Market Brief, North America

The dollar is losing altitude once again after Donald Trump reignited trade tensions with a fresh round of tariff threats, unsettling global markets and complicating the outlook for monetary policy. Trump sent letters to 14 countries last night—including close allies and key trading partners Japan and South Korea—threatening them with the reimposition of tariffs from August 1, and more are expected today. The greenback is sitting on losses equivalent to roughly half of yesterday’s gain, Treasury yields are up across the curve, equity futures are pushing lower ahead of the open, and the Canadian dollar, Mexican peso, and euro are...

The Federal Reserve’s preferred inflation measure came in slightly hotter than expected in May—lending support to the central bank’s cautious approach—but personal spending levels missed forecasts, pointing to a more profound slowdown ahead. Data released by the Bureau of Economic Analysis this morning showed the core personal consumption expenditures index rising 0.2 percent from the prior month, topping market forecasts for a 0.1-percent increase. On a year-over-year basis, core price growth sped up to 2.7 percent, also exceeding economist estimates for a 2.6 percent advance, and the prior month’s increase was revised up to 2.5 percent. The overall personal consumption...