Commonwealth bank for shares

A man watches stock quotations on an electronic board outside a brokerage, in Tokyo, Japan, March 20, 2023. REUTERS/Androniki Christodoulou SINGAPORE   – Asian shares spiked on Thursday and the dollar slid after the U.S. Federal Reserve hinted it could pause interest rate rises following turmoil in the banking sector, though it also reiterated its commitment to fighting sticky inflation. In a widely expected move, the Fed raised interest rates by 25 basis points, but it recast its outlook to a more cautious stance as a result of the banking stress. MSCI’s broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan rose 1 percent to touch a two-week high of 515.62. The index was on track for its best week in more than two months. Focus now shifts to the Bank of England, with investors expecting a quarter-percentage-point increase in its policy rate after a surprise jump in inflation squashed hopes of the central bank pausing its tightening campaign. Asia’s rally looked unlikely to … [Read more...] about Asian shares surge, dollar slips after Fed hints at rate pause

Key Takeaways U.S. equities indexes fell on March 22, 2023, as the Fed hiked interest rates even though markets remained concerned about issues in the banking sector. The Dow, Nasdaq, and S&P 500 all posted losses of approximately 1.6% during Wednesday's session. Bank stocks saw significant declines, with First Republic (FRC) turning in the worst performance among S&P 500 stocks on uneasiness about its risk of failure. U.S. equities sank after the Federal Reserve raised interest rates another 25 basis points (bps) in its effort to bring down inflation. The decision came despite expectations by some that policymakers might pause hikes because of concerns about the banking sector in the aftermath of the collapse of Silicon Valley Bank and Signature Bank. Fed Chair Jerome Powell noted that the banking stress will likely cause tighter credit conditions that will impact the economy. The Dow, S&P 500, and Nasdaq all dropped about 1.6%. Bank stocks tumbled, … [Read more...] about Markets Dip as Fed Raises Rates Despite Banking Concerns

Share to Twitter Share to Linkedin Bitcoin BTC and cryptocurrencies have rocketed higher over the last week as the Silicon Valley Bank-led banking crisis sparks worrying hyperinflation fears . Subscribe now to Forbes' CryptoAsset & Blockchain Advisor and successfully navigate the bitcoin and crypto market rollercoaster The bitcoin price has added almost 50% since early March, helping the ethereum price and other cryptocurrencies rally, due to rising expectations the Federal Reserve will pivot from its hawkish stance in the face of slowing inflation and bank collapses . Now, Tesla billionaire Elon Musk has waded into the debate, sending a warning to U.S. president Joe Biden after the Federal Reserve raised interest rates again. It's at the beginning of a bull run you need up-to-date information the most! Sign up now for the free CryptoCodex — A daily newsletter for traders, investors and the crypto-curious that … [Read more...] about ‘Banks Are Melting’—Elon Musk Sends Warning To Joe Biden And The Fed Amid Wild Bitcoin, Ethereum And Crypto Price Swings

Key Takeaways U.S. stocks posted gains on March 16, with an industry bailout for First Republic Bank (FRC) and positivity around tech stocks sending markets higher. The tech-heavy Nasdaq added nearly 2.5% in Thursday's session, while the S&P 500 and the Dow advanced around 1.8% and 1.2%, respectively. Semiconductor stocks contributed to the gains in the tech sector, with Intel (INTC) leading the Dow higher following an analyst upgrade. U.S. equities jumped on an industry bailout of struggling First Republic Bank ( FRC ) and on enthusiasm for semiconductor and other tech stocks. The Dow and S&P 500 rose more than 1%, and the Nasdaq popped 2.5%. First Republic was the best-performing stock in the S&P 500, bouncing back from big losses earlier in the day after several major banks pledged $30 billion to prop up the ailing financial institution. Shares of Comerica ( CMA ), Regions Financial ( RF ), and other regional banks increased. However, American … [Read more...] about Markets Gain on First Republic Bank Aid, Tech Enthusiasm

Share to Twitter Share to Linkedin Topline Goldman Sachs revealed that the company is using generative AI tools to aid its software developers in writing and testing code, just weeks after reports of major U.S. banks—including Goldman—restricting staffers’ use of ChatGPT. Key Facts The bank’s use of generative AI was only a “proof of concept,” Marco Argenti, Goldman’s chief information officer told CNBC Tuesday. The AI tool has been used by the company’s software developers to write “as much as 40%” of code in some cases, the report said. The tool does not intend to fully replace human coders, but rather make them “more productive,” Argenti said. Argenti did not disclose which generative AI tool is being used by the investment bank Key Background Last month, the Telegraph and Bloomberg reported that JPMorgan Chase had restricted the use of ChatGPT by its staff. The reports suggested that the ban wasn’t a result of any … [Read more...] about Goldman Is Reportedly Using AI To Write Code As Banks Crack Down On ChatGPT Use

