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.
7,192 total articles
Chancellor Rachel Reeves unveiled a set of temporary measures designed to reduce living costs for UK families, including a cut in VAT for a range of summer leisure activities and children’s meals, freezes and cuts to fuel-related levies, and targeted industry support funds. The package is financed in part through tax changes aimed at foreign branch…
The pound traded flat against the dollar at $1.3437 and rose 0.13% versus the euro after S&P Global’s preliminary UK Composite PMI for May dropped to 48.5, signaling the most widespread contraction in activity in over a year. The decline follows softer-than-expected inflation and comes amid disruptions tied to the Iran war and the closure of the St…
A set of May indicators and official forecasts show the economic impact of higher energy costs tied to the Iran conflict is deepening across Europe. Private-sector activity in the euro area contracted at its sharpest rate in over two-and-a-half years, input-price inflation hit a three-and-a-half year high, and the European Commission has trimmed gr…
The European Commission has revised its projection for eurozone GDP growth in 2026 down to 0.9% from an earlier 1.2%, citing an energy shock tied to the Iran war and continued inflationary pressure. Growth is seen slowing from 1.3% in 2025, with a modest rebound to 1.2% expected in 2027. Officials warn that a more adverse energy-price path could su…
Finance Minister Rachel Reeves announced a combined £470 million support package for the chemicals and ceramics sectors, alongside plans to accelerate reforms to the taxation of foreign branch profits that are expected to raise hundreds of millions annually. The move is presented as contingent on market conditions later in the year and linked to en…
The Kremlin has dismissed concerns about nationwide fuel shortages after reports of lower oil refining activity in central Russia following a wave of Ukrainian drone attacks. Spokesman Dmitry Peskov acknowledged localized production drops and said seasonal maintenance and a calculated fuel balance with compensatory mechanisms mitigate supply risk. …
U.S. equity futures showed little direction on May 21 after Nvidia delivered strong guidance and a large share repurchase plan but did not fully satisfy investor expectations. Market participants are now shifting attention to retail earnings, weekly jobless claims and business activity surveys for clues on consumer resilience, while geopolitical de…
Prime Minister Peter Magyar said his administration will prioritise passing a new budget for 2026 after what he described as excessive spending by the prior government, and that broader tax reforms and measures to ensure equal treatment for domestic and foreign investors will follow in the medium to long term. He also asked for patience before addr…
The Bundesbank said Germany is likely to see flat economic growth in the second quarter while inflation trends upward, driven by increases in fuel costs and uncertainty linked to the Iran war. Preliminary data showed inflation at 2.9% in April, up from 2.8% in March, with the federal economy ministry warning of a significant hit to growth after a m…
The European Union's Court of Justice has ruled that assets connected to Russians on the EU sanctions list may be frozen even when those assets are held through trusts and there is no direct legal link to the sanctioned individuals. The decision, arising from three Italian cases, allows authorities to infer ownership or control from surrounding cir…
Official data from Enterprise Singapore shows onshore residual fuel oil inventories in Singapore increased for a third week, reaching 21.50 million barrels in the week ending May 20. Imports rose modestly from the prior week, while exports grew at a faster pace. Market participants report softer prompt demand in Asia even as arbitrage flows remain …
The European Commission says the euro zone economy will cool in 2026 after a second energy shock in under five years driven by conflict in the Middle East. A rise in oil to above $100 a barrel has pushed up inflation and weakened sentiment among businesses and households. The Commission has downgraded growth forecasts for 2026, raised inflation pro…
Policymakers across Asia are deploying rare and urgent measures to defend economies facing the fallout from a global energy supply shock. Currencies in major oil-importing markets have sunk to record lows, prompting central banks and governments to weigh aggressive rate hikes, direct market intervention and export controls as they attempt to limit …
U.S. stock futures rose after Nvidia reported a quarter of record revenue and profit driven by strong AI demand, even as the chipmaker's outlook drew scrutiny. Separately, SpaceX filed for an initial public offering that could eclipse prior records, while reports suggest OpenAI may file for its own IPO later in the year. Investors also tracked deve…
European Central Bank policymaker Olli Rehn said there are few signs that a persistent period of high inflation is taking hold in the euro area despite a recent rise in consumer prices following disruptions to oil shipments through the Strait of Hormuz. Rehn signalled the ECB is likely to raise rates at its June 11 meeting to protect its credibilit…
India's private-sector expansion moderated in May as a slowdown in manufacturing - linked to the Middle East conflict and weaker external demand - offset a slight improvement in services activity. The HSBC flash Composite PMI compiled by S&P Global fell to 58.1 from April's 58.2, with export orders, input costs and business optimism showing signs o…
Iran's Foreign Ministry has confirmed receipt of the latest U.S. position on ending hostilities and said it is reviewing those views as talks continue through Pakistan. The development follows U.S. President Donald Trump's announcement that a planned military operation has been postponed while negotiations progress, though he warned further action …
A late-night accord between Samsung Electronics and its union has temporarily halted a planned strike, but dissent from some shareholders threatens to undo the deal. While markets cheered, lifting South Korean equities and chip stocks, other developments - including oil shipments through the Strait of Hormuz, mixed signals from Nvidia, robust Japan…
A distinct set of retail-driven trading patterns has emerged as investors react to the market shocks associated with the second term of U.S. President Donald Trump and the conflict in Iran. Traders increasingly trade around acronyms such as TACO (Trump always chickens out), FAFO (f*** around, find out) and FOMO (fear of missing out), leaning into r…
Bank of Japan board member Junko Koeda has signaled a preference for incremental adjustments to monetary policy, suggesting that interest rates should be increased at what she described as an "appropriate pace." Speaking in Fukuoka, Koeda highlighted the necessity of addressing potential inflationary pressures while carefully managing the economic …
Global equity markets experienced a broad recovery on Thursday, buoyed by significant developments in the semiconductor industry and a temporary easing of maritime tensions in the Strait of Hormuz. While tech stocks gained momentum following Nvidia's latest financial forecasts, Samsung Electronics saw a massive boost after averting a major labor st…
Japan's export sector demonstrated continued strength in April, marking the eighth consecutive month of growth according to recent government figures released on Thursday. Despite the geopolitical volatility stemming from the conflict between the U.S., Israel, and Iran which has caused significant supply disruptions in the Middle East, Japanese out…
U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has offered a tempered outlook on the current volatility in bond markets and rising inflation, characterizing these economic pressures as temporary. Speaking during a G7 finance leaders meeting in Paris, Bessent suggested that the primary drivers of recent market instability-specifically elevated interest rate …
A mission from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) has successfully completed its scheduled discussions with Pakistani officials in Islamabad. The week-long engagement, which took place from May 13 to May 20, focused heavily on assessing current economic developments, evaluating the status of ongoing structural reforms, and reviewing fiscal plann…
A new federal fund totaling $1.776 billion, established by the Trump administration to compensate individuals who believe they have been victims of political "weaponization," has ignited significant legal and political friction. The initiative has drawn immediate interest from defendants involved in the January 6 Capitol riot and various allies of …
