VIEW US consumer prices increase less than expected in November
NEW YORK, Dec 18 - U.S. consumer prices rose less than expected in the year to November, and expectations for a January rate cut from the Federal Reserve inched up slightly as the report was impacted by the extended government shutdown. The Consumer Price Index rose 2.7% year-on-year in November, the Labor Department's Bureau of Labor Statistics said on Thursday. Economists polled by Reuters had forecast the CPI advancing 3.1% The BLS did not publish month-to-month CPI changes after the 43-day shutdown of the government prevented the collection of October data. The October CPI release was canceled because the price data could not be collected retroactively. Excluding the volatile food and energy components, the so-called core CPI increased 2.6% after rising 3.0% in September.. BONDS: Treasury yields fell, with the yield on the benchmark U.S. 10-year note down 2.2 basis points to 4.13% FOREX: The dollar index wakened and was last down 0.12% to 98.25 The current sources of inflation are very visible, but not a large component of the consumer basket. Commodities, excluding food and energy, make up less than 20% of the CPI basket. Goods price deflation turned to inflation, but even that inflation hasn’t been as bad as feared. The Fed could look at the increase in the unemployment rate and the tame inflation reading as a reason to cut again. They’ll get some confirming or disconfirming evidence with the next releases before their January meeting. These are good numbers, and basically the core rate moving to 2.6% on a year-over-year is really good news, and we saw the top line inflation year-over-year down to 2.7%. So this is good news for the Fed, good news for the markets, and this should begin to perhaps indicate the Fed is likely to be more generous going into the new year. In other words, these numbers, if they stick, will pave the way for not one, but possibly two, rate cuts sometime in the first quarter of 2026.”#USNonFarmPayrollReport #TrumpTariffs #WriteToEarnUpgrade #BinanceAlphaAlert #USJobsData
BlackRock, investor Dalio to help fund 'Trump accounts
WASHINGTON, Dec 17 - Billionaire investor Ray Dalio will help fund the Trump administration's investment accounts for certain children in Connecticut Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said on Wednesday as another firm vowed to match employee contributions.
Dalio's commitment is part of an effort to secure additional outside donors in every U.S. state. Twenty other U.S. states are considering adding state funds to the federally-seeded accounts, Bessent said at an event on the program for children born between 2025 and 2028.
The initiative was created this year under President Donald Trump's One Big Beautiful Bill Act and has sparked a scramble by financial firms looking to participate. The U.S. Treasury will deposit $1,000 into investment accounts for all children born between 2025 and 2028.
Separately, investment firm BlackRock (BLK.N), opens new tab on Wednesday became the latest company to say they would match the U.S. government's $1,000 contribution for its employees.
Entrepreneur Michael Dell and his wife, Susan, have also said they would donate another $250 in the accounts of 25 million American children in a $6.25 billion philanthropic pledge backing the initiative.
Dalio, in a post on X, said he would donate about $75 million to match the Dells' $250 contribution for about 300,000 children in Connecticut, adding: "We are hopeful other philanthropists and leaders will join this effort by contributing to similar initiatives in their home states.
The Invest America accounts are expected to open on July 4, 2026, but details about how they will work are still unknown. It's also unclear how they could help boost savings for lower-income Americans.
The funds—required to be invested in an index fund that mirrors the performance of the broader stock market—become available at the age of 18 for education, job training, a first home or starting a business.#USNonFarmPayrollReport #CPIWatch #TrumpTariffs #BTCVSGOLD #BinanceAlphaAlert