Abstract:The Federal Reserve on Wednesday intensified its drive to tame high inflation by raising its key interest rate by three-quarters of a point
The Federal Reserve on Wednesday intensified its drive to tame high inflation by raising its key interest rate by three-quarters of a point — its largest hike in nearly three decades — and signaling more large rate increases to come that would raise the risk of another recession.
The move the Fed announced after its latest policy meeting will increase its benchmark short-term rate, which affects many consumer and business loans, to a range of 1.5% to 1.75%.
The central bank is ramping up its drive to tighten credit and slow growth with inflation having reached a four-decade high of 8.6%, spreading to more areas of the economy and showing no sign of slowing. Americans are also starting to expect high inflation to last longer than they had before. This sentiment could embed an inflationary psychology in the economy that would make it harder to bring inflation back to the Feds 2% target.
In addition, U.S. bank JPMorgan Chase & Co said on Wednesday it had raised its prime lending rate by 75 basis points to 4.75%, effective Thursday. For more forex news, please download WikiFX - the Global Dealer Regulatory Inquiry APP.
Disclaimer:
The views in this article only represent the author's personal views, and do not constitute investment advice on this platform. This platform does not guarantee the accuracy, completeness and timeliness of the information in the article, and will not be liable for any loss caused by the use of or reliance on the information in the article.
According to the US Census Bureau, retail sales in the US rose by 0.6% on monthly basis in February. This reading followed a 1.1% decline registered in the initial month of the year, amounting to $696.7 billion, and fell below the anticipated 0.8% increase. In January, the unemployment rate unexpectedly rose to 3.9% from December's 3.8%, while wage growth slowed in the UK labor market, signaling weaknesses consistent with a broader economic slowdown. In Feb, Canada experienced an unexpected
The article suggests positive prospects for Malaysia's Ringgit (MYR) based on projections by BMI, indicating potential strengthening trends in the latter half of 2024 and early 2025. Factors such as anticipated policy relaxation, stability in yield differentials, and favourable external conditions contribute to this outlook. However, whether this constitutes "good news" for the MYR ultimately depends on various factors, including economic performance, policy decisions, and external developments, which may impact currency movements.
The focus of this week's economic calendar will be the release of U.S. employment data on Friday, as investors hope for signs that the economy is heading for a smooth landing. Following a strong performance for stocks in the first quarter, attention now turns to the beginning of the second quarter. Monitoring of intervention possibilities continues for the yen and the yuan, while market participants keep a close eye on data releases from the Eurozone and China. Here's a rundown of key developments to kickstart your week.
West Texas Intermediate (WTI) oil price pauses its two-day winning streak but is anticipated to conclude the week on a positive note, trading near $77.00 per barrel during the Asian session on Friday.