Chairman Thomas Jordan of the Swiss National Bank (SNB) attends a news conference in Zurich, Switzerland, March 23, 2023. REUTERS/Denis Balibouse ZURICH  -The Swiss National Bank raised its benchmark interest rate by 50 basis points on Thursday and declared that measures to support Credit Suisse had “put a halt to the crisis”. The central bank said that additional rate rises could not be ruled out and that it was willing to be active in the foreign exchange market if necessary. “The measures announced at the weekend … have put a halt to the crisis,” it said in a statement. “The SNB is providing large amounts of liquidity assistance in Swiss francs and foreign currencies.” The rates increase was the SNB’s fourth hike in succession as the central bank maintained its fight against Swiss inflation, which remains stubbornly outside the SNB’s target band of 0 -2 percent. “The growth outlook for the global economy in the coming quarters remains subdued,” said the SNB in a … [Read more...] about Swiss National Bank raises rates, says bank crisis stopped

Share to Twitter Share to Linkedin Topline Mortgage rates tumbled last week to their lowest level in over a month, according to data released Wednesday morning by the Mortgage Bankers Association, as waning confidence in the U.S. banking system provides a reprieve to home buyers. Key Facts The average 30-year fixed mortgage rate slipped from 6.71% to 6.48% last week, falling to its lowest level since mid-February and its largest percentage decline since November. Mortgage applications rose 3% last week, according to the survey, as buyers take advantage of rapidly declining home prices. That followed a wild stretch for the banking sector – headlined by the failures of Silicon Valley Bank and Signature Bank, the nation’s second and third-biggest such failures ever – causing investors to pack into safer assets such as government bonds. Yields for 10-year U.S. Treasury notes sank 70 basis points to 3.4% in the two-week period … [Read more...] about Housing Market: Mortgage Rates Sink To 5-Week Low Amid Bank Havoc

Share to Twitter Share to Linkedin Yesterday’s announcement by Jerome Powell of the Federal Reserve’s decision on interest rates was the Washington equivalent of a circus performer walking a “tightrope between inflation and bank turmoil”as the Wall Street Journal put it. Washington and the financial sector held their breath: one false step could have led to disaster. In the result, Powell got both the headline he wanted “Federal Reserve presses ahead with quarter-point rate rise despite banking turmoil” ( Financial Times ) and a stock market decline in the S&P500 by almost 2%. As usual, there were two parts to the session. Powell began with a carefully prepared statement which portrayed the confident policy maker who had consulted the data and reached seemingly clear conclusions, albeit expressed in subtle shifts in phraseology from “ongoing increases in interest rates” to “policy firming.” It was followed by a frank Q&A session, which Powell … [Read more...] about How The Federal Reserve Chair Got What He Wanted

Share to Twitter Share to Linkedin In what should go down as one of the all-time greatest propaganda campaigns in U.S. history, members of Congress convinced millions of Americans that deregulation caused the 2008 financial crisis. Following the collapse of Silicon Valley Bank, they’re at it again. Predictably, populists such as Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) are blaming the SVB failure on “rolling back” the 2010 Dodd-Frank Act’s stricter oversight. Aside from whether Dodd-Frank regulations were effective at all or amounted to anything more than additional paperwork and higher capital requirements, Congress has never repealed a single Title of Dodd-Frank. Warren’s argument amounts to whether additional stress testing, capital, or liquidity would have saved SVB. But Dodd-Frank stress tests are designed to ensure sufficient capital to cover losses resulting from “adverse economic conditions,” not from individual mistakes or bad strategies. Separately, … [Read more...] about SVB Debacle Brings The Fed One Step Closer To Becoming Provider Of First Resort

Share to Twitter Share to Linkedin Income tax rate reduction and flattening, along with the expansion of school choice, are among the most consequential policy trends of the early 2020s. However, there is another policy trend emerging that, like income tax relief and greater educational choice, is making states more attractive to workers and employers. That trend is the push by policymakers to remove or mitigate the barriers to employment that state occupational licensing requirements have become. On Tuesday, March 21, Florida legislators will hold a hearing on Senate Bill 1364, legislation to recognize out-of-state occupational licenses held by new residents so that they can get to work and begin earning income in their new home state right away. If this reform, known as Universal License Recognition (ULR), is passed by legislators in Tallahassee and signed into law by Governor Ron DeSantis (R) this spring, Florida would become state number 22 to enact ULR. … [Read more...] about Barriers To Employment Fall With The Rise Of Out-Of-State Occupational License Recognition