2025-07-25 23:21

Sanctions lifted on some allies of Myanmar generals Myanmar military overthrew democratically elected government Trump administration official says no shift in US Myanmar policy Human Rights Watch calls US move 'extremely worrying' WASHINGTON, July 24 (Reuters) - The United States has lifted sanctions designations on several allies of Myanmar's ruling generals that had been imposed under the former Biden administration. The U.S. Treasury Department announcement on Thursday came two weeks after the head of Myanmar's ruling junta praised President Donald Trump in a letter and called for an easing of sanctions in a letter responding to a tariff warning. Administration officials said there was no link between the letter and the sanctions decision. Sign up here. A notice from the U.S. Treasury Department said KT Services & Logistics and its founder, Jonathan Myo Kyaw Thaung; the MCM Group and its owner Aung Hlaing Oo; and Suntac Technologies and its owner Sit Taing Aung; and another individual, Tin Latt Min, were being removed from the U.S. sanctions list. The Treasury Department declined to say why the individuals had been removed from the list. In a statement to Reuters, Deputy Treasury Secretary Michael Faulkender said: "Individuals, including in this case, are regularly added and removed from the Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons List (SDN List) in the ordinary course of business." LETTER ON TARIFFS Early this month, as part of a slate of import tariffs ordered by Trump, Myanmar was notified of a 40% tariff to take effect on August 1. On July 11, Myanmar's ruling military general, Min Aung Hlaing, responded by proposing a reduced rate of 10% to 20%, with Myanmar slashing its levy on U.S. imports to a range of zero to 10%. He said he was ready to send a negotiating team to Washington if needed. "The senior general acknowledged the president's strong leadership in guiding his country towards national prosperity with the spirit of a true patriot," Myanmar state media said at the time. Min Aung Hlaing also asked Trump "to reconsider easing and lifting the economic sanctions imposed on Myanmar, as they hinder the shared interests and prosperity of both countries and their peoples." A senior Trump administration official said the decision to lift sanctions was unrelated to the general's letter. "The decision to lift sanctions reflects a lengthy process that began in the prior administration," said the official, speaking on condition of anonymity. "There is no connection between these decisions and the letter." White House spokeswoman Anna Kelly said that sanctions delistings "were collected over the last year in accordance with standard Treasury course of business." John Sifton, Asia advocacy director of Human Rights Watch, called the sanctions move "extremely worrying." "The action suggests a major shift is underway in U.S. policy, which had centered on punitive action against Myanmar's military regime," he said in emailed comments. Myanmar's military overthrew a democratically elected government in 2021 and has been implicated in crimes against humanity and genocide. Kelly rejected the Human Rights Watch comments as "fake news," and a second senior Trump administration official said the sanctions decisions were not indicative of a broader shift in U.S. policy toward Myanmar. ADDED TO SANCTIONS LIST IN 2022 KT Services & Logistics and Jonathan Myo Kyaw Thaung were added to the sanctions list in January 2022 under the administration of U.S. President Joe Biden in a step timed to mark the first anniversary of the military seizure of power in Myanmar that plunged the country into chaos. Sit Taing Aung and Aung Hlaing Oo were placed on the sanctions list the same year for operating in Myanmar's defence sector. Tin Latt Min, identified as another close associate of the military rulers, was placed on the list in 2024 to mark the third anniversary of the coup. Representative Ami Bera, the top Democrat on the House Foreign Affairs Asia subcommittee, in a statement to Reuters called the decision to lift sanctions against the individuals "a bad idea" that "goes against our values of freedom and democracy." Other U.S. sanctions on Myanmar generals, including on Min Aung Hlaing, remain in place. Myanmar is one of the world's main sources of sought-after rare earth minerals used in high-tech defense and consumer applications. Securing supplies of the minerals is a major focus for the Trump administration in its strategic competition with China, which is responsible for 90% of rare earth processing capacity. Most of Myanmar's rare earth mines are in areas controlled by the Kachin Independence Army (KIA), an ethnic group fighting the junta, and are processed in China. https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/us-lifts-some-myanmar-sanctions-says-no-link-generals-letter-trump-2025-07-25/

