French business confidence
Balancing Strong Corporate Earnings Against Continuing Frustration Over Failure to Reopen the Strait of Hormuz
May 22, 2026
This week at least the lack of cheery news on the U.S./Iranian negotiating front was outweighed by proof of continuing heavy investment in AI and overall strong profitability in the tech industries. U.S. equities rose further today. Japan’s Nikkei leaped by 2.7% and was nearly matched by a rebound in Taiwanese equities. Stock markets rose […] More
Middle East Holding Spotlight: No Hopeful Signs & More Evidence of the War’s Economic Impact
April 23, 2026
Nothing encouraging has surfaced regarding a resumption of peace talks between the United States and Iran. Shipping traffic through the Strait of Hormuz remains stalled, and there have been more ship seizure incidents by both sides. Preliminary findings from April purchasing manager surveys and other data out today point to a big blow to business […] More
Back to Work and Digging Out
February 24, 2026
Holidays welcoming the lunar year of the horse are over. Japan’s market reopened too after Monday’s Emperor’s Birthday holiday, and folks in the northeast corridor of the United States are digging out from a brutal blizzard and stumbling back to work. Fortunately, this Tuesday has been short on data and fresh news. President Trump will […] More
Davos Aftermath
January 23, 2026
Today was the last day of the annual World Economic Forum in Switzerland. While there been considerable relief that President Trump lifted his threat of a new round of sharp tariff hikes against Europe, a sour taste was left by the possibility that NATO unity has crossed a line from which it may never fully […] More
A Downward Momentum of Their Own in Global Equities
November 21, 2025
Share prices in Asian Pacific markets ended this difficult week with Friday losses of 3.8% in South Korea, 3.6% in Taiwan, 2.5% in China, 2.4% in Hong Kong and Japan, 1.6% in Australia and 1.0% in Singapore. European markets are under water, led by a drop so far today of 1.3% in Spain. U.S. futures […] More
Interest Rate Decisions in Korea, Turkey and Ukraine Today Were As Expected
October 23, 2025
While a planned meeting between President Trump and Xi next week in South Korea is back on schedule, the get-together between Trump and Putin planned for Budapest remains canceled due to Russia’s intransigence against negotiating an end to the war with Russia. The United States and European Union have meanwhile extended economic sanctions against Russia, […] More
Powell’s Highly Awaited Speech Today Lifts Likelihood of Resumed Cycle of U.S. Interest Rate Reduction
August 22, 2025
Speaking at the Jackson Hole Monetary Symposium this morning Federal Reserve Chairman Powell acknowledged that the U.S. baseline outlook and balance of risks between higher inflation and lessening employment growth are shifting. Major points that were expressed include Broad agreement among policymakers exists that recent and ongoing tariff hikes will lift inflation in the short […] More
Price Data and U.S. Policy Opacity
June 20, 2025
U.S. policies in a variety of areas have become less clear. The Trump administration is keeping the numbers on immigrant round-ups and deportations close to the vest. Business owners have become more vocal about the havoc to business operations that ICE activity is producing. Whether or not the U.S. assists Israel in destroying Iran’s nuclear […] More
The Sounds of Chaos
May 22, 2025
In the wake of the tax-cutting and deficit-engorging bill approved by the U.S. House of Representatives last night, The 30-year Treasury bond yield rose as high as 5.154%, its most elevated level since mid-2007 just weeks before the start of the subprime financial market crisis that triggered the global great recession. Ten-year bond yields climbed […] More
Latest Confusion: China and United States Can’t Even Agree on Whether Trade Talks Between Them Have Begun
April 25, 2025
The dollar is higher this Friday, but U.S. equities opened on a slightly downward note despite better-than-expected Google quarterly earnings reported after Thursday’s session. Dollar gains were led by moves of +0.8% against the yen and +0.7% versus the won. The dollar also climbed 0.4% relative to the Swiss franc and Australian dollar, 0.3% versus […] More
