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Gold falls as the dollar strengthens, but Fed turmoil reduces losses
Gold prices fell on Wednesday due to an increase in the dollar. However, renewed concerns about the independence of the U.S. Central Bank after President Donald Trump threatened to fire Federal Reserve governor Lisa Cook, lent support for bullion. As of 0223 GMT spot gold was down 0.2% to $3,384.49 an ounce after reaching its highest level since Tuesday, August 11. U.S. Gold Futures for December Delivery were flat at $3.434.20. Gold is less appealing to other currency holders because the dollar index has risen by about 0.2%. "Short-term investors are making a little profit now." Gold is still supported, especially now that we are starting to see the Federal Reserve adopt a more dovish position," said Kelvin Wong, senior market analyst at OANDA. We could still see in the near future that there is potential upward pressure for the level to reach $3,400. Above it will be $3,435." Trump announced that he would remove Cook due to alleged irregularities in the mortgage loan process, a move which could test the limits of the presidential authority over the U.S. Fed. Cook responded that Trump does not have the authority to dismiss her from central bank and she won't resign. Trump has repeatedly criticized Fed Chair Jerome Powell's slowness in acting and urged the U.S. Central Bank to reduce rates. The focus now shifts to Personal Consumption Expenditures Prices Index, the Fed’s preferred inflation measure, which is due on Friday, for more clues on the interest rate path following dovish comments from Powell at the Jackson Hole Symposium last week. According to CME FedWatch Tool, the markets are pricing in an 87% probability of a rate cut of one quarter point at the Fed’s policy meeting on September 17. Gold that does not yield is usually a good investment in an environment with low interest rates. Other than that, silver spot fell 0.1% to 38.56 cents per ounce. Platinum rose 0.2% to 1,351.50, and palladium increased 0.6% to $1,000.02.
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Investors wary of Fed independence; Asia stocks outpace Nvidia
The Asian stock market was steady on Wednesday, ahead of a report on earnings from AI leader Nvidia. This will influence the risk sentiment in the near term. Meanwhile, investors were still nervous over attacks on Federal Reserve independence. The U.S. Treasury curve has steepened since President Donald Trump ordered the firing on Monday of Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook. This unprecedented move could lead to a tussle in court after Cook's lawyer said that she would file a suit to stop it. The Fed has stated that it will abide any court decision made on Lisa Cook, but in reality the Fed is caught between a rock and a hard place," said Prashant Nnewnaha senior Asia-Pacific rates analyst at TD Securities. If Cook continues to serve after Trump's dismissal and before the court's ruling, "if the court rules in favor of Trump" then Chair (Jerome) Powell could be fired because he allowed a non Fed employee to make Fed Board decisions. The yield curve steepened as shorter-dated yields dropped more than those longer-dated. Early Asian hours saw the yield of the two-year bond, which is usually in line with expectations for interest rates, reach its lowest level since May, at 3.654%. The 30-year bond yield was only 1.5 basis points higher, at 4.923%. Trump has repeatedly criticized Powell and policymakers who have not cut interest rates. Market watchers took Powell's comments from last week to mean that interest rates could be cut. Investors are betting on a reduction next month. Traders have priced in an 84% probability of a Fed move in September, and expect more than 100 basis points of easing in June. Newnaha said that the markets are anticipating a scenario in which Trump has a majority on the Board of Governors, setting the stage for the cuts to be made sooner and possibly faster. The dollar dropped sharply after Trump's comments, but it stayed near its lows. The euro was last trading at $1.1636 while the yen remained steady at 147.6 per dollar. Investors are more focused on the September rate movement and what it means. Ben Bennett, APAC Investment Strategist at Legal and General Investment Management, said that the hope was that a rate reduction would still be on the cards if the labour market did not deteriorate sharply. This could maintain a very positive investor sentiment. The Nvidia results tonight will be also important for the direction of markets in the near term." Options traders have priced in a swing of $260 billion in Nvidia’s market value following the company's earnings report, when its business in China is the focus after an unusual profit sharing deal with the Trump Administration. The fate of Nvidia’s China business depends on the outcome of tariff negotiations and trade restrictions between the two world's largest economies. This has made traders cautious about placing large bets. The MSCI index for Asia-Pacific stocks outside Japan was up only 0.2%. Japan's Nikkei remained unchanged and shares in Taiwan rose 0.6%. Blue-chip stocks in China gained 0.3% and hovered near the three-year-high reached earlier this week. The tech sector has been a major factor in the recent rise of China's stocks. Spot gold fell 0.23% in commodities after reaching a two-week peak the previous session. The oil price was little changed from the previous session as traders awaited the imposition of massive new U.S. import tariffs against India, the third largest crude consumer in the world, in response to India purchasing Russian oil.
