(Reuters) – Regions Financial’s second-quarter profit met Wall Street estimates on Friday, as higher interest income offset the drag from bigger provisions. Lenders have earned more in interest income, thanks to a sharp rise in interest rates by the U.S. Federal Reserve. But that has also raised the risks of loan defaults, prompting banks to…
(Reuters) – Russia’s central bank raised its forecast for economic growth in 2023 even as it hiked rates by 100 basis points on Friday, now envisaging gross domestic product (GDP) growth of up to 2.5% this year. The bank raised its key interest rate by a steeper-than-expected 100 basis points to 8.5%, raising the cost…
(Reuters) – Morgan Stanley raised U.S. economic growth forecast for the year on a strong industrial sector and more public investment in infrastructure, and expects a “comfortable” soft-landing for the economy. Economists at Morgan Stanley now expect U.S. real gross domestic product (GDP) to grow 1.3% on average in 2023, from an earlier forecast of…
By David Milliken LONDON (Reuters) -British retail sales grew faster than expected in June despite continued high inflation, thanks to unusually hot weather and a rebound in food sales after King Charles’ coronation disrupted spending in May, official figures showed on Friday. While inflation at nearly 8% – the highest of any large economy –…
By David Shepardson WASHINGTON (Reuters) – United Auto Workers President Shawn Fain has made winning the support of Washington a key part of the union’s strategy to nail down new labor deals with the Detroit Three automakers. Part of that approach includes a decision by the UAW to hold off on endorsing U.S. President Joe…
TOKYO (Reuters) – Japan’s largest trade union confederation ‘Rengo’ urged companies on Friday to raise wages further to outpace inflation and help workers deal with rising living costs. The lobby group made the demand as its reviewed the results of its annual spring wage talks that concluded earlier this month, which saw major companies agree…
A look at the day ahead in U.S. and global markets from Mike Dolan As markets blew the froth off this year’s extraordinary rally in Big Tech stocks on Thursday, the dollar clocked its best day – and likely its best week – for more than two months. After the first real edgy day on…
By Georgina Lee and Faith Hung HONG KONG/TAIPEI (Reuters) -Investors are putting aside geopolitical tensions to pile in to Taiwan stocks, with foreign inflows the biggest in years, thanks to soaring artificial intelligence and chipmaking stocks. The wave of enthusiasm, which has also helped the tech-heavy Nasdaq to its best first half in 40 years,…
BEIJING (Reuters) -Chinese President Xi Jinping told Henry Kissinger that “old friends” like him will never be forgotten, striking an easy tone in their meeting in China’s capital on Thursday, amid efforts by Beijing and Washington to mend frayed ties. “Once again, China and the U.S. are at a crossroads of where to go from…
By Oksana Kobzeva and Vladimir Soldatkin MOSCOW (Reuters) – Increased supplies of liquefied natural gas (LNG) from Russia’s Novatek mean the company is close to overtaking Kremlin-controlled Gazprom as the country’s leading fuel supplier to Europe, Reuters calculations show. Novatek’s rise towards the coveted top spot underlines how much the Ukraine conflict has disrupted Russia’s…
