New York CNN — Oil stocks skyrocketed in 2022, so it’s no surprise funds that track the energy sector were Wall Street winners this year. But the top fund of the year is a surprising one: It invests in a variety of companies based in Turkey. The iShares MSCI Turkey exchange-traded fund had more than … Read more
London CNN — Brits hoping for a new-year salary bump to offset soaring food and energy costs may be disappointed. The average British worker’s pay in 2023 is expected to fall back to 2006 levels once inflation is taken into account, according to PwC. Real wages, which factor in inflation, are expected to fall by … Read more
Japan’s core consumer inflation hit a fresh four-decade high as companies continued to pass on rising costs to households, data showed, a sign price hikes were broadening and could keep the central bank under pressure to whittle down massive stimulus. Months before Tuesday’s surprise tweak to its yield control policy, Bank of Japan (BOJ) policymakers … Read more
London CNN Business — Europe has agreed to a cap on natural gas prices, following months of debate over whether the measure will protect European households and businesses from extreme price spikes as temperatures plummet. In a Monday meeting, EU energy ministers agreed to trigger a cap on the price of month-ahead natural gas futures … Read more
Hong Kong CNN Business — Chinese President Xi Jinping is visiting Saudi Arabia this week for the first time in nearly seven years, during which he is expected to sign billions of dollars of deals with the world’s largest oil exporter and meet leaders from across the Middle East. The visit is a sign that … Read more
Malaysia’s Anwar Ibrahim was sworn in as prime minister on Thursday, capping a three-decade political journey from a protege of veteran leader Mahathir Mohamad to protest leader, a prisoner convicted of sodomy, and opposition leader. His appointment ends five days of unprecedented post-election crisis, but could usher in a new instability with his rival, former … Read more
Mortgage rates dropped again this week, after plunging nearly half a percentage point last week. The 30-year fixed-rate mortgage averaged 6.58% in the week ending November 23, down from 6.61% the week before, according to Freddie Mac. A year ago, the 30-year fixed rate was 3.10%. Mortgage rates have risen throughout most of 2022, spurred … Read more
Stocks and bonds have been turning in volatile, bearish performances this year in an economy marked by high inflation and rising interest rates. But that hasn’t deterred most retirement savers, especially the youngest ones. 401(k) participants have held relatively steady in their savings contribution rates and in their portfolio allocations, according to new third quarter … Read more
London CNN Business — The UK government is hiking a windfall tax on oil and gas companies and extending the levy to electricity generators, as it scrambles to balance its budget amid an economic downturn. It is also investing in nuclear power for the first time in decades. UK finance minister Jeremy Hunt announced the … Read more
New York CNN Business — Target’s profit plunged 52% in the third quarter and the retailer warned of a sluggish holiday. Target blamed inflation and a deteriorating economic outlook for its miserable quarter — and also lowered its outlook for the rest of the year. That sent shares down more than 12% in premarket trading. … Read more