2025-08-22 20:28

LONDON, Aug 22 (Reuters) - Sona Asset Management is set to hire David Hill as its new chief financial officer, a source close to the matter told Reuters on Friday. Hill will likely join the investment firm from his CFO role at the $13.5 hedge fund Cheyne Capital, the person said. He brings over 20 years of experience, including 12 years in CFO roles, said the source. Sign up here. Sona Asset Management's chief financial officer Iain Colquhoun has left the firm, according to an email seen by Reuters on Friday. An email to Colquhoun's work address bounced back saying he no longer works for the firm and Reuters did not immediately respond to LinkedIn request. Hill will start his role at Sona Asset Management in October, the source said. He did not immediately respond to a request for comment on LinkedIn. A representative for Cheyne Capital did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Sona Asset Management, which oversees $13.6 billion, invests in bonds, as well as private credit and collateralised loan obligations, taking both long and short positions. A short trade is a bet that an asset will lose value. At Cheyne Capital, Hill was responsible for management accounting, budgeting, and financial reporting. He also served on the executive committee, overseeing strategy and planning, the source said. Before his job at Cheyne, he held roles as head of finance and later CFO at Finisterre Capital. Sona's departing CFO, Colquhoun, joined the hedge fund manager in June 2018, bringing with him 21 years of experience in fund operations, finance, and infrastructure, according to the firm's website. Last year, Sona Asset Management's Credit Master Fund returned 18.8%, benefiting from a surge in European companies needing to refinance their debt, Reuters previously reported. The firm's collateralized loan obligations (CLOs) platform made the top quartile of CLOs ranked by Deutsche Bank in 2024. These did not have specific annual percentage returns mentioned in the letter. During 2025, Sona Asset Management's assets under management have grown over $3 billion. https://www.reuters.com/markets/europe/sona-poised-hire-cheynes-hill-cfo-136-billion-manager-source-says-2025-08-22/

2025-08-22 20:03

MOSCOW, Aug 22 (Reuters) - President Vladimir Putin said on Friday that there was "light at the end of the tunnel" in Russia-U.S. relations and that the two countries were discussing joint projects in the Arctic and Alaska. The Russian president, answering questions during a visit to a nuclear research centre, said he was sure that U.S. President Donald Trump's leadership qualities would help in restoring relations from recent lows. Sign up here. "With the arrival of President Trump, I think that a light at the end of the tunnel has finally loomed. And now we had a very good, meaningful and frank meeting in Alaska," Putin said, referring to last week's summit. "The next steps now depend on the leadership of the United States, but I am confident that the leadership qualities of the current president, President Trump, are a good guarantee that relations will be restored." His comments signalled Russia's optimism that it can mend relations with the U.S. and strike business deals, despite the lack of clear progress towards ending the Ukraine conflict at his August 15 summit with Trump. Putin did not give details of possible U.S.-Russia cooperation in the Arctic but said there were "huge, huge" mineral reserves in the region and noted that Russian liquefied natural gas company Novatek was already operating there. "We are discussing, by the way, with American partners the possibility of working together in this area. And not only in our Arctic zone, but also in Alaska. And at the same time, the technologies that we possess, today no one but us possesses. And this is of interest to our partners, including those from the States," he said. Both Russia and the United States have said they see enormous economic opportunities if they can normalise relations after ties plunged to a post-Cold War low because of the war in Ukraine. https://www.reuters.com/world/putin-sees-light-end-tunnel-russia-us-ties-cooperation-arctic-alaska-2025-08-22/

2025-08-22 19:48

Aug 22 (Reuters) - The U.S. Department of Energy said on Friday it had granted Energy Transfer (ET.N) , opens new tab additional time to start exports from the Lake Charles LNG facility under its non-Free Trade Agreement export permit. "On the heels of President Trump’s historic trade negotiations, demand for secure, reliable American LNG is surging," Energy Secretary Chris Wright said in a press release announcing the extension. Sign up here. Once fully constructed, the Lake Charles LNG project will be capable of exporting up to 2.33 billion cubic feet per day of natural gas as LNG, according to the release. https://www.reuters.com/business/energy/us-dept-energy-grants-lake-charles-lng-more-time-start-exports-2025-08-22/

