Bonds & Stocks
Wall Street traders are going all-in on risky bets that Donald Trump is dialing down his combative agenda after the White House struck a softer tone on trade and Federal Reserve independence, sending stocks and bonds rallying. US equities are poised to build on the biggest gains in two weeks, with the S&P 500 climbing 2.5% after President Trump allayed fears that he plans to fire Fed Chair Jerome Powell.
Economy
Big US banks are navigating a choppy environment just two years after the last round of turmoil, this time with almost no one questioning the industry’s ability to ride out whatever is coming. That’s because there’s plenty of capital — ironically due to a buildup of financial buffers that bankers mostly opposed.
World
President Donald Trump said he plans to be “very nice” to China in any trade talks and that tariffs will drop if the two countries can reach a deal, a sign he may be backing down from his tough stance on Beijing amid market volatility.