The US Federal Reserve wraps up its two-day policy meeting on Wednesday, April 29, with a rate decision and statement due that day. Fed Chair Jerome Powell will follow with a press conference where markets will parse every word for clues on the path ahead. The meeting began April 28. Markets are watching closely given persistent uncertainty around inflation, growth, and the impact of recent tariff moves on the US economy. The central bank has held rates steady in recent meetings, and most market participants expect no change this time either. The focus will shift to Powell's tone: whether he signals concern about slowing growth, sticky inflation, or both. For India and emerging markets, any hint of rate cuts or a dovish tilt could support capital inflows and ease pressure on currencies. A more cautious or hawkish signal, on the other hand, could strengthen the dollar and tighten financial conditions globally. The statement's language on the economic outlook will be the key thing to watch.
Iranian armed forces attacked a cargo ship in the Strait of Hormuz on Thursday, briefly halting traffic through the waterway. The strike threatens a fragile US-Iran arrangement and could push shipping insurance costs and oil prices higher.
The US has struck Iran, with President Trump citing an Iranian attack on a ship in the Strait of Hormuz as justification. The action raises immediate risks for global oil flows through one of the world's most critical shipping chokepoints.
The US struck ten Iranian targets on the second consecutive day of military action, putting a fragile ceasefire under serious pressure. The escalation raises immediate risks for Gulf shipping, global oil supply, and regional stability.
Venezuela's twin earthquakes, magnitudes 7.2 and 7.5, have killed at least 164 people and injured 971, interim president Delcy Rodriguez confirmed Thursday. The quakes are the country's strongest since 1900, collapsing buildings across Caracas and prompting a state of emergency, with the death toll expected to rise as
