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.
5,114 total articles
European natural gas futures declined sharply on Monday after U.S. President Donald Trump said he had ordered a five-day postponement of strikes on Iranian power plants and energy infrastructure following what he described as "productive" talks. The benchmark Dutch front-month contract at the TTF hub fell by as much as 5.52 euros, according to Inte…
Iranian officials told state-linked news agencies that the Strait of Hormuz will not revert to pre-conflict conditions and that energy markets will continue to be unsettled. The reports also say there are no ongoing negotiations with the United States, and include claims that U.S. President Donald Trump stepped back from striking Iranian infrastruc…
Bank of America raised its forecasts for China’s 2026 inflation, increasing its consumer price index estimate to 0.7% (from 0.1%) and its producer price index estimate to 0.3% (from -0.7%). The revision reflects a cyclical pickup in domestic demand seen in January and February, higher projected energy costs amid the Iran conflict, and stronger meta…
U.S. President Donald Trump said he instructed the Department of War to delay planned strikes on Iranian power plants and energy infrastructure for five days, citing productive discussions between the two countries. The announcement corresponded with a 2.25% rise in the S&P 500 and an 11% drop in crude oil. Iran later denied direct talks. Tensions …
Yardeni Research laid out three possible economic paths that it says could either align or divide Federal Reserve policymakers as leadership changes loom. The firm framed outcomes around incoming nominee Kevin Warsh and current Chair Jerome Powell, linking the Fed's cohesion to the duration and economic fallout of the U.S.-Iran conflict and the unr…
The European Banking Authority reported that French banks held approximately c60.8 billion in direct exposures to counterparties in the Middle East at the end of last year, representing almost half of the c132.1 billion total across 29 European countries. While the EBA said this amount is small relative to total banking assets, it cautioned that …
The United Arab Emirates has restarted operations at its largest natural gas processing facility following an attack last week that had forced a shutdown, according to a Bloomberg report. While the gas plant is back online, the nation's only active liquefied natural gas (LNG) facility on Das Island continues to run at very low rates because exports…
Prime Minister Narendra Modi told the lower house of parliament that India’s economic fundamentals are intact and that the country has adequate stocks of petroleum, fertilizers and coal to manage disruptions stemming from the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran. Modi cited current strategic petroleum reserves and ongoing work to expand them, outlined arrangem…
BlackRock CEO Larry Fink cautioned that the surge in artificial intelligence risks concentrating wealth among companies and investors who already own financial assets, unless more people are able to invest and share in market gains. In his annual letter to investors, Fink highlighted AI's potential to create significant economic value while disrupt…
Investors enter the week closely monitoring the Iran conflict, where continued hostilities and a de facto closure of the Strait of Hormuz are weighing on oil markets and broader asset prices. A U.S. flash purchasing managers index reading, Carnival Corp.'s quarterly report and GameStop's earnings will offer early signals of how the conflict and ris…
An ECB policymaker cautioned that the bank stands ready to raise policy settings if a projected surge in energy-related inflation becomes entrenched. While rates were left unchanged last week, the central bank flagged geopolitical risks tied to a U.S.-Israeli war on Iran that could push prices above the 2% goal, weigh on growth and unsettle supply …
Prime Minister Keir Starmer told reporters there is no assessment indicating mainland Britain is being targeted by Iran, following reports that Iran fired two ballistic missiles at the U.S.-U.K. base on Diego Garcia. He emphasised routine security assessments, the need to protect British interests, careful evaluation before any action on the Strait…
European Central Bank policymaker Peter Kazimir said the ECB will not hesitate to tighten monetary policy if an energy-driven rise in inflation appears likely to remain elevated for a prolonged period. Kazimir acknowledged limited influence over an imminent inflation spike but stressed the bank's readiness to act decisively should upward price and …
Global markets moved cautiously as the conflict involving Iran extended into a fourth week. U.S. stock futures fell, oil prices rose further, and investors sought the dollar as a safe haven. President Trump issued an ultimatum to Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz by Monday night, a demand Tehran rejected. The International Energy Agency warned th…
European stocks tumbled to their lowest level in four months on March 23 as a spike in crude prices and intensifying Middle East conflict drove broad selling. The pan-European STOXX 600 slipped 1.6% to 564.13 points by 0808 GMT, with all sectors in negative territory and industrials the largest detractor. Investors are pricing in renewed inflationa…
Goldman Sachs has revised its euro-area forecast in response to elevated energy-price assumptions resulting from disruptions in the Middle East. The bank now expects the European Central Bank to deliver two 25 basis-point rate hikes in April and June, lifting the deposit rate to 2.5%, while downgrading growth and raising both headline and core infl…
Preliminary results from Japan's annual spring wage negotiations indicate an average pay increase of 5.26% this year, according to Rengo, the country’s largest labour union confederation. The outcome would mark a third straight year of wage growth above 5%, with major companies reported to have met union demands in full. Policymakers and markets ar…
European Central Bank Vice President Luis de Guindos said the ECB cannot stop an initial inflation spike caused by higher energy prices but must intervene if those increases begin to feed through into broader, persistent price rises. The bank kept interest rates on hold last week but signalled readiness to tighten policy should second-round effects…
The Bank of Japan is preparing to amend its policy language next month, a change that would make it easier for the central bank to raise interest rates even if growth shows temporary weakness. Governor Kazuo Ueda signalled a departure from a risk-averse narrative, flagged a new inflation indicator to be disclosed by summer and an updated staff esti…
Markets opened under acute geopolitical pressure after President Trump gave Iran 48 hours to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and threatened to "obliterate" the country's power plants if it did not. Iran replied by warning it could close the strait "completely" and target energy and water infrastructure in neighbouring states. The row has pushed oil and…
Thailand has been instructed to submit written comments to the United States by April 15 in response to a Section 301 trade probe, the country's commerce ministry said. Officials warned that failure to mount a defence could leave Thai exports subject to U.S. tariffs. The probe targets alleged excess production capacity across a range of sectors and…
Global equity markets slid as renewed escalation in the Middle East prompted investors to reduce exposure to assets sensitive to inflation and energy prices. Major Asian bourses and Wall Street logged losses, pushing MSCI's global equities gauge to its weakest level since November. Analysts cite concerns about a lasting impact on energy supplies, r…
Japan's finance ministry is contemplating a reduction in its buyback program for inflation-linked government bonds after market-based inflation expectations climbed, making these securities more attractive to investors. Proposed repurchases of 15 billion yen each for April and June would be a marked cut from recent monthly buybacks of 20 billion ye…
President Donald Trump said any funding agreement for the Department of Homeland Security should be contingent on congressional approval of legislation that would require proof of U.S. citizenship for voter registration, the Save America Act. He also indicated he would deploy U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents to airports until lawmake…
Escalating retaliatory threats in the Middle East pushed investors toward safe-haven assets on Monday, supporting the U.S. dollar. The greenback sought to reverse last week’s decline as concerns over energy-driven inflation and more hawkish central bank stances weighed on risk appetite. Currency moves, bond yields and equity futures reflected heigh…
