Inflation in the US slowed again in March as the Federal Reserve's interest rates help to ease price pressures on households and businesses.
Data released by the Labour Department on Wednesday showed that the Consumer Price Index rose 0.1 per cent in March, down from a 0.4 per cent increase in February. Inflation slowed to 5 per cent on an annual basis.
March was the ninth straight month that inflation decreased in the US after peaking at 9.1 per cent in June 2022.
"Today’s report shows continued progress in our fight against inflation with the 12-month inflation rate at the lowest level since May 2021," US President Joe Biden said.
A Bloomberg survey of economists had estimated inflation would rise 0.2 per cent on a monthly basis and 5.2 per cent year-on-year.
Core inflation — which excludes food and energy — rose 0.4 per cent last month and 5.6 per cent on an annual basis, as expected.
Still, inflation is running well above the Fed's 2 per cent target and the labour market remains tight, with employers adding 236,000 jobs last month.
It adds further pressure on policymakers at the central bank who have acted aggressively in the last year against rising prices.
Last month's Personal Consumption Expenditures Price Index, the Fed's preferred inflation metric, also showed encouraging signs that inflation was cooling.
The Fed raised interest rates nine times since March 2022 from a near-zero rate to the current target range of 4.75 per cent to 5 per cent. In its latest 25-basis point increase last month, the central bank omitted the ominous words “ongoing increases”, signalling they could soon pause rate rises.
Wednesday's data “has now confirmed that the Fed doesn’t need to work as hard as they have, and the time has come to ease off on increasing the interest rate”, said Naeem Aslam, chief investment officer at Zaye Capital Markets.
Traders expect the Fed to announce another 25 bps increase when it next meets in May, CME's FedWatch Tool showed.
Meanwhile, minutes released by the Fed showed that some at the central bank considered pausing rates to assess how the recent banking crisis would affect monetary policy.
Fed Chairman Jerome Powell previously said that policymakers opted for a smaller rate increase last month because the tighter financial conditions caused by the recent bank collapses was a sort of interest rate increase in itself.
"Several participants noted ... they considered whether it would be appropriate to hold the target range steady at this meeting," the minutes read.
The minutes provided a closer look at the discussion those inside the central bank had days after it rescued depositors at Silicon Valley and Signature banks.
Policymakers had also reaffirmed the strength of the US banking system while also noting that the collapses were primarily caused by risk mismanagement.
OPINIONS ON PALESTINE & ISRAEL
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THE BIO
Born: Mukalla, Yemen, 1979
Education: UAE University, Al Ain
Family: Married with two daughters: Asayel, 7, and Sara, 6
Favourite piece of music: Horse Dance by Naseer Shamma
Favourite book: Science and geology
Favourite place to travel to: Washington DC
Best advice you’ve ever been given: If you have a dream, you have to believe it, then you will see it.
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NO OTHER LAND
Director: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham, Rachel Szor, Hamdan Ballal
Stars: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham
Rating: 3.5/5
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League semi-final, first leg
Barcelona v Liverpool, Wednesday, 11pm (UAE).
Second leg
Liverpool v Barcelona, Tuesday, May 7, 11pm
Games on BeIN Sports
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
WHAT IS A BLACK HOLE?
1. Black holes are objects whose gravity is so strong not even light can escape their pull
2. They can be created when massive stars collapse under their own weight
3. Large black holes can also be formed when smaller ones collide and merge
4. The biggest black holes lurk at the centre of many galaxies, including our own
5. Astronomers believe that when the universe was very young, black holes affected how galaxies formed
The Voice of Hind Rajab
Starring: Saja Kilani, Clara Khoury, Motaz Malhees
Director: Kaouther Ben Hania
Rating: 4/5
More on animal trafficking
Saturday's results
Brighton 1-1 Leicester City
Everton 1-0 Cardiff City
Manchester United 0-0 Crystal Palace
Watford 0-3 Liverpool
West Ham United 0-4 Manchester City
Real estate tokenisation project
Dubai launched the pilot phase of its real estate tokenisation project last month.
The initiative focuses on converting real estate assets into digital tokens recorded on blockchain technology and helps in streamlining the process of buying, selling and investing, the Dubai Land Department said.
Dubai’s real estate tokenisation market is projected to reach Dh60 billion ($16.33 billion) by 2033, representing 7 per cent of the emirate’s total property transactions, according to the DLD.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Company profile
Date started: 2015
Founder: John Tsioris and Ioanna Angelidaki
Based: Dubai
Sector: Online grocery delivery
Staff: 200
Funding: Undisclosed, but investors include the Jabbar Internet Group and Venture Friends
BUNDESLIGA FIXTURES
Friday (UAE kick-off times)
Cologne v Hoffenheim (11.30pm)
Saturday
Hertha Berlin v RB Leipzig (6.30pm)
Schalke v Fortuna Dusseldof (6.30pm)
Mainz v Union Berlin (6.30pm)
Paderborn v Augsburg (6.30pm)
Bayern Munich v Borussia Dortmund (9.30pm)
Sunday
Borussia Monchengladbach v Werder Bremen (4.30pm)
Wolfsburg v Bayer Leverkusen (6.30pm)
SC Freiburg v Eintracht Frankfurt (9on)
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Tewellah by Nawal Zoghbi is out now.
Indika
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COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Lamsa
Founder: Badr Ward
Launched: 2014
Employees: 60
Based: Abu Dhabi
Sector: EdTech
Funding to date: $15 million
Specs
Engine: 51.5kW electric motor
Range: 400km
Power: 134bhp
Torque: 175Nm
Price: From Dh98,800
Available: Now
Coffee: black death or elixir of life?
It is among the greatest health debates of our time; splashed across newspapers with contradicting headlines - is coffee good for you or not?
Depending on what you read, it is either a cancer-causing, sleep-depriving, stomach ulcer-inducing black death or the secret to long life, cutting the chance of stroke, diabetes and cancer.
The latest research - a study of 8,412 people across the UK who each underwent an MRI heart scan - is intended to put to bed (caffeine allowing) conflicting reports of the pros and cons of consumption.
The study, funded by the British Heart Foundation, contradicted previous findings that it stiffens arteries, putting pressure on the heart and increasing the likelihood of a heart attack or stroke, leading to warnings to cut down.
Numerous studies have recognised the benefits of coffee in cutting oral and esophageal cancer, the risk of a stroke and cirrhosis of the liver.
The benefits are often linked to biologically active compounds including caffeine, flavonoids, lignans, and other polyphenols, which benefit the body. These and othetr coffee compounds regulate genes involved in DNA repair, have anti-inflammatory properties and are associated with lower risk of insulin resistance, which is linked to type-2 diabetes.
But as doctors warn, too much of anything is inadvisable. The British Heart Foundation found the heaviest coffee drinkers in the study were most likely to be men who smoked and drank alcohol regularly.
Excessive amounts of coffee also unsettle the stomach causing or contributing to stomach ulcers. It also stains the teeth over time, hampers absorption of minerals and vitamins like zinc and iron.
It also raises blood pressure, which is largely problematic for people with existing conditions.
So the heaviest drinkers of the black stuff - some in the study had up to 25 cups per day - may want to rein it in.
Rory Reynolds
How to watch Ireland v Pakistan in UAE
When: The one-off Test starts on Friday, May 11
What time: Each day’s play is scheduled to start at 2pm UAE time.
TV: The match will be broadcast on OSN Sports Cricket HD. Subscribers to the channel can also stream the action live on OSN Play.
