2025-11-19 17:33
By David Ljunggren OTTAWA, Nov 19 (Reuters) - The Bank of Canada on Wednesday called for a coordinated economy-wide approach to boost weak productivity, an issue it said was becoming more pressing in the face of challenges caused by U.S. trade policy. Sign up here. The speech by Deputy Governor Nicolas Vincent was the latest effort by the central bank to urge policy makers to tackle decades of underperformance and insufficient investment. "Shocks to our economy have become more frequent, and we are too vulnerable to their impacts," he said in a speech to Quebec economists. "To put it bluntly, we're stuck in a vicious circle. When productivity is weak, it's much harder to meet current challenges and seize opportunities for the future." Canada's productivity has been lagging for 25 years, he noted. Average annual growth of labor productivity was about 3% in the 1960s and 1970s but fell to 1% between 2000 and 2019 and is now below 0.5%. Policy makers could help in three areas, he said: * creating a better investment climate, in part by trimming a cumbersome and complex regulatory framework * increasing competition in key sectors dominated by a few big players, such as telecommunications, passenger transportation and financial services * investing in talent by spending more on training and making it easier to recognise the credentials of foreigners "Weak productivity is a systemic problem that demands a coordinated approach across the economy ... given the tensions and conflicts that are destabilizing our economy, reversing the trend is more urgent than ever," he said. Although Canadian businesses facing strong international competition are more productive, competitive and resilient, weak investment means too few firms fall into this category, he said. When the Bank of Canada looked at factors driving inflation, the relationship between rising labor costs and productivity is particularly important, said Vincent. Stronger growth in productivity means incomes could rise while inflationary pressures remained limited, he added. ((Reuters Ottawa editorial; [email protected] , opens new tab)) Keywords: CANADA CENBANK/ https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/bank-canada-urges-coordinated-approach-boost-weak-productivity-2025-11-19/
2025-11-19 16:14
LONDON, Nov 19 (Reuters) - The hedge fund short selling partnership of Gotham City Research and General Industrial Partners (GIP) said on Wednesday it has taken a short position in the real estate investment trust, Iron Mountain . The company did not immediately respond for a request for comment. Sign up here. Daniel Yu and Cyrus de Weck said Iron Mountain's leveraged investments into data centers do not match what the firm has available long-term to spend. As of 15:55 GMT the Reit shareprice was down 5%. The team is known for their research on SES Imagotag, now Vusion Group and Spanish medical company, Grifols. https://www.reuters.com/markets/us/iron-mountain-reit-targeted-by-short-sellers-gotham-city-research-gip-2025-11-19/
2025-11-19 14:45
Nov 19 (Reuters) - Saudi Arabia will sign energy sector agreements with the U.S. worth $30 billion, the CEO of Saudi state oil giant Aramco, Amin Nasser, said on Wednesday in comments carried by Saudi state TV. His comments came during the U.S.-Saudi investment forum, being held in Washington. Sign up here. https://www.reuters.com/business/energy/saudi-arabia-sign-30-billion-worth-energy-deals-with-us-says-aramco-ceo-2025-11-19/
2025-11-19 14:43
Nov 19 (Reuters) - The U.S. Commerce Department's Census Bureau said on Wednesday it would publish both September retail sales and food services and durable goods orders reports next week. Both were delayed by the government shutdown. The monthly sales report for retail and food services will be issued on Tuesday, while the durable goods orders report is set for publication on Wednesday. The reports were initially due in October. Sign up here. The 43-day shutdown, the longest in history, halted the collection, processing and publishing of government-issued economic data, including the closely watched monthly employment and inflation reports. https://www.reuters.com/business/us-census-bureau-release-sept-retail-sales-durable-goods-orders-reports-next-2025-11-19/
2025-11-19 14:15
ORLANDO, Florida, Nov 19 (Reuters) - Conditions are ripe for a strong rally in the 'safe haven' Japanese yen, with a global stock market selloff sparking volatility across asset classes. But the Japanese currency is falling fast, calling into question its long-perceived role as a preferred hiding spot for spooked investors. The yen this week has tumbled to a 10-month low against the dollar and the weakest level ever against the euro. It has been, by far, the worst-performing G10 currency in recent months, raising the prospect of Japanese authorities intervening to lend it some support. Sign up here. Domestic issues are the key factor here. Japan's new Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi appears to be taking notes from the Donald Trump playbook: go large on fiscal stimulus and lean on the central bank to keep interest rates as low as possible, even if inflation is elevated. Unsurprisingly, investors are in no rush to pile into the yen despite the global market jitters. The yen's status as a major safe-haven currency, which it shares with the U.S. dollar and Swiss franc, is rooted in the large current account surpluses and ultra-low or zero interest rates that Japan ran for decades. These conditions gave rise to the yen carry trade. Japanese investors recycled the surpluses into higher-yielding assets overseas, making Japan the world's