Several Fed officials provided a conflicting assessment on the economy and outlook for monetary policy. For one, Fed Governor Miran stated that the central bank’s policy stance is unnecessarily restrictive on the economy, pointing to his benign inflation outlook and warning signs of the labour market.

India and the United States are advancing toward a bilateral trade agreement, with officials expressing confidence in reaching a deal by March. While gaps remain on agricultural market access, recent Indian proposals have been described by U.S. negotiators as their strongest to date.