2025-07-25 21:35

July 25 (Reuters) - President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Friday that Ukrainian forces were facing fierce fighting around the city of Pokrovsk in the east, a logistics hub near which Russia has been announcing the capture of villages on an almost daily basis. Zelenskiy, speaking in his nightly video address, said Ukraine's top commander, Oleksandr Syrskyi, told a meeting of senior officials that the situation around Pokrovsk was the current focal point of its attention in the war, which began when Russia invaded in February 2022. Sign up here. "All operational directions were covered, with particular focus on Pokrovsk. It receives the most attention," Zelenskiy said. Ukrainian forces, he said, were also "continuing to act" in border areas in the northern Sumy region, where Russian troops have gained a foothold in recent weeks. Syrskyi, in a separate report on the Telegram messaging app, described Pokrovsk and five other sectors as among the most difficult theatres along the 1,000-km (620-mile) front. "The Russian Federation is paying the maximum price for attempting a 'summer offensive,'" Syrskyi wrote. Russian forces have for months been trying to close in on Pokrovsk, a road and rail hub whose pre-war population of about 60,000 has been all but evacuated. Syrskyi in May reported that Kyiv's troops had stabilised the situation around the town, also the site of the only colliery in Ukraine producing coking coal for the country's steel industry. Russia's Defence Ministry on Thursday announced the capture of two villages on either side of Pokrovsk -- Zvirove to the west and Novoekonomichne to the east. A third village near the city -- Novotoretske -- was declared by Moscow to be "liberated" earlier in the week. Ukrainian officials have made no acknowledgement that the villages have changed hands. The General Staff of Ukraine's military said in an evening report that two of them -- Zvirove and Novoekonomichne - were in areas where Russian troops were trying to penetrate Ukrainian defences. In Sumy region, where Russian troops are trying to establish what Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin calls a "buffer zone", the popular Ukrainian military blog DeepState said Kyiv's forces had retaken a previously lost village. DeepState, which relies on open source reports to track the presence of Russian forces, said Ukrainian troops had restored control over the village of Kindrativka. There was no official comment from either side. https://www.reuters.com/world/ukraine-facing-fierce-fighting-around-eastern-city-pokrovsk-zelenskiy-says-2025-07-25/

2025-07-25 21:04

NEW YORK, July 26 (Reuters) - Investors are hopeful a potential trade deal between the U.S. and European Union could bring more certainty to markets ahead of next Friday's tariffs deadline. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen was set to meet U.S. President Donald Trump on Sunday in Scotland after EU officials and diplomats said they expected to reach a framework deal this weekend. Trump on Friday said there was a 50-50 chance or perhaps less that the U.S. would reach a trade agreement with the EU. Sign up here. Trade tensions between the U.S. and Europe may have provided some investors with a rationale to be cautious, said Sameer Samana, head of global equities and real assets at the Wells Fargo Investment Institute. "It's one of our largest trading relationships... So if that last piece falls into place, then you've probably got at the margin more people that have to get back in the markets," Samana said. "It's been a source of uncertainty that will go away." A deal would likely include a 15% baseline tariff on all EU goods entering the U.S. and probably a 50% tariff on European steel and aluminum, the officials and diplomats said. Optimism over easing trade tensions broadly has helped push U.S. stocks to record highs. Trump's April 2 "Liberation Day" announcement of sweeping global tariffs sent stocks plunging in the immediate aftermath, due to spiking fears about a recession that have since faded. Still, investors have been bracing for increased volatility heading into August 1, which the U.S. has set as a deadline for raising levies on a broad swath of trading partners. The EU is facing U.S. tariffs on more than 70% of its exports - 50% on steel and aluminum, 25% on cars and car parts and a 10% levy on most other EU goods, which Trump has said he would hike to 30% on August 1. Hopes for a deal with Europe rose after Trump struck a trade agreement with Japan earlier in the week. "The deal with Japan and the likely one soon with the EU are especially important given both are major U.S. trading partners, together accounting for about a quarter of all goods imports," analysts at Capital Economics said in a note on Friday. In the agreement with Japan, the country's auto sector, which accounts for more than a quarter of its U.S. exports, will see existing tariffs cut to 15% from levies totaling 27.5% previously. An agreement that also lowers EU auto tariffs to 15% "would be no small deal" for the region as well, as about 10% of its shipments to the U.S. are in the same category, Capital Economics said. Investors over the weekend were also watching for developments on trade between the U.S. and China. Officials from the two countries plan to meet in Stockholm next week to discuss extending an August 12 deadline for negotiating a deal. https://www.reuters.com/business/autos-transportation/investors-eye-possible-us-europe-trade-deal-deadline-looms-2025-07-25/

