Specialized search for economics

7+ min ago (763+ words) By Alun John and Naomi Rovnick LONDON, Dec 11 (Reuters) - Central banks in big economies are signaling a change of stance, with many now on hold after a long easing cycle, and policymakers flagging that their next moves, in time, could be rate hikes. The U.S. Federal Reserve is something of an outlier. It "cut rates this week, and markets still see more easing next year, but the Fed expects one further rate cut, so it too could be nearing the "end. Here's where central banks in 10 developed markets stand. The Swiss National Bank left its policy interest rate unchanged at 0% on Thursday, the lowest among developed-market central banks, and said the recent agreement to reduce U.S. tariffs "on Swiss goods had improved the economic outlook. Even though Swiss inflation is at zero as the strong safe-haven franc cheapens import costs, the bar…...

10+ min ago (306+ words) The cost of travelling on the London Underground is set to rise by 5.8% next year, the mayor of London has confirmed. The increase 1% above the rate of inflation and will come into force in March. The freeze in national rail fares announced last month will not apply to Transport for London services. Sir Sadiq Khan says he proposes to freeze the price of Travelcards until March 2027 which means the weekly and daily caps will not change, and fares on London buses and trams will not rise. The mayor said a rise equivalent to one percentage point above the RPI rate of inflation was a condition of the "2.2bn capital funding deal that TfL agreed with central government in the spending review in June. He said the freeze on bus and tram fares until July 2026 was "an emergency cost-of-living measure" funded by…...

20+ min ago (667+ words) December 11, 2025 " 11:38 am EST The'S&P 500 Index ($SPX) (SPY) today is down by -0.34%,'the Dow Jones Industrials Index ($DOWI)'(DIA) is up by +0.59%, and the'Nasdaq 100 Index ($IUXX) (QQQ) is down by -0.89%.' December E-mini S&P futures (ESZ25) are down -0.34%, and December E-mini Nasdaq futures (NQZ25) are down -0.92%. Stocks have underlying support from a jump in weekly jobless claims to a 3-month high, which knocked bond yields lower.' The 10-year T-note yield is down -4 bp to 4.11%.' US weekly initial unemployment claims rose by +44,000 to a 3-month high of 236,000, showing a weaker labor market than expectations of 220,000. The US Sep trade deficit unexpectedly shrank to -$52.8 billion versus expectations of a widening to -$63.1 billion and the smallest deficit in 5.25 years. The markets are discounting a 22% chance that the FOMC will cut the fed funds target range by 25 bp at the January 27-28 FOMC meeting. Q3 corporate earnings season…...

22+ min ago (820+ words) The UK stock market today, Thursday 11 December 2025, ended the session in quietly bullish mood. The'FTSE 100closed around'9,711, up roughly'0.6% on the day, keeping London's blue'chip index within touching distance of its record peak just below 10,000 set in mid'November.' [1] Under the surface, investors were juggling three big forces: Here's a detailed breakdown of what moved the UK stock market today, which sectors led or lagged, and what analysts are saying about the outlook into 2026. End'of'day data from Investing.com shows the FTSE 100 finishing at'9,711.47, up from'9,655.53'on Wednesday " a gain of'0.58%. The index traded between'9,630.90'and'9,715.16'during the session, with turnover of about'344 million shares.' [2] Key points on the day's index moves: Intraday commentary from Sharecast and London South East had the FTSE 100 up around'0.2% at 9,671.61 by midday, as investors digested the Fed decision and disappointing earnings from Oracle, with Drax and…...

23+ min ago (1133+ words) New York, December 11, 2025" Wall Street is split the day after the Federal Reserve's latest interest-rate cut. TheDow Jones Industrial Average is pushing higher, while theS&P 500 and tech'heavy Nasdaq are under pressureas investors punish AI-linked stocks, led by a steep drop in Oracle. By late morning in New York, Reuters and AP data showed theDow up roughly 0.60.9%, but theS&P 500 down around 0.20.5% and the Nasdaq off close to 1%, as heavy selling in mega'cap tech offset strength in banks, industrials and small caps. [1] This choppy session comes less than 24 hours after the S&P 500 closed at6,886.68, just shy of its late'October record near 6,930, and the Dow ended at48,057.75following a 497'point surge on the Fed decision. [2] On Wednesday (December 10), the Fed delivered a widely expected25'basis'point cut, its third of 2025, citing a softer labor market and inflation that remains "somewhat elevated." The central bank's new…...

