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US stocks reach record highs as weak employment data fuels rate-cut bets
U.S. stock prices briefly reached record highs before trading lower on Friday. Data showing that U.S. employment growth slowed in August led investors double down on their bets the Federal Reserve would cut interest rates this month by up to 50 basis points. The speculation that the Fed would lower rates more aggressively sent Treasury yields tumbling and the U.S. Dollar plummeting, but gold reached a record high of $3,600 an ounce. Equity markets are viewed as a positive by many investors when interest rates drop. This could result in lower borrowing costs for business. Gold, which doesn't pay interest, tends to shine as well when rates are low, and there is a lot of uncertainty. Art Hogan, strategist at B Riley Wealth Management, Boston, stated that "this number today puts back on the table a rate cut of 50 basis points at the next policy meeting." "More importantly, I believe 75-basis point before the end the year is pretty much a lock." The U.S. government reported that nonfarm payrolls rose by just 22,000 jobs in August, after a 79,000-job increase upwardly revised in July. This was below the forecast of 75,000. S&P 500 Index reached a record of 6,532.65 in early trading before pulling back and being down 0.32%. The Dow Jones Industrial Average hit a new record in the early minutes of trading before slipping 0.5%. Meanwhile, the Nasdaq Composite Index remained unchanged. The yield on the benchmark 10-year Treasury note fell 8.3 basis points, or 6.4 basis point, in line with the expectation of lower rates. The dollar index fell 0.5% to 97.747, as lower Treasury yields affected the U.S. Dollar. The euro rose by 0.6% to $1.17625, thanks to a softer dollar. In Europe, STOXX 600 fell 0.2% in Europe, while the FTSE 100 remained unchanged. France's CAC 40 dropped 0.3%. The MSCI World Equity Index finished just 0.13% up due to a muted equity performance. Olu Sonola is the head of U.S. Economic Research at Fitch Ratings, New York. He said that the warning bell that was ringing in the U.S. Labor Market a month earlier just got louder. A weaker than expected jobs report is almost certain to lead to a 25 basis-point rate reduction later this month. Fed Chair Jerome Powell has already reinforced speculation about rate cuts with an unexpectedly dovish address at the Fed symposium held in Jackson Hole last month. The market sentiment has improved in recent days, after the global stock markets fell this week, and European long-dated bond rates reached their highest levels in years. Investors were concerned about various countries' finances. France's 30 year yield was 4.3873% on Friday, down from its peak of 4.523% a day earlier, and the UK 30-year yield was 5.553%. This is after borrowing costs reached their highest levels since 1998 in the previous week. The benchmark German 10-year yield was 2.7051%. Data released on Friday revealed that German industrial orders fell unexpectedly in July. The U.S. has signed an agreement to lower auto tariffs for Japan after months of negotiation. The dollar fell 0.7% against the Japanese yen. The oil prices fell for a third day in a row, before a weekend meeting between OPEC producers and their allies. Brent crude futures closed 2.2% lower, at $65.50 per barrel. U.S. crude dropped 2.5% to $61.87. The European Union energy commissioner said that the bloc would be happy to hear about President Donald Trump's plans to stop buying Russian crude. Gold spot was up 1.2% to $3,589.01 an ounce after hitting a record of $3,597.66. The metal is on course for its biggest weekly gain in almost four months.
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China delays its final decision in the canola dispute between Canada and China
China extended its investigation into Canadian canola exports on Friday, buying six months more for negotiations to ease a long-running trade dispute that was sparked by Ottawa’s tariffs against Chinese electric vehicles. A statement from the Ministry of Commerce stated that the anti-dumping investigation would now last until March 9, 2026. The Ministry cited the complexity of the situation as the reason for this. Beijing, the largest canola importer in the world, imposed preliminary tariffs of 75.8% for Canadian canola seeds imports. The final decision could lead to a different rate or reverse the decision. Heath MacDonald, Canada's Minister of Agriculture, said in an interview that his government hopes the Chinese move will give both sides more time to resolve their trade tensions. MacDonald stated that "if there is a chance to have a further dialogue and further communication with the Chinese government officials, we are doing this, it would be a big plus." On Friday, the Canadian government announced a new round of support for Canada's Canola Industry. This included subsidies for biofuel production at home, an improved biofuels regulation to encourage investment and subsidized canola loans. The main Canadian canola organizations said that they "hoped" the extension of preliminary duties would provide time to find a long-term solution. Canada, which is the largest canola exporter in the world, exported almost C$5 Billion ($3.63 Billion) worth of canola to China in 2024. About 80% of that amount was seed. If the steep duties on canola seeds remain in place, they will likely end these imports. China, who relies heavily on Canada to supply its canola seeds, imposed tariffs in March on canola meal and oil. Canada has also imposed tariffs against Chinese steel and aluminium. Ottawa is increasingly worried about losing a major customer, particularly as China seems to be shifting its focus towards Australian products. Kody Blois, Parliamentary Secretary to Prime Minister Mark Carney and Scott Moe, Premier of Saskatchewan are headed to China between September 6-9 for meetings with Chinese officials to discuss trade issues. Saskatchewan, a prairie province in Canada, produces the bulk of the canola that is exported. Reports in July indicated that Canberra and Beijing are close to an agreement that would allow Australian suppliers the opportunity to ship five test canola cargoes into China. In the following month, COFCO, a Chinese state-run firm, imported Australia's first canola crop since 2020. After the China news, the Winnipeg ICE Canola Futures Market initially rose. However, a trader explained that some participants may have misinterpreted the headline to mean China suspended its duties rather than extended the preliminary duties into March. ICE November Canola settled lower by 0.55%. The canola industry in Canada has been waiting for a quick resolution of the duties and tariffs on canola. Reporting by Ethan Wang, Ryan Woo, and Ed White in Winnipeg. Editing by Kevin Liffey and Sharon Singleton. Alexandra Hudson, Marguerita Choy and Marguerita Hudson.
