Skip to main content

Featured

Solar Storm Brings Northern Lights to Southern Canada and Beyond

  A series of powerful solar storms recently graced the night skies, making the northern lights unusually visible even in regions far south. This dazzling display was caused by a geomagnetic storm , which not only illuminated Canada but also extended its colorful auroras to parts of the northern United States and Europe. The Solar Storm Phenomenon Solar storms occur due to the sun’s activity cycle, which spans approximately 11 years. During the solar maximum , more sunspots appear on the sun’s surface. These sunspots are cooler regions that appear black when observed through solar telescopes. However, they are more than mere spots—they represent an entanglement of magnetic fields that can erupt with a solar flare . Often, solar flares are followed by a coronal mass ejection (CME) —a massive burst of charged particles carried along the solar wind. In this recent case, the sun produced a series of CMEs, which are now heading toward Earth. The U.S.-based National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Post a Comment
Read more
Labels

Federal Reserve to Hold Interest Rates Steady Despite Market Anticipation

 

The Federal Reserve is expected to hold on interest rate cuts as they assess the economy and inflation . The policymakers are likely to signal that they expect to wait until they’re confident that inflation, which has tumbled from its peak, is reliably moving to their 2% target. 

The central bank’s benchmark rate influences the cost of most consumer and business loans, and companies, investors, and individuals have been eager for the central bank to ease the cost of borrowing. However, the economy remains healthy and doesn’t appear to need the stimulative benefits of a rate cut, which can spur more borrowing and spending and could even re-ignite inflation. The stock market is near a record high, and the yield on the influential 10-year Treasury note is well below its peak of nearly 5% last fall.

The Federal Reserve will likely move closer Wednesday to cutting its key interest rate after nearly two years of hikes that were intended to fight the worst inflation in decades. Yet it may not provide much of a hint about when — or how fast — it will do so. Most Fed watchers think the central bank’s first rate reduction will occur in May or June.














.

Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment