BY A BOOTSTRAPS. RATE CUT BY CHINA'S CENTRAL BANK
https://freshforex.com/netcat_files/Image/06a3451ca7e6e2ba2fc345074187f11f.pngDear clients,
China's central bank unexpectedly cut its key rate for the second time in three months on Tuesday, signalling again that the country's authorities are stepping up efforts to ease monetary policy to stimulate a faltering economic recovery.
Analysts said the move opened the door for a possible cut in China's benchmark lending rate next week.
Market watchers said slower credit growth and higher deflation risk in July necessitated additional monetary easing measures to stem the slowdown in the economy, while default risks of some housing developers and a payment miss by a private asset manager also affected confidence in the financial market.
The People's Bank of China said it cut the rate on one-year medium-term loans worth 401 billion yuan ($55.25 billion) to some financial institutions by 15 basis points to 2.50% from 2.65% previously.
The medium-term rate serves as a benchmark for the benchmark rate, and markets largely use the medium-term rate policy as a precursor to any changes in credit benchmarks. The monthly fixing of the base rate is due next Monday.
The central bank also lent 204 billion yuan in seven-day reverse repayment deals, lowering borrowing costs by 10 basis points to 1.80% from 1.90% earlier, it said in an online statement.
China remains an exception among global central banks as it has loosened monetary policy to support a stalled economic recovery, while other countries are in a tightening cycle struggling with high inflation. Tuesday's rate change widened the yield gap with other major economies, particularly the U.S., putting pressure on the yuan and risking capital outflows.
FUTURES SECURED. COINBASE' LEGAL TRIUMPH.
https://freshforex.com/netcat_files/Image/a2d3839b32c82ee51816db5652232443.pngDear clients,
Coinbase Global announced on Wednesday that it has received permission to offer cryptocurrency futures to retail customers in the United States, in a major victory against a lawsuit by the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).
The move will allow Coinbase to offer bitcoin and ether futures directly to eligible US customers. Until now, only the company's institutional clients have been able to trade such products.
Coinbase shares rose 3% to $81.55 after receiving approval from the National Futures Association (NFA), a separate regulatory organisation authorised by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC).
"This is a critical milestone that reaffirms our commitment to operating a regulated and compliant business," Coinbase said in a statement.
The company has openly criticised the SEC, which in a June lawsuit accused Coinbase of illegal activity because it failed to register as an exchange.
CEO Brian Armstrong also said that an unfriendly regulatory environment could cause more U.S. cryptocurrency companies to go offshore, and SEC Chairman Gary Gensler's coercive approach could stifle innovation in the industry.
The NFA approval, which came nearly two years after Coinbase's filing, could allow the company to enter a largely untapped market.
The global derivatives market accounts for nearly 80% of the entire cryptocurrency market, and bets on futures and other leveraged derivatives are often the cause of volatility in the broader market.
MORE CURRENCIES, WIDER OPTIONS
https://freshforex.com/netcat_files/Image/8c9930ecdae632c9721c03da2d752d74.pngDear clients,
Trading is becoming even more convenient, our set of available currencies in which you can deposit and hold an account has received a major update:
National currencies: Malaysian ringgit (MYR), Nigerian naira (NGN), Tanzanian shilling (TZS), Kazakhstani tenge (KZT) and South African rand (ZAR)
The list of cryptocurrencies has also been expanded. All presented options are sought-after coins with high capitalisation:
Cryptocurrencies: Tether (USDT), Litecoin (LTC), Ripple (XRP), Bitcoin Cash (BCH), Binance Coin (BNB), Cardano (ADA)
Deposit in the way that suits you!
HOUSE DIVIDED. FED MEETING MINUTES
https://freshforex.com/netcat_files/Image/9e05d0e72a868a5ec7ee62e26896e4cf.pngDear clients,
At the US Federal Reserve meeting held on July 25-26, opinions on the need for further interest rate hikes were divided: "some participants" pointed to the risks to the economy from excessive rate hikes, while "most" policymakers continued to favour fighting inflation, according to the minutes of the meeting published on Wednesday.
"Participants remained determined to bring inflation down to the target level of 2%," said the minutes of the meeting, at which Federal Open Market Committee policymakers unanimously decided to raise the benchmark overnight interest rate to a range of 5.25%-5.50%. "Most participants continue to believe that inflation is subject to significant upside risks, which may warrant further monetary tightening".
However, cautious views on the implications of further monetary tightening played a more prominent role in the discussion at last month's meeting, suggesting a widening spread of views at the Fed as policymakers weigh the evidence of lower inflation and assess the potential damage to jobs and economic growth if rates are raised more than necessary.
The group also "discussed a number of risk management considerations that could affect future policy decisions," the minutes said. While the majority of the panel acknowledged inflation as the main risk, "some participants noted that while economic activity had been resilient and the labour market remained strong, downside risks to economic activity and higher unemployment remained."
Overall, the minutes said, Fed policymakers agreed that uncertainty remained high and that future interest rate decisions would depend on a "body of" data that would arrive in the "coming months" that would "help clarify the extent to which the disinflation process continues," which could signal a more patient approach to further increases in borrowing costs.