UPDATE: Pres Biden Upgrades Sanctions Vs Russia; ‘It’s a War Without a Cause’
By Frank Csongos and Denny Gulino WASHINGTON (MaceNews) – President Joe Biden announced Thursday new economic sanctions on Russia to punish its military invasion of Ukraine. Biden denounced Russian President Vladimir Putin of waging “naked aggression” and pledged Russia will bear the consequences. “It’s a war without a cause,” he said. Biden said the U.S. […]
Italy Lobbying EU To Keep Energy Out Of Sanctions Package Against Russia – Italy Government Sources
–Rome hopes any sanctions would unfold in stages, sees energy sanctions as ‘last resort’ given Italy’s dependence on Russian gas By Silvia Marchetti ROME (MaceNews) – Italy is lobbying at the European level to exempt Russian energy exports from the European Union’s potential sanctions as Italy would end up paying the highest price, according to […]
Analysis: Canada’s Economy Survives Anti-Covid Mandate Blockade, Reputation at Stake
By Max Sato (MaceNews) – The Canadian economy appears to have emerged little hurt overall from a temporary blockade of its key US trade route caused by a truckers-led protest against anti-Covid mandates, but the government failure to prevent occupations of crucial border crossings and the national capital has tarnished the country’s reputation as an […]
NY Fed’s Williams Nixes 50 BP March Hike in Federal Funds Rate
– ‘No Compelling Argument’ For Big Move In the Beginning of Firming Process – Affirms Market Expectations of ‘More Normal’ Funds Rate of 2-2.5% by end 2023 – MBS Sales Should Only Be Considered ‘Down The Road’ – ‘Confident’ Fed ‘Can Manage the Soft Landing’ By Steven K. Beckner (MaceNews) – New York Federal Reserve […]
Japan January Core CPI Rise Shrinks as Hotel, Insurance Upward Base Effects Wane
— Both Core and Total CPI Measures Mark 5th Straight Y/Y Gains on Energy — Utilities Push Up Overall Energy Costs; Durable Goods Prices Slide By Max Sato (MaceNews) – Consumer prices in Japan posted the fifth straight year-on-year rise in January but the pace of increase decelerated sharply as the 2021 base effects of […]
Japan Government Downgrades View: Some Weakness Seen in Pickup Hit by Covid
— Pickup in Consumption Pausing on Resumed Covid Restrictions — Business Investment Moving Upward as Seen in Q4 GDP Rebound By Max Sato (MaceNews) – Japan’s government Thursday downgraded its economic overview for the first time in five months, noting the recent spike in coronavirus cases sparked by the Omicron variant is hurting consumer spending, […]
Japan January Exports Post 11th Straight Rise on Reopening Demand but Pace Slows
–Import Gain Remains High on Energy, Leading to 6th Straight Trade Deficit –Exports to China Slip Leading to Lunar New Year Holidays –Auto Shipments Slide After Recent Pickup on Easing Supply Bottlenecks By Max Sato (MaceNews) – Japanese exports rose from a year earlier for the 11th straight month in January but at a slower […]
Japan December, Q4 Machine Orders Continue Rising; Slight Setback Seen in Q1
–Japan Government Upgrades View for 2nd Month: Machine Orders Picking Up By Max Sato (MaceNews) – Japanese machinery orders, the key leading indicator of business investment in equipment, unexpectedly posted a third straight monthly gain in December, boding well for capital investment, which marked a modest rebound in October-December to support Q4 GDP growth, data […]
USTR Tai: China’s Trade Practices At Odds with WTO Pledges
By Eric Ham WASHINGTON (MaceNews) – US Trade Representative Katherine Tai Wednesday admonished China for pursuing an aggressive state-led industrial policy at odds with market-oriented trade norms. “China has not moved to embrace the market-oriented principles on which the WTO and its rules are based, despite the representations that it made when it joined 20 […]
Pres Biden: Haven’t Verified Any Russia Withdrawal; GOP Prepares Sanctions Bill
By Eric Ham WASHINGTON (MaceNews) – President Biden Tuesday said he has not verified Russia claims it is withdrawing some forces from nearby Ukraine as Republicans prepare their own sanctions legislation. In a brief statement delivered as U.S. stocks were posting gains on the possibility of a Russian drawdown, the president tempered the optimism with […]