BOJ Raises Interest Rate to 31-Year High as Yen Weakens 
US Stock Futures Rally as Markets Digest Fed Rate Hike 
Bessent Presses Japan on Fiscal Policy as Yen Struggles 
Asian Gold Stocks Rise as Bullion Rebounds on Softer Dollar 
Gold Prices Fall Amid Rate Jitters; Copper Steady as China Stimulus Eyed 
Bessent, He Lifeng to Discuss AI Security and Trade in New York 
Strait of Hormuz Oil Shipments Hit Six-Month High as U.S. Clears Mines 
East Germany Narrows Economic Gap With West but Wealth Divide Persists 
Add as a preferred source on Google
Data released earlier today Germany headline Economic Sentiment Indicator fell for the second month running, from +10.2 to +1.0, a slightly better than consensus for a +0.1 reading. Survey suggests that the recent turmoil in global financial markets and the soft tone of the domestic data continued to weigh on investor sentiment.
Tumbling stock markets, a stronger euro and more general concerns about the global growth outlook have clearly dented optimism about the German economy's growth prospects. Markets will now look even closer at possible next steps by the ECB at its March meeting. ECB is trying hard to temper and align market expectations to avoid another disappointment as after the December decision.
"We do not see German growth grinding to a halt, but we still envisage a slowdown from 1.4% in 2015 to 1.0% or so this year." said Capital Economics in a note to clients.