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IMF warns of excessive debt after cutting Angola's economic growth forecast
IMF reduced Angola’s economic growth projection for 2025 from 2.4% to 2.1% on the back lower oil exports. The IMF warned on Friday that the risks had increased from last year in regard to the Southern African country’s ability to pay its bills. Angola must also embrace greater flexibility in its foreign exchange rate, according to the IMF. The IMF made the statement after reviewing the findings of an assessment mission conducted by staff in Luanda, Angola, in May. At that time the Fund had already reduced Angola's initial growth forecast for this year to 3%. The IMF stated that "Angola was hit by the volatility of oil prices, sovereign spreads and weakness in oil production during the first half 2025, which amplified the impact of these shocks." Angola, a small and open African economy that exports oil, has also faced difficulties this year when U.S. tariffs on trade roiled the financial markets. IMF warned Angola that the risks of this view had increased since last year. The IMF warned Angola against two unsustainable financing options, including too much internal debt and expensive short-term external loans. The IMF warned that "excessive reliance" on domestic finance "risks further increasing the banks' exposure to sovereign debt", while "short-term solutions can lead to an accumulation of onerous debt service and undermine investor confidence." Angola was forced to pay JPMorgan $200 million extra in April, after the bond it uses as collateral to secure a loan with the Wall Street lender fell along with the value of other frontier assets. The bond's price rose and the money was refunded. Technically, the May visit by IMF officials to Luanda was a Post Financing Assessment. This is reserved for countries with outstanding credits above their quotas who do not have a program supported by IMF or monitored by staff. The IMF stated that Angola is facing challenges due to a possible drop in crude oil prices and tighter external financing conditions. The government is also rushing to reduce the amount of oil-backed loan to China in order to ease pressure on its finances. Reporting by Miguel Gomes and Rodrigo Campos, Luanda; additional reporting by Duncan Miriri and editing by Karohecker Strohecker & Paul Simao
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US stocks reach record highs as weak employment data fuels rate-cut bets
U.S. stock prices briefly reached record highs before trading lower on Friday. Data showing that U.S. employment growth slowed in August led investors double down on their bets the Federal Reserve would cut interest rates this month by up to 50 basis points. Treasury yields fell on speculation that the Fed would lower rates more aggressively, and the U.S. Dollar dropped, but gold reached a record high, bringing it closer to $3600 per ounce. Equity markets are seen as a positive when interest rates drop, because it could result in lower borrowing costs for business. Gold, which doesn't pay interest, tends to shine as well when rates are low, and there is a lot of uncertainty. Art Hogan, strategist at B Riley Wealth Management, Boston, stated that "this number today puts back on the table a rate cut of 50 basis points at the next policy meeting." "More importantly, I believe 75-basis point before the end the year is pretty much a lock." The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that nonfarm payrolls grew by just 22,000 jobs in August, after increasing by a revised upwards 79,000 positions in July. This was below the forecasted gain of 75,000. S&P 500 Index reached a record of 6,532.65 in the early trading before reversing to be down by 0.55%. The Dow Jones Industrial Average hit a new record in the early minutes of trading before slipping 0.6%. Meanwhile, the Nasdaq composite index lost 0.3%. The yield on the benchmark 10-year Treasury note fell 10 basis points, to 4.076%, in line with the expectation of lower rates. By 1710 GMT the MSCI World Equity Index had remained flat for the day, while Europe's STOXX 600 Index was down 0.2%. The FTSE 100 remained unchanged, while France's CAC 40 fell 0.3%. The dollar index fell 0.6% to 97.674 while the euro rose 0.6% to $1.17625. The warning bell that was ringing in the labor markets a month ago has just gotten louder, said Olu sonola, director of U.S. Economic Research at Fitch Ratings. "An employment report that is weaker than expected all but confirms a rate cut of 25 basis points later this month." Fed Chair Jerome Powell reinforced speculation about rate cuts with an unexpectedly dovish address at the Fed symposium held in Jackson Hole last month. The market sentiment has improved in recent days, after stocks in Europe fell and investors were concerned about the financial state of different countries, especially Britain and France. The yields on 30-year bonds in France and the UK were lower on Friday. France's yield was 4.3873% compared to a high of 4.523% reached on Wednesday. The benchmark German 10-year yield is 2.7051%. German industrial orders fell unexpectedly in July, according to data released on Friday. The U.S. has signed an agreement to lower auto tariffs for Japan after months of negotiation. The dollar fell 0.9% against yen and the pair was trading at 147.05. The oil prices are in their third consecutive day of declines. Brent crude futures dropped 2.3% to $65.44 per barrel while U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude fell 2.6% to $60.83. The European Union energy commissioner said that the bloc would welcome U.S. president Donald Trump's plans to stop buying Russian crude oil. Gold spot was up 1.3% to $3,592.13 an ounce after hitting a record of $3,597.66. The metal is on course for its biggest weekly gain in almost four months.
