Energy costs drove US headline inflation to 4.2% in May—the fastest pace since April 2023—raising the stakes for the Federal Reserve’s June 17 decision on interest rates.
Tag: Federal Reserve
Gold erases 2026 gains as US jobs shock forces rate-hike bets
Gold fell 3.3% to $4,340 on June 5, hitting its lowest point of 2026, after May nonfarm payrolls added 172,000 jobs — more than double forecasts — forcing investors to reprice Federal Reserve rate expectations higher.
US adds 172,000 jobs in May, more than doubling forecasts
The US economy added 172,000 jobs in May 2026, more than doubling economist forecasts of 85,000, while wage growth of 3.4% lagged inflation for the ninth consecutive month.
Thirty-year Treasury yield hits 5.19%, a level last seen before the 2008 crisis
The 30-year Treasury yield hit 5.197% on May 19, its highest since July 2007, with Citi now flagging 5.5% as the next key level for bond investors to watch.
US consumer prices hit 3.8% in April, highest since May 2023
April CPI rose 3.8% year-on-year — driven by a 28% surge in gasoline costs tied to the Iran conflict — pushing the 10-year Treasury yield to the cusp of 4.5% and repricing Fed rate-cut expectations.
US economy adds 115,000 jobs in April, complicating Warsh’s rate agenda
The US economy added 115,000 jobs in April and unemployment held at 4.3 percent, giving prospective Fed Chair Kevin Warsh limited room to pursue the rate cuts he has signaled.
US wholesale inflation hits 6% as energy costs and tariffs combine
US producer prices jumped 1.4% in April — nearly triple the forecast — lifting the annual PPI rate to 6%, its highest since late 2022, as energy and tariff pass-throughs both accelerated.
The Fed holds fire and hands the chair to Kevin Warsh
The Federal Open Market Committee voted 8-4 on April 29 to keep rates at 3.5–3.75 percent for a third consecutive meeting, as four dissents running in both directions exposed deep internal disagreement about the direction of the next move.