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Jamaica uses drones from Canada to fly over disaster areas
Jamaica's state-run information service JIS announced on Tuesday that it will be using drones donated by Canada in order to improve its disaster response capabilities. The Caribbean is bracing itself for more powerful hurricanes due to climate change and warmer oceans. Why it's important Forecasters from the U.S. Government predict an "above normal" Atlantic hurricane season in 2025, with storms fuelled by warmer ocean temperatures. Their development could also be boosted due to softer westerly winds. Small island states are especially vulnerable to climate change effects, despite their low greenhouse gas emissions. The Caribbean is located in a zone where tropical waves can intensify into powerful storms when they develop off of the coast of West Africa. KEY QUOTE Okieno Sams, the project manager for Jamaica's Geographic Information System, (GIS), said in a press release that drones will play a crucial role in post-disaster assessments, instead of relying upon people who may be put in dangerous situations. He said: "We could automate the response to disasters; instead of having someone physically go, or risking themselves, we could use a drone to fly over." Samuels stated that his office is also training an artificial-intelligence model to assess damage in buildings. The statement didn't say how many drones Canada was donating. CONTEXT Erin is so far the only storm in the 2025 season to have reached hurricane status. In just over 27 hours it was the fastest storm to ever reach Category 5. However, the storm avoided land. Hurricane season usually peaks around September. The Atlantic hurricane season of last year was very active with five major storms and two Category 5 Storms. Beryl was the first storm of this kind to hit the Atlantic in the history of the season. Grenada, a Caribbean nation, said that it could take years for its small islands to recover fully from the storm's damage. By the Numbers The U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) predicts that the current hurricane season, which runs through November 30, will see six to ten storms, with three to five reaching major strength and 111 mph or more. In the last hurricane season, there were 11 Atlantic storms. Sarah Morland reports.
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US Treasury yields and dollar fall as Trump attacks the Fed; US stocks rise
The dollar and U.S. Treasury rates eased on the day after President Donald Trump fired a central bank Governor, raising concerns over the independence of the bank. Wall Street stocks closed higher on the day before the results from Nvidia due on Wednesday. Trump announced on Monday that he would be firing Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook due to allegations of improper mortgage borrowing. Cook claimed that Trump did not have the authority to fire Cook and that she would refuse to resign. Her term will end in 2038. Trump's unprecedented move could result in a long-running legal battle, which risks setting new norms regarding the independence of the central bank and presidents' involvement in monetary policies. Cook's departure from the Fed may accelerate Trump's attempts to reshape Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC), which sets interest rates policy. Trump has pushed the Fed to reduce rates in order to boost growth and lower borrowing costs. The expectation of a Fed that was more dovish helped lower shorter-dated rates, and the yield curve widened as long-dated yields showed a modest decline. Participants said that long-dated rates were more likely to be affected by political pressure on the Fed. A subsequent reduction in interest rates would increase concerns about inflation. Foreign demand may also be affected due to fears of the Fed's reliability. The traders are pricing in a 25 basis-point cut to the interest rate for the Fed policy meeting of September, despite the fact that inflation is still a concern. They have been encouraged by the dovish signals coming from Fed chair Jerome Powell and data showing a weak labor market. "On Friday we had a major trigger, which was the green light by the Fed to start cutting rates. Markets have been waiting for this for some time. Adam Sarhan is the chief executive officer of 50 Park Investments, a New York-based investment firm. In the wake of Cook's news, the dollar dropped against other major currencies. "President Trump has launched a potentially ineffective and risky battle against the Fed. Brian Jacobsen wrote that it would take seven FOMC members to vote in favor of Trump, and not two or four. Trump has repeatedly threatened to fire Powell, and this month, he fired an official at the Labor Department after accusing her without proof of manipulating job data which had disappointed him. Trump is backing away from his threat to fire Powell as his term expires in May. INFLATION RELEASE A global index of stocks was little altered, but U.S. stock prices ended up higher. Investors await Nvidia's report on the readings of personal consumption prices in the U.S. on Friday and Wednesday. This is considered to be the Fed's preferred measure of inflation. The market is focused on the inflation rate, the labor force, consumer spending, and corporate earnings. Oliver Pursche is senior vice president at Wealthspire Advisors, a firm in Westport, Connecticut. He said that despite the pun, this is what matters most. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose by 135.60 points or 0.30% to 45,418.07. The S&P 500 gained 26.62 points or 0.41% to 6,465.94. And the Nasdaq Composite increased by 94.98 or 0.44% to 21,544.27. MSCI's global stock index fell by 0.24 points or 0.03% to 952.72. Sarhan stated that Nvidia’s report "will be a major indicator to see how risk-averse investors are for AI (artificial Intelligence) stocks, but also the market." European shares fell, with losses led by France where political uncertainties have increased. France's CAC-40 fell by more than 1%, as it became increasingly likely that the country's minor government would be overthrown next month. The pan-European STOXX 600 ended 0.83% down. The dollar index (which measures the greenback in relation to a basket including the yen, the euro and other currencies) fell by 0.27%, falling to 98.21. Meanwhile, the euro rose by 0.03%, reaching $1.1646. The dollar fell 0.05% against the Japanese yen to 147.33. The yield on the 2-year US2YT=RR note moves typically in line with expectations of interest rates. The yield was down 4.9 basis point on the day to 3.681%. The yield on the benchmark U.S. 10 year notes US10YT=RR dropped 1.7 basis points, to 4.258%. Oil prices Gold rose 2% while the dollar fell. Brent crude fell $1.58 or 2.3% to $67.22 per barrel, just a day after reaching its highest price in early August. West Texas Intermediate crude (WTI), which is a blend of crude oil from Texas, lost $1.55 or 2.4% to $63.25. Gold spot rose 0.8%, to $3393.30 per ounce.
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Nigerian president urges quick return for Brazil's Petrobras
Bola Tinubu, the Nigerian president, said at a press briefing with his Brazilian counterpart that Petrobras should be able return to Nigeria quickly. Petrobras started operations in Nigeria in deep waters near the Niger Delta in 1998. It sold its stakes over 10 years ago in order to raise money for domestic projects. Nigeria has worked to solve some of the issues that have limited its oil and gas production since then. "We have a large gas reservoir." "I don't understand why Petrobras should not return to Nigeria as a partner as soon as possible," Tinubu said at a press conference held with Brazilian President Luiz inacio Lula da S Silva on Tuesday in Brasilia. Tinubu stated, "I am grateful for President Lula's assurance that this would be done as quickly as possible." In an interview with a Brazilian newspaper, Jumoke oduwole, Nigeria's Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, said that she hoped to have reached a deal with Petrobras by the end of this year. The two presidents have been talking. They will do whatever is necessary to encourage Petrobras to return. "We want this investment back in Nigeria," said she Petrobras has declined to comment about its possible return to Nigeria. Oduwole stated that Nigeria is focused on attracting specific profiles of international investments to its oil-and-gas sector. "We are looking for specific types of investors in countries such as Brazil, India, China, the Global South." Tinubu noted that the economic reforms are beginning to show results in Nigeria, citing an improved access to foreign currency. During their visit to Brazil, both leaders signed agreements in the areas of trade, aviation, science, and finance, as part efforts to improve ties between the largest economy in Africa and the biggest market in Latin America. The leaders also announced an agreement between Nigerian airline Air Peace and Brazilian aircraft manufacturer Embraer for the establishment of a service center in Nigeria. Embraer expressed interest in expanding its presence in Nigeria when asked about the talks. Nigeria will be Brazil's 49th most important export destination in 2024, with bilateral trade expected to reach nearly $2.1 billion. Brazil exported $1 billion in goods to Nigeria, mainly sugar and jams. It imported $1.1 billion of fertilisers. Petrobras' contribution is not clear. Nigeria's Foreign Minister said in May that the country and the company were discussing the exploration of the deep-water oil acreage. Petrobras also announced that it is in discussions with ExxonMobil and Shell to purchase a portion of their African assets. Reporting by Camillus EBOH in Abuja, Luciana MAGALHAES in Sao Paulo. Writing by Chijioke OHUIOCHA; Editing by Barbara Lewis and Alistair Bell.
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Iraq approves the principles of cooperation with Siemens Energy
According to a press release, the Iraqi cabinet approved Tuesday the basic principles of a framework for energy cooperation with Siemens Energy in Germany. The statement didn't provide any further details. In Iraq, Siemens has been working on several electricity projects. As part of an broader energy collaboration, the company awarded long-term contracts in 2023 for three power stations in Iraq. Siemens signed another deal in the same year to expand Iraq's electricity network. Iraq has suffered electricity shortages, which worsened during the summer heat, because it is heavily dependent on Iranian gas imports for its power generation. Sources from the Ministry of Electricity said that a power failure hit the central and south regions earlier this month after a sudden shut down at the Hamidiya plant caused a fault in electricity transmission. In the last two years, Iraq has signed agreements with oil companies that previously left the country. These include Chevron, France’s TotalEnergies, and UK oil giant BP. (Reporting and editing by Jaidaa T.A. Taha, Menna A. Alaa El Din; Jan Harvey).
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Kennedy: Trump agencies to work together on offshore wind review
Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Secretary of Health and Human Services in the United States, said that a group of federal agencies including the Departments of Defense, Energy and Commerce are working together to examine offshore wind farms along the Atlantic Coast approved by the Biden Administration. The disclosure, made during a cabinet meeting, shows a concerted effort by President Donald Trump's administration to undermine a sector that was central to the climate and energy agendas of former President Joe Biden. The administration issued a stop work order for a project that was nearly complete off the coasts of Rhode Island and Maryland. "We have now formed an inter-departmental team consisting of (Interior Sec.) Doug Burgum, (Commerce Sec.) Howard Lutnick, (Energy Sec.) Chris Wright, and (Defense Sec.) Pete Hegseth. Kennedy stated that "we're all working on this issue." Kennedy then brought up the recent high-profile failure of a blade at an offshore windfarm off the coast Massachusetts. The blades were thrown into the sea and washed onto nearby beaches. Kennedy said that offshore wind farms were expensive and dangerous to the fishing industry as well as whales. Trump had earlier criticized the wind energy industry. Trump stated that "We do not allow windmills." "We won't allow any windmills to be built unless someone has committed to this long ago." Reporting by Jarrett Renshaw in Washington, Trevor Hunnicutt and Nichola in San Marino, California. Editing by Nick Zieminski
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Dollar eases with Trump's Fed Battle, US Treasury Yields
The dollar and short-dated U.S. Treasury rates fell on Tuesday. President Donald Trump's decision to fire a Federal Reserve Governor raised concerns about the independence of the U.S. Central Bank. Wall Street stocks also edged up. Trump announced on Monday that he had fired Fed Governor Lisa Cook due to allegations of improper mortgage borrowing. Cook stated that Trump does not have the authority to fire Lisa Cook and she will not resign. Her term was set to expire in 2038. Trump's unprecedented move could result in a long-lasting legal battle, which risks setting new norms regarding the independence of the central bank and presidents' involvement in monetary policies. Cook's departure from the Fed may accelerate Trump's attempts to reshape Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC), which sets interest rates policy. Trump has pushed the Fed to reduce rates in order to stimulate growth and lower borrowing costs. The expectation of a more dovish Fed pushed yields on shorter-dated U.S. debt lower. A Fed that is politically motivated to keep rates lower than normal could cause inflation fears and decrease foreign demand on the basis of credibility concerns. These factors will affect longer-dated bonds. "President Trump has launched a potentially ineffective and risky battle against the Fed. Brian Jacobsen wrote that it would take seven FOMC members to vote in favor of Trump, and not two or four. Trump has repeatedly threatened to fire Fed Chair Jerome Powell. This month, he fired an official at the Labor Department after accusing her without evidence of manipulating job data