Summary
The second most speculative topic in the financial markets is the pending, if not impending Fed Reserve rate decision four months from now. It was the most consistently active topic until dethroned by the Greek elections and the revival of the euro question two weeks ago. We will look at the current state of the U.S. economy in light of its bearing on the Fed decision. What are the current levels in the equities, currencies and bonds yields telling us? What have Fed officials been saying and how has it changed over the past several months. What is the likely impact of the world economic situation on the Fed decision? There does not seem to be a stable market consensus evident in the trading levels as to when the Fed will move. Commentators have largely chosen June or soon thereafter. Markets as yet, appear undecided. Join us for a thorough review of Fed policy.Latest Live Videos
Editors’ Picks
EUR/USD climbs to daily highs near 1.1820
EUR/USD now picks up pace and advances to the area of daily peaks north of the 1.1800 barrier at the end of the week. The pair’s decent move higher comes against the backdrop of a generalised lack of direction in the FX galaxy and the mild offered stance in the US Dollar.
GBP/USD trims losses, retests 1.3460
After briefly challenging its key 200-day SMA near 1.3440, GBP/USD now manages to regain some balance and revisit the 1.3460 zone on Friday. Cable’s pullback comes as the selling pressure on the Greenback gathers traction, reigniting some recovery in the risk-linked space.
Gold flirts with four-week highs past $5,200
Gold extends its rebound, climbing for a third consecutive session and pushing back above the $5,200 mark per troy ounce on Friday. The move higher continues to draw support from lingering geopolitical tensions and the ongoing uncertainty surrounding US trade policy, both of which are keeping safe-haven demand firmly in play.
Bitcoin, Ethereum and Ripple consolidate with short-term cautious bullish bias
Bitcoin, Ethereum and Ripple are consolidating near key technical areas on Friday, showing mild signs of stabilization after recent volatility. BTC holds above $67,000 despite mild losses so far this week, while ETH hovers around $2,000 after a rejection near its upper consolidation boundary.
Changing the game: International implications of recent tariff developments
The Supreme Court ruling on International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) tariffs provides limited relief for the rest of the world, with weighted average tariff rates modestly lower.
February employment preview: Back to payroll reality
We expect the February employment report to show that January’s robust pace of job growth overstated underlying momentum in the labor market. We look for nonfarm payrolls to rise 45K in February, moderating from its current three-month average pace of 73K (Figure 1).