Inflation, tariffs
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Trump announces trade deal with Indonesia, 19% tariff
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A number of factors, including a lack of significant gains in auto prices, are masking the extent of the shift.
Federal Reserve governor Adriana Kugler said the Fed should hold interest rates steady for a while to come, because new trade barriers are likely to spark more inflation in the months ahead. Speaking at a housing conference in Washington,
Lifted a ban on sales of powerful computer chips to China, potentially helping the US’s top rival close the gap in the AI race. Told GOP lawmakers he would soon fire Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell — only to reverse himself when markets tumbled.
President Donald Trump may ultimately get his wish for lower interest rates, but it isn’t likely to be the result of his intensifying criticism of Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell.
While Tuesday's focus was on the tariff-related inflation hit to Treasuries, it's been a rough week for government bonds everywhere - especially in Japan as long-term yields there hit new highs this week ahead of the July 20 upper house election and related fiscal policy worries.
Consumer prices rose faster than in May, a potential sign that companies are starting to pass tariff costs on to consumers.
Markets aren’t acting like this is a reality, however. Benchmark 2-year U.S. Treasury note yields rose just two basis points following the inflation release, to 3.946%, and 10-year paper is holding at 4.475%. Stocks are also trading at the highest levels on record.
The Indian rupee fell on Wednesday as the latest U.S. inflation report showed that tariffs were beginning to feed into prices, weakening bets on rate cuts by the Federal Reserve, which lifted U.S. Treasury yields and the dollar.