2025-08-22 19:20

鲍威尔暗示9月降息，但未做出承诺 交易员目前认为美联储下月降息的几率为 85% 路透纽约8月22日 - 美元周五普遍大跌，此前美联储主席鲍威尔指出可能在9月会议上降息但未做出承诺。 衡量美元兑一篮子货币（包括日圆和欧元）汇率的美元指数 日内下跌 0.96%，报 97.66 点，鲍威尔发表讲话前该指数交投于 98.7 点附近。 Sign up here. 欧元 上涨1.06%，报1.1728美元，最高触及1.1742美元，为7月28日以来最高。美元兑日圆 下跌1.08%，至146.77。 "虽然劳动力市场似乎处于平衡状态，但这是一种奇怪的平衡，是由于工人的供需两方面都明显放缓造成的，"鲍威尔说："这种不寻常的情况表明，就业的下行风险正在上升。" 鲍威尔在怀俄明州杰克森霍尔举行的美联储年度会议上对与会的国际经济学家和政策制定者说："如果这些风险变为现实，它们可能会迅速发生。" 多伦多 Corpay 首席市场策略师Karl Schamotta说，鲍威尔的讲话比市场预期的要鸽派得多。 他说："美元正在暴跌，9月降息的几率正在上升，市场参与者显然在为即将到来的更多宽松政策做准备。" 据芝商所的FedWatch工具显示，交易商目前对美联储在9月16-17日政策会议上降息几率的定价为85%，高于上周五早些时候的72%。他们还将年底前降息的预期幅度从 48 个基点提高到 54 个基点。 “现在，阻止9月降息的举证责任显然落在了数据身上，”美国银行的经济学家在周五的一份报告中表示。 在7月份的就业报告意外疲软之后，交易员们一直在提高对9月份降息的预期。消费者物价数据显示，到目前为止，关税对通胀的影响有限。 但高于预期的生产者价格通胀和其他一些经济数据，包括强劲的8月商业活动调查，使他们缓和了看法。 现在，劳动力市场数据有望成为美联储未来政策的主要驱动力。 Schamotta说："他的真正意思是，他们正在为劳动力市场状况的拐点做好准备，美联储任务的第二部分在确定政策设定方面突然变得更加重要。" 周五，美元兑欧元和日圆创下自8月1日7月份就业报告公布以来的最大单日跌幅。 美国总统特朗普表示他可能寻求解雇美联储理事库克后，市场对美联储的独立性感到担忧，美元本周也不时因此承压。 特朗普周五表示，如果库克不辞职，他将解雇她，此前他曾在周三呼吁库克辞职，理由是有关她在密歇根州和佐治亚州持有抵押贷款的指控。 Money USA的全球汇市交易员Helen Given表示："特朗普对库克的言论......再次引发了人们对美联储独立性的担忧，因为越来越清楚的是，政府可能希望按照自己的意愿重塑美联储。" 特朗普曾多次批评鲍威尔在降息方面过于迟缓，交易员们预计，当鲍威尔的任期于5月结束时，他将任命一位更加鸽派的人取代鲍威尔。 其他货币方面，英镑 上涨0.86%，至1.3527美元。澳元兑美元 升 1.14%，至 0.6492 美元。 在加密货币方面，比特币 上涨 4.10%，至 117,035 美元。(完) https://www.reuters.com/world/africa/9-2025-08-22/

2025-08-22 19:06

Potential stronger sanctions against Russia back in focus Prices also supported by US crude stocks drawdown German economic data raises concerns over demand HOUSTON - Aug 22 (Reuters) - Oil prices steadied on Friday amid uncertainty surrounding a potential peace deal between Russia and Ukraine, with prices gaining on the week for the first time in three weeks. Brent crude futures settled up 6 cents or 0.09% to $67.73. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures settled up 14 cents or 0.22% to $63.66. Sign up here. Both contracts gained more than 1% in the previous session. Brent gained 2.9% this week while WTI rose 1.4%. "Everyone is waiting for President Trump's next step," said UBS commodity analyst Giovanni Staunovo. "Over the coming days, it seems nothing will happen," he added. U.S. President Donald Trump said on Friday he will see if Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskiy will work together in ending Russia's war in Ukraine. "There is still uncertainty around the potential ceasefire, the negotiations are not going as quick as the market would have hoped," said Phil Flynn, senior analyst with Price Futures Group. The 3-1/2-year war continued unabated this week as Russia launched an air attack on Thursday near Ukraine's border with the European Union, and Ukraine said it hit a Russian oil refinery and the Unecha oil pumping station, a critical part of Russia's Europe-bound Druzhba oil pipeline. Russian oil supplies to Hungary and Slovakia could be suspended for at least five days. Trump is seeking to arrange a summit between Putin and his Ukrainian counterpart Zelenskiy as part of efforts to broker a peace deal for Ukraine. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said there is no agenda for a potential summit between Putin and Zelenskiy, accusing Zelenskiy of saying "no to everything". The less likely a ceasefire looks, the more likely the risk of tougher U.S. sanctions on Russia, ING analysts said in a client note on Friday. Meanwhile, U.S. and European planners have presented military options to their national security advisers after the first in-person meeting between the U.S. and Russian leaders since Russia invaded Ukraine. Estonia is ready to participate in a peacekeeping operation in Ukraine with a force of up to one battalion, the Baltic country's Prime Minister Kristen Michal said at a press conference with his Finnish counterpart in Tallinn on Friday. Putin demanded that Ukraine give up all of the eastern Donbas region, renounce NATO ambitions and keep Western troops out of the country, sources told Reuters. Trump pledged to protect Ukraine under any war-ending deal and Zelenskiy dismissed the idea of withdrawing from internationally recognised Ukrainian land. LARGER THAN EXPECTED FALL IN US OIL STOCKS Oil prices were also supported by a larger-than-expected drawdown from U.S. crude stockpiles in the past week, indicating strong demand. Stocks fell by 6 million barrels in the week ended August 15, the U.S. Energy Information Administration said on Wednesday. Analysts had expected a draw of 1.8 million barrels. Meanwhile, U.S. energy firms this week cut the number of oil and natural gas rigs operating for the fourth time in five weeks, energy services firm Baker Hughes (BKR.O) , opens new tab said in its closely followed report on Friday. The oil and gas rig count, an early indicator of future output, fell by one to 538 in the week to August 22, the lowest since mid-July. Weak economic data from Germany on Friday partially offset the stocks draw, showing that Europe's largest economy shrank by 0.3% , opens new tab in the second quarter, raising concerns over oil demand. Investors were also looking to the Jackson Hole economic conference in Wyoming for signals of a Federal Reserve interest rate cut next month. Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell on Friday pointed to a possible interest rate cut at the U.S. central bank's meeting next month but stopped short of committing to it, in remarks acknowledging both the growing risks to the job market and the ongoing threat of higher inflation. Lower interest rates can stimulate economic growth and increase oil demand, potentially boosting prices. https://www.reuters.com/business/energy/oil-prices-rise-make-weekly-gains-ukraine-peace-process-stalls-2025-08-22/