which had disappointed him. Trump has now backed off from this threat, as Powell's term is about to expire in May next year. Inflation Report On Cook News, the dollar dropped against major currencies. A global stock index fell as European shares declined, with losses in France leading the way, as political unrest in France increased. France's CAC40 fell by 1.7%, as it became more likely that the country's minor government would be overthrown next month. Investors are awaiting Nvidia’s results, which will be released on Wednesday, and the key inflation report due later this week. The market is very focused on the inflation rate, consumer spending, and corporate earnings. Oliver Pursche is senior vice president at Wealthspire Advisors, a firm in Westport, Connecticut. He said that despite the pun, this trumps all. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose by 3.22 points at 45,285.69. The S&P 500 gained 5.71 points or 0.09% to 6,445.03 while the Nasdaq Composite gained 30.17 points or 0.14% to 21,479.47. The MSCI index of global stocks fell by 2.37 points or 0.25 percent to 950.59. The pan-European STOXX 600 Index ended 0.83% down. The dollar index (which measures the greenback in relation to a basket of currencies, including the yen, the euro and others) fell by 0.29%, while the euro rose by 0.27%, reaching $1.1649. The dollar fell 0.31% against the Japanese yen to 147.31. The 2-year note US2YT=RR The yield moves along with the expectations of interest rates. The yield was down by 4.3 basis points, to 3.687% from 3.73% at the end of Monday. The yield on the benchmark 10-year U.S. note fell by 1.7 basis points, to 4.258%. Investors eagerly await the U.S. consumer prices reading on Friday, which is considered to be the preferred inflation indicator by Fed. Morgan Stanley became the latest brokerage on Tuesday to predict a U.S. rate cut for September. This follows other global firms who had forecasted a policy-easing in September in Powell's speech from last week. Gold prices rose, but oil prices dropped more than 2%. U.S. crude dropped 2.31% to a price of $63.29 per barrel. Brent, however, fell to $67.23 a barrel - a 2.28% drop on the day. Gold spot rose by 0.57%, to $3385.53 per ounce.
Judge limits US wildfire suit against Berkshire PacifiCorp
A federal judge dismissed on Tuesday a negligence claim against Berkshire Hathaway’s PacifiCorp utility division in the U.S. Government's lawsuit, which sought more than $900,000,000 in damages stemming a wildfire that occurred in Oregon in 2020.
The U.S. District Court Judge Karin Immergut of Portland found that the government had not specified how PacifiCorp’s alleged negligence in maintaining its powerlines caused the Archie Creek Fire, in southwest Oregon. This rendered its "negligence" per se claim moot.
A defendant can be found guilty of negligence per se if they are presumed to have violated a duty of caution when breaking a law. The only question is whether or not the violation resulted in injury.
Immergut stated that Oregon's laws on wildfire prevention did not define PacifiCorp’s duty of care. The U.S. Government's broad allegations about PacifiCorp’s mistakes were "not enough."
The government brought in claims for trespassing by fire, nuisance under common law and violation of license. Immergut has said that it will try to refile the negligence per se complaint.
PacifiCorp had no immediate comment. The U.S. Department of Justice in Portland and the U.S. Attorney’s Office did not respond immediately to requests for comments.
The Archie Creek Fire started on September 8, 2020. It burned 131.542 acres including 67.074 acres federal land before it was contained eight weeks later.
PacifiCorp is also facing many private lawsuits including class actions that blame its equipment for Oregon wildfires.
The company has already lost several "mini trials" and more are expected. PacifiCorp reported $2.75 billion in wildfire losses through June 30 and warned that they could increase significantly.
Berkshire, located in Omaha, Nebraska bought PacifiCorp in 2006 for $5.1 billion.
Warren Buffett, Berkshire Chairman & CEO, said at Berkshire's annual meeting on May 3, "we made some errors" by not protecting PacifiCorp from wildfire liabilities.
Greg Abel, Vice Chairman and CEO designate at Berkshire Electric Company, said that when wildfire risk became too high "keeping the light on" no longer was a priority.
US v PacifiCorp et al., U.S. District Court District of Oregon No. 24-02102. Reporting by Jonathan Stempel, New York Editing Bill Berkrot
(source: Reuters)