Rafael Nam
Appearances
NPR News Now
NPR News: 04-22-2025 4PM EDT
Stocks may have gained, but there really wasn't much conviction to the moves. Investors are still hoping to see some kind of de-escalation in the trade war. Earlier in the day, the IMF cut its growth forecast for the global economy to 2.8%, down from the 3.3% it had projected in January. And now there are also concerns as Trump continues to attack the Fed and Jerome Powell.
NPR News Now
NPR News: 04-22-2025 4PM EDT
The president wants the Fed to cut interest rates and he's threatening to fire Powell. But there are big questions about whether Trump actually has the power to do that. So despite the gains, sentiment remains fragile. Rafael Nam, NPR News.
NPR News Now
NPR News: 01-15-2025 8PM EST
Inflation is proving to be pretty stubborn. Yes, it has eased a lot from the very high level of 9.1% over a couple years ago. A big reason for the uptick last month was gas prices. But there was some good news. Factoring out gas and food prices, inflation came below expectations. Overall, though, it means the Federal Reserve may have to keep interest rates higher for a little longer.
NPR News Now
NPR News: 01-15-2025 8PM EST
President-elect Donald Trump says he wants tariffs and mass deportations, which economists say could make inflation worse. Rafael Nam, NPR News.
NPR News Now
NPR News: 04-27-2025 1PM EDT
Security is heightened in central Ho Chi Minh City ahead of the 50th anniversary of the end of the Vietnam War. Fifty years ago, North Vietnamese troops stormed the headquarters of the South Vietnam's government, ending the roughly 20-year war that cost millions of Vietnamese lives.
NPR News Now
NPR News: 04-27-2025 1PM EDT
In the run-up to the main event on April 30, there have been a series of gatherings and rehearsals, the last one being held on Sunday. Day of festivities will feature a military parade, including a flyover by the Vietnamese Air Force. In total, 13,000 people are taking part in the event. For NPR News, I'm Nafam in Ho Chi Minh City.
NPR News Now
NPR News: 03-02-2025 6PM EST
Investors have long been uneasy about the prospect of tariffs. Many hope that President Trump is just using them as leverage. But nobody really knows. So there'll be a lot of nerves ahead of Tuesday when Trump's threatened tariffs on the country's neighbors are set to take effect. Trump also says he wants to impose additional tariffs on China.
NPR News Now
NPR News: 03-02-2025 6PM EST
Investors will also have to digest the latest employment report. The jobs market has been pretty healthy so far. The question is how long it stays that way. At least though, the layoffs seen across the federal government recently are unlikely to show up in this report.
NPR News Now
NPR News: 12-29-2024 7PM EST
There are only two trading sessions left of the year, and already investors are sitting on some big gains. The S&P is up 25% so far this year. A big reason is that stocks tied to artificial intelligence have continued to do well. Chip company NVIDIA, for example, has seen its share price more than double in 2024. The economy has also remained healthy under President Biden.
NPR News Now
NPR News: 12-29-2024 7PM EST
And since November, stocks have gained even more because of hopes that Donald Trump will be good to Wall Street when he returns to the White House. Those stocks have lost some momentum in December. Rafael Nam, NPR News. This is NPR News.
NPR News Now
NPR News: 12-22-2024 10PM EST
Trading is likely to slow down, especially after Congress avoided a shutdown this weekend. A slower week will likely be a welcome development after a rough week. All three major indexes tumbled last week, with the Dow Jones declining for a third consecutive week, as stocks continue to pair some of the strong gains seen after the election of Donald Trump in November.
NPR News Now
NPR News: 12-22-2024 10PM EST
The path forward will ultimately depend on how inflation and other economic data shape up. But there won't be many new reports coming this week. We'll get new home sales and consumer confidence, but not much else. Rafael Nam, NPR News.
NPR News Now
NPR News: 04-07-2025 3PM EDT
One of the big consequences of tariffs is that they're very likely to make things much more expensive. But these tariffs come at a time when the Federal Reserve is still trying to bring down inflation. We'll get the latest snapshot on inflation on Thursday, a day after President Trump's reciprocal tariffs are set to kick in.
NPR News Now
NPR News: 04-07-2025 3PM EDT
Too soon to reflect the tariff's full impact, but an important number nonetheless. And although tariffs remain the main driver of markets, investors will also pay attention to the start of the earnings season. JP Morgan Chase and Wells Fargo are reporting results on Friday. Rafael Nam, NPR News.
NPR News Now
NPR News: 03-28-2025 6PM EDT
At the start of 2025, investors were hoping that President Trump's return to the White House would lead to lower taxes and less regulation. Instead, his economic policies so far have centered on tariffs. Trump plans to unveil another round of global tariffs next week. That has investors getting concerned about the U.S.
NPR News Now
NPR News: 03-28-2025 6PM EDT
economy, with consumer confidence dropping and households bearing back their spending. All of this at a time when inflation remains a little high. All three major indexes tumbled on Friday and are headed for a second consecutive monthly fall. Rafael Nam, NPR News.