Free Trial

MNI INTERVIEW: BCB Still Likely To Cut By 50 In May-Figueiredo

(MNI) BRASILIA

Former Central Bank of Brazil Deputy for Monetary Policy Luiz Fernando Figueiredo says Copom is unlikely to provide guidance to its steps beyond May.

LATEST INSIGHT

MNI POLICY: BOJ Stays On Sidelines As Yen Weakens

The BOJ still sees insufficient justification for any monetary policy move in response to a weakening yen.

MNI: CORRECT: BOC Favors Gradual Approach To Rate Cuts-Minutes

Officials agreed more proof was needed that inflation is normalizing while upside and downside risks have moderated.

MNI: BOC Favors Gradual Approach To Rate Cuts, Minutes Show

Officials agreed more proof was needed that inflation is normalizing while upside and downside risks have moderated.

Political Risk

MNI POLITICAL RISK - Blinken Continues China Trip

  • US Secretary of State Antony Blinken began key engagements of his delicate China trip today, meeting with government officials, students, and business leaders in Shanghai.
  • Blinken will head to Beijing tomorrow for meetings with top officials, including Foreign Minister Wang Yi, and possibly a face-to-face with President Xi Jinping. Whilst US-China relations have stabilised since Blinken's last trip to China, few breakthroughs are expected with Beijing unreceptive to Blinken's emphasis on human rights and domestic Chinese issues.
  • US officials revealed yesterday that they covertly shipping long-range Army Tactical Missile Systems (ATACMS) to Ukraine. White House National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan told reporters yesterday new aid to Ukraine will likely last “through the end of the year,” at which point the prevailing analyst view is that additional funds will be required.
  • The Biden administration has more actively pivoted to attacking former President Donald Trump’s proposed trade agenda, following reports that Trump’s economic advisors plan to devalue the dollar to reduce the trade deficit.
  • President Biden will travel to Syracuse, New York today to announce that the Biden Administration has reached an agreement to provide USD$6.1 billion in federal support for Micron Technology to produce advanced memory computer chips in New York and Idaho.
  • President Biden picked up a key endorsement from the North America’s Building Trades Union (NABTU) yesterday.
  • Poll of the Day: A new multilevel regression and poststratification analysis has forecast that President Biden would narrowly win the presidency if the elections were held today.
Full article: US Daily Brief

MNI POLITICAL RISK - Blinken Continues China Trip

Daily roundup of news from the US.

Executive Summary:

  • US Secretary of State Antony Blinken began key engagements of his delicate China trip today, meeting with government officials, students, and business leaders in Shanghai.
  • Blinken will head to Beijing tomorrow for meetings with top officials, including Foreign Minister Wang Yi, and possibly a face-to-face with President Xi Jinping. Whilst US-China relations have stabilised since Blinken's last trip to China, few breakthroughs are expected with Beijing unreceptive to Blinken's emphasis on human rights and domestic Chinese issues.
  • US officials revealed yesterday that they covertly shipping long-range Army Tactical Missile Systems (ATACMS) to Ukraine. White House National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan told reporters yesterday new aid to Ukraine will likely last “through the end of the year,” at which point the prevailing analyst view is that additional funds will be required.
  • The Biden administration has more actively pivoted to attacking former President Donald Trump’s proposed trade agenda, following reports that Trump’s economic advisors plan to devalue the dollar to reduce the trade deficit.
  • President Biden will travel to Syracuse, New York today to announce that the Biden Administration has reached an agreement to provide USD$6.1 billion in federal support for Micron Technology to produce advanced memory computer chips in New York and Idaho.
  • President Biden picked up a key endorsement from the North America’s Building Trades Union (NABTU) yesterday.
  • Poll of the Day: A new multilevel regression and poststratification analysis has forecast that President Biden would narrowly win the presidency if the elections were held today.

