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US Consumers Feel the Pinch as Inflation ConcernsLinger

Black Friday shoppers walk to stores as retailers compete to attract shoppers and try to maintain margins on Black Friday, one of the busiest shopping days of the year, at Woodbury Common Premium Outlets in Central Valley, New York, U.S. November 24, 2023. REUTERS/Vincent Alban Purchase Licensing Rights LONDON, March 15 (Reuters) - High prices [...] READ MORE

Fed Seen Sticking With Three 2024 Cuts Despite Higher Inflation

Growth and inflation projections may edge higher this month Economists expect tapering of balance sheet to start mid-year A recent pickup in inflation isn’t likely to shift Federal Reserve policymakers’ forecasts for three interest-rate cuts this year and four in 2025, according to economists surveyed by Bloomberg News.   The Federal Open Market Committee will [...] READ MORE

Bank of Japan Eyes Policy Shift: Ending NegativeRates

People walk in front of the Bank of Japan building in Tokyo, Japan January 23, 2024. REUTERS/Kim Kyung-Hoon/File Photo Purchase Licensing Rights TOKYO, March 14 (Reuters) - The Bank of Japan has started to make arrangements to end its negative interest rate policy at the March 18-19 meeting, Jiji news agency reported on Thursday.   [...] READ MORE

Gold Trades at Record Highs, But Will It Lose Its Shine?

Analysts differ on whether gold’s recent rise can persist. PHOTO: CHRISTOPHER FURLONG/GETTY IMAGES Gold prices have surged to record highs in recent weeks, driven by geopolitical tensions, hopes for rate cuts, and a spike in algorithm-driven trading. Now, the question for investors is whether rising prices can persist.   Gold futures were most recently trading [...] READ MORE

Goldman’s CEO Says He’s Optimistic About 2024 as Markets Rebound

(Bloomberg) -- Goldman Sachs Group Inc. Chief Executive Officer David Solomon said he’s optimistic about this year as his firm expects to reap gains from a rebound in capital-markets activity.   The bank will focus on its two core businesses, global banking and markets, as well as asset- and wealth-management, Solomon said in his annual [...] READ MORE

Gold’s Rally to $2,195: A Sign of What’s to Come

Gold's journey has hit a new milestone, soaring to an all-time high of $2,195 this week.   However, gold's past isn't without its shadows. There have been periods, even in the U.S., where owning gold was more than just frowned upon — it was outlawed. In this week's Nuggets, we'll dive into these historical moments [...] READ MORE

Wall Street’s Recession Reversal Echoes2007’s Optimism, Warns Expert

Economic forecasters on Wall Street are nearly unanimous in having abandoned their calls for a recession, which they saw as a near-certainty just one year ago.   But this doesn’t mean the economy is in the clear. Wall Street forecasters are often wrong, and the level of complacency and groupthink is reminding one longtime market [...] READ MORE

Rogoff Says Biden, Trump Favor ‘Blowing Up’ US Debt

Rogoff Says Biden, Trump Favor ‘Blowing Up’ US Debt (Bloomberg) -- Harvard University economics professor Kenneth Rogoff said both President Joe Biden and his predecessor and challenger Donald Trump risk sending US debt levels into dangerous territory as Washington fails to grasp that the era of ultra-low interest rates won’t come back.   “Washington in [...] READ MORE

Fed’s Focus Shifts: Slowing QuantitativeTightening is Key

The central bank has to shrink its balance sheet enough to rebuild its stimulus arsenal, but not so much that it destabilizes markets. You got this.Photographer: David McNew/Getty Images With interest-rate cuts off the table for now, the US Federal Reserve will focus on a different topic at next week’s policy-making meeting: when and how [...] READ MORE