Sept 4 (Reuters) - Canada's main stock index closed lower on Friday as material and oil stocks declined and stronger-than-expected U.S. jobs ​data prompted investors to increase bets on an interest-rate hike ‌by the Federal Reserve this month.The S&P/TSX Composite Index (.GSPTSE), fell 0.33%, at 36,513.80.Data showed U.S. job growth accelerated sharply in August while the unemployment rate held steady at ​4.1%, pointing to a still stable labor market.

OTTAWA, Sept 4 (Reuters) - Canadian economic activity expanded at a ​faster pace in August ‌as prices, inventories and employment rose, Ivey Purchasing Managers Index (PMI) ​data showed on ​Friday.The seasonally adjusted index increased ⁠to 64.3 in August ​from 55.1 in July, ​highest since May 2022.The Ivey PMI measures the month to month ​variation in economic ​activity as indicated by a panel ‌of ⁠purchasing managers from across Canada. A reading above 50 indicates an increase in ​activity.The ​gauge ⁠of employment rose to an adjusted 55.0 ​from 52.2 in ​July.

WASHINGTON, Sept 4 (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump on ‌Friday said that unless the Federal Reserve cut interest rates, he ​would stop trading with ​countries with which the United States ⁠had a deficit."High interest ​rates put the U.S.A. at a ​very unfair disadvantage, and I won't allow that to happen!" said Trump, who has repeatedly demanded ​that the Fed cut rates.

The United States imported a record 225,094 metric tons of refined copper and copper alloys in July, official data showed on Thursday, as traders continued to ship large volumes of the metal before a tariff is potentially imposed.The July figure released by the U.S. Department of Commerce is the highest monthly total in records going back to 1990, according to data from Trade Data Monitor. It was up 78% from the previous month and up 8% year-on-year.

The initial public offering of Nigeria’s Dangote refinery, the largest on the continent, will open in the next 10 to 12 days, owner Aliko Dangote said on Thursday.“So our dream is that we want to make sure we double the capacity of the refinery … which will take us to 1.4 million barrels per day. The IPO will open in the next 10 to 12 days,” Dangote told investors and analysts in Botswana, while visiting the Southern African country.The refinery, owned by Africa’s richest man, is expected to seek to raise about $5 billion in what could become the continent’s largest IPO.

NEW YORK, Sept 4 (Reuters) - Treasury ​yields and the dollar rose, while the S&P 500 eased on Friday after U.S. job ‌growth accelerated in August and the unemployment rate held steady.The monthly report suggests the labor market remains stable and raised expectations that the U.S. Federal Reserve will raise interest rates later this month, as investors look ahead ​to next week's consumer inflation as key to that determination.

Sept 4 (Reuters) - Gold fell on ​Friday and was headed for a weekly loss after stronger-than-expected U.S. jobs ‌data boosted expectations that the Federal Reserve could raise interest rates as soon as this month, denting non-yielding bullion's appeal.Spot gold slipped 1.1% to $4,422.91 per ounce by 10:50 a.m. EDT (1447 GMT), putting it on track for a ​mild weekly decline. After the data, bullion fell more than 2% to an intraday ​low of $4,364.99 per ounce.U.S. gold futures for December delivery dropped 1.5% to $4,469.80 per ⁠ounce.

Sept 4 (Reuters) - Between a strong jobs report Friday that adds to the case for U.S. interest-rate hikes and a novel threat from President Donald ​Trump to stop trade with some countries unless the Federal Reserve cuts rates, Fed Chairman Kevin Warsh faces a squeeze: risk presidential ire by tightening monetary policy at the central bank's meeting in two ‌weeks, or skip it and risk a hit to credibility after his own recent hawkish rhetoric.

Sept 4 (Reuters) - Citigroup ‌on Friday pushed back its forecast for the Federal Reserve's next interest-rate cut to June 2027 after a stronger-than-expected U.S. ​jobs report reinforced views that the labor market ​remains resilient and reduced the need for near-term ⁠monetary easing.