2025-07-25 20:46

ORLANDO, Florida, July 25 (Reuters) - - TRADING DAY Making sense of the forces driving global markets Sign up here. By Jamie McGeever, Markets Columnist I'd love to hear from you, so please reach out to me with comments at [email protected] , opens new tab. You can also follow me at @ReutersJamie and @reutersjamie.bsky.social. For the S&P 500 and Nasdaq, the week ended on Friday as it began on Monday: new highs on growing confidence that the U.S. will strike favorable trade deals with major trading partners and that tariffs won't choke growth, and optimism around the earnings-boosting power of artificial intelligence. This offset some less encouraging signals from U.S. and European earnings about the impact of tariffs and trade uncertainty. But the bulls are in control, it seems, and markets go into next week's heavy event risk at or near their all-time highs. This Week's Key Market Moves Ending on another high The week just ended saw a wave of record stock market highs on Wall Street and around the world as investors cheered the US-Japan trade deal and a raft of corporate earnings results. Next week will be packed with even more market-sensitive events. Policy decisions from the Fed and other major central banks, Fed Chair Jerome Powell's press conference, U.S. PCE inflation, earnings from four of the 'Magnificent Seven' tech giants, and Washington's August 1 tariff deadline for most countries await. Meanwhile, U.S. and Chinese officials will meet in Stockholm to discuss extending the August 12 deadline for reaching a trade deal. This will be U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent's third round of talks with his Chinese counterparts That's a lot to be heaped onto investors' plate, and one wonders how they will digest it all. It wouldn't be a surprise if market volatility picked up from surprisingly low levels - the VIX index is the lowest in five months, and the Treasury market's MOVE index is near its recent three and a half-year low. Meanwhile, demand for U.S. government debt will be tested as the Treasury auctions $173 billion of notes in the 2-7 year part of the curve. Recent auctions of longer-dated bonds have drawn strong demand and foreign private sector investors bought huge quantities of Treasuries in May, which bodes well. But the sales come as Treasury also announces its quarterly refunding plans, a reminder that investors will have around $1 trillion of new debt to absorb by year end, an increasing share of that in bills. Chart of the Week What's driving the rally on Wall Street? Lots of things, including tariff relief, trade deals, and renewed optimism around AI. One potential red flag, however, is the amount of leverage fueling it. Figures from the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) show that margin debt in U.S. stocks has crossed the $1 trillion mark for the first time. This comprises retail and institutional investors, but is thought to be more skewed toward the retail cohort. Of course, investors' margin debt should rise over time in line with inflation and the underlying equity indices. But it's a marker. Here are some of the best things I read this week: What could move markets on Monday? Opinions expressed are those of the author. They do not reflect the views of Reuters News, which, under the Trust Principles , opens new tab, is committed to integrity, independence, and freedom from bias. Trading Day is also sent by email every weekday morning. Think your friend or colleague should know about us? Forward this newsletter to them. They can also sign up here. https://www.reuters.com/business/autos-transportation/global-markets-trading-day-graphic-2025-07-25/

2025-07-25 20:27

TSX ends up 0.5% at 27,494.35 Eclipses Wednesday's record closing high Tech sector rises 1.8% Industrials add 0.7% July 25 (Reuters) - Canada's main stock index rose to a record high on Friday, with technology shares leading gains as investors turned attention to key events next week, including a Bank of Canada policy decision. The S&P/TSX Composite Index (.GSPTSE) , opens new tab ended up 122.09 points, or 0.5%, at 27,494.35, eclipsing Wednesday's record closing high. For the week, the index was up 0.7%. Sign up here. The move has been supported by trade optimism "as negotiations have progressed on the U.S. side and also corporate profits that are coming in pretty strong," said Angelo Kourkafas, senior global investment strategist at Edward Jones. Policy decisions are due from both the BoC and the Federal Reserve on Wednesday, while an August 1 deadline looms for Canada to reach a trade deal with the United States. "That summer calm may be tested," Kourkafas said. "We are seeing some signs of complacency, which raise the risk of near-term volatility, but fundamentals remain supportive." The Canadian central bank will hold its overnight interest rate steady at 2.75% for the third consecutive meeting, thanks to a recent rise in inflation and a fall in unemployment, according to a Reuters poll of economists that still found many expect at least two more cuts this year. The technology sector (.SPTTTK) , opens new tab rose 1.8%, boosted by a 4.7% gain for the shares of Lightspeed Commerce (LSPD.TO) , opens new tab, which is due to release earnings next Thursday. Shares of e-commerce company Shopify (SHOP.TO) , opens new tab added 2.5%. Industrials were up 0.7% as railroad shares notched gains and heavily weighted financials ended 0.5% higher. Energy was a drag, dipping 0.5%, as the price of oil settled 1.3% lower at $65.16 a barrel. https://www.reuters.com/markets/europe/tsx-adds-weekly-gains-technology-shares-climb-2025-07-25/

