In an address to the World Economic Forum in Switzerland, delivered via video link Thursday, President Donald Trump revisited his displeasure with the policy direction of the U.S. Federal Reserve that surfaced during his first term in spite of having appointed the leader of the monetary body.

President Trump said if oil prices come down he'll demand lower interest rates immediately, adds he knows rates 'much better' than Fed officials

President Donald Trump on Thursday said he will call for a lowering of U.S. interest rates, exerting pressure on the Federal Reserve despite a longstanding norm of political independence at the central bank.

Britain's benchmark index, the FTSE 100, reached a record high as investors reacted positively to strong corporate updates and soothing comments by U.S. Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell. Companies like Shell and Watches of Switzerland Group contributed significantly to the index's rise,

President Trump has said he will "demand" lower interest rates, raising questions about his ability to influence the Federal Reserve.

Speaking before the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, Trump said he’ll call for interest rates to be lower than current levels. A possible sign he is setting up a possible battle with the Federal Reserve.

Global markets show positive momentum following lower-than-expected US core inflation, while South African markets respond to international pressures and await crucial MPC decision. Trump's remarks on

USD/CHF recovers its recent losses from the previous two sessions, trading around 0.9050 during the Asian hours on Tuesday. The upside of the pair could be attributed to the improved US Dollar (USD) following tariff threats made by US President Donald Trump.

And if Trump follows through on his promises to impose widespread tariffs on imports and deport millions of immigrants, economists expect inflation could worsen — making it less likely the Federal Reserve will cut its key interest rate much this year.

Oil prices fell after Trump's comments, while the 10-year US Treasury yield rose, signaling that Trump may have less influence on interest rates.

US stocks closed lower afer the S&P 500 touched an intraday record high early in the day. As tariff worries eased, mixed company news took focus.