Federal Reserve Meeting Minutes: Progress Toward 2% Inflation Target May Be Slower

World Gold Council: Central Banks in each country net purchased 19 tons of gold in February; China has increased its holdings for the 16th consecutive month

A World Gold Council report shows that in February 2026, central banks net bought 19 tons of gold, up from January but below the 2025 average. Some central banks have continued to accumulate gold; China has increased its holdings for 16 months. Goldman Sachs and UBS predict that the gold price could rise to $5,400 and $5,900, respectively, in the future.

Economists expect the U.S. March CPI month-over-month rate to jump by more than 1%, the largest one-month increase since 2022.

Gate News message, April 5, economists said that the sudden jump in gasoline prices that American consumers can feel firsthand will be fully reflected in the key inflation data to be released this week. The U.S. is expected to see March CPI rise 1% month over month, which would be the largest monthly increase since 2022; core CPI could rise 0.3% month over month. Earlier, the Iran war pushed gasoline prices at U.S. gas stations up by about $1 per gallon. As a result, the Federal Reserve may find it difficult to carry out interest rate cuts this year.

U.S. March jobs smash expectations, with 178,000 added

In March, the U.S. added 178,000 jobs, recovering from February's losses and reducing the unemployment rate to 4.3%. The stronger-than-expected report may influence future interest rate decisions by the Fed amidst fluctuating oil prices.

U.S. added 178k jobs in March, and Federal Reserve officials say low growth may become the new normal, but it is fragile amid wartime conditions

A Federal Reserve watcher said that the U.S. added 178k jobs in March, the unemployment rate fell to 4.3%, but wage growth slowed to the lowest level in five years. The average monthly number of new jobs was only 22.5k, the economic outlook is fragile, and inflation concerns may further limit the room for rate cuts.

Bitcoin whales and sharks posted daily losses exceeding $300 million in Q1, with cumulative losses of $30.9 billion within the year

According to Glassnode data, in the first quarter of 2023, the average daily losses for “sharks” holding between 100 and 1,000 BTC and “giant whales” holding between 1,000 and 10,000 BTC were 188.5 million and $147.5 million, respectively, totaling approximately $337 million. Meanwhile, the year-to-date cumulative losses have already reached $30.9 billion, approaching the level of the 2022 bear market. Long-term holders’ average daily losses are still around $200 million, with the market affected by macro risks and weakening confidence.

The IMF urges the Bank of Japan to keep raising interest rates, saying that the Middle East war poses major new risks

The International Monetary Fund recommends that the Bank of Japan continue raising interest rates, despite new risks to Japan’s economy stemming from the Middle East war. Rising oil prices and yen depreciation have intensified inflation pressures. The IMF expects inflation to return to the 2% target in 2027 and emphasizes the importance of a flexible interest-rate policy.