DIRS.INFO The most relevant business & tech news

☆ India Court Effectively Bans Madrasas in Big State Before Election
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-23 | by ( March | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +4 min

India holds a general election between April and June that Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is widely expected to win. The BJP's Tripathi responded that Muslim BJP leaders had no reason to fear because their community equally benefits from various government welfare programmes. Friday's order applies to all madrasas in the state, whether funded privately or by the government, Javed said. The court did not give a timeline for its order, but Javed said madrasas are unlikely to be closed right away. The northeastern state of Assam, also ruled by the BJP, has been converting hundreds of madrasas into conventional schools.

Persons: Saurabh Sharma, Krishna, Narendra Modi's, Iftikhar Ahmed Javed, Subhash Vidyarthi, Vivek Chaudhary, Anshuman Singh Rathore, Rathore, Modi, Ram, Babur, Rakesh Tripathi, madrasas, Sudhanshu Chauhan, Javed, Tripathi, Krishna N, William Mallard Organizations: Das NEW, Bharatiya Janata Party, BJP, Pradesh BJP, madrasas, Das Locations: Das NEW DELHI, India, Uttar Pradesh, Allahabad, Pradesh, Assam, New Delhi

☆ BoC to cut rates starting in Q2 2024, house prices seen flat in 2024: Reuters poll
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-30 | by ( Mumal Rathore | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

Governor of the Bank of Canada Tiff Macklem walks outside the Bank of Canada building in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada June 22, 2020. But Macklem also said "right now, it is not time to start thinking about cutting interest rates." Interest rate futures are pricing the first rate cut in March, earlier than the poll prediction. "Accompanying labour market weakness should put downward pressure on inflation and prompt the Bank of Canada to cut the policy rate around of the spring of 2024," they wrote. That was despite several government measures announced in the latest Fall Economic Statement to boost housing supply and help lenders dealing with homeowners at risk amid high interest rates.

Persons: Blair Gable, Macklem, It's, Avery Shenfeld, Robert Hogue, Sebastian Mintah, Mumal Rathore, Ross Finley, Tomasz Janowski Organizations: Bank of Canada, REUTERS, Reuters, BoC, U.S . Federal, Barclays, CIBC Capital Markets, of Canada, RBC, Desjardins, Moody's, Thomson Locations: Ottawa , Ontario, Canada, BENGALURU, stagnate

☆ British home prices to fall 4% in 2023 as borrowing costs bite: Reuters poll
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-01 | by ( Jonathan Cable | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

The most pessimistic forecast was for a 10% fall, despite consumer prices expected to rise 7.5% this year, according to a separate Reuters poll. They were expected to flatline in 2024 and rise a little over 3% the year after, little changed from the previous poll. "The London housing market ebbs and flows, yet is there really such a thing as a 'London property market' nowadays?" RENTAL STRESSThose unable or unwilling to make it onto the property ladder will feel the pinch from surging rental costs. Private rental prices paid by tenants in Britain rose 5.3% in the 12 months to July, according to the Office for National Statistics.

Persons: Stefan Wermuth, BoE, Michael McGill, Zoopla, Russell Quirk, Aneisha Beveridge, Jonathan Cable, Mumal Rathore, Rahul Trivedi, Purujit, Mark Potter Organizations: REUTERS, Bank of England, Office, National Statistics, Thomson Locations: London, Britain, Kensington, Mayfair, Barking, Dagenham

Despite that, the latest Reuters poll narrowly showed Bank Rate peaking at 5.50%, down from 5.75% predicted in July. All but one of 62 economists in the Aug. 16-23 poll expected Bank Rate to go up 25 basis points to 5.50% next month. The medians showed Bank Rate remaining on hold after September's hike until Q3 next year, though a significant minority - 47% or 29 of 62 economists - estimated a higher peak. That is a flip from a July poll when a slim majority, 51% or 31 of 61 participants, predicted Bank Rate at 5.75% or more by year-end. The wider poll showed inflation averaging 6.8% and 4.7% this quarter and next.

