# interest rates
Latest news and articles about interest rates
Total: 7 articles found
Spot Gold Falls Below $5,000/oz as Silver Sinks; Precious Metals Retreat on Risk Appetite and Dollar Strength
Spot gold fell below $5,000 per ounce and silver dropped over 2% on Monday, reversing recent gains as traders engaged in profit‑taking and repositioned amid a stronger dollar and firmer yields. The move raises questions about the durability of safe‑haven demand and could exert pressure on miners and commodity‑linked economies if it persists.
Small Chinese Banks Raise Deposit Yields Ahead of Lunar New Year, but Gains Look Transient
Ahead of the Lunar New Year, city and rural commercial banks in China have rolled out limited‑time, high‑minimum deposit products with three‑year yields up to about 2%, outpacing offers from larger banks. The moves are tactical attempts to capture year‑end cashflows and shore up funding, but they are localized, come with restrictions, and are unlikely to signal a sustained rise in nationwide deposit rates.
Trump Nominates Kevin Warsh as Fed Chair, Raising Stakes for Rate Cuts and Fed Independence
President Trump has nominated former Fed governor Kevin Warsh as his choice for Federal Reserve chair, a pick that aligns with the White House’s push for faster interest‑rate cuts. Warsh’s finance background, family ties to the Lauder fortune and political alignment with Trump heighten the stakes for Fed independence and global markets.
Fed Holds Rates Steady after Prior Easing, Spotlighting Policy Uncertainty
The Federal Reserve kept its policy rate at 3.50%–3.75% and signaled a cautious, data‑dependent approach after three rate cuts in late 2025. A 10–2 vote to hold, with two officials favoring an immediate 25‑basis‑point cut, exposed internal disagreement over how quickly to ease further amid still‑elevated inflation.
Powell Urges Next Fed Chair to Steer Clear of Politics as White House Pressure and DOJ Inquiry Intensify
At a Jan. 28 press conference, Fed Chair Jerome Powell urged his successor to distance the Federal Reserve from partisan politics as the bank held rates steady. Powell defended the Fed’s independence amid public hostility from President Trump and a Justice Department probe into a Fed headquarters renovation that has added legal uncertainty to the leadership transition.
China Holds Fire on LPR for Eighth Month as Markets Brace for Possible Q2 Rate Cut
China left its LPR unchanged for an eighth straight month on January 20, with the one‑year rate at 3.00% and the five‑year+ at 3.50%. Forecasters warn that worsening export pressures from higher U.S. tariffs could prompt Beijing to follow early targeted easing with a broader policy rate cut in Q2, which would likely push mortgage and corporate lending rates lower.
China’s Deposit Market Goes Low and Short: Savers “Move House” Between Banks as Yields Slump
New-issue large-denomination bank deposits in China have moved decisively into single-digit annual yields, with tenors shortening and minimum subscription amounts rising. Faced with a 75 trillion yuan maturity wave in 2026, savers are largely redeploying funds across banks rather than into equities, forcing lenders to compete through targeted rate offers, higher thresholds and bespoke customer retention tactics.