23+ min ago (740+ words) European equities shook off an early wobble on Thursday, with most major EU indices closing solidly in the green as investors rotated into economically sensitive sectors and financials " even as technology stocks struggled under renewed AI'bubble fears. The EU stock market today (11 December 2025) was shaped by three big forces: last night's U.S. Federal Reserve rate cut, a cautious but supportive Swiss National Bank (SNB) decision, and a wave of stock'specific news from Schneider Electric to Naturgy and Delivery Hero." [1] By the closing bell on 11 December 2025: Intraday, the tone evolved from cautious to constructive. Reuters noted early in the session that the"STOXX 600 was only about 0.2% higher, as tech weakness offset the initial enthusiasm from the Fed's "less'hawkish'than'feared" comments." [8]"Later in the day, data from Investing.com showed buyers firmly in control, lifting the index more decisively into positive territory by the…...

24+ min ago (173+ words) Founded in 2004, Seeking Alpha is an industry-leading financial research platform powered by one of the world's largest investing communities. We bridge the gap between financial information and actionable insight by providing unrivaled coverage on all asset classes and access to best-in-class tools. From in-depth analysis on thousands of stocks to timely investment ideas and market-beating Quant ratings*, Seeking Alpha is an essential resource for millions of investors globally. - The BlackRock Credit Allocation Income Trust offers a 9.31% yield, but underperforms peer multi-sector bond funds in both yield and five-year total return. - BTZ relies on leverage and active trading, with 76.64% investment-grade holdings, but covers distributions partly through unrealized gains, raising sustainability questions if market conditions turn. - Despite recent Fed rate cuts, persistent inflation limits upside for BTZ; bond price appreciation likely requires further Fed intervention or lower inflation. - BTZ trades at a…...

24+ min ago (652+ words) For the third meeting in a row, the Federal Reserve cut interest rates'a "hawkish" move in an effort to help a softening labor market. The 0.25% cut brought the interest rate range to 3.5% to 3.75%'but economists and housing experts warn that's not going to have the result for mortgage rates potential homebuyers were hoping for. Chen Zhao, the head of economics research at Redfin, wrote in a Wednesday post that the Fed's December interest-rate cut won't move mortgage rates "because markets have already priced it in." The Federal Reserve controls the federal funds rate, which is a rate that banks charge each other and is more closely tied to credit cards, personal loans, and home-equity lines. A standard 30-year mortgage, on the other hand, is a long-term loan, and the pricing of those loans are tied more closely to yields on…...

25+ min ago (862+ words) Canada's stock market continued its record'setting run on Thursday, with the S&P/TSX Composite Index trading just above the 31,500 mark as investors weighed surging metal prices, a fresh trade surplus, and this week's back'to'back interest'rate decisions from the Bank of Canada and the U.S. Federal Reserve." [1] By late morning in Toronto, the S&P/TSX was up about"0.3%"around"31,546, a new intraday high, after briefly opening in the red." [2]"Gains in gold and base'metal miners offset a sharp pullback in technology shares and another weak session for energy stocks, leaving the"Canada stock market today"looking more like a sector'rotation story than a broad rally. On Wednesday, the S&P/TSX Composite closed at a"record high of 31,490.85, up"0.8%"on the day, after interest'rate announcements from both the Bank of Canada (BoC) and the Federal Reserve came in largely as…...

26+ min ago (311+ words) The fast food chain noted "further signs of improvement" throughout the current year Burger King UK has announced ambitious plans to open 30 new restaurants annually from 2026, despite navigating a "challenging" economic landscape marked by "softer" consumer sentiment and escalating labour costs. The fast-food chain, which currently boasts 574 outlets across the country, reported stronger revenues even amidst these difficulties. It noted "further signs of improvement" throughout the current year, partly attributing this to a slowdown in inflation. However, the company acknowledged that broader pressures on consumer finances and increased costs, influenced by last year's budget, continue to affect the UK hospitality sector. Nevertheless, Burger King remains committed to its ongoing expansion programme, with a focus on developing new company-owned sites. Alasdair Murdoch, chief executive of Burger King UK, said: "While inflation in food and utility costs has returned to more normal…...