Macroeconomic data, trends, and policy developments.
Coverage of key economic indicators, central bank policy decisions, inflation trends, labor data, and growth signals. This category focuses on the macroeconomic forces that shape markets, interest rates, and long-term capital allocation.
2,695 total articles
Swissmem, the Swiss industry group, rejected U.S. assertions that Switzerland sought to build artificial industrial overcapacity. The group said the accusation is unfounded, pointed to the absence of import tariffs on industrial goods, and urged the Swiss government to continue tariff negotiations with the United States while defending Swiss manufa…
European Commission competition chief Teresa Ribera said EU governments may be allowed to deploy state aid to support energy-intensive companies facing sharply higher electricity costs after oil and gas prices rose in the wake of the Iran war. Ribera also confirmed the Commission is assessing a recent policy change by Meta affecting third-party AI …
Bank of America says higher global oil prices are improving Brazil's current account and terms of trade, boosting fiscal receipts via royalties, taxes and dividends. The bank cautions these windfalls are uneven and volatile, and domestic inflation would rise only if Petrobras adjusts local fuel prices. BofA keeps its forecast for a 50 basis point S…
The U.S. Senate moved toward approving legislation designed to increase the pace of affordable housing construction across the country. Backed by Senators Tim Scott and Elizabeth Warren, the bill proposes a mix of incentives, regulatory shortcuts and financing changes intended to address an estimated 4 million-home deficit driven by high interest r…
A senior European Parliament trade committee chair said the EU should only accept new U.S. tariffs that reproduce the substance of the agreement reached in Scotland last year, after Washington launched Section 301 investigations into alleged unfair trade practices. The lawmaker said the investigations were anticipated but do not yet signal U.S. com…
Global oil benchmarks climbed back above key psychological levels as attacks on vessels and facilities near a strategic waterway south of Iran intensified supply concerns. U.S. equity futures slid, while gold steadied amid inflation worries tied to higher energy costs. Adobe prepares to report quarterly results and oil major Shell released annual f…
Bank Indonesia is expected to keep its benchmark seven-day reverse repurchase rate at 4.75% on March 17, according to a majority of economists polled. Recent rupiah weakness tied to the Middle East war and concerns over fiscal credibility and central bank independence have constrained the central bank’s ability to move to an accommodative stance.
Goldman Sachs has delayed its forecast for Bank of England rate cuts for the second time this month, pointing to renewed inflationary pressure from rising energy prices across Europe. The bank now expects a series of cuts later this year and into 2027, while other major lenders have similarly adjusted their timetables as conflict-linked energy spik…
U.S. stock futures fell as crude oil climbed back above $100 a barrel following reports of attacks on tankers in Iraqi waters attributed to Iran. The spike in oil intensified inflation worries, prompted forecasters to delay expected Federal Reserve rate cuts, and amplified scrutiny of private credit. Traders also weighed new U.S. trade probes and c…
Fresh supply shocks from the Middle East have amplified upside risks to inflation in Japan, prompting the Bank of Japan to weigh faster interest-rate normalization. While an April rate increase is a possibility, sources say the conflict also raises the chance of a global slowdown that could undercut Japan’s tentative recovery and force a reassessme…
Iran has escalated attacks on commercial shipping in Gulf waters, including explosive-boat strikes that left two fuel tankers burning in Iraqi waters and forced oil port operations to stop. Oman cleared vessels from its main export terminal. The actions pushed Brent back above $100 and sent regional and global equity futures lower, while bond marke…
Glendon Capital Management has accused private credit managers, including Blue Owl, of understating losses in their loan books and warned that a marked correction in debt markets may be imminent. The claim, made in a presentation cited in a recent report, says funds have 'misrepresented' loss rates and are holding greater losses than disclosed. The…
ANZ Research cautions that while India enters the current energy price shock with "high growth and low inflation," a sustained spike in oil and gas prices would test the country's financial buffers. The report highlights potential losses for oil marketing companies (OMCs), rising subsidy burdens for the government and weakening household savings th…
A national survey conducted June-August 2025 of nearly 20,000 U.S. adults found that 33% reduced spending on essentials such as food, utilities or other daily needs to cover healthcare expenses. The burden was far greater for those without insurance, and a separate Gallup-panel survey indicates healthcare costs have led Americans to delay major lif…
Nomura Holdings is recruiting foreign-exchange and emerging-markets traders in Asia, positioning its macro trading franchise for continued client demand driven by persistent volatility. The firm also anticipates a rebound in the broader equity environment as geopolitical tensions ease and oil prices retreat, and is hiring in U.S. rates while noting…
Gold prices stabilized after an initial near-1% drop as investors bought dips against a firmer U.S. dollar and renewed worries about inflation driven by rising oil prices and disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz. Market participants are watching U.S. inflation data and energy developments for cues on interest-rate expectations.
The U.S. dollar remained close to its strongest levels of the year as escalating oil prices and supply disruptions raised inflation concerns and strengthened bets on monetary policy tightening. Major currencies slid against the dollar in early Asian trade, while oil volatility surged and market pricing for central bank moves shifted toward earlier …
ANZ economists expect the Reserve Bank of Australia to deliver two 25 basis-point increases to the cash rate at its March 16-17 meeting and again in May, lifting the policy rate to roughly 4.35%. The bank cited persistent inflation pressures, a resilient labour market and demand-driven signs in recent consumer price data as reasons for tighter poli…
Britain's housing market cooled in February as prospective buyers grew more cautious, a Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) survey showed. New buyer enquiries plunged, house price indicators weakened and short-term sales expectations eased, with survey timing overlapping geopolitical tensions beginning February 28 that lifted energy pri…
Morgan Stanley has capped the amount it will return to investors in its North Haven Private Income Fund after requests to redeem nearly 11% of shares outstanding. The bank will honor tender requests up to 5% of units outstanding as of Dec. 31 and fulfilled roughly $169 million, or 45.8% of the quarter's tender requests. The move underscores mountin…
Chinese companies have sharply increased use of foreign-exchange derivatives to protect against a strengthening yuan and heightened market volatility linked to the war in Iran. Record net selling in forward contracts and large outright dollar sales to banks accompany rising corporate hedging ratios encouraged by regulators, even as policy tweaks an…
An internal Pentagon memo dated March 6 and signed by Chief Information Officer Kirsten Davies permits limited exemptions to a previously announced six-month phase-out of Anthropic’s AI tools when mission-critical national security operations lack viable alternatives. Units seeking exceptions must present comprehensive risk mitigation plans. The me…
In a closed Senate briefing this week, administration officials estimated the United States spent at least $11.3 billion during the first six days of the campaign against Iran. That figure, which does not represent the total cost of the conflict, was shared as lawmakers pressed for more detail. Congressional aides expect the White House to seek add…
Oil jumped sharply despite the International Energy Agency's unprecedented release of strategic reserves, reinforcing inflation concerns and pushing two-year U.S. Treasury yields to their highest level since September. The move put pressure on equity markets, leaving most major U.S. indexes lower by the close, while sector and currency markets refl…
Guatemala’s opposition-led Congress has elected a new slate of magistrates to the Supreme Electoral Tribunal (TSE), appointing five titular and five alternate members for the 2026-2032 term. The move, occurring late Tuesday, is part of a broader overhaul of the country’s top courts and prosecutor’s office that has drawn warnings from international …
