Canada, British Columbia Launch $5 Billion Infrastructure Partnership to Boost Housing, Transit, and Healthcare 
US Stock Futures Slip After Wall Street Rally Fueled by US-Iran Deal and Chipmaker Surge 
Russian Stocks End Flat as MOEX Index Hits New 52-Week Low 
US Dollar Hits One-Year High as Hawkish Fed Outlook Overshadows Middle East Developments 
China Keeps Loan Prime Rates Unchanged for 13th Straight Month as Policymakers Prioritize Credit Demand Recovery 
Oil Prices Fall as Iran Peace Talks Progress, Hormuz Reopens, and U.S. SPR Hits 1983 Low 
South Korea Stocks Tumble as AI-Fueled Rally Faces Profit-Taking Pressure 
US Stock Futures Recover as Iran Signals Progress in Peace Talks 
Trump Says No Hormuz Strait Tolls During 60-Day Iran Ceasefire 
U.S.-Iran Diplomacy Helps Drive Gasoline Prices Down 15% From May Highs 
100+ Global Companies Push Governments to Prioritize Electrification for Economic Growth 
Gold Price Rises as Investors Weigh U.S.-Iran Talks and Fed Policy Outlook 
Asian Stocks Surge as Oil Prices Fall and Strong US Dollar Weighs on Markets 
New Zealand Fast-Tracks Gold Mining as Industry Revival Gains Momentum 
Canada Imposes 10% Tariff on Canned Vegetable Imports to Protect Domestic Industry 
Oil Prices Steady as U.S.-Iran Truce Uncertainty and Middle East Tensions Keep Markets on Edge 
December 2024 PCE Data to be Released Today
The US Personal Consumption Expenditures Price Index data for December 2024 is expected to be published today, January 31, 2025. This will give the critical inflation trend and consumer spending in the US economy. As a leading indicator, the PCE index is always looked forward to by investors and analysts to judge the economic forecast.
Recent PCE Trends
The PCE Price Index, in November 2024, was only up a small 0.1% month-to-month, falling short of its estimated value of 0.2%, which would have been the smallest increase in six months. This was also seen in the core PCE index price index that doesn't consider food and energy inflation registered at 0.1%. Annual figures showed that the headline PCE saw its inflation rise to 2.4%, while the core, at 2.8%, remained unchanged but both were under expectations.
Economic Environment and Future Predictions
For the next month, economists predict a 0.2% growth in the headline and core PCE indices, which may have some stabilizing effects on inflation rates. For the year-on-year core PCE inflation, it is anticipated to be 2.8%. The Federal Reserve has hiked its estimate for PCE inflation in 2025 from 2.1% to 2.5%, following the current trend of the economy. This release is going to be important for market sentiment and can influence future interest rate policies.
