August 6, 2026
Pick your cliche. Waiting for Godot. It ain’t over til the fat lady sings, or the Trumpian favorite that we’ll have to see what happens. Iran and Oman, which occupies the other side of the narrow Strait of Hormuz, are reportedly crafting an interim commitment to partially but not fully open the shipping passageway. Military […] Read Article
July 31, 2026
Central Banks: Monetary policy reviews are scheduled in India, Brazil, Mexico, Moldova, Romania, Armenia and the Czech Republic. Holidays & Events: Canada observes an August Civic Holiday on August 3, and OPEC+ ministers meet tomorrow. Purchasing Manager Surveys: Load of July surveys will be reported during the period. Scheduled U.S. Economic Data Releases: Quarterly productivity […] Read Article
August 6, 2026
The National Bank of Moldova’s base rate was increased to 7.5%, a 39-month high. This move followed increases of 150 basis points in May and 50 basis points in June undertaken to counteract intensifying effects from fighting in the Middle East. “The NBM’s decision to continue its restrictive monetary policy measures was adopted in the […] Read Article
July 31, 2026
The net July changes in the table below for the most part understates the extreme financial market turbulence caused by the re-escalating Middle East war, resulting sharp rise in the price of oil, rollout of a new U.S. tariff plan, extreme fires ravaging Europe and other parts of the world, and new regime at the […] Read Article
August 5, 2026
Four 25-basis point rate cuts at the Central Bank of Brazil have lowered such to 14.0%, which still remains far above the latest 12-month 4.6% rate of consumer price inflation. Today’s reduction was decided unanimously, and more cautious downward moves are to be expected in coming months. A three percentage point inflation corridor is targeted, […] More
August 5, 2026
On the heels of yesterday’s record U.S. equity market closes, financial markets are feeling optimistic. Axios reports that a 60-day deal that would open the Strait of Hormuz involving the U.S., Oman and Iran is very close. Sources in Qatar claim that a draft has been written, and both President Trump and his Treasury Secretary, […] More
August 4, 2026
Monday’s U.S. stock market rally had been triggered by another last-minute pull-back in President Trump’s threat to annihilate Iran militarily. Yet again, his willingness to give diplomatic talks one more chance was quickly met with a different narrative with Iran that direct talks between the two countries have not resumed. They are only speaking to […] More
August 3, 2026
(128) President Trump repeated the prior weekend’s geopolitical gambit. Like then, he had threatened before the weekend that massive military strikes against Iran were imminent, only to rescind that order and announce that a diplomatic approach will be tried instead. In both instances, the price of West Texas Intermediate crude oil has traded 6.8% lower […] More
July 31, 2026
What started as a war between the U.S. and Israel on the one hand and Iran on the other has broadened into a regional conflict that threatens to engulf Europe with a triple shipping choke-hold at the Strait of Hormuz, Bab el-Mandeb Strait, and Suez Canal. The price of West Texas Intermediate crude oil climbed […] More
July 30, 2026
In the wake of the Fed’s policy decision, equity markets have swung widely, and the dollar has declined, with additional overnight losses of 0.9% against the South Korean won, 0.8% relative to the kiwi, 0.4% relative to the Japanese yen, Australian dollar and Mexican peso, 0.2% versus the Swiss franc and Indian rupee, and 0.1% […] More
July 29, 2026
The FOMC decided to keep the federal funds rate target range unchanged at 3.50-3.75% where such has been since a reduction of 25 basis points announced last December 10th. This was the fifth of eight scheduled policy reviews in 2026, and each of them has ended with the same result. Whereas the previous meeting in […] More
July 29, 2026
It’s almost certainly only a matter of time before the federal funds targeted interest rate is increased to counter above-target inflation and the growing risk of a rise in medium-term expected inflation. Seven and a half months have passed since the cut announced on December 10 put the target at 3.50-3.75%. Compared to then, monthly […] More
July 29, 2026
It is thought that the Fed will most likely hold off until the next FOMC meeting in September before raising its 3.5-3.75% interest rate target, but the chance of it happening today at 18:00 GMT is not insignificant. Chairman Warsh’s press conference starts at 18:30. The U.S. claims to have repelled several Iranian missiles aimed […] More
July 28, 2026
Tuesday’s headlines include a 6.8 earthquake in Japan’s southernmost island around 6:30 GMT (16:30 local time), continuing selling pressure on chipmakers and other AI-related stocks, differing narratives concerning resumed diplomatic efforts to end the Iran war, and the start of the two-day FOMC meeting. Nasdaq futures are 0.8% lower in contrast to a 0.7% pre-open […] More
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