Financial Market Newsletter

China’s manufacturing activity recovered in March, but the war in the Middle East has increased supply risks, with businesses beginning to feel the pressure.

Federal Reserve Chairman J. Powell said last night that disruptions to energy supply are often short-lived, but warned that the Central Bank cannot afford to be complacent after several years of elevated inflation.

Vietnam’s total merchandise trade reached $197.1 billion as of March 15, up 20.8% year-on-year (+$33.92 billion), led by a 34.9% surge in FDI sector trade value to $148.7 billion.

Business activity across the United States, Europe, and parts of Asia slowed in March, weighed down by rising energy prices and renewed supply chain disruptions stemming from the Middle East conflict.

Brent crude slid about 12% to 98,65 USD/barrel, while major U.S equity indices ended the session up more than 1%.

Although the message from the U.S Central Bank’s latest policy meeting continues to point to the possibility of another rate cut later this year, recent economic data are increasingly reinforcing the case that the FED may need to raise rates again to contain inflation.

On Thursday, the World Trade Organization (WTO) said that global trade flows and economic growth are likely to slow more than previously forecast.

The U.S Federal Reserve early this morning kept its benchmark interest rate unchanged and, for now, maintained its projected rate-cut path for this year, as surging energy prices threaten to prolong the FED’s fight against inflation

European Central Bank (ECB) and the Bank of England (BoE) are expected to keep policy rates unchanged at meetings later this week as the conflict in Iran upends previously held forecasts.