Global shares eased, oil prices surged and U.S. bond yields fell on Friday after reports that Israel attacked Iran, in the latest reminder of how the Middle East tinderbox is casting a growing shadow over markets.Israel’s attack on Iranian soil was the latest tit for tat exchange between the two...

   South Africa’s rand weakened in volatile trading early on Friday, as reports of an Israeli attack on Iran sapped risk sentiment and sent currency markets into a tailspin.In the latest tit for tat exchange between the two arch foes, Israel launched an attack on Iranian soil, sources told Reuters....

   Just when it looked like rate cuts were coming any minute now, inflation has reared its head and the strength of the dollar is forcing other central bankers to protect their currencies and reconsider their policy choices.What appeared to be a dead cert a few weeks ago the Federal Reserve...

   Oil and gold prices rose and Japan’s yen rallied on Friday on reports Israeli missiles have hit a site in Iran.Israel has struck Iran, three people familiar with the matter said, as Iranian state media reported early on Friday that its forces had destroyed Israeli drones, days after Iran launched a...

   U.S. stocks vacillated on Thursday, swinging from red to green and back as investors contended with the push pull of a strong economy and restrictive Federal Reserve policy.Benchmark Treasury yields resumed their climb and gold added strength as ongoing turmoil in the Middle East bolstered the safe...

   The International Monetary Fund urged Asian central banks on Thursday to focus on domestic inflation and avoid tying their policy decisions too closely to anticipated moves by the U.S. Federal Reserve.Receding expectations for a near term interest cut by the U.S. central bank have fed steady dollar...

   Canada’s main stock index ended higher on Thursday as higher metal prices boosted the materials sector, but the market’s gains were held in check as investors worried that interest rate cuts could be delayed.The Toronto Stock Exchange’s S P TSX composite index .GSPTSE ended up . points, or ...

   International Monetary Fund Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva bemoaned the slow pace of global growth on Thursday, saying that Europe needed to do more to boost productivity and China should work to unleash greater consumer spending.Georgieva told a news conference during the IMF and World...

   Global growth will likely slow this year and major central banks across the globe have indicated interest rate cuts this year.Following are forecasts from some major banks on economic growth, inflation, and how they expect certain asset classes to perform:Real GDP growth forecasts for GLOBALU.S...

   A look at the day ahead in European and global markets from Kevin BucklandSome respite for Asian stock markets may bode well for the European open, in what has so far been a week to forget for world equities.Part of that seems to be driven by hopes for strong results from Taiwan Semiconductor...

   The United States, Japan and South Korea agreed to consult closely on foreign exchange markets in their first trilateral finance dialogue on Wednesday, acknowledging concerns from Tokyo and Seoul over their currencies’ recent sharp declines.The rare warning from the three countries’ finance...

   The International Monetary Fund, World Bank and current G president Brazil said on Wednesday there had been significant progress on global debt issues in recent months, citing new agreements on desired timelines and comparability of treatment.IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva, World Bank...

   Canada’s main stock index ended higher on Wednesday as mining stocks rallied and investors looked ahead to quarterly earnings reports, but gains for the index were held in check after the federal budget proposed raising a tax on investment profits.The Toronto Stock Exchange’s S P TSX composite...

   U.S. stocks closed lower on Wednesday as crude prices tumbled and investors weighed cautious U.S. Federal Reserve commentary and ongoing geopolitical strife against mixed quarterly earnings.Benchmark U.S. Treasury yields and the dollar eased back from multi month highs, while gold backed down from...

   The Inter American Development Bank plans to release a statement on Saturday with joint goals of multilateral development banks that is expected to entail priority sharing and the possibility of project co financing, the bank’s president said on Wednesday.In an interview with Reuters at the bank’s...

   U.S., Japanese and South Korean finance leaders agreed to consult closely on foreign exchange and market developments in a trilateral meeting on Wednesday, they said in a joint statement issued by the U.S. Treasury Department. We emphasize the importance of collaboration to overcome supply chain...

   South Africa’s rand was unchanged on Wednesday after local inflation fell slightly more than expected in March, but not enough to change the outlook on interest rates.At GMT, the rand traded at . to the U.S. dollar , the same as its previous close.The dollar was last trading down about ...

   Bank of England policymaker Megan Greene said on Wednesday that the recent tensions in the Middle East could pose a risk to the inflation outlook, including by heightening inflation expectations. Across the developed world, bringing inflation back to target has been a bumpy ride, it was always...

   Canada’s main stock index tumbled to its lowest point in over a month on Tuesday, dragged down by materials shares, with Barrick Gold ABX.TO tumbling after missing analysts’ expectations with its first quarter gold production.The overall sentiment was cautious due to heightened tensions in the...

   Wall Street see sawed to a mixed close on Tuesday as rising U.S. Treasury yields and elevated geopolitical worries counteracted a generally positive string of first quarter corporate results.While the S P and the Nasdaq ended the session modestly lower, the blue chip Dow was boosted into...

   South Africa’s rand extended its losses on Tuesday as risk appetite fell amid heightened tensions in the Middle East and dwindling bets that the Federal Reserve would cut interest rates any time soon.At GMT, the rand traded at . against the U.S. dollar , about . weaker than its...

   The International Monetary Fund is cautioning against overexuberance in markets as investors look for central bankers to pull off a soft landing in their years long inflation battle.In its latest semi annual Global Financial Stability Report, the IMF noted that markets have turned quite...

   The International Monetary Fund upgraded its view for economic output growth in Latin America and the Caribbean to . from its January estimate of ., though it still expects a slowdown, the fund said Tuesday in its latest World Economic Outlook.

   Canada’s annual inflation rate edged up to . in March on higher year over year prices for gasoline, as well as mortgage interest costs and rent, Statistics Canada said on Tuesday.Analysts had expected annual inflation to rise to . from . in February.STORIES:Market reaction: CAD Link...

   The danger of a global recession has largely been averted but growth will be meagre, German government sources said, referring to International Monetary Fund forecasts that will be published later on Tuesday. The global economy is growing, but it is not growing very dynamically. In other places,...

   Sales of homes in Dubai worth million or more rose in the first quarter versus last year, an industry report showed on Tuesday, as demand from the international ultra rich for homes in the emirate showed little sign of abating.A total of homes worth an overall . billion were sold...

   New Zealand house prices fell in March as listings and stock levels stayed significantly higher than a year earlier, the Real Estate Institute of New Zealand REINZ said on Tuesday.Seasonally adjusted median house prices fell . from February, but were up . from a year earlier, REINZ data...

   Wall Street ended sharply lower on Monday amid rising U.S. Treasury yields as simmering tensions in the Middle East helped curb investor risk appetite.The three major U.S. stock indexes reversed initial gains to extend Friday’s sell off, while the yen fell to its lowest level in years, reviving...

   Canada’s main stock index fell to a five week low on Monday as long term borrowing costs climbed and investors worried that this week’s federal budget would propose raising taxes.The Toronto Stock Exchange’s S P TSX composite index .GSPTSE ended down . points, or ., at , ., its...

   Ghana has failed to secure a workable debt deal with two bondholder groups in its push to restructure billion of international bonds, the government said on Monday, in a blow to its efforts to swiftly emerge from default and economic crisis.Formal talks were on hold for now after the...