Economy

Pakistan is on the brink of discussing a new program with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) as an IMF mission is set to visit the country in May. This visit comes as Pakistan is preparing for its annual budget-making process for the next financial year. The previous short-term $3 billion program helped Pakistan avoid a

The European Union recently launched an investigation into China’s procurement of medical devices as part of their ongoing efforts to protect European manufacturers. This investigation, along with several others, aims to prevent unfair competition and market distortion. It is crucial to analyze the details and implications of these investigations to understand the impact on both

The recent increase in stock markets in the Gulf region, particularly led by the Qatar index, can be attributed to the slowing U.S. jobs growth in April. The latest employment report from the Labor Department indicated that the U.S. economy added fewer jobs than expected, causing the unemployment rate to rise and wage growth to

China’s President Xi Jinping’s visit to Paris comes at a time when trade tensions between Europe and China are on the rise. French President Emmanuel Macron is expected to raise the issue of reducing trade imbalances with Xi during his two-day stay in France. However, the likelihood of achieving this goal is uncertain given the

New York Federal Reserve Bank President John Williams emphasized the importance of the U.S. central bank’s 2% target for inflation in achieving price stability and ensuring economic prosperity. He highlighted the significance of transparency and clear communication in setting an explicit, numerical longer-run inflation target. Williams stressed that these actions are crucial in anchoring inflation

The recent Reuters poll revealed an unexpected split among economists regarding the potential size of the interest rate reduction in Brazil on May 8. The central bank’s previous actions of six consecutive 50 basis points rate cuts had set a clear path of easing, but the lack of forward guidance and a more hawkish stance

Mexico’s peso is facing a complex landscape, balancing between a relatively stable economy and political doubts. Despite the minor 1% year-to-date depreciation, the currency is expected to experience a further slight drop in the medium-term. The delayed start of monetary policy easing in the United States and escalating global volatility due to tensions in the

The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) recently announced its plan to significantly increase audit rates for large corporations, partnerships, and multimillionaires over the next three years. The agency aims to ramp up enforcement spending and hiring to boost collections from high-income entities. The strategic operating plan involves targeting a near tripling of the audit rate on

The U.S. stock index futures took a hit as chip stocks faced downbeat results in premarket trading. Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) saw a decrease of 6.3% after its forecast for AI chip sales failed to meet investor expectations. Similarly, Super Micro Computer (SMCI) lost 9.1% as the artificial intelligence server maker reported third-quarter revenue below

Australia’s biggest banks are facing a challenging first half of the year, with expectations of weaker profits on the horizon. High operating costs and intense competition in the mortgage and deposit sector are squeezing margins, leading to a possible reversal of the stock rally that has been observed in the sector. Traditionally, the Big Four

The Options on Secured Overnight Financing Rate (SOFR) futures market is currently signaling a higher likelihood of the Federal Reserve implementing a quarter-percentage-point interest rate hike in the coming year. This projection is primarily driven by the sustained resilience in U.S. inflation and the labor market. Investors closely monitor SOFR futures, along with other leading

Currency markets were thrown into chaos as Japan’s currency surged against the dollar after hitting fresh 34-year lows. Traders cited heavy dollar-selling intervention by Japanese banks as the reason behind the dramatic move. This intervention, the first of its kind in 18 months, led to the yen strengthening by as much as 5 yen against