Persons: Luke MacGregor, BoE, James Smith, Simon Wells, Shaloo Shrivastava, Jonathan Cable, Mumal Rathore, Rahul Trivedi, Purujit Arun, Ross Finley, John Stonestreet Organizations: of, REUTERS, Bank of England, Reuters, ING, Reserve, European Central Bank, HSBC, Thomson Locations: of England, London, BRITAIN, BENGALURU, LONDON, Western Europe

☆ Bank of England rates set to peak at 5.75% by year-end: Reuters poll
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-25 | by ( Shaloo Shrivastava | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

BENGALURU, July 25 (Reuters) - The Bank of England will raise its Bank Rate by a quarter-point to 5.25% on August 3, making borrowing the costliest since early 2008, and hike twice more by the year-end as price pressures persist, a Reuters poll showed. While the median peak rate forecast was 5.75%, nearly half of respondents, 29 of 61, still said 5.50%, the same as a June 26 poll. As recently as a June 14 poll, the consensus was for Bank Rate to peak at 5.00%. Predictions for Bank Rate at year-end were in a wide range. Asked where core inflation will be at year-end, nearly two thirds of respondents, 14 of 22, said slightly lower.

Persons: BoE, Bruce Kasman, Morgan, Stefan Koopman, Shaloo Shrivastava, Mumal Rathore, Pranoy Krishna, Rahul Trivedi, Jonathan Cable, Ross Finley, Barbara Lewis Organizations: Bank of England, Bank, Company, Rabobank, Thomson Locations: BENGALURU, J.P, British

☆ British home prices to slip but won't come crashing down, Reuters poll shows
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-02 | by ( Jonathan Cable | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

[1/3] Partly finished houses are seen on a new housing development under construction in Liverpool, Britain June 2, 2023. Yes, prices will fall this year but by single digits," said Tony Williams at consultancy Building Value. From peak to trough home prices will fall 7.5%, the median in the poll showed. "Persistent core inflation and wage pressures will prevent the Bank of England from cutting interest rates until 2024, which means mortgage rates won't fall any further until next year," said Andrew Wishart at Capital Economics. (For other stories from the Reuters quarterly housing market polls:)Reporting by Jonathan Cable; polling by Mumal Rathore and Anitta Sunil; Editing by Kim CoghillOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Phil Noble, Tony Williams, Andrew Wishart, BoE, Michael McGill, Barratt, Russell Quirk, Jonathan Cable, Mumal Rathore, Anitta Sunil, Kim Coghill Organizations: REUTERS, Bank of England, Capital Economics, Nationwide, Thomson Locations: Liverpool, Britain, Britain's, London

☆ Bank of England to take Bank Rate to 5.00% next quarter as inflation proves sticky - Reuters poll
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-31 | by ( Jonathan Cable | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

British government bond prices tumbled in the days after the data was released as investors added to bets high inflation will force the BoE to carry on raising interest rates, while lenders have been withdrawing mortgage deals. Meanwhile, 27 of 47 saw Bank Rate at 5.00% or higher by end-September. Bank Rate was seen sitting at 5.00% until early next year, hitting the wallets of indebted consumers already feeling the pinch from a cost of living crisis. All but three of 39 common contributors to this poll and the last one lifted their year-end prediction. The Bank needs to push back against the risk high inflation proves unexpectedly sticky, and may need to raise interest rates further, Monetary Policy Committee member Jonathan Haskel said last week.

Persons: BoE, Simon Wells, Kallum Pickering, Jonathan Haskel, Jonathan Cable, Mumal Rathore, Anitta Sunil, Ross Finley, Chizu Organizations: Bank of England, of England, HSBC, Bank, Monetary, Thomson Locations: Berenberg

☆ Bank of England to take Bank Rate to 5.00% next quarter as inflation proves sticky, Reuters poll shows
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-31 | by ( Jonathan Cable | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Nearly 90% - 94 of 105 - of the economists who participated in the latest Reuters poll, predicted the U.S. central bank would hike its key policy rate by 25 basis points to the 5.00%-5.25% range at a May 2-3 meeting, in line with market pricing. Beyond that, 59 of 100 economists expected the Fed to keep its policy rate unchanged through at least this year. Only 26 respondents with an end-2023 view forecast a cut, similar to market expectations. "We maintain the first rate cut in March 2024. In an exclusive interview with Reuters this week, St. Louis Fed President James Bullard called for a much higher peak policy rate than currently expected, as inflation remains stubbornly high.

