Global Markets Brace for Fed Turmoil as Powell Faces Criminal Probe; China’s Solar Sector Rattled by Antitrust Action

Powell Under Criminal Investigation, Threatening Fed IndependenceFederal Reserve Chair Jay Powell is facing an unprecedented criminal investigation by the U.S. Department of Justice concerning his congressional testimony regarding a $2.5 billion renovation project at the Federal Reserve's Washington headquarters. Powell has publicly condemned the probe as a direct assault on the central bank's operational independence, linking it to persistent pressure from the Trump administration for aggressive interest r ...