Author: John Freddy
John Freddy
John Freddy is a highly respected economist, columnist, and news writer with an accomplished career that began in 1982. Over the past four decades, he has been a prominent voice in financial journalism, delivering in-depth coverage and analysis of the stock market, including major indices like the NYSE, Nasdaq, S&P 500, and DJIA. John is also known for his expertise in commodities, focusing on key sectors such as oil, energy, food, gas, and consumer markets.
Troubling developments unfolded in the U.S. bond market on Thursday that had some investors drawing comparisons with the run-up to the 2008 financial crisis.The current problems start with rising oil prices as a result of the U.S.-Israeli war against Iran, which is raising the risk of stagflation and the prospect of a 2026 interest-rate hike by the Federal Reserve. Brent crude the global oil benchmark, briefly blew past $119 a barrel on Thursday as attacks escalated on oil-and-gas infrastructure in the Persian Gulf. West Texas Intermediate crude-oil futures briefly crossed $100 a barrel. But even as oil prices have spiked…
Job creation in the US has slowed to essentially zero, Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell said Wednesday as the Fed released its latest economic projections, which included slightly higher economic growth than previously projected and little change to the unemployment rate. Altogether, Powell said, central bankers see “a degree of stability” in the labor market. “But the thing that I think a good number of people on the committee are concerned about is just the very, very low level of job creation,” Powell said in a press conference following the Fed’s decision to hold interest rates steady. “Effectively, there’s zero net job…
Prediction market platforms Kalshi and Polymarket are discussing potential fundraising rounds that could value each company at about $20 billion. If completed at that level, the deals would roughly double their valuations from late 2025. The discussions remain early and may not lead to finalized investments, according to the Wall Street Journal. Prediction markets allow users to trade contracts tied to real-world events, with categories including sports, politics, elections, and more. Traders buy and sell those contracts based on what they think will happen. Essentially, it allows users to monetize information on world events. Kalshi already operates in the United States…
Federal Government Ends Anthropic Contracts as Trump Cites National Security.
Tender offer follows turbulent week for Blue Owl and growing scrutiny of private-credit valuations
Electronics, appliances and consumer goods are seeing sharper increases as cost pressures mount.
The U.S. Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control issued two general licences covering oil and gas activity in Venezuela.
The move adds tension ahead of expected high-level talks between President Donald Trump and President Xi Jinping.
Maxwell’s attorney said she is prepared to provide testimony before Congress if she is first granted clemency, adding a new legal dimension to lawmakers’ ongoing inquiries into matters related to Epstein.
President Donald Trump on Thursday launched TrumpRx.gov, a federal website designed to help Americans find lower-cost prescription medications following months of negotiations with pharmaceutical companies.