Category: Flash News

On April 15th, according to a survey of economists in the first quarter of 2025, the majority of respondents are optimistic that the economic growth rate in the first quarter will not be less than 5%, and the stock and foreign exchange markets are expected to maintain resilience in the second quarter. It is expected that the excessive imposition of tariffs by the United States will significantly exacerbate its own inflationary pressure. In the short term, external shocks will exert certain pressure on the stable operation of China’s economy, and it is necessary to increase the countercyclical adjustment of macroeconomic policies in the second quarter. The interviewed economists suggest that in the future, incremental fiscal policies can consider increasing efforts to expand the scope, reducing taxes and fees. (Securities Times)

On April 15th, four informed US officials revealed on April 14th local time that the Trump administration plans to halve the US State Department budget by over $30 billion in the 2026 fiscal year. It is reported that this significant reduction may result in the closure of nearly 30 US missions and a reduction of nearly 75% in foreign aid. In addition, an internal memo shows that as part of the plan (which has not yet been finalized), the US government is considering a proposal to close at least 27 missions primarily located in Africa and Europe, including 10 embassies and the rest consulates. (CCTV News)

On April 15th, US President Trump stated that he is considering temporary exemptions from tariffs on imported cars and parts to allow car companies more time to establish production facilities in the United States. Trump told reporters in the Oval Office on Monday, “I am considering some measures to help car manufacturers. They are turning to parts produced in Canada, Mexico, and other places, and they need some time because these parts will be produced domestically in the United States in the future.” Trump made the above answer when asked which products to consider short-term exemptions for. He did not specify how long the suspension or reduction of car tariffs would last.

On April 15th, there has been a small peak in the issuance of bonds by securities firms to “replenish blood” since April – seven securities firms have obtained wholesale corporate bonds and subordinated bonds, and multiple securities firms have released bond prospectuses or issuance result announcements. Since the beginning of this year, the issuance scale of short-term financing bonds by securities firms has increased significantly by 55% year-on-year, and the issuance of subordinated bonds by securities firms has also shown an upward trend. In terms of interest rates, the coupon rate of securities issued by securities firms during the year ranged from 1.6% to 2.2%, and the financing cost of issuing bonds was significantly reduced compared to previous years.

① 07:40 Federal Reserve Bostic delivers speech on monetary policy ② 09:30 Australian Federal Reserve releases minutes of April monetary policy meeting ③ 14:00 UK March unemployment rate ④ 14:45 France March CPI final value ⑤ 16:00 IEA releases monthly crude oil market report ⑥ 17:00 Eurozone February industrial output monthly rate, Eurozone April ZEW economic prosperity index, Germany April ZEW economic prosperity index ⑦ 20:30 Canada March CPI monthly rate, US March import price index monthly rate ⑧ The next day at 00:00, the President of the European Central Bank and the President of the European Council held a dinner ⑨ The next day at 04:30, API crude oil inventory for the week of April 11 in the United States

On April 15th, it was reported that the small metal market has experienced a significant upward trend since the beginning of this year, with prices of antimony, bismuth, cobalt and other varieties showing particularly prominent increases. Data shows that since the beginning of this year, antimony prices have risen by about 90%, reaching new highs. Industry insiders say that this increase is related to changes in supply and demand, as well as geopolitical games, and multiple factors are driving up the prices of small metals. In response, listed companies are accelerating the promotion of resource reserves and expanding production capacity. The relevant person in charge of JinMo Co., Ltd. stated that the company is actively grasping the market situation and fully releasing production line capacity. Luoyang Molybdenum Industry stated that in 2025, the company will continue to accelerate the promotion of expansion projects to maximize the value of resource utilization.

On April 15th, according to the research minutes disclosed by relevant listed companies, topics related to tariffs are the focus of institutional attention, and how to respond to tariff shocks and what preparations have been made are frequently asked by institutions. For the future layout value of the consumer electronics sector, industry institutions believe that the inclusion of electronic products such as mobile phones in the scope of the trade in policy this year will drive an increase in the sales prosperity of consumer electronics terminals. Coupled with the exemption of some electronic consumer products from the US “equivalent tariffs”, the relevant electronic manufacturing industry chain may experience a valuation recovery in the short term.

On April 15th, the US Department of Commerce announced on the 14th local time that most tomatoes imported from Mexico to the United States will face a 20.91% tariff starting from July 14th, as the US has withdrawn from an agreement it believed failed to protect domestic tomato growers.

On April 15th, just over the past week, the global market has experienced a rollercoaster ride under the severe disturbance of US tariff policies, with the S&P 500 Volatility Index (VIX), also known as the “panic index”, remaining high. It is widely believed in the industry that the US tariff policy will impact the global trade order, drag down global economic growth, and at the same time, the uncertainty of trade policies will also trigger sustained volatility in stock markets of various countries in the coming period. At the current moment, various funds are searching for relatively safe assets. Several foreign institutions believe that despite the drastic adjustment last week, the Chinese stock market still has significant resilience supported by multiple advantages, and there are many investment opportunities worth exploring in fields such as technology, consumption, and innovative drugs.

On April 15th, in the recent volatile market, public funds have increased their dividend payouts. Since April 7th alone, over a hundred funds have announced dividends, bringing the total amount of dividends distributed this year to over 70 billion yuan, far exceeding the same period last year. Unlike before, this year’s dividend themed funds that focus on stable returns have frequently distributed dividends, and many newly issued funds have also set up monthly or quarterly dividend mechanisms.