BENGALURU, April 6(Reuters) - The Bank of Canada will keep its key interest rate steady at 4.50% through 2023, according to most economists polled by Reuters, with an even smaller minority now expecting an interest rate cut by year-end than a poll taken a month ago. In March, the BoC was the first major central bank to stop its aggressive hiking cycle and is on what it calls a conditional pause. So all 33 economists polled March 31-April 6 said it will hold its overnight rate at 4.50% on April 12. A majority of forecasters, 23 of 31, said the rate would remain unchanged for the rest of 2023. Only seven expected at least one 25-basis-point rate cut by end-year, down from 13 in a survey taken about a month ago.

That would come after the European Central Bank's decision on Thursday to follow through with a 50 basis point rise it pre-announced in February, prioritizing sticky inflation. Only five respondents in the latest Fed poll expected a pause, including four primary dealers, with only one bank, Nomura, expecting a 25 basis point cut. "The past week's financial turmoil will give the Fed some misgivings about pushing rates much higher," said Bill Adams, chief economist at Comerica Bank. Mericle expects more hikes however, with a peak rate of 5.25%-5.50% in Q3, higher than the poll median. Meanwhile the labor market is showing few signs of weakness, with unemployment rate forecasts broadly lower compared with last month's poll.

☆ Bank of Canada to hold rates steady at 4.50% through this year
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-03 | by ( Milounee Purohit | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

All 32 economists polled Feb. 24 to March 3 expect the BoC to hold its overnight rate at 4.50% on March 8. A majority forecast the BoC to keep it there for the rest of 2023, despite several more rate hikes expected from the U.S. Federal Reserve. In the meantime, Canada inflation data are headed in the right direction. "Well, the interesting thing could be in the tone of the statement," said Brown, who expects a hawkish tone. "The Federal Reserve's continued rate hikes will eventually make their way into Canadian inflation through exchange rates...so that will certainly push the Bank of Canada to do more," said Shelly Kaushik, an economist at BMO Capital Markets.

☆ Toronto stocks seen up 6.2% by year-end, despite 'wall of worry'
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-22 | by ( Fergal Smith | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

"Equity markets have exhibited remarkable resilience, climbing a wall of worry toward higher common stock prices," said Brandon Michael, senior investment analyst at ABC Funds. "The main drivers toward higher stock prices include decelerating inflation, central banks easing up on their monetary policy tightening efforts, and improving investor risk appetite." Canada's annual rate of inflation cooled to 5.9% in January after peaking at 8.1% in June, data on Tuesday showed. The energy and materials sectors combined account for about 30% of the Toronto market's weighting. (Other stories from the Reuters Q1 global stock markets poll package:)Reporting by Fergal Smith; additional polling by Aditi Verma, Milounee Purohit and Mumal Rathore; Editing by Kim CoghillOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ S&P 500 index seen climbing 5% by end of 2023: Reuters poll
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-22 | by ( Sinéad Carew | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

The S&P 500 was expected to end 2023 at 4,200 points, which would amount to a 9.4% increase for the calendar year, according to the median forecast of 42 strategists polled by Reuters. After falling 19.4% in 2022, the S&P 500 index is up 4.1% for the year so far. S&P valuations have fallen but still above 20-year averageAs of Feb. 17, Wall Street's expectation for S&P earnings growth for 2023 has fallen to 1.6% from an expected 4.4% on Jan. 1, according to Refinitiv. But while Sandven's year-end S&P 500 target doesn't depend on interest rate cuts he said "it does depend on moderating inflation and improved earnings visibility". Strategists had expected the Dow to end 2023 at 36,500, according to a November poll.

☆ S&P 500 index seen climbing 5% by end of 2023
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-22 | by ( Sinéad Carew | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

☆ Japan's Nikkei seen hitting 30,000 by end of 2023 on economic recovery: Reuters poll
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-22 | by ( Junko Fujita | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

"Japanese companies will issue their outlook for 2023 by May, which will be based on the current macro environment. So the forecast will be conservative," said Hikaru Yasuda, chief equity strategist at SMBC Nikko Securities. "But as the environment is not as bad as companies (now) expect, they will slowly raise their forecast towards the end of the year." "Companies whose businesses are linked with China are expected to perform well," said Hiroshi Namioka, chief strategist and fund manager, T&D Asset Management. "Japanese equities are undervalued due to caution for the currency movement," said Hirokazu Kabeya, chief global strategist at Daiwa Securities.

