Most Fed officials lean to 1/2-point rate hikes at 'next couple of meetings'
Most senior officials at the Federal Reserve "judged" that 1/2-point increases in a key U.S. interest...
Most senior officials at the Federal Reserve "judged" that 1/2-point increases in a key U.S. interest rate would "likely be appropriate at the next couple of meetings," according to the minutes of the central bank's last strategy session in early May. The bank raised the short-term fed funds rate by 50 basis points after the May 3-4 meeting. "A number of participants" also suggested price pressures "may no longer be worsening," but they acknowledged it was too early to be confident. The war in Ukraine and lockdowns in China could exacerbate inflation in the short run, they noted. The rate of inflation as measured by the CPI rose by 8.3% in the 12 months ended in April, well above the Fed's 2% target.
The Securities and Exchange Commission will vote Wednesday on whether to propose new rules requiring...
The Securities and Exchange Commission will vote Wednesday on whether to propose new rules requiring investment funds that market themselves as “ESG” to provide standardized data backing up claims that the funds’ investments are environmentally friendly and leaders in social and governance issues.
The popularity of ESG RSPE, +0.31% investments has exploded in recent years, as ESG assets under management are on pace to reach $41 trillion by the end of this year, according to a Bloomberg Intelligence estimate.
“It is important that investors have consistent and comparable disclosures about asset managers’ ESG strategies, so that they can understand what data underlies funds’ claims and choose the right investments for them,” SEC Chairman Gary Gensler said in a statement Wednesday.
The energy sector is off to a higher start, supported by strength in the underlying commodities despite...
The energy sector is off to a higher start, supported by strength in the underlying commodities despite a lower morning for equities. U.S. stock futures are slightly down ahead of minutes from the Federal Reserve’s May meeting which will give investors a better understanding of future rate hikes given the economic circumstances the United States is currently facing.
The Treasury Department will not allow Russia to pay its debtholders through American banks beginning today, revoking a special license that it had granted Russia since sanctions were first placed. Because Russia can’t use American banks to pay its IOUs, it’s almost guaranteed to default on its debts for the first time since the Bolshevik Revolution.
WTI and Brent crude oil futures are up in early trading on concerns over...
WTI and Brent crude oil futures are up in early trading on concerns over tight supply and the prospect of rising demand from the upcoming U.S. driving season which is expected to start this Memorial Day weekend. Traders digested API news that showed inventories of refined oil product was down by 4.2 million barrels last week. Analysts are anticipating U.S. crude oil and gasoline inventories to have fallen as well. Oil futures are also being supported as buyers avoid oil from Russia and as the European Union comes closer to agreeing on sanctions that would phase out Russian energy imports. On the demand side, U.S. Memorial Day weekend is expected to be the busiest in two years as Americans are eager to shake off coronavirus restrictions, despite high fuel prices.
Natural gas futures edged up this morning as gas volumes flowing LNG to export plants jumped to the most in seven weeks which offset forecasts for milder weather in key consuming regions. In international news, LNG buyers in Asia and Europe are seeking to lock in supplies via long-term contracts as a buffer against volatile global prices in hopes that it will reverse the last decade's trend of increasing spot purchases.
