Market News

May formally started on the Brexit divorce in March 2017 negotiating on everything from space exploration, fishing territories, selling complex financial products and the future of the border with Ireland. After more than a year of talks Britain agreed a draft divorce deal with the European Union.

In mid-term elections two years after winning the White House, Trump and his fellow Republicans expanded their majority in the US Senate following a divisive campaign marked by fierce clashes over race, immigration and other cultural issues.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel confirmed on Monday she would not seek re-election as chairwoman of her Christian Democratic Union (CDU) in December, starting the beginning of the end of her 13-year era in European politics.

More than $6.7 trillion in value has been wiped off the global equity-market capitalization since late September, according to data compiled by Bloomberg, compared with $7.8 trillion in the February correction.

Malta Budget 2019: Summary of the main measures announced by the Minister of Finance

The Italian cabinet on Monday signed off on an expansionary 2019 budget, boosting welfare spending, cutting the retirement age and hiking the deficit. The budget is not in compliance with EU rules and creates a showdown with Brussels.

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) cuts its global economic growth forecasts for 2018 and 2019, saying that trade policy tensions and the imposition of import tariffs were taking a toll on commerce while emerging markets struggle with tighter financial conditions and capital outflows.

The markets settled in a downbeat mood earlier in the week, over the populist government’s fiscal plans. Italy’s 10-year borrowing costs hit their highest since March 2014 after a senior official from the League, one of the parties in the ruling coalition, said most of the country’s problems would be solved if it returned to its own currency.

On Wednesday US Federal Reserve raised interest rates and continued with its plans of steadily tightening monetary policy as it forecasts that the US economy will continue to enjoy at least three more years of growth.

EU leaders met in Salzburg Austria for an informal summit to discuss migration and Brexit. On Thursday they lined up to tell Theresa May she needs to give guarantees on the Irish border before they will grant her the Brexit deal the prime minister wants.

The European Central bank kept its policies unchanged as expected on Thursday staying on track to end bond purchases this year and raise interest rates next autumn.

There have been some signs that the love affair with cryptocurrencies is cooling! Cryptocurrencies dropped for the second time in less than 24 hours, falling to a nine-month low amid concerns that the broader adoption of digital assets will take longer than some have expected.