China, France to Deepen Ties Following Meeting of French President Macron and Chinese Leader Xi Jinping

Chinese and French foreign ministers have expressed readiness to strengthen cooperation and pursue a “close and enduring comprehensive strategic partnership,” according to China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs. This followed a “successful” meeting between French President Emmanuel Macron and Chinese President Xi Jinping. China and France to Strengthen Relations State Councilor and Foreign Minister Qin Gang … Read more

Harvard Economics Professor: US Default Could Spark Global Financial Crisis

Harvard economics professor Kenneth Rogoff, who previously served as the chief economist at the International Monetary Fund (IMF), has warned that the U.S. defaulting on its debt obligations could spark a global financial crisis. “It’s a very perilous situation and we are in unknown waters,” he warned. Harvard Professor of Economics Kenneth Rogoff on U.S. … Read more

Biden Appoints New Fed Vice Chair as Fedwatch Tool Shows Slim Chance of Rate Hike at June Meeting

Investors believe it is highly likely that the target rate will remain unchanged at the June 14 Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) meeting, following the U.S. Federal Reserve’s decision to increase the federal funds rate by 25 basis points on May 3. As the battle against inflation in the U.S. rages on, the Biden administration … Read more

10 Southeast Asian Nations Challenge Dollar Dominance With Push for Local Currencies

The leaders of 10 Southeast Asian nations, members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), have agreed to “encourage the use of local currencies for economic and financial transactions.” The group comprises Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam. This move will help them reduce their reliance on the U.S. … Read more

US Government Faces ‘Significant Risk’ of Default in June, Congressional Budget Office Warns

The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) has stressed that “there is a significant risk that the Treasury will run out of funds at some point in the first two weeks of June” if the debt ceiling is not raised or suspended. The CBO’s projection is in line with the estimate by the Treasury Department that a … Read more

G7 Nations Discuss Countering China’s ‘Economic Coercion’

The Group of Seven (G7) countries are discussing ways to counter China’s “economic coercion” against other nations, U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen has shared. Noting that Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the U.K., and the European Union share similar concerns, she emphasized that any action by the U.S. will be “narrowly scoped and targeted at … Read more

Inflation in China Down to Lowest Number in More Than Two Years; Analyst Proposes Giving Cash Handouts to Avoid Deflation

Inflation in China registered an increase of 0.1% year-over-year in April, according to numbers from the National Bureau of Statistics of the country, falling below expectations. Some analysts are already warning about the dangers of deflation, even calling on the Chinese government to deliver cash handouts in order to push consumer demand. Low Inflation Numbers … Read more

IMF Warns of ‘Very Serious Repercussions’ if US Defaults on Debt Obligations

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has warned of “very serious repercussions” to both the U.S. and the global economy if the U.S. defaults on its debt obligations, which could be as soon as June 1. “We are calling on all of the parties to come together, reach consensus, and resolve the matter as quickly as … Read more

US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen Urges Congress to Act Quickly on Debt Limit, States Defaulting Would Be ‘Unthinkable’

U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen has warned again about the consequences of the U.S. defaulting on its debt. During a press conference in Niigata, Japan, Yellen stated that this would be a self-inflicted crisis, and urged Congress to act quickly on the matter, stating that defaulting would be an unthinkable outcome on this issue. US … Read more

SEC Chair Warns US Default Would Have ‘Significant’ and ‘Lasting Effects’ on Investors, Markets

Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) Chairman Gary Gensler has warned that the U.S. Treasury defaulting on its debt obligations “would have very significant, hard to predict, and likely lasting effects on investors, issuers, and markets alike.” Gensler stressed: “We’ve already seen an effect in the pricing and liquidity of short-dated Treasury bills and continue to … Read more