Economy Watch

US tries to undercut BEPS reforms. Buffett chides CEOs and directors. COVID-19 threanens to become a pandemic. China risks rise in SME sector, and for steel. Equities retreat. IMF trims 2020 forecasts.

Global equity markets fall today after rises yesterday. Risk-off tone returns. US jobless claims rise. EU consumer sentiment less negative. Air travel dives, first decline in 17 years. Chinese banks lend vigorously. Gold up, bitcoin down.

US housing starts rise. Canada inflation up. China runs down its UST holdings. COVID-19 infections rise. China prepares massive new stimulus. Gold up. Bitcoin up.

Dairy prices fall again, but the drop is limited. Equity investors turn risk off. HSBC makes yet another major reorganisation. China struggles to return to work amid virus. Gold leaps.

China FDI holds steady. PBoC adds liquidity, cuts rate. China's high leverage rises. 30% of China's companies can't survive 90 days. Japan shrinks. Singapore growth evaporates. RBA fingers low rates for rising housing inequality

Fear of COVID-19 having bigger economic impact as virus peaks. China's current account surplus tiny. EU's is very large. US retail up, industrial production still falling. Canada housing markets up. Australian fixed mortgage rates down. Bitcoin drops sharply.

US inflation rising faster than wage gains. US deficit still swelling. UK aims for big spending spree. China revises Covid-19 infections and deaths much higher. China car sales drop sharply. Gold up.

Equity markets rise despite risks. Impact of COVID-19 expected to be mild. Boeing sees two years of low production. Japan machine tool orders low. Malaysia growth drops. EU industrial production slumps. China housing sales stall. Australian insurance risks jump. Gold up. Bitcoin up.

US job openings shrink. Boeing wins zero new orders in January. US household debt tops $14 tln. Fed 'watching'. China virus still doubling. China injects massive liquidity. UK growth evaporates. Gold lower. Bitcoin higher.

China struggling to contain coronavirus. Factories remain largely closed in key areas. China CPI inflation high, PPI low. Canada housing positive. Global investors pull back. Oil in a bear market. Gold up. Bitcoin down.