• Mar 17, 2025

U.S. stocks fall, gold hits record amid Middle East tensions

Wall Street turned lower and gold surged to record highs on Tuesday as Israeli airstrikes on Gaza revived geopolitical jitters and the U.S. Federal Reserve gathered to discuss monetary policy amid growing economic uncertainty. A vote by Germany's parliament to overhaul government spending sent European stocks higher, however, and German shares to near record highs. Even so, all three major U.S. stock indexes were lower in early trading, with weakness in tech-related megacap stocks dragging the tech-laden Nasdaq down the most.

  • Mar 17, 2025

Australian bank CEOs say Trump 'tariff madness' may drive up global inflation

SYDNEY (Reuters) -A trade war sparked by U.S. President Donald Trump's tariffs may drive up global inflation, stoke market volatility and slow economic growth, the CEOs of two top Australian banks said on Tuesday, but added Australia was insulated from the disruption. The heads of No. 1 retail lender Commonwealth Bank of Australia and No. 1 business lender National Australia Bank told a conference the new U.S. administration's protectionist policies would likely strain the global economy in the medium term with higher costs and lack of certainty. But Australia's roughly $15 billion a year in exports to the U.S. was small compared to its overall export trade, so the country was better placed than Canada, which sells 85% of its exports to the U.S., the financial leaders added.

  • Mar 17, 2025

Trump Taps Michelle Bowman to Be Fed’s Top Bank Cop

(Bloomberg) -- President Donald Trump picked Federal Reserve Governor Michelle Bowman to serve as the central bank’s vice chair for supervision, a move cheered by Wall Street banks and smaller lenders who expect she’ll be friendlier to the industry.Most Read from BloombergICE Eyes Massive California Tent Facility Amid Space ConstraintsHow Britain’s Most Bike-Friendly New Town Got BuiltThe Dark Prophet of Car-Clogged CitiesWashington, DC, Region Braces for ‘Devastating’ Cuts from CongressNYC Plan

  • Mar 17, 2025

China Dollar Bond Deals Surge as Market Gloom Begins to Lift

(Bloomberg) -- China’s $600 billion corporate dollar bond market is showing signs of resurgence, as optimism over artificial intelligence advances and recent government steps to ease the property crisis help boost confidence.Most Read from BloombergICE Eyes Massive California Tent Facility Amid Space ConstraintsHow Britain’s Most Bike-Friendly New Town Got BuiltThe Dark Prophet of Car-Clogged CitiesWashington, DC, Region Braces for ‘Devastating’ Cuts from CongressNYC Plans for Flood Protection W