahead of parliamentary elections in April, which he won with a landslide.
* EU considers broadening import quotas, tariffs on Chinese goods -FT. * EU wants to shield certain industries. * Chinese govt spokesperson says EU is not seeing whole trade picture. * Says China does not deliberately pursue trade surplus with Europe. By Colleen Howe and Julia Payne.
Outstanding loans in Brazil were up 9.3% in the 12 months through April, central bank data showed on Thursday, slowing from the 9.8% expansion registered in the previous month.
Brazil's producer price index rose 2.63% in April, up from a revised 2.28% increase in the previous month, statistics agency IBGE said on Thursday, marking the highest monthly increase since March 2022.
RBC Capital Markets raised its price target on National Bank of Canada (NTIOF) to $214 from $180 on Thursday. Analyst Darko Mihelic maintained a Sector Perform rating on shares of the Canadian bank following its quarterly results. "Core EPS was above our estimate primarily due to lower than expected PCLs," Mihelic said in a note to clients.
* Investors more cautious on chances of swift end to Iran war. * US economic data in focus after hawkish Fed remarks. * Yen support likely to hinge on intervention risks, US data. By Stefano Rebaudo.
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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