Moody’s has downgraded the credit rating of the United States. PBoC intends to cut interest rates

At the end of Friday, the Dow Jones Index (US30) increased by 0.78% (for the week +1.80%). The S&P 500 Index (US500) was down 0.70% (for the week +2.60%). The Nasdaq Technology Index (US100) closed higher by 0.43% (for the week +2.93%). Wall Street ended the week on a high note, with all three major indices posting solid weekly gains, helped by easing trade tensions between the US and China. However, soft consumer sentiment data somewhat dampened the rally: the University of Michigan Index fell to 50.8, the second lowest ever recorded, while annual inflation expectations jumped to 7.3%.

Moody’s Credit Ratings downgraded the US credit rating by one notch to Aa1 from Aaa amid concerns about rising debt and interest payments. The agency said it expects federal debt to increase to about 134% of GDP by 2035, up from 98% last year. At the same time, the federal budget deficit is expected to widen to nearly 9% of GDP by 2035, up from 6.4% in 2024, due to higher interest payments on debt, higher social spending, and lower government revenues from tax cuts.

Equity markets in Europe were mostly up on Friday. Germany’s DAX (DE40) rose by 0.30% (for the week +0.04%), setting a new all-time high. France’s CAC 40 (FR40) closed 0.42% higher (for the week +1.11%), Spain’s IBEX35 (ES35) gained 0.96% (+3.10% for the week), and the UK’s FTSE 100 (UK100) closed 0.59% higher (+1.52% for the week). The EU bloc is pushing for a more comprehensive deal with the US to reduce tariffs than those currently being discussed with the UK and China, adding that discussions are progressing positively.

WTI crude oil prices rose by 1.4% to settle at $62.5 a barrel on Friday, recording their second consecutive weekly gain of more than 2% as easing trade tensions between the US and China helped boost sentiment. A 90-day tariff truce between the world’s two biggest oil consumers helped ease fears of weakening demand. However, caution remained due to rising US crude inventories and the IEA’s expectations of a supply surplus in 2025 due to increased OPEC+ production. Analysts also lowered long-term oil price projections, citing trade policy uncertainty.

Asian markets were mostly up last week. Japan’s Nikkei 225 (JP225) rose by 0.15%, China’s FTSE China A50 (CHA50) gained 0.74%, Hong Kong’s Hang Seng (HK50) added 0.74%, and Australia’s ASX 200 (AU200) was positive 1.37%. Mainland equities declined for the second consecutive session as concerns over US tariffs continue to dampen sentiment. Market sentiment was further dampened by a sharp drop in Alibaba Group shares, down more than 4% in Hong Kong, after the e-commerce giant reported lower-than-expected quarterly earnings.

The foundation for China’s economic recovery “needs to be further strengthened” amid external uncertainties, the National Bureau of Statistics said in a statement. The remarks followed April activity data that showed mixed figures. China’s industrial production rose 6.1% y/y, beating expectations of 5.5% but slowing from March’s 7.7% growth, the fastest in nearly four years. Meanwhile, retail sales rose less than expected, reflecting weak domestic consumption and sluggish income growth. At the same time, the nation’s urban unemployment rate fell to a four-month low of 5.1% from 5.2% in March. Fixed asset investment for January-April, including real estate and infrastructure, rose 4.0%, below the 4.2% projections. China’s Central Bank is set to revise its benchmark lending rates, which have remained at record lows in recent months, as the economy faces domestic and external pressures. The People’s Bank of China (PBoC) is scheduled to meet tomorrow.

Hong Kong’s economy grew by 3.1% year-on-year in Q1 2025, in line with preliminary estimates and accelerated from an upwardly revised 2.5% in Q4 2024. Growth was mainly driven by strong external demand, especially in exports of goods and services, as businesses increased shipments in advance in anticipation of the upcoming tariff hike in the US. On a seasonally adjusted quarterly basis, GDP grew by 1.9%, the fastest pace in two years and an acceleration from the previous quarter’s upwardly revised 0.9%.