High Auto Tariffs on EU Will Stay Until Bloc Moves to Reduce Levies
The auto tariffs will decrease to 15% when the European Union introduces legislation to reduce rates on U.S. goods.
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Business Activity Gains Pace as Manufacturing Rebounds
U.S. business activity expanded at its fastest pace this year as the factory sector rebounded strongly, though trade tariffs were fueling inflation in input prices, according to the S&P Global Flash U.S. Composite PMI.
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Home Sales Rose 2% in July While Prices Eased
The unexpected pickup in sales activity reflected a slight improvement in affordability as home-price growth slows.
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Stocks Falls and Walmart Drops After Earnings
Walmart led U.S. stocks lower, with a strong sales performance overshadowed by concerns about the giant retailer’s costs.
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U.S. Jobless Claims Rose Last Week
In the week through Aug. 16, new jobless-claims filings rose to 235,000, up from 224,000 a week earlier. Economists polled by The Wall Street Journal were forecasting 225,000 claims.
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European Business Takes Trump Tariffs in Stride
European business activity continues to prove resilient into the second half of the year, surveys showed, despite the American trade tariffs that have weighed on some companies.
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Trump Turns Up the Heat. Fed Chair Jerome Powell Tries to Keep His Cool.
The president and his allies accuse Powell of dragging his feet on interest-rate cuts, in a caustic and unprecedented pressure campaign.
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Treasury Market Awaits Jackson Hole to Get Out of Its Summer Doldrums
After jumping around earlier this year, yields on key Treasuries have had little movement in recent weeks.
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More U.S. Companies Plan to Slow Hiring in Second Half of 2025
Twice as many employers as last year say they are planning to pull back on filling jobs, according to a new Conference Board survey.
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Lumber prices are tumbling. Here’s what that means for the housing market now.
Many home builders, contractors and retailers wagered that higher U.S. tariffs on imports would boost the cost of lumber, while lower interest rates would lift demand for the building material. Those bets have failed to pay off.
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Fed Minutes Reveal Broad Support for Holding Rates Steady Last Month
“Almost all” officials backed July’s interest-rate decision, even though two governors backed a rate cut, according to a meeting summary.
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How AI is squeezing the housing market
Artificial intelligence – which a new report claims doesn’t even work for businesses 95% of the time – is the cause of the housing market rut.
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China’s Small Exporters Brace for Tariff Storm. How They Are Preparing.
China’s small and medium companies are rushing shipments, raising prices, and shifting supply chains as the U.S.-China trade outlook remains uncertain.
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Stalling New Zealand Economy a Test Case for Trade Chaos
The Reserve Bank of New Zealand’s chief economist said the trade-reliant economy will continue to face stiff headwinds.
(END) Dow Jones Newswires
August 21, 2025 11:15 ET (15:15 GMT)
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