President Trump Addresses Economic Concerns Amid Retail Sales Drop and Iran Standoff
President Trump addressed economic concerns following a nine-month low in U.S. retail sales last Friday, which has influenced Federal Reserve rate hike expectations for September. The drop in July sales was partly attributed to a retreat in oil prices, which have since reversed, and Amazon's earlier 'Prime Day' discount event. This retail sales data, combined with a decline in consumer confidence reported by the University of Michigan, has led to a re-evaluation of the Fed's monetary policy. Amidst these economic indicators, President Trump commented on the ongoing Iran standoff, stating that slightly higher gas prices are a worthwhile cost for seeing the conflict through. The market is also anticipating the release of minutes from July's split policy meeting of the Federal Reserve on Wednesday, along with an industrial production number expected tomorrow. Globally, Japan's 10-year government borrowing rates reached a three-decade high, and its GDP growth for the second quarter was below forecasts, while C... 
