While the US Federal Reserve's interest rate hike is within market expectation, in terms of scale and timing, the policy decisions by the European and Japanese central banks are somewhat surprising, g ...More
EJ Insight2015-12-24
The US Federal Reserve has raised interest rates for the first time in almost a decade. Fed chairwoman Janet Yellen said the widely telegraphed move will be followed by “gradual” tightening as officia ...More
EJ Insight2015-12-17
China posted disappointing trade data for November, representing the negative impact of weak global demand on Chinese manufacturing. More signs of economic slowdown make people doubt whether China ca ...More
EJ Insight2015-12-12
Global markets have corrected a bit, especially in Europe, partly owing to disappointment over central bank policies. The market's focus now is on the US Federal Reserve’s meeting next week, at which ...More
EJ Insight2015-12-11
Janet Yellen has set a bottom line for jobs growth in the United States. Speaking the day before a key employment report, the US Federal Reserve chairwoman said the US economy needs to add fewer than ...More
EJ Insight2015-12-04
Federal Reserve Chairwoman Janet Yellen on Wednesday expressed confidence in the US economy and said that she is "looking forward" to the central bank's first interest rate hike in nearly a decade. "W ...More
EJ Insight2015-12-03
The US Federal Reserve is almost certain to raise interest rates in its next board meeting on Dec. 16, with financial markets now pricing in a 75 percent probability of a rate hike. Meanwhile, market ...More
EJ Insight2015-11-24
US Federal Reserve Chairwoman Janet Yellen has defended the central bank's low-rate policy of the past several years, saying such stance was needed to spur the economy at a critical time. In a letter ...More
EJ Insight2015-11-24
Stronger-than-expected October US jobs report has boosted the chances of a rate hike by the Federal Reserve in December. The structural problem in employment which Fed chief Janet Yellen has been con ...More
EJ Insight2015-11-14
More Federal Reserve officials appear to support a December increase in interest rates. "I see the risks right now of moving too quickly versus moving too slowly as nearly balanced," Reuters quoted Ne ...More
EJ Insight2015-11-13
After 271,000 jobs were added last month, the US unemployment rate fell to 5 percent. Meanwhile, average annual hourly earnings climbed by the most since 2009. As a result, the US dollar strengthened ...More
EJ Insight2015-11-12
Nothing describes the US Federal Reserve’s current communication policy better than the old saying that a camel is a horse designed by committee. Various members of the Fed’s policy-setting Federal Op ...More
EJ Insight2015-11-05
US Federal Reserve Chairwoman Janet Yellen hinted at an interest rate action next month, saying Wednesday that a December liftoff is "live possibility" if the economy remains on track. Appearing befor ...More
EJ Insight2015-11-05
US Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump has accused the Federal Reserve of keeping interest rates low at the behest of Barack Obama, the current occupant of the White House. Speaking at a ne ...More
EJ Insight2015-11-04
Financial Secretary John Tsang Chun-wah said the strength of the US dollar, which is likely to continue in the short run, will have an adverse impact on the competitiveness of the city's exports, the ...More
EJ Insight2015-10-19
When Federal Reserve chief Janet Yellen said in May that the US economy was continuing to improve, she set off market forecasts for an autumn rate hike. “It will be appropriate at some point this year ...More
EJ Insight2015-10-17
Hong Kong's Financial Secretary John Tsang Chun-wah has urged member states of the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) to ensure that the new platform does not turn into a trade protection mechanism. If t ...More
EJ Insight2015-10-12
The US Federal Reserve did not kick off a series of interest rate hikes at its September meeting as some expected. The decision has been criticized by Fed staff and market participants for sending a ...More
EJ Insight2015-10-10
Concern that inflation could remain stuck at exceptionally low levels was the reason why US Federal Reserve officials decided to hold off on a rate hike at their policy meeting last month, according t ...More
EJ Insight2015-10-09
I’ve noted earlier that the US Federal Reserve should have announced the liftoff in its meeting on Sept. 17. That should have removed the uncertainties relating to the rate hike and probably helped th ...More
EJ Insight2015-10-03