2025-07-25 20:25

S&P 500 and the Nasdaq log fresh record closing highs Week ahead includes tariff deadline Fed meeting, payrolls data Amazon, Apple, Meta, Microsoft report next week U.S. Treasury yields rise ahead of data-heavy week Oil prices decline on demand outlook and Venezuela supply concerns NEW YORK, July 25 (Reuters) - U.S. stocks advanced and the dollar firmed on Friday as investors girded themselves for the week ahead, which includes a Federal Reserve policy meeting, crucial corporate results and U.S. President Donald Trump's August 1 deadline for negotiating trade deals. "There’s increasing confidence that the economy won't be derailed by tariffs," said Thomas Martin, Senior Portfolio Manager at GLOBALT in Atlanta. "In the meantime, companies are reporting good earnings, the economic numbers are coming in within the range and people want to own stocks. They don't want to miss out." Sign up here. All three indexes closed in positive territory and notched weekly gains. The S&P 500 and the Nasdaq logged fresh record closing highs and the blue-chip Dow ended 0.25% shy of its all-time closing level reached on December 24, 2024. Gold lost some shine, pressured by the dollar as healthy risk appetites lured investors away from the safe-haven metal. With Trump's negotiating deadline just a week away, the U.S. and its trading partners are scrambling to reach trade agreements, with European negotiators heartened by the deal with Japan announced on Tuesday. Intel's shares INTC.O , opens new tab dropped 8.5% after the chipmaker forecast steeper-than-expected quarterly losses and said it had halted or scrapped new factory projects in the U.S. and Europe. More than a third of the companies in the S&P 500 have posted results, 80% of which have beaten estimates, according to LSEG data. Analysts now expect year-on-year second-quarter earnings growth of 7.7%, compared with the 5.8% estimate as of July 1. Four members of the Magnificent 7 group of Artificial Intelligence-related megacap stocks - Amazon (AMZN.O) , opens new tab, Apple (AAPL.O) , opens new tab, Meta (META.O) , opens new tab and Microsoft (MSFT.O) , opens new tab are on next week's earnings docket, and market participants will scrutinize the companies' conference calls for signs that AI expenditures are beginning to pay off and whether tariff-related uncertainties continue to weigh on forward guidance. U.S. economic data released on Friday showed an unexpected decline in new orders for core capital goods, as companies hold back on big ticket purchases amid the fog of ongoing trade talks. The Fed is expected to convene next week for a two-day monetary policy meeting, which is expected to culminate in a decision to let its federal funds target rate stand in the 4.25% to 4.50% range. The meeting comes at a moment in which Fed Chair Jerome Powell is facing criticism from Trump for not cutting rates. "The Fed is going to do what it's going to do and Powell is going to stay in his job," Martin added. "The economy is doing great, so they really don't need to lower short-term interest rates." "Inflation is still a question, so they're better off not lowering rates if they don't have to," Martin said. The Dow Jones Industrial Average (.DJI) , opens new tab rose 208.01 points, or 0.47%, to 44,901.92, the S&P 500 (.SPX) , opens new tab rose 25.30 points, or 0.40%, to 6,388.65 and the Nasdaq Composite (.IXIC) , opens new tab rose 50.36 points, or 0.24%, to 21,108.32. European shares settled lower as market participants parsed mixed corporate earnings and awaited developments in the U.S.-EU trade negotiations. MSCI's gauge of stocks across the globe (.MIWD00000PUS) , opens new tab rose 0.47 points, or 0.05%, to 941.82. MSCI's gauge of stocks across the globe (.MIWD00000PUS) , opens new tab rose 0.01 points, or 0.00%, to 941.36. The pan-European STOXX 600 (.STOXX) , opens new tab index fell 0.29%, while Europe's broad FTSEurofirst 300 index (.FTEU3) , opens new tab fell 5.79 points, or 0.27% Emerging market stocks (.MSCIEF) , opens new tab fell 10.29 points, or 0.81%, to 1,257.00. MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan (.MIAPJ0000PUS) , opens new tab closed lower by 0.93%, to 661.17, while Japan's Nikkei (.N225) , opens new tab fell 370.11 points, or 0.88%, to 41,456.23. The yield on benchmark U.S. 10-year notes fell 2.4 basis points to 4.384%, from 4.408% late on Thursday. The U.S. dollar gained strength but remained on course for its biggest drop in a month as investors focused on economic data, tariff negotiations and central bank meetings on the calendar for next week. The dollar index , which measures the greenback against a basket of currencies including the yen and the euro, rose 0.23% to 97.68, with the euro down 0.11% at $1.1741. Against the Japanese yen , the dollar strengthened 0.44% to 147.65. In cryptocurrencies, bitcoin fell 1.66% to $116,805.28. Ethereum declined 2.52% to $3,645.63. U.S. crude fell 1.32% to $65.16 per barrel, while Brent fell to $68.44 per barrel, down 1.07% on the day. Gold prices dropped in opposition to the firming dollar, amid signs of progress in U.S.-EU trade talks. Spot gold fell 0.9% to $3,337.66 an ounce. U.S. gold futures fell 1.24% to $3,329.10 an ounce. https://www.reuters.com/world/china/global-markets-wrapup-6-graphics-2025-07-25/