In this week's edition:
· US Equities Decline as Investors React to Renewed Tariff Threats from the Trump Administration
· Gold Strengthens by 0.55% Following New Tariff Announcements by President Trump
· Ghana’s Treasury Misses Ambitious Target by 39.68%, Marking Seventh Straight Week of Undersubscription as Yields Continue to Decline
· Ghana Stock Exchange Extends Uptrend, Driven by Gains in TOTAL and Financials; GSE-CI Up to 31.43% YTD, GSE-FSI Rises to 44.03% YTD.
Kindly click to view the full report: Global Market Update - July 14, 2025
AROUND THE GLOBE
· Trump Announces 25% Tariffs on Key Trade Partners
o President Trump imposed a 25% tariff rate on 14 countries, including Japan, South Korea, and several Asian and African nations, citing stalled trade talks. He extended the reciprocal tariff deadline to August 1 and warned of an extra 10% tariff on nations backing BRICS “Anti-American policies,” intensifying trade tensions as the BRICS summit unfolds in Brazil.
· China Consumer Prices Rise for First Time in 5 Months
o China’s consumer prices rose by 0.1% y/y in June 2025, ending a four-month deflation streak amid e-commerce promotions, government subsidies, and easing trade risks. Core inflation rose to a 14-month high of 0.7%. While food prices continued to decline, the pace slowed. Despite the rebound, the monthly CPI fell by 0.1%, reflecting still-fragile domestic demand.
· China Export Growth Beats Forecasts
o China's exports grew by 5.8% y/y in June 2025, up from 4.8% in May and above the 5.0% forecast, as firms rushed shipments ahead of the August tariff deadline. Imports rose by 1.1% y/y, the first increase this year, supported by Beijing’s stimulus efforts to boost domestic demand and reverse the prior month’s 3.4% y/y decline.
· UK GDP Unexpectedly Shrinks for Second Month
o The UK economy contracted by 0.1% month-on-month in May 2025, following a 0.3% decline in April and defying expectations of modest growth. Output fell sharply in manufacturing (-1%) and construction (-0.6%), while services rose by 0.1% thanks to strong IT activity. The back-to-back declines raise the risk of a Q2 contraction, despite growth of 0.5% over the three months to May.
· Canada Unemployment Rate Unexpectedly Drops
o Canada’s unemployment rate declined to 6.9% in June 2025 from 7.0% in May, defying expectations of a rise to 7.1% and marking the first improvement since January. Employment surged by 83,100, driven by part-time gains in wholesale and retail trade. The number of unemployed fell by over 22,000, while the participation rate edged up to 65.4%.
- GHANA
· IMF Warns Ghana Against Artificial Cedi Stability
o The IMF has cautioned Ghana against relying on foreign exchange interventions to maintain Cedi stability, warning that such measures may mask deeper economic vulnerabilities. The Fund urged a focus on structural reforms and sustainable reserve buildup, stressing that lasting currency stability must reflect strong fundamentals rather than temporary support from multilateral inflows.
· Finance Minister to Present Mid-Year Budget on July 24
o Ghana’s Finance Minister is scheduled to present the 2025 Mid-Year Budget Review to Parliament on Wednesday, July 24. The presentation will provide updates on the Government’s fiscal performance for the first half of the year, outline revised macroeconomic targets, and introduce policy adjustments to align with current economic conditions and ongoing IMF-backed reforms.
- AFRICA
· South Africa Manufacturing Logs Surprise Rebound in May
o South Africa’s manufacturing output rose by 0.5% y/y in May 2025, rebounding from a 6.4% drop in April and ending a six-month decline streak. The uptick, beating forecasts of a 1.5% fall, was driven by gains in metals, glass, wood products, and textiles. On a monthly basis, output rose by 2%, though quarterly production remains slightly negative.
· Egypt Holds Key Rate Steady at 24% Amid Easing Inflation
o The Central Bank of Egypt left its policy rate unchanged at 24% in July 2025, as expected, to maintain its disinflation path amid global uncertainties. With GDP growth nearing 4.8% and headline inflation falling to 15.3% in Q2, policymakers opted for caution while monitoring inflation expectations and fiscal reforms.
Sources: Bloomberg, Reuters, Trading Economics