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just now (424+ words) The price of Silver is currently skyrocketing. Yesterday, the price reached a new record high of $64.3 per ounce, Commerzbank's commodity analyst Carsten Fritsch notes. "Since the beginning of the week, the price has risen by almost 10%, and by 27% over the last three weeks. The increase since the beginning of the year now stands at 120%. This means that Silver is on track for its strongest annual gain since 1979. The Gold/Silver ratio fell below 67 yesterday, its lowest level since June 2021, putting it only slightly above the average for the past 50 years." "The rise is being driven by a combination of tense market conditions, reflected in low inventories in China and a decline in Silver inventories on the Comex, even though these are still higher than at the beginning of the year. In addition, ETF purchases have recently picked up again, as…...

5+ min ago (440+ words) The Japanese Yen (JPY) is slightly weaker versus the US Dollar (USD), underperforming most G10 currencies, as markets await next week's BoJ meeting where a 25bps rate hike is widely expected. Policymakers signal the potential for further tightening in 2026, keeping USD/JPY range-bound between 154 and 157, Scotiabank's Chief FX Strategists Shaun Osborne and Eric Theoret report. "The yen is entering Friday's NA session with a 0.2% decline vs. the USD and underperformance against all of the G10 currencies with the exception of the Skandies SEK and NOK." "Reports of a constructive, hawkish shift at the BoJ have failed to deliver strength'so far'with media suggesting that policymakers are expecting an extension of the tightening cycle beyond 0.75%. Next week's BoJ policy decision is widely expected to deliver a 25bpt hike, to 0.75%, and policymakers appear to be paving the way for further tightening in 2026." "We are neutral USD/JPY…...

14+ min ago (330+ words) Loonie touches its strongest since September 17 For the week, the currency gains 0.4% Wholesale trade grows by 0.1% in October Bond yields trade mixed across a steeper curve TORONTO, - The Canadian dollar held on to its weekly advance against its U.S. counterpart on Friday as investors bet that the Bank of Canada and the Federal Reserve would move in different directions next year in setting monetary policy. The loonie was trading nearly unchanged at 1.3765 per U.S. dollar, or 72.65 U.S. cents, after touching its strongest intraday level since September 17 at 1.3751. For the week, the currency was up 0.4%, its third straight weekly gain, as the Bank of Canada left its benchmark interest rate on hold at a three-year low of 2.25% and the Federal Reserve extended its easing campaign. "The market is looking at divergence in monetary policy," said Adam Button, chief currency analyst at investingLive. "Months of…...

16+ min ago (386+ words) Gold rose above $4,300 per ounce as the Fed delivered a widely expected 25bps rate cut, with Chairman Powell signaling that labor market weakness and tariffs may prompt further easing. Investors now watch for additional rate moves, especially under the Fed chair succeeding Powell in May, Commerzbank's commodity analyst Carsten Fritsch notes. "The Gold price rose back above the $4,300 per troy ounce mark today. The last time this happened was less than two months ago, when the Gold price reached its latest record high. The Fed meeting in the middle of the week provided tailwinds. The 25 basis point interest rate cut had been expected and therefore came as no surprise. The decision was not unanimous." EUR/USD now comes under some mild downside pressure amid modest gains in the US Dollar, revisiting the 1.1720 region, or daily lows, as investors continue to assess…...

17+ min ago (645+ words) Officials at the Federal Reserve shed further light on Friday on the divisions that led to this week's fractured decision to lower interest rates, with views splintering over the risk posed by inflation and how concerned to be about a softening labor market. Stephen I. Miran, who joined the Fed's Board of Governors in September after President Trump nominated him, voted instead for a larger, half-point cut, as he had done for the past two meetings. Austan D. Goolsbee, who as president of the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago cast one of the votes against a cut, cited on Friday his worries about inflation and his desire to have waited for more economic data before moving ahead with a reduction. "Given that inflation has been above our target for four and a half years, further progress on it has been stalled for…...

20+ min ago (417+ words) The Pound Sterling (GBP) trades slightly lower but retains most of its weekly gains as UK data show mixed industrial performance and a wider trade deficit. Attention now shifts to next week's jobs, CPI, and the Bank of England meeting, with markets closely watching guidance on future easing, Scotiabank's Chief FX Strategists Shaun Osborne and Eric Theoret report. "The pound is soft, trading with a marginal 0.1% decline from Thursday's close while holding on to most of its weekly (0.35%) gain vs. the USD." "Focus now turns to next week's events and releases, including jobs data on Tuesday, CPI on Wednesday, and the BoE on Thursday. A 25bpt cut is widely expected and fully priced, and we see risk in the statement tone and messaging around the outlook with markets pricing in a significant amount of easing and looking somewhat vulnerable to a…...

23+ min ago (372+ words) NEW YORK, Dec 12 (Reuters) - Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland President Beth Hammack said Friday that given her own take on the economy she would prefer monetary "policy to be tighter than it is currently. The Fed's rate cut this week along with past "easings this year has interest rate policy "right around a neutral" level, Hammack said at an event in Cincinnati. "I would prefer to be "on a slightly more restrictive stance" to help put more pressure on inflation levels that are too high, she said. Hammack's comments appear to suggest that had she had a vote at this week's interest rate setting Federal Open Market Committee meeting, she would have opposed the decision to cut the central bank's interest rate target range "by a quarter percentage point to "between 3.5% and 3.75%. The Fed cut rates to help support the…...

27+ min ago (58+ words) Small businesses are trying to hold the line on prices, trying to diffuse the increases throughout their business operations.National Federation of Independent Business Executive Director of Research Holly Wade said small businesses are worried about competing on price while maintaining a profit. "That's the balance that small business owners have to deal with every day," she said....

36+ min ago (1477+ words) Rich Dad Poor Dad author Robert Kiyosaki believes AI is going to shake up the jobs market like never before. "BIGGEST CHANGE in MODERN HISTORY," he declared in an X post earlier this year. "AI will cause many "smart students" to lose their jobs. AI will cause massive unemployment. Many still have student loan debt." Approaching retirement with no savings? Don"t panic, you're not alone. Here are 6 easy ways you can catch up (and fast) Kiyosaki isn"t alone in his take. Dario Amodei, CEO of Anthropic " the AI company behind the large language model Claude " recently warned that AI could wipe out half of all entry-level white-collar jobs and push the unemployment rate as high as 20% (1). Tech mogul Elon Musk also weighed in on the topic at the U.S.-Saudi Investment Forum in November (2). Musk suggested that work will…...

51+ min ago (423+ words) The Canadian Dollar (CAD) is extending its steady outperformance, backed by supportive rate differentials and a weakening US Dollar (USD) trend. While stretched short-term signals suggest a brief pause or rebound is possible, technicals still favor further downside toward the 1.351.36 region, Scotiabank's Chief FX Strategists Shaun Osborne and Eric Theoret report. "The CAD is maintaining a marginal gain on the session to trade at its strongest level since Sep against the USD. A third net weekly gain for the CAD is its best performance since Apr. Spreads remain supportive of the CAD's firmer undertone and we think the outlook for relative monetary policy will remain a positive driver for the CAD moving forward." "That alignment of bearish trend momentum oscillators should, however, mean that USD losses are limited in terms of scale and duration and will offer USD sellers an…...