Briefings

Archive February 2025

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Week InReview: February 28, 2025

S&P 500 slides. US Treasuries advance.

A global stock selloff deepens in Asia as the US dollar strengthens. The S&P 500 slid Thursday, erasing its gains for the year. European stock futures also decline.

 

US Treasuries advance, with the 10-year yield dropping to around 4.22%, a level not seen since December. Australian sovereign yields fall while Japanese government bond futures climb as Tokyo inflation slows more than expected.

 

A selloff in the stock market’s most influential group drove the Nasdaq 100 to its lowest level since November as Nvidia Corp.’s results failed to revive the artificial intelligence rally. Equities sentiment was also hurt by news tariffs will come into force next week.

 

US government bonds trimmed losses as equities came under pressure, leaving yields near the lowest levels since December. Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland President Beth Hammack said interest rates aren’t “meaningfully restrictive” and should be held steady for some time.

 

OpenAI is rolling out an early version of its long-awaited new artificial intelligence model, GPT-4.5, to select users after hitting stumbling blocks in developing the AI system last year.


 

 

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Week InAdvance: February 24, 2025

Mon Feb 24 IPCC plenary meeting in China. French President Emmanuel Macron at the White House. | Tue Feb 25 UN Biodiversity Conference in Rome. South Korea rate decision. | Wed Feb 26 Group of 20 finance ministers, central bankers in Cape Town. | Thu Feb 27 ECB's account of January policy meeting. | Fri Feb 28 US PCE inflation. Ramadan begins in the evening and runs until March 30. Rio Carnival 2025 begins. | Sat Mar 1 First day of meteorological spring. | Sun Mar 2 The Oscars, the 97th Academy Awards ceremony, held in Hollywood.

 

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Week InAdvance: February 17, 2025

Mon Feb 17 Presidents Day holiday in the US; bond and stock markets are closed. | Tue Feb 18 EcoFin meeting in Brussels. Australia rate decision. | Wed Feb 19 US FOMC minutes. | Thu Feb 20 Group of 20 finance ministers in South Africa. China loan prime rates. London Fashion Week 2025 begins. | Sat Feb 21 The small town of Les Rousses, France is set to break a world record by creating the largest fondue. | Sun Feb 23 Japan will celebrate 'The Emperor's Birthday' to honor Emperor Naruhito turning 65.

 

 

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Week InReview: February 14, 2025

Happy Valentine's Day

Evidence that the US is mainly using tariffs as a negotiating tool is undermining the popular dollar trade. Bloomberg’s gauge of the greenback has fallen to a two-month low. Stocks and bonds posted small moves at the end of the week.

 

Stocks in Asia edge higher amid signs reciprocal US tariffs may be weeks from coming into effect, raising the prospect for negotiations.

 

Chinese stocks in Hong Kong outperform regional peers amid optimism about the country’s artificial intelligence capabilities. Meanwhile, Apple is working to bring its AI features to China by the middle of this year.

 

The euro remains largely steady against the greenback, while European equity index futures fall.

 

A hedge fund startup that uses artificial intelligence to do work typically handled by analysts has outperformed the global stock market in its first six months while slashing research costs.


 

 

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Week InAdvance: February 10, 2025

Mon Feb 10 China's tariffs take effect. | Tue Feb 11 Powell's Senate testimony. World Government Summit in Dubai. | Wed Feb 12 Powell in the House. US consumer price index. | Thu Feb 13 NATO DefMins meet in Brussels. | Fri Feb 14 Valentine's Day. Munich Security Conference. Russia rate decision. | Sat Feb 15 60th anniversary of Canada's Maple Leaf national flag. | Sun Feb 16 The EE BAFTA film awards in London’s Royal Festival Hall.

 

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Week InReview: February 7, 2025

Stocks gain. Bonds pare losses.

The ECB’s Boris Vujcic warned that the reversal of globalization could accelerate consumer price increases in the coming years. Meanwhile, the central bank is set to enter a new phase of unpredictability as the terms of seven of its 26 rate setters expire by December.

 

The Fed’s Lorie Logan said interest rates may already be near a neutral level, potentially obviating the need for further cuts even if inflation continues to cool. Austan Goolsbee said that while fiscal policy uncertainty may lead to fewer cuts, he still sees some reductions over the next 18 months. Investors await US jobs report Friday.

 

US stocks eked out gains as traders parsed mixed earnings ahead of jobs data. Amazon.com Inc. tumbled in late hours after projecting profit that fell short of estimates, suggesting the company continues to ramp up spending to support artificial-intelligence services.

 

Bonds pared losses as Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent reiterated his view on a lower path for 10-year yields under the Trump administration. Bessent also said he wants to recalibrate the Treasury Borrowing Advisory Committee.

 

The new US trade war is further blurring the lines between Hong Kong and Beijing, threatening to erode the city’s main selling point as a global financial hub.

 

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Week InAdvance: February 3, 2025

Mon Feb 3 BOJ policy summary. | Tue Feb 4 Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s White House visit. | Wed Feb 5 UN ECOSOC forum. BIS conference in Mexico City. | Thu Feb 6 UK rate decision. New York Fashion Week begins. | Fri Feb 7 US nonfarm payrolls, unemployment. India rate decision. | Sun Feb 9 Super Bowl LIX in New Orleans.

 

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