Angela Merkel met with Donald Trump at the White House on Friday for what were expected to be crunch talks with the US President. Both have been vocal about the other and it was safe to say they weren’t particularly complimentary. The first opportunity to take a picture of the pair was met with photographers asking “can we get a handshake” however that appeared to be met with dull faces.

Angela Merkel was a big advocate of Obama’s transatlantic partnership whilst Trump was very vocal in suggesting it was an awful idea, so much so that it was the first thing he cancelled when he came to power. Trump demanded that Merkel should increase Nato contributions and do more to handle the global migration crisis.

Both have suggested that the talks have been constructive and beneficial however it is unlikely that the two have too much in common. Merkel who could come under serious pressure at the German election this year could have had her first and last official visit with a President.

US Data this week

There will be a heap of US data next week with the likely focal point being a speech from Janet Yellen on Thursday. Yellen who announced the first of a few potential interest rates hikes this year will offer her further thoughts into the US economy and could provide some much-wanted guidance for the future. On Friday, there will be durable goods orders which provide an insight into the economy. There is expected to be a drop in the figures from the previous month and this could start to release some of the US Dollar’s latest strength.