• The Chinese People's Bank of China (PBOC) will not necessarily follow the Federal Reserve's overnight rate hike in the near-term as the world' second largest economy seeks stability ahead of a leadership reshuffle this fall, observers said Thursday.
"As a trend basis, if the Fed continues on the normalization cycle, then one would envisage that the PBOC would move in sync. But right now, I don't think it will trigger any immediate follow suit type of tightening," said Mizuho Bank senior economist, Vishnu Varathan.
• Robert Mueller, the special counsel investigating Russia's interference in the 2016 U.S. election, is seeking interviews with three high-ranking foreign intelligence names, suggesting a probe of U.S. President Donald Trump's actions, the New York Times reported, citing a person briefed on the investigation.
Mueller was seeking to question Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats, head of the National Security Agency Michael Rogers and former NSA deputy director Richard Ledgett, the report said.
While none were involved with Trump's campaign, where much of the Russia investigation had appeared to be focused, recent media reports indicated Trump may have requested their help to try to get former FBI Director James Comey to end the probe of Trump's fired national security adviser Michael Flynn, the report noted.
The Washington Post reported on Wednesday that Mueller's investigation was looking into whether Trump attempted to obstruct justice after the president fired Comey and said in a mid-May television interview that it was due to the Russia investigation.
The New York Times report cited a former senior official as saying that Mueller's investigation was looking at potential money-laundering by Trump associates on suspicion that any cooperation with Russian officials was most likely in exchange for a financial payoff, with potential efforts to hide those via offshore banking centers.
• British Prime Minister Theresa May had edged closer to clinching a deal to stay in power with the support of Northern Irish kingmakers on Wednesday, but faced a battle over Brexit just days before divorce talks are due to begin.
• Oil prices hovered near their lowest levels in seven months early on Thursday, hurt by high global inventories and doubts over OPEC's ability to implement production cuts.
Brent crude futures were at $46.92 per barrel at 0643 GMT, down 8 cents from their last close and after slumping nearly 4 percent in the previous session.
U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures were down 14 cents at $44.58 per barrel.
Reference: Reuters
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