The Trump administration is signalling to allies that it has no immediate plans for a ground invasion of Iran, even as it deploys thousands of troops to the Middle East, people familiar with the matter said.

The people, who asked not to be identified discussing private deliberations, cautioned that President Donald Trump could change his mind at any moment or go ahead with an attack. They said the troops could serve a variety of roles, including to help with evacuations of American citizens but also to create a sense of strategic ambiguity about US intentions. (Bloomberg – Continue Reading)

British retail sales fell less than expected in February, official data showed on Friday, though a fresh drop in consumer confidence signalled that households may rein in spending in the months ahead.

The Office for National Statistics said retail sales fell 0.4% on the month in February, compared with analyst expectations of a 0.7% decline. January's reading was revised up to a 2.0% rise. Year-on-year, sales grew 2.5%, beating the 2.1% forecast and slowing sharply from a revised 4.8% in January.

Sales excluding automotive fuel also fell 0.4% on the month, outperforming the 1.0% drop forecast and easing from a 2.2% decline in January. On an annual basis, the measure rose 3.4%, above the 2.7% expected and down from 5.9% previously.

The three-month picture was more resilient. Sales in the three months to February rose 0.7% compared with the three months to November, driven by stronger non-store retailer volumes following a weak November and robust art sales in January. (LiveSquawk – Continue Reading)

Goldman Sachs Group Inc.’s trading desk is warning investors not to turn bearish on US stocks, saying current positioning leaves the market vulnerable to a short squeeze if geopolitical tensions ease.

The S&P 500 Index is on track for the worst month since 2022 and the Nasdaq 100 Index is trading 11% below its October record, putting it past the threshold that indicates a correction. (Bloomberg – Continue Reading)