Gold Prices Steady Ahead of U.S. Inflation Data and Fed Decision 
ECB Rate Hike in Focus as Oil Tops $100 
Oil Prices Climb as Iran Threatens Gulf Energy Infrastructure 
Oil Prices Rally as Brent Nears $100 on U.S.-Iran Escalation 
Canada Retaliatory Tariffs on U.S. Goods Take Effect 
South Korea GDP Surges on Chip and AI Boom 
Iraq Seeks 6 Million Bpd OPEC+ Oil Quota 
Asian Stocks Fall as Oil Tops $100, Yields Rise 
Asian Stocks Mixed as Korean Chipmakers Rally 
Brent Oil Tops $100 as Middle East Conflict Threatens Supply 
German Inflation Accelerates to 2.9% in August 
Iran Threatens Gulf Energy Assets as U.S. Tensions Escalate 
China Buys 1 Million Tons of U.S. Soybeans Ahead of Xi Visit 
China Exports Surge 25% in August as Trade Surplus Hits $119 Billion 
Asian Currencies Steady as Yen Holds Firm, Oil Tops $100 
Japan GDP Growth Beats Forecast, Boosting BOJ Rate Hike Bets 
Gold Prices Rebound as Dollar Weakens, Fed Decision Looms 
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Strong Economic Growth Anticipated
The U.S. economy is expected to sustain a solid growth pace in the third quarter of 2024, bolstered by decreasing inflation and robust wage increases fueling consumer spending. This advance comes just before the critical presidential election on November 5, where Vice President Kamala Harris faces former President Donald Trump in a highly competitive race.
Consumer Concerns Amid Growth
Despite economic growth, many Americans are grappling with high food and housing costs. Polls indicate that voters are increasingly favoring Trump as the better steward of the economy. The economy has remained resilient, defying recession predictions and outperforming many global counterparts, despite the Federal Reserve's substantial interest rate hikes totaling 5.25 percentage points in 2022 and 2023.
Projected GDP Growth
According to a Reuters survey, the GDP is likely to have increased at an annualized rate of 3.0% in Q3, maintaining the same growth rate as Q2. While recent data showed a rise in the goods trade deficit, which led the Atlanta Fed to revise its GDP estimate down to 2.8%, growth remains well above the Fed's non-inflationary benchmark of approximately 1.8%.
Positive Economic Indicators
With inflation nearing the Fed's target of 2%, the central bank is easing its policies, evidenced by last month's significant half-percentage-point rate cut. Additionally, consumer spending, a critical driver of economic activity, is projected to grow at a rate exceeding 3.5%, up from 2.8% in the previous quarter. While concerns persist regarding the distribution of growth, particularly benefiting middle- and upper-income households, business investment and government spending are also contributing to this economic expansion.
