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Interest rate uncertainty keeps pressure on US bonds

Location:

INTERNATIONAL

The Fed and ECB seem set to diverge, with the latter expected to cut rates in June. There is a rising prospect, bolstered by the resilient US labour market and Middle East…

Aid cuts would hit US influence

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UNITED STATES

On January 18, a Gallup study found that global approval of US leadership had fallen to 30%, a record low, down from 48% in 2016 and 1 percentage point behind China; Germany has…

US output will negate most of extended OPEC cuts

Location:

UNITED STATES

The US shale oil industry has mounted a comeback over the past six months. After a deep recession brought on by plunging oil prices starting in mid-2014, the sector is growing…

Canada’s military could face cuts after COVID-19

Location:

CANADA

This comes as COVID-19 has necessitated state support payments to Canadians, skewing the government’s budget and spending priorities. Canada’s military faces possible budget cuts…

Eastern Europe's rate policies diverge with Czech cut

Location:

EASTERN EUROPE

The NBP is not cutting interest rates further partly because of tensions with Prime Minister Donald Tusk’s pro-EU government, following the defeat of the nationalist Law and…

French government faces a difficult fiscal dilemma

Location:

FRANCE

As a result of dwindling tax revenue, he also said that state spending would be cut by EUR10bn (USD10.8bn). The government’s forecast for this year is more optimistic than…

Central Europe may cut rates despite high inflation

Location:

EASTERN EUROPE

Lower wholesale natural gas prices have improved balance-of-payments and fiscal positions and driven down inflation rates in Central Europe (CE). Financial markets are pricing in…

Any recovery from the UK recession will be very modest

Location:

UNITED KINGDOM

Government measures to boost the economy, including tax cuts in November, are having little effect. There is little scope for further stimulus in the March budget. Political…

ECB and Fed to delay rate cuts to sustain disinflation

Location:

EU/US

Disinflation is underway on both sides of the North Atlantic, but it is not yet deeply entrenched, giving both central banks a reason to delay cuts. The ECB must contend with…

Waning monetary policy effectiveness will fire debate

Location:

INTERNATIONAL

This closely followed the decision by the US Federal Reserve (Fed) to cut its main interest rate for the first time in more than a decade, accentuating investor concerns about the…