2025-08-22 19:05

Carney says announcement reflects a recent similar U.S. move Canadian tariffs on US autos, steel, aluminum remain Carney's softer tone contrasts with earlier tough stance on U.S. tariffs Political challenge for Carney as opposition criticizes soft approach OTTAWA, Aug 22 (Reuters) - Canada will remove many retaliatory import tariffs on U.S. goods and intensify talks with the United States on striking a new trade and security relationship, Prime Minister Mark Carney said on Friday. Canadian tariffs on U.S. autos, steel and aluminum will remain for now, he told a press conference. Sign up here. Carney noted that the United States had recently made clear that it would not impose tariffs on Canadian goods that were compliant with the three-nation U.S.-Mexico-Canada free trade agreement, something he called a positive development. "In this context and consistent with Canada's commitment to USMCA, I am announcing today that the Canadian government will now match the United States by removing all of Canada's tariffs on U.S. goods specifically covered under USMCA," he said. "Canada and the U.S. have now re-established free trade for the vast majority of our goods," he added, reiterating that compared with its trading partners, Canadian exports were still subject overall to a low level of U.S. tariffs. The news helped the Canadian dollar extend its gains. Canada has been holding talks with the United States on a new economic and security relationship for months but the two sides are not close to a deal. Canada and China are the only nations to strike back at the United States with counter-tariffs, much to the irritation of the U.S. administration. Carney spoke to Donald Trump on Thursday. Asked whether the U.S. president had told him that lifting the tariffs would kick -start the talks, Carney responded "Yes." Trump, when asked about Carney's decision to remove tariffs, called it a "nice thing" while addressing journalists in the Oval Office. "We are working on something. We want to be very good to Canada. I like Carney a lot," he said. Carney won an April election promising to stand up to Trump's tariffs but since then has gradually taken a softer tone. Carney scrapped a proposed digital services tax in late June that U.S. companies strongly disliked and in July dropped talk of further sanctions if the two sides could not reach a deal by August 1. He also held steady on tariffs on steel and aluminum products imported from the United States at 25% when Trump increased tariffs on steel and aluminum from Canada to 50%. Carney's predecessor as prime minister, Justin Trudeau, imposed 25% tariffs on C$30 billion ($21 billion) in goods imported annually from the United States on March 6 in response to Trump's initial duties. The C$30 billion was part of an overall retaliation plan to target C$155 billion worth of imported goods from the United States, though the remaining C$125 billion has been delayed. However, despite concessions, a deal with the United States could be a far cry, a former government official said. "Getting to a final deal isn't going to be easy. The list of U.S. demands is long," said Brian Clow, who was in charge of U.S. relations inside Trudeau's office for several years. MODERATE APPROACH Carney said the time had come for a more moderate approach rather than continuing to take an aggressive stance. "Let's be clear, we have the best deal of anyone in the world right now," he said. "Nobody has a deal with the United States that they used to have." Carney said Canada will primarily focus on strategic sectors that are still facing tariffs including steel, aluminum, autos and lumber, as well as on the review of the free trade USMCA deal, called CUSMA in Canada. The USMCA officially comes up for review in July 2026, six years after it entered force on July 1, 2020. Carney said the review is likely to start in the spring but preparations will begin shortly. Business leaders have called on the government to focus on getting a solid deal under the USMCA free trade agreement as this pact has been critical in protecting Canadian companies and the economy from broader tariffs. "While there is more work to be done to resolve tariffs in strategic sectors, Canada's priority must be the successful review and renewal of the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement," said Goldy Hyder, president and CEO of the Business Council of Canada. The news could be a political challenge for Carney, whose ruling Liberals only have a minority of seats in the House of Commons elected chamber and rely on opposition parties to survive votes of confidence. The leader of the Conservatives, the largest opposition party, this week accused Carney of taking too soft an approach with the United States. https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/canada-remove-many-retaliatory-tariffs-us-carney-says-2025-08-22/