African Rainbow Minerals (JSE: ARI) on Friday posted a 19% increase in annual profit, as strong platinum group metal prices offset the impact of lower income from its coal, iron ore and manganese divisions.The diversified South African miner’s headline earnings came in at 3.201 billion rand ($200.3 million) in the year ended June 30, compared with 2.695 billion rand previously.ARM said it will pay a final dividend of 7 rand per share, up from 6 rand per share last year.

Chinese makers of batteries for electric vehicles are demanding steeper discounts for cobalt, which could further cut into margins at Indonesian nickel producers squeezed by rising costs of ore and sulphur, three sources familiar with the matter said.Traders have mainly borne the impact of discounts until now, but pressure is likely to spread to Indonesian nickel high-pressure acid leach (HPAL) operators when fourth-quarter supply deals are negotiated, two of the sources, both producers, said.

Some Chinese rare earth suppliers are declining to ship to the U.S. for fear of repercussions from Beijing, three sources said, underscoring how access to the materials remains an issue for the U.S. weeks before President Xi Jinping visits Washington.U.S. officials have repeatedly asked China to stick to commitments made in Busan and Beijing over the past year to ensure the smooth flow of rare earth export licences. The persistence of the problem has put it on the U.S. planning agenda ahead of Xi’s September 24 visit, a source familiar with the work said.

Sept 4 (Reuters) - Canada's main stock index opened lower on Friday after stronger-than-expected U.S. jobs data prompted investors to increase bets on an interest-rate hike by ​the Federal Reserve this month.The S&P/TSX Composite Index (.GSPTSE), fell 0.4% to ‌36,494.42 at 09:44 a.m. ET.Data showed U.S. job growth accelerated sharply in August while the unemployment rate held steady at 4.1%, pointing to a still stable labor market.

OTTAWA, Sept 4 (Reuters) - Canada's economy lost 41,700 jobs in August, ​data showed on Friday, slowing sharply from unusually strong summer hiring, while the unemployment rate held steady at 6.4%.

Sept 4 (Reuters) - The S&P 500 and the Dow were set for a lower open on Friday after a ‌hotter-than-expected jobs reading prompted investors to amplify bets the Federal Reserve could hike interest rates this month.A Labor Department report showed the U.S. economy added 162,000 jobs in August, compared with estimates of 56,000, according to economists polled by Reuters.The unemployment rate stood at 4.1% last month, as expected.

LONDON, Sept 4 (Reuters) - World shares tip-toed higher ahead of U.S. jobs data on Friday, while bond markets got some much-needed relief after a top Federal Reserve official cooled rate-hike expectations and dragged the dollar lower.

MUMBAI, Sept 4 (Reuters) - India's foreign exchange reserves (INFXR=ECI), climbed to another record high of $740.80 billion ​in the week to August 28, central bank ‌data showed on Friday, boosted by heavy inflows from special schemes to attract dollar inflows into the country.

Sept 4 (Reuters) - Futures tracking Canada's blue-chip stocks were subdued on Friday, as investors refrained from placing large bets ahead of crucial U.S. and Canadian jobs reports that ​could influence monetary policy expectations.September futures on the S&P/TSX index ‌were muted by 06:36 a.m. ET (1036 GMT), though trading volumes were low.Crucial data on U.S. jobs is scheduled to be released before markets open and will provide ​more clarity on how the U.S. labor market is holding ​up. Canada will also release its jobs data.

HONG KONG/LONDON, Sept 4 (Reuters) - The Japanese yen retreated against the U.S. dollar ​on Friday, pausing after a sharp rally that has put it on track for its strongest week in over a month, ‌as traders ramp up bets on a Bank of Japan interest rate hike, while broader currency markets awaited U.S. payrolls data.

LONDON/SYDNEY, Sept 4 (Reuters) - World shares pushed higher ahead of U.S. jobs data on Friday, while bond markets got some much-needed relief after a top Federal ​Reserve official cooled rate-hike expectations and dragged the dollar lower.The dollar's retreat had run its course as the pre-payrolls doldrums set in, but it left the yen ‌set for a weekly rise of 2.3% - its best since late July, when Japan and the U.S. conducted a rare joint intervention to halt a relentless slide in the Japanese currency.