Economy

Pakistan is eagerly anticipating the visit of an International Monetary Fund (IMF) mission this month to discuss the possibility of a new programme. This comes as Islamabad gears up to kickstart its annual budget-making process for the upcoming financial year. The previous $3 billion short-term programme, which Pakistan successfully completed last month, played a vital

The European Union (EU) has recently launched an investigation into China’s procurement of medical devices, as part of its ongoing efforts to protect home-grown manufacturers. This investigation is just one of several probes that the EU has initiated to determine whether Chinese companies are engaging in unfair practices, such as dumping subsidised goods on the

The stock markets in the Gulf region experienced a positive trend on Sunday, with the Qatar index leading the way. This upward movement was a result of the slowing U.S. jobs growth in April, which raised hopes of early interest rate cuts by the U.S. Federal Reserve. The Labor Department’s employment report revealed that the

When Chinese President Xi Jinping arrives in Paris for a rare visit, French President Emmanuel Macron will undoubtedly push him to address trade imbalances between the two countries. However, given the current state of growing tensions between Europe and China, this task will prove to be quite challenging. France’s support for an EU probe into

The U.S. central bank’s 2% target for inflation plays a crucial role in achieving price stability and is essential for ensuring economic prosperity, as emphasized by New York Federal Reserve Bank President John Williams. He stressed the importance of transparency and clear communication, stating that setting an explicit, numerical longer-run inflation target is critical for

Economists are currently divided on the potential size of Brazil’s upcoming interest rate reduction, with conflicting opinions arising due to shifting perspectives on U.S monetary policy and ongoing concerns regarding local inflation. The Banco Central do Brasil (BCB) recently transitioned to a more hawkish stance, deviating from its previous clear forward guidance and creating a

Mexico’s peso is currently facing a challenging landscape, with a mixture of positive and negative factors influencing its performance in the foreign exchange market. Despite a relatively firm economy, the currency has experienced a minor 1% drop year-to-date. This depreciation is expected to continue in the medium-term, with a forecasted additional 2.6% decline in the

The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has announced its intentions to significantly increase audit rates for big corporations, partnerships, and multimillionaires over the next three years. This decision comes as the agency ramps up its enforcement spending and hiring to boost collections. Targeted Audits The IRS plans to triple the audit rate on corporations with assets

The decline in U.S. stock index futures on Wednesday was largely attributed to downbeat results in chip stocks. Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) saw a 6.3% drop in premarket trading due to disappointing forecast for AI chip sales, while Super Micro Computer (SMCI) reported third-quarter revenue below estimates, leading to a 9.1% decline in its stock.

Australia’s biggest banks are facing a challenging first half of the year, with weaker profit forecasts on the horizon. High operating costs and intense competition in the mortgage and deposit markets are putting pressure on margins, leading to a possible reversal of the recent stock rally that analysts have described as overheated. Traditionally, the Big

The Options on Secured Overnight Financing Rate (SOFR) futures are indicating a higher likelihood of the Federal Reserve raising interest rates by a quarter percentage point both this year and next. This sentiment is primarily driven by the resilience of U.S. inflation and the labor market. Investors in the bond market tend to rely on

Japan’s currency, the yen, experienced a dramatic surge against the dollar recently, leaving many traders speculating about the reasons behind this sudden move. This intervention by Japanese banks is the first of its kind in 18 months and has caused ripples in the foreign exchange market. As we delve deeper into the implications of this