Latest Finance-Economy News
US January Jobs Report Awaited with Modest Payroll Gains Expected
Traders anticipate a modest pickup in US nonfarm payrolls for January, though benchmark revisions complicate trend analysis, alongside unemployment rate and average hourly earnings releases. Federal Reserve speakers Bowman and Schmid will provide monetary policy insights. This data could influence Fed rate cut expectations.
China January CPI Falls to 0.2% YoY on Lunar New Year Food Price Drag
Chinese consumer price inflation rose only 0.2% year-over-year in January, below expectations, driven by a 0.7% drop in food prices due to Lunar Year timing. Producer prices continued deflation for the 40th month at -1.4% YoY, the smallest decline since mid-2024. Underlying trends suggest subdued inflation ahead.
US Retail Sales Stall in December, Missing Expectations
US headline retail sales were unchanged in December, below the expected 0.4% gain after November's 0.6% rise, with broad-based weakness across sectors. Ex-auto sales also flat, raising concerns if consumer spending is softening amid adverse January weather. This nudged Treasury yields lower.
Oil Prices Firm Above $69/Barrel on Middle East Tensions
Brent crude trades above USD 69 as Middle East risk premium builds, with US considering seizing Iranian oil tankers and Trump threatening another carrier over Iran nuclear talks. OPEC monthly Oil Market Report due today adds focus. EIA crude inventories report also upcoming.
French President Macron Calls for EU Common Debt and Euro Bonds
Emmanuel Macron urged a common EU debt capacity and Euro bonds to fund green tech, defense, and security, warning Europe risks being overtaken by US and China. He noted the EU is under-debted compared to rivals in the tech investment race. EU leaders to discuss single market strengthening Thursday.
Russia's Energy Revenues Plunge 65% YoY to $4.3 Billion in January
Moscow's oil and gas revenues fell to 4.3 billion in January, down 33% from December and 65% from January 2025, due to US tariffs on buyers like India and EU crackdown on shadow fleet tankers. This forces Putin to raise taxes and borrow to sustain war finances. Sanctions on Russia's top oil firms deter buyers.
Asian Stocks Hit Records, Hong Kong Rises on Tech and Travel Boost
Asian equities reached historic highs after weak US retail sales, with Hong Kong up on tech, travel improvements, and Lunar New Year optimism plus Trump-Beijing visit talk. JF SmartInvest jumped 9.4% on profit outlook. Gold supported by soft US data ahead of jobs.
European Bond Yields Fall, US Treasuries Dip Post-Retail Data
Major European 10yr yields declined, Gilt to 4.505% and Bund to 2.807%, while US Treasury yields dipped after weak retail sales. Markets eye US jobs and CPI Friday with elevated event risk and mild upside volatility skew. Yen firmed broadly despite Japan market closure.
Egypt CPI Slows to 11.9% YoY, Central Bank Eyes Rate Cut
Egypt's CPI inflation eased to 11.9% year-over-year in January from 12.3%, slowest since September, despite food acceleration. Central Bank to decide Thursday, with analysts forecasting 150bps cut amid widening real rates at 8.1%. Stronger currency aids outlook.
CoreWeave AI Stock Faces Debt Pressure but Triple-Digit Revenue Growth
CoreWeave's AI cloud platform drives triple-digit revenue growth amid backlog, but $14B debt and softening AI demand fears weigh on shares. Issued low-rate convertible notes in Q4 2025 to fund expansion. Analysts predict potential tripling by end-2026.
Markets Brace for Fed and ECB Speakers Amid Volatility Spike
Event risk elevated with US jobs today, CPI Friday, and Fed/ECB speakers; digital assets consolidate macro-sensitively. Equities mixed: US on weak retail, Europe paused post-records. Bloomberg notes expectations for more Fed cuts on weaker labor data.
EU Advances US Trade Deal as Dollar Falls Pre-Jobs Data
EU pushes US trade deal amid Asian stock records and dollar weakness ahead of payrolls. Guests discuss payroll markdown through March 2026 impacting Fed path, with Treasuries trading in 4% range. ECB's Lagarde notes euro strength baked into forecasts.