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UN report finds that M23 Congolese forces could have committed war crimes against the Congolese people.
According to the U.N. Human Rights Office, M23, a rebel group backed by Rwanda, Congolese forces, and other armed organizations have committed grave rights violations, including some that may be considered war crimes in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo. A new report from the U.N. Human Rights Office Fact-Finding Mission stated that M23, Congolese forces, and other groups were responsible for gross violations to international humanitarian law ever since fighting broke out in North and South Kivu late last year. In a press release, U.N. Human Rights High Commissioner Volker Turk called for accountability for the victims. There was no immediate comment from the governments of Rwanda and Congo or Wazalendo, the pro-government militia fighters. Bertrand Bisimwa, the leader of M23, said the U.N. allegations were untrue and a sham attempt to sway public opinion. M23 has denied allegations that it committed atrocities in the past. M23 captured Goma in eastern Congo, the largest city. They then made gains throughout North Kivu, and South Kivu. This year's fighting has caused thousands of deaths and hundreds of thousands of displacements, and increased the threat of a full-blown conflict in an area rich in tin and gold. The United Nations has been accusing parties to the Congo conflict for gross atrocities. This is the first report that finds these abuses could have been crimes against humanity or war crimes. The report revealed that the ethnic Tutsi led M23 committed summary executions, torture and enforced disappearedances. These may constitute crimes against humanity as well as war crime, including the taking of captives and wilful murder. SYSTEMATIC Sexual Violence The report also stated that the group used systematic sexual violence against women, including gang-rapes, in an effort to "degrade and punish victims, as well as break their dignity." The report stated that M23 received operational and training support from the Rwandan Defense Forces. There were also credible allegations about the presence of RDF personnel in M23. Rwanda has denied supporting M23, and its forces are acting in self-defence to defend themselves against the Congolese army and ethnic Hutu armed militiamen who were linked to Rwanda's 1994 genocide. The report found that DRC forces and groups affiliated with them, like the Wazalendo armed group, committed grave violations including gang rapes, killings of civilians and looting. The report examined whether the repeated rapes committed by certain Congolese armed groups in January and Febraury amounted crimes against humanity. However, it was unable to determine if this behavior was part of a state policy. The report said that some Wazalendo leaders and members may have committed a war crime by conscripting and enlisting underage children and using them to fight. The chief spokesperson of the Office of the United Nations' High Commissioner for Human Rights (UNHCR), Ravina Shamdasani told reporters at a press conference in Geneva that the report would make it clear how important it is to ensure accountability and justice. The OHCHR called for adequate funding so that a Commission of Inquiry, which was halted due to lack of funds, could proceed. After Qatar's mediation, Congo and rebels signed on 19 July a Declaration of Principles in which they pledged to begin negotiations for a peace agreement in August. The two sides did not meet the deadline. Reporting by Olivia Le Poidevin, Additional reporting by Congo Newsroom; Editing and production by Rob Corey-Boulet, Sharon Singleton.
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Kurier reports that Austrian oil giant OMV is planning to reduce its staff by a twelfth in the evening across the globe.
The Kurier reported that the Austrian oil and gas group OMV will cut 2,000 jobs from its worldwide workforce of 23,000. In a Friday statement, the company stated that "competitiveness" of the group may require adjustments. It did not exclude what they called personnel measures. OMV said that details of its plans will be announced once internal consultations are completed. In a report that was published Thursday evening, the newspaper cited staff unions to say that the Romanian subsidiary Petrom of the company would be particularly affected. Cuts were also planned for its refinery in Germany's south and Slovakia's. Borealis Chemicals, which is due to merge with Abu Dhabi National Oil Company's (ADNOC) chemicals business, OMV's major shareholder, would not be affected. The company will eliminate 400 of its 5,400 jobs in Austria. The GPA union, which called the plans "a severe blow" to Austria's economy, warned that industrial actions could be taken if OMV failed to make a fair offer to departing employees. The possible loss of highly-qualified staff is a significant loss for Austrian Industry," the report added.
