Consumer Sentiment Plummets Amid Economic Concerns

April saw a significant decline​ in consumer confidence, driven by fears of inflation and a bleak outlook on⁣ the ​job market, resulting in the lowest optimism levels since 2022.

The latest data from the Conference Board ⁣revealed a⁢ drop in the consumer ‍confidence index to 97 in April, falling below the anticipated 104⁤ and‍ marking a decrease from March’s 103.1.

Dana Peterson, the chief economist ⁣at the Conference Board, ⁤highlighted that‌ consumers are ⁣feeling‌ less ⁢positive about the current labor market⁤ and are increasingly worried about future business conditions,⁤ job opportunities, and income prospects.

According‌ to ‌feedback received ‌in April, consumers expressed heightened concerns about rising prices, particularly in essential items like food and ⁤fuel, with political and ‌global tensions trailing behind as⁤ secondary worries.

    
Future Expectations Paint a Gloomy Picture
     
Looking ahead, consumers' expectations 

Wall Street opened this Monday in green and the Dow Jones Industrial Average, its main indicator, rose 0.27% to 38,341 points, driven by the advances in technological stocks.

Ten minutes after the trading floor opened, the selective S&P 500 rose 0.25% to 5,112 points, and the technological Nasdaq rose 0.21% to 15,961 points.

This morning Tesla’s rise of 11% stood out, after its CEO, Elon Musk, announced

Train traffic between Givors and Lyon-Perrache station, interrupted since Sunday evening following a “slope subsidence” linked to heavy rains which blocked a TER, will not resume “before Wednesday 1^is May “announced the SNCF, Monday April 29.

“The SNCF Réseau teams dispatched to the site indicated that infrastructure work was necessary”explained

Today the situation is the same, from financial products such as investment gold and silver to aesthetic and luxury objects such as jewellery.

When it comes time to sell these products, not everyone is aware of the process or how different products are classified. For this reason, let’s look at some key information you may need when deciding to sell your precious metals.

Investment gold and silver versus jewellery

The most important distinction to make is between investment products and jewelry. Investment gold is a financial product with a different legal definition than “ordinary” gold. Investment products follow rigorous production, purity and authenticity criteria which allow them to be classified as financial products.

Investment products come in two forms: coins and bars.

The criteria according to which each of them can be classified as an investment are the following:

– Gold in the form of ingots or plates of a weight accepted on the gold markets and of a purity equal to or greater than 0.995 thousandths (23.88 carats);

– Gold coins, determined by order of the Governor

With a record low yen … Korean companies are worried about worsening global price competitiveness

Steel, export competition with Japanese firms ‘directly hit’
The chemical industry also suffers when the yen falls for a long time.

Inflation takes root due to rising import prices
The Bank of Korea may delay the interest rate cut even further.
4th quarter inflation likely below mid-2%
Yen value determined in accordance with US monetary policy

▲ N. Dollar exchange rate trend – page 13 With the value of the Yen falling to its lowest level in 34 years, Korean companies and investors are feeling uneasy. This is because if the ‘super low yen’ continues, Korean companies may fall behind in price competition with Japanese companies. Usually, when the yen depreciates, earnings also tend to fall, so many voices worry about inflation due to rising import prices.

On the 30th, the won-dollar exchange rate in the foreign exchange market ended trading at 1382.0 won. At the same time, the won-yen exchange rate was traded at 881.41 won. The yen-dollar exchange rate, which had risen to ¥160 per dollar the previous morning, was trading at ¥156.79 on this day.

As the value of the yen falls, a positive wind is blowing in the Japanese stock market. The Nikkei 225 index, which warmed up by rising 2.3% last week (22nd to 26th), closed at 38,405.66, up 1.24% from the previous trading day, on the first trading day after the Bank of Japan announced an interest rate freeze. It is also interpreted that the increase in the e

European elections, the endorsement of former DC Cirino Pomicino for Salvini. The surprise announcement from the former minister

One of the symbols of Christian Democracy announces that at European will vote for Lega Matteo’s Salvini. Cirino Little kiss comes out: “The support – explains the former minister to Il Corriere della Sera – will go to my great constituent and brotherly friend Aldo Pa

2024-04-30 09:08:20

The largest mining group in the world, the Australian BHP Billiton, wants to grow further by buying its competitor Anglo-American, which has so far declined its offer. A madness of grandeur fueled by the surge in copper prices.

With the energy transition, the red metal has changed color: it now belongs to the category of so-called “green” metals, those which are essential for decarbonization. We need nickel, lithium and cobalt for this transition, but also copper, a lot of copper for the electrification of our energy systems. This new demand, which has been increasing steadily for fifteen years, is fueling the spectacular rise in prices. On the London metals market, the price of copper jumped 18% in two months. On Friday, it crossed the $10,000 per ton mark.

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