☆ Bond strategists take axe to U.S. Treasury yield forecasts
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-27 | by ( Hari Kishan | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Bond strategists at JPMorgan noted recently that the U.S. Treasury market is already priced for a recession and not just for the heightened risks of one. Already off their peaks from late last year and early 2023, major benchmark government bond yields have eased 20-40 basis points since, and more than 50 basis points on the particularly rate-sensitive U.S. two-year Treasury yield. That is about 30 basis points lower on the one-year horizon than a poll published in December. This would extend one of the longest periods on record where two-year yields have been higher than 10-year ones, a yield curve inversion. The poll expected German bund yields to rise from their current 2.25% to around 2.4% in three and six months.

☆ Canadian dollar to rebound in 2023 if economic uncertainty clears
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-06 | by ( Fergal Smith | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

The loonie will edge 0.6% higher to 1.35 per U.S. dollar, or 74.07 U.S. cents, in three months, according to the median forecast of currency analysts. The Bank of Canada, along with the Federal Reserve and most other major central banks, has raised interest rates at a rapid pace to tackle soaring inflation. Another potential tailwind for the loonie would be the end of the U.S. dollar's in global currency markets since 2021. A "weaker dollar story" could emerge if the Fed moves to end quantitative tightening (QT), said Bipan Rai, global head of FX strategy at CIBC Capital Markets. QT is a process central banks use to shrink the size of their balance sheets.

☆ BoC to keep up pace with 50 basis point December rate hike -economists
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-01 | by ( Indradip Ghosh | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

Fourteen said the BoC would dial down its pace to 25 basis points. Of the large Canadian banks, Scotiabank, CIBC and National Bank expected a 50 basis point move with no further hikes afterward. RBC forecasts a 25 basis point hike and then a pause, while BMO expects 50 and then another 25 in early 2023. The Fed, by contrast, is expected to raise its federal funds rate to a minimum of 4.75%-5.00% early next year, with the risks around forecasts skewed toward a higher rate. "The latest BoC research on household vulnerability and flexible mortgage rates support the idea that the BoC terminal rate will end at least 50 basis points below the U.S. Federal Reserve," said Sebastien Lavoie, economist at Laurentian Bank.

Summary poll dataBUENOS AIRES/MEXICO CITY, Nov 29 (Reuters) - Brazil stocks will rally by double-digits through end-2023, despite uncertainty about new government policies as President-elect Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva seeks to balance social priorities and budget constraints, a Reuters poll predicted. The benchmark Bovespa stock index (.BVSP) is set to rally 13% by end-2023 to 123,250 points from 108,976 points on Friday, according to the median estimate of 11 strategists polled Nov. 14-23. The Ibovespa (index) is still at a discount, awaiting government news," said Fernando Bresciani, research analyst at Andbank. Members of his transition group have voiced contrasting opinions on 2023 budget talks and the leadership race for the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB). Private economists in a central bank weekly poll projected an expansion rate of just 0.7%.

☆ Fed to hike by 75 bps again on Nov. 2, should pause when inflation halves -economists: Reuters poll
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-25 | by ( Prerana Bhat | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com RegisterResults in the poll are in line with interest rate futures pricing. A majority of economists in the Oct. 17-24 poll forecast another 50 basis point hike in December, taking the funds rate to 4.25%-4.50% by end-2022. The funds rate was expected to peak at 4.50%-4.75% or higher in Q1 2023, according to 49 of 80 economists. The Fed targets the personal consumption expenditures (PCE) index, but the survey suggests roughly half the current rate of inflation ought to be a turning point. CPI inflation was not expected to halve until Q2 2023, according to the poll, averaging 8.1%, 3.9% and 2.5% in 2022, 2023 and 2024, respectively.

☆ BoC to dial down size of rate rises again but not done yet: Reuters poll
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-18 | by ( Indradip Ghosh | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

The expected move at the BoC's next meeting would be the second consecutive reduction in the size of rate rises after a 100 basis point move in July and 75 basis points last month. Given more U.S. Federal Reserve rate rises are due in coming months, the BoC is likely to get the overnight rate, currently at 3.25%, even further above its 2-3% estimate of neutral, where the economy is neither stimulated nor restricted. So far the BoC has matched the 300 basis points of Fed rate rises since March. "We continue to assume the BoC will dial back the pace of rate hikes with a 50 basis point increase later this month," said Josh Nye, senior economist at RBC. Most economists forecast another slowdown in the size of rate rises to 25 basis points in December and January, taking the overnight rate to a peak of 4.25%.

Search resuls for: "Rathore"

22 mentions found