The largest US pharmacy chain CVS has announced that it will open significantly fewer pharmacies in 2019 compared to 2018. The second largest network, Walgreens, announced imminent closure of about 200 pharmacies. Experts note that pharmacy chains are following the clothing retail chains, which have closed hundreds of stores in the USA under the increasing pressure of online commerce. On...

For the first time since 2013, the cost of an ounce (28.35 g) of gold exceeded $ 1,500 due to increased demand for defensive assets amid fears of an escalation of the trade war between the United States and China and expectations of easing monetary policy by leading central banks of the world. Gold quotes on the Comex exchange in New York rose during trading by 1.3%, to $ 1,503.3 an ounce. Since...

Head of the Japanese banking lobby warned about the danger to the industry if the central bank increases monetary stimulus or lowers interest rates more, Reuters reports. The recent escalation of the trade conflict between the United States and China has shocked financial markets and triggered an undesirable yen rise. This has increased likelihood of increasing incentives for the Central Bank of...

The trade war between the US and China, which could lead to a decrease in oil demand, is forcing experts to revise price forecasts. So, analysts at Fitch Solutions agency forecast an average price for Brent in 2019 at $ 65–67 per barrel with a potential reduction to $ 60 per barrel by 2022. Experts began to lower oil price forecasts amid the trade war between the United States and China....

Iron ore prices, which jumped in the first half of the year after supply cuts, are falling amid escalation of the US-China trade conflict and rising supplies, Bloomberg reports. On Monday, iron ore prices in the spot market fell to $ 99.50 per ton, which is more than 20% below the five-year peak reached last month. Iron ore is falling in price amid a wider decline in metal prices as the trade...

The US is about to introduce duties on imports from China, and so the Central Bank of China stopped holding the Chinese currency. Consequently, its value exceeded the threshold of ¥7 for $ 1 for the first time in 11 years. Washington states that this easing is in fact currency manipulation. Experts point out that earlier the Central Bank of China kept rather high yuan rate in order to continue...

The decline in the cryptocurrency market caused a drop in investor interest in ICOs. IEO, the initial exchange offering, may become its alternative in the coming years. Development of the cryptocurrency market and the general interest in the blockchain technology resulted in a new model of collective investment through the sale of tokens. This model, as an alternative to venture financing and...

On July 31, the US Federal Reserve System (Fed) reduced the key rate to 2–2.25% per annum. The decline in its level occurred for the first time since the end of the crisis of 2008. By this decision, the US Central Bank intends to support the US economy amid a slowdown in global growth and conflicts in world trade. However, the markets on Wednesday were more interested in the comments of the...

In June, the global car market fell by 6.4%. Results of six months were even worse as the sales fell by 6.6%. The world car market in June decreased by 6.4%, to 7 million 794 thousand cars and light commercial vehicles. In the first six months of 2019, sales of cars in the world amounted to 45 million 159 thousand units (-6.6%), calculated LMC Automotive. The annual level of sales cleared of...