Please find the full article attached below:

MNIPOLRISKUSDaily250424.pdf

PM Announces Reshuffle Ahead Of EP Elections

Wires reporting that Prime Minister Donald Tusk has confirmed that a cabinet reshuffle will take place on 10 May, almost a full month ahead of the European Parliament elections. Earlier in April, Poland's PAP reported on the likelihood of a reshuffle, but claimed that this would come in the wake of the EP election on 9 June. On 10 April Tusk stated he would make a, "very honest assessment of who [in gov't] did well and who did not...And I already have some ideas here, but we will talk about it in June when I am ready with the entire personnel map".

  • Brining forwards the reshuffle would indicate that it has taken on a more serious note, not simply replacing any ministers that could take up EU positions, but a broader move to rebalance the gov't.
  • The tripartite gov't involving Tusk's centre-right Civic Coalition (PO), the Christian democratic Third Way, and the centre-left The Left have managed to hold together at the national level since reaching a governing agreement in late-2023. A reshuffle of the Council of Ministers is likely to prove a delicate business, with each of the three alliances seeking to maintain or gain what they see as the most prestigious or powerful offices of state.
  • In announcing the cabinet reshuffle, Tusk also confirmed that he would be stepping back from duties for a short time to recuperate from illness. Georg von Harrach at Channel 4 News posts on X that Tusk has reportedly being diagnosed with pneumonia.

SNP Loses Majority, Could Lose Power If Greens/Alba Withhold Support

The governing pro-independence Scottish National Party (SNP) has lost its majority in the Scottish Parliament following the collapse of its coalition deal with the left-wing environmentalist Greens. The SNP previously governed in minority from 2007-11 and 2016-21. The collapse of the 'Bute House agreement' betweent the SNP and Greens appears to have come at the behest of First Minister Humza Yousaf. Relations between the two parties became increasingly strained following the scrappingof climate change targets in mid-April.

  • The collapse of the agreement could pose risks to gov't stability. Historically, the SNP has relied on the support of the pro-independence Greens to pass legislation when in minority. However, the bad blood between the two sides could stop this.
  • The pro-Union Conservatives, Labour, and Liberal Democrats are unlikely to offer any backing to Yousaf's gov't. This leaves just the single pro-independence Alba Party MSP Ash Regan, a former SNP minister who left the party over the Gender Recognition Reform bill in 2022.
  • The BBC reports: "In a media huddle earlier, Scottish Greens co-leader Patrick Harvie was asked if the Greens will still be as co-operative with the Scottish government over things like the budget. He replied: “Do you think the current government will still be in place for the next budget?”.
  • The next Scottish parl't election is not due until May 2026. However, should the Greens withhold support it could bring down the gov't much sooner. Current polling shows the centre-left pro-Union Labour party challenging the SNP for top spot for the first time since 2007.

Chart 1. Scottish Parliament, Seats

Source: parliament.scot, MNI. N.b. Black seat is non-aligned Presiding Officer

MNI REAL-TIME COVERAGE

Central Bank Policy promo image
Upgrade MNI

  MNI: Real-Time Navigation Of Global Markets

Central Bank Policy promo image
Upgrade MNI

Timely & Actionable Insight on Central Bank Policy

MNI Webcast
Peer Group Best-Performer
FI and FX Markets promo image
Trial MNI

Timely & Actionable Insight on FX & FI Markets

MNI - High Speed Calendar
Swati Dhingra promo
Peer Group Best-Performer
Emerging Markets promo image
Trial MNI

Timely & Actionable Insight on Emerging Markets

podcasts

Sample MNI

Close

Why MNI

MNI is the leading provider

of intelligence and analysis on the Global Fixed Income, Foreign Exchange and Energy markets. We use an innovative combination of real-time analysis, deep fundamental research and journalism to provide unique and actionable insights for traders and investors. Our "All signal, no noise" approach drives an intelligence service that is succinct and timely, which is highly regarded by our time constrained client base.

Our Head Office is in London with offices in Chicago, Washington and Beijing, as well as an on the ground presence in other major financial centres across the world.