largest creditor nation for many years. At the end of June, Japan held a net $3.62 trillion in overseas stocks and bonds, according to the International Monetary Fund. In previous bouts of global market turbulence, repatriation of even a slender slice of that mountain of assets could deliver a quick, outsized boost to the yen. But that's not happening now. Perhaps the tremors roiling global markets aren't strong enough yet. Or, to cite that dreaded phrase, perhaps this time is different. CARRY THAT WEIGHT To put it bluntly, Japan's domestic policy stance is not yen-friendly at all. A ruling-party panel of lawmakers close to Takaichi has proposed a supplementary budget exceeding 25 trillion yen ($161 billion) to fund Takaichi's planned stimulus package. That's more than estimates floated recently and much larger than last year's $92 billion plan. Meanwhile, Takaichi has also indicated she would prefer the Bank of Japan not to raise interest rates. Markets have reacted accordingly. Japanese government bonds have tumbled, sending yields to historic highs, and the swaps market indicates that the probability of BOJ rate hikes in the coming months has fallen sharply. One might argue similar policy and political pressures are prevalent in the United States, and should therefore be pushing the dollar lower. That's fair, but these dynamics have been at play for months, so are surely priced in by now. Takaichi has been in power barely a month. "The 'safe haven' status is challenging when so many of the negative shocks are Japan-based," says Steven Englander, head of G10 FX strategy at Standard Chartered. "The yen is super-low yielding in real and nominal terms. It takes a lot to overcome that." FROM BOTH SIDES The BOJ's tightening process was already slow and gradual. It last raised its policy rate in January, doubling it to 0.5%, meaning Japan's real interest rates adjusted for inflation are still deeply negative. This is fertile ground for carry trades. Exchange rates are obviously two-sided, so it is a cruel twist for yen bulls that the BOJ could be slowing its tightening process just as the Federal Reserve seems to be doing the same with its easing plans. As the yen has been the worst-performing G10 currency in the second half of the year, the dollar has been the biggest gainer. A deeper rout in U.S. and global markets in the coming weeks could unwind some of these yen carry trades and restore the Japanese currency's safe-haven allure. On the other hand, with Japan's domestic policy mix being what it is, maybe that will be more of a challenge this time around. (The opinions expressed here are those of the author, a columnist for Reuters) Enjoying this column? Check out Reuters Open Interest (ROI), your essential source for global financial commentary. ROI delivers thought-provoking, data-driven analysis of everything from swap rates to soybeans. Markets are moving faster than ever. ROI can help you keep up. Follow ROI on LinkedIn , opens new tab and X , opens new tab. https://www.reuters.com/markets/currencies/japanese-yens-safe-haven-illusion-shatters-2025-11-19/
2025-11-19 14:12
MOSCOW, Nov 19 (Reuters) - The Russian central bank said on Wednesday that its sales and purchases of gold in the domestic market for the budget reserve, the National Wealth Fund (NWF), have been increasing in recent years due to the enhanced liquidity of gold , opens new tab. The central bank's assets in U.S. dollars, euros, and other major Western currencies have been frozen as part of Western sanctions imposed on Russia over its military actions in Ukraine. Sign up here. In 2023, Russia excluded the U.S. dollar, euro, and other Western currencies from the currency structure of its fiscal reserves, which are now held in China's yuan and gold, with target shares of 60% and 40%, respectively. "Yuan and gold are liquid assets of the NWF. The purchase or sale of liquid currency assets of the NWF for roubles entails the central bank conducting equivalent volume operations in the domestic market," the central bank stated. Due to the rally in global gold prices, the turnover of gold in the domestic market has grown, enabling the central bank to intensify its transactions in gold. The bank did not specify when it had increased the transaction volume. LIQUIDITY OF RUSSIA'S GOLD MARKET ALSO RISING The central bank cannot buy gold in international markets due to sanctions. Although Russia ranks as the world's second-largest gold producer after China, the low liquidity of the domestic market previously limited the central bank's ability to increase operations. "Since the liquidity of the domestic gold market has increased in recent years, the central bank conducts equivalent operations not only through the purchase and sale of yuan for roubles but also partially through the purchase and sale of gold," the central bank said. As of November 1, the liquid assets in the NWF, comprised of yuan and gold, amounted to $51.6 billion, or 1.9% of the projected gross domestic product (GDP). These assets could be used to cover the budget deficit. The NWF retains roubles from the state budget's excess oil revenues, while the central bank handles transactions in gold and foreign currency for the fund. It has been selling foreign exchange and gold on a net basis throughout 2025. The foreign currency and gold held on behalf of the NWF are accounted for as part of the central bank's gold and foreign exchange reserves, which stood at almost $720 billion, including the frozen assets, with the share of gold at over 41%. https://www.reuters.com/business/finance/russias-central-bank-says-its-operations-with-gold-are-increasing-2025-11-19/