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S.African electricity regulator supports ArcelorMittal in its bid for discounted rates
ArcelorMittal South Africa has met the requirements for discounted electricity rates, according to the rules set by the energy regulator of the country. The steelmaker, which is in a loss, made the request. However, the regulator said that it does not have the power to impose an electricity tariff, and ArcelorMittal will have to negotiate favorable terms with Eskom, a state-owned utility. ArcelorMittal has decided to close its South African long-steel operations that are losing money due to high electricity costs and weak demand. The steelmaker asked the National Energy Regulator of South Africa to review a Eskom decision to reject its request for discounted tariffs. Eskom claimed that ArcelorMittal didn't meet the criteria of negotiated price agreements (NPAs), typically offered to industrial power users who consume a lot of energy. "NERSA considers eligibility criteria and other factors ArcelorMittal South Africa was found to have substantially met the requirements of the NPA framework. In a press release, the regulator stated that it had "certain criteria". ArcelorMittal announced this week that it would close its long-stack steel plants in Newcastle and Vereeniging on September 30 as planned, after failing to obtain government concessions regarding utility charges and import duty among other requests. According to the company, closing the plant could lead to the loss of over 3,500 direct positions. ArcelorMittal announced that the Industrial Development Corporation of South Africa, a state-owned company with an 8% stake in ArcelorMittal South Africa was performing due diligence on ArcelorMittal.
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Canada offers tariff relief to automakers who meet EV sales targets
Canada announced on Friday that it would waive the requirement that 20% all vehicles sold in 2019 be emission-free. This is part of a package of aids designed to assist companies with damages caused by U.S. Tariffs. The 20% You can target The Liberal government led by Justin Trudeau, then Prime Minister of Canada, mandated the rule in 2023. Mark Carney, Trudeau’s successor, said that removing the rule would allow the auto industry to deal with U.S. Punitive measures. Ottawa will launch a 60-day immediate review to reduce the costs associated with this requirement, he stated in a press release. Carney, who was elected in April on the basis of the need to diversify from the United States and away from other countries, announced Ottawa would create a new C$5 Billion ($3.6 Billion) fund, with flexible terms, to assist firms across all sectors affected by tariffs. "We cannot control the actions of other countries." He said, "We can only control what we do for ourselves. Ottawa is introducing a policy that will ensure the federal government purchases from Canadian suppliers. It also introduces a new incentive for biofuel production, which includes over C$370 millions to help farmers address their immediate competitiveness issues. China on Friday You can also read more about A probe was conducted into the importation of canola, one of world's largest suppliers. The statement did not mention any aid to the steel or aluminum industries, which were particularly hard-hit by President Donald Trump's actions.
Food retailers urge grain traders to support Brazil's soy ban initiative
Food retailers in Europe have called on grain traders around the world to support Brazil's soy ban initiative. The pact is designed to protect Amazon rainforests from deforestation caused by soy, and farmers are trying to stop the program.
In a letter seen by food grocers such as Tesco, Sainsbury's and Aldi, they ask CEOs from ADM, Bunge and Cargill to publicly confirm their commitment to ban soybean purchases made by Amazonian farmers after the 2008 deadline.
The letter stated: "We write to you at an important moment for the future Amazon Soy Moratorium. An initiative that your companies have championed for nearly 20 years ...",, protecting the Amazon.
The letter warns that consumers and big companies will continue to pressure traders if they do not stop sourcing soy from deforested Amazonian land.
Brazil is the world's biggest soy exporter and producer. It sells most to China for feedstock.
The traders didn't immediately respond to our request for comment.
The moratorium is credited with reducing deforestation caused by soy in the Amazon. Farmers have been disgruntled for years. CADE was forced to investigate the issue after powerful lobbying by farmers in Congress.
The letter is signed by the National Pig Association of Britain and private food producers in the UK. It praises grain traders for their efforts to appeal CADE’s decision.
The letter stated that "even though a temporary order was issued regarding the immediate implementation (of the CADE) order, it is necessary to take action at this time in order to remove any uncertainty on the market in regards to the protection of this important ecosystem."
Signatories to the letter expect grain traders "to be ready to immediately deploy an interim measure on a company-by-company basis until a long-term solution has been secured" in order to protect Amazon. (Reporting and Editing by Franklin Paul, Aurora Ellis and Ana Mano)
(source: Reuters)