Federal Open Market Committee Left Interest Rate Target Unchanged after 9-2 Vote July 30, 2025 This week’s FOMC meeting revised the characterization of recent economic activity from “a solid pace” to having “moderated during the first half of the year.” Characterizations of the labor market (a low jobless rate and solid conditions otherwise) and of…
GDP Reports and Interest Rate Decisions July 30, 2025 The dollar strengthened from Tuesday closing levels ahead of the Federal Reserve’s interest rate announcement due within the hour and amid preliminary second-quarter GDP releases that showed faster growth in the United States but slower expansion in Europe. Dollar gains have amounted so far to 0.8%…
Second Quarter GDP Data Starts to Trickle In July 29, 2025 The Federal Open Market Committee begins a 2-day interest rate policy review today that is widely expected to leave the 4.25-4.5% federal funds target range unchanged in spite of relentless calls by President Trump for substantial rate reduction. Of particular interest will be whether…
Dollar Opens an Important Week on a Rising Note July 28, 2025 (181) The dollar strengthened overnight by 0.6% on a weighted basis and against the Mexican peso and Australian currency, as well as 0.8% relative to the euro and Swiss franc, 0.5% versus the Japanese yen, 0.7% vis-a-vis the New Zealand dollar, and 0.2%…
Next Week’s Menu: July 26-August 1, 2025 July 25, 2025 Central Banks: Monetary policy reviews are scheduled at the Federal Reserve and in Japan, Great Britain, Brazil, Kyrgyzstan and Georgia. Fed Chairman Powell, Bank of England Governor Bailey, and BOJ Governor Ueda hold press conferences. The Bank of England’s quarterly Monetary Policy Report gets published….
A Second Russian Central Bank Rate Cut July 25, 2025 Whereas Ukraine’s central bank rate was left unchanged yesterday at 15.5%, the Central Bank of Russia today cut its key rate by 200 basis points to 18.0% as had been expected. Monetary officials there explained, “current inflationary pressures, including underlying ones, are declining faster than…
Dollar and 10-Year Sovereign Debt Yields a Bit Higher, But Bitcoin and Gold Prices Slip July 25, 2025 The weighted DXY dollar index climbed 0.4% overnight, lifted by a 0.5% advance against the yen and sterling but a smaller dollar gain of 0.2% relative to the euro and Swiss franc. The dollar rose 0.4% against…
Big Rate Cut at the Central Bank of Turkey July 24, 2025 Today’s three percentage point cut in the Central Bank of Turkey‘s interest rate to 43.0% exceeded analyst expectations somewhat and almost reversed the entire 350-basis point hike done in April. Turkish CPI inflation of 35% last month was at a 43-month low and…
Central Banks and Preliminary July Purchasing Manager Surveys Share the Spotlight Today July 24, 2025 U.S. President Trump and his entourage will tour the controversial Federal Reserve Board renovation site in Washington today in a confrontation sure to deliver a further blow to America’s claim to keeping monetary policy free from political interference. Announced central…
Azerbaijani Interest Rate Cut July 23, 2025 At the Central Bank of Azerbaijan, officials lowered their refinancing rate by 25 basis points today to 7.0%. This cut was the first one made since May 2024 and brings the cumulative decline from a 9.0% peak in 2023 to two full percentage points. In resuming the rate…