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.
7,101 total articles
Brazil’s services sector contracted 1.2% in March from February, led by a pronounced fall in transportation activity, according to IBGE data released May 15. The monthly decline was worse than the 0.1% drop economists had forecast, and all five subgroups measured by the statistics agency recorded contractions. On a year-on-year basis services outpu…
Longer-dated U.S. Treasury yields climbed to May 2025 highs on Friday after oil prices rose and inflation data showed a marked pickup in April. The move reflected investor concern that Middle East energy disruptions could intensify inflation pressures already visible in recent consumer and producer price prints.
President Bola Tinubu said he will not roll back economic reforms instituted since taking office in 2023, rejecting suggestions that political dynamics ahead of January elections would force a policy U-turn. Speaking at the Africa CEO Forum, Tinubu defended the removal of fuel subsidies and the liberalization of the naira as difficult but necessary…
President Donald Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One that American farmers should be pleased with trade outcomes from his state visit to Beijing, saying China will be buying "billions of dollars" of soybeans. U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer qualified the expectation as "double-digit billions" in U.S. agricultural purchases over the n…
The National Bank of Romania maintained its benchmark interest rate at 6.5%, the highest in the European Union, as the country confronts double-digit inflation and a worsening recession. The central bank adopted an updated inflation forecast that points to stronger-than-expected inflation in the second quarter - driven by fuel price rises and gover…
President Donald Trump told reporters he made no commitment to Chinese President Xi Jinping on the Taiwan issue during his visit to China and that he will soon decide on a pending $14 billion arms sale to Taiwan. Trump said U.S. policy toward Taiwan remains unchanged and that he has not approved weapons for the island. His comments follow a warning…
Speaking at the Lithuania-Finland Business Forum in Vilnius, Finnish President Alexander Stubb argued the United States will retain its NATO presence because of strategic interests in Europe, pointing to the proximity of Russian nuclear forces. His comments came alongside remarks from Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda and after reports of recent…
Minutes from the Czech National Bank's May policy meeting show unanimous support to keep the two-week repo rate at 3.50% while flagging a willingness to raise rates should the ongoing Middle East conflict drive sustained core inflation or broader second-round effects. Board members differed on the immediacy of a response but repeatedly noted centra…
Revised figures from Italy's national statistics agency ISTAT show consumer prices rose by 1.6% month-on-month in April and 2.8% year-on-year, down from earlier estimates. The main domestic price index and core inflation figures present a mixed picture of slowing underlying price pressures alongside an overall acceleration from March.
Kevin Warsh, newly confirmed as Federal Reserve chair, has advocated reducing the central bank’s market footprint and reverting to more conventional policy tools. Analysts warn that growing federal deficits, a declining convenience yield on U.S. Treasuries and persistent demand for liquidity could restrict how far the Fed can shrink its balance she…
As Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell's tenure comes to an end on Friday, his eight years at the helm are remembered for emergency rate cuts and bond purchases during the COVID-19 crisis, an unusually rapid tightening to combat post-pandemic inflation, two major shifts in the Fed's policy framework, and a persistent effort to cultivate relations w…
Futures tied to the Nasdaq and S&P 500 fell more than 1% as yields on 10-year Treasuries climbed to 4.54%, the highest level since early June 2025. Investors reacted to mounting signs of economic fallout from the Iran war, while Brent crude neared $109 a barrel amid a closed Strait of Hormuz. The move raised the odds of a Federal Reserve rate incre…
Global markets turned risk-off on Friday after a steep selloff in South Korean shares rippled through technology and semiconductor stocks worldwide. Oil rallied on renewed fears of supply disruption through the Strait of Hormuz following comments from U.S. President Donald Trump. Bond yields rose broadly as investors digested inflation risks and su…
The unresolved conflict in Iran, which is entering its 12th week, is exerting growing pressure on the global economy through higher oil prices and market volatility. Policymakers and finance chiefs from the G7 will convene with energy security, critical mineral supply chains and recent bond-market turmoil on the agenda. Corporate earnings, led by N…
The Bank of Japan warned that investment funds, while important providers of risk capital, can create pressures for the wider financial system if their activity intensifies. In a speech posted on the BOJ website, executive director Kazushige Kamiyama noted the rising presence of foreign hedge funds and private equity firms in Japan and highlighted …
The traditional carry trade - buying higher-yielding developed-market currencies and funding them with low-yielders - has delivered its strongest returns in years as sizable interest-rate differences among G10 economies combine with subdued currency volatility. The yen has not acted as a reliable safe-haven amid the Iran war, and hedging flows from…
Bond markets are signaling rising inflation and renewed rate-hike risk, undermining recent equity gains. Strong moves in yields and soft Treasury demand coincided with broad Asian losses, shipping constraints through the Strait of Hormuz and higher oil prices, prompting investors to reprice central bank policy expectations.
A Reuters poll conducted May 7-14 found that two-thirds of economists expect the Bank of Japan to lift its policy rate to 1.0% in June. Most respondents predict further tightening through the rest of the year as inflation concerns and currency depreciation weigh on policy makers' decisions, while risks tied to the ongoing war and domestic demand re…
GE Aerospace CEO Larry Culp was observed leaving a meeting at the National Development and Reform Commission in Beijing on May 15. His visit comes amid reports that China agreed to purchase 200 Boeing jets after talks between US President Donald Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping. As Boeing's main engine supplier, GE Aerospace could gain from the …
Following an initial round of discussions in Beijing between U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping, President Trump has announced that China has reached an agreement to purchase energy products from the United States. In a pre-recorded interview with Fox News' Hannity program aired Thursday evening, the President indicated th…
The Bank of Japan has indicated that the nation may enter a period of widespread price increases starting around the summer months. This potential inflationary wave is driven by various businesses, including those in the food production sector and hot spring operators, seeking to offset escalating energy expenses stemming from conflicts in the Midd…
Projections for the Japanese economy indicate a second consecutive quarter of growth during the January-March period. According to a survey of 17 economists, real gross domestic product (GDP) is anticipated to expand at an annualized rate of 1.7%. This follows a 1.3% expansion recorded in the October-December quarter. On a non-annualized basis, the…
In a recent televised interview on Fox News' "Hannity" program, U.S. President Donald Trump expressed that his patience regarding the situation with Iran is reaching its limit. During the Thursday night broadcast, the President issued a call for Tehran to enter into a formal agreement with Washington. While emphasizing the need for a deal, Trump of…
Global financial markets faced significant headwinds on Friday as the optimism surrounding technology stocks was eclipsed by intensifying concerns over inflation. This shift in sentiment led to a surge in U.S. Treasury yields, reaching one-year highs and fueling speculation regarding potential interest rate hikes by the Federal Reserve later this y…
During high-level bilateral discussions in Beijing, United States and Chinese officials did not engage in deep conversations regarding the strict export controls currently placed on semiconductor technology. U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer confirmed this during an interview with Bloomberg TV on Thursday, stating that chip export restrictio…
