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.
6,527 total articles
U.S. equity markets have recovered sharply from March lows as diplomatic progress over the Iran conflict, resilient first-quarter earnings and expectations for AI-related spending prompt investors to re-enter positions. Market participants cite a fear of missing out as fresh flows push major indices to recent highs, with technology, industrials, fi…
On April 23, almost five months after the catastrophic fire at Hong Kong's Wang Fuk Court, Jason Kong returned with his son to the charred remains of his apartment to recover mementoes of his dog and a few personal items. The blaze on November 26 tore through seven 31-storey blocks in Tai Po, killing 168 people and taking firefighters nearly two da…
A statement from Karex's chief executive that the world's largest condom maker may raise prices by 20%-30% has gone viral on Chinese social media, generating over 60 million views and spurring conversations about stockpiling. The online reaction comes as China faces rising family-planning costs after the removal of a long-standing tax exemption on …
U.S. equity futures fell as traders weighed an uncertain path toward renewed talks between Washington and Tehran despite a recent ceasefire extension. Crude oil reclaimed levels above $100 a barrel on concerns that disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz could tighten supply. Separately, Tesla pared its post-earnings gains after CEO comments tempered e…
India's private-sector activity accelerated in April, driven by a stronger manufacturing rebound and continued services expansion, according to a flash composite Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI). Input cost inflation eased from March but remained elevated, while exporters reported mixed performance amid disruptions linked to the Middle East war. Em…
Asian equities initially rose on momentum from Wall Street, reaching record levels in Japan, South Korea and Taiwan, supported by strong corporate and economic datapoints. However, gains were swiftly pared as renewed tensions in the Middle East - including the seizure of ships in the Strait of Hormuz and U.S.-Iran naval encounters - elevated energy…
Senate Republicans are advancing a non-binding budget resolution that would open the path to $70 billion in funding for Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Border Patrol across the next three years. The measure, moving through an extended 'vote-a-rama' session, sidesteps Democratic demands for additional operational safeguards for immigration a…
Foreign investors poured a net 2.38 trillion yen into Japanese equities in the week through April 18, driven by gains in AI-linked technology stocks and improved risk appetite tied to hopes for a Middle East ceasefire. While equities saw heavy foreign demand, overseas investors reduced holdings of long-term Japanese government bonds, and domestic i…
The Bank of Japan is widely expected to leave its short-term policy rate unchanged at its April meeting while indicating a willingness to increase rates as soon as June, amid concerns that a Middle East conflict and rising energy costs could push inflation higher. Markets have largely discounted an immediate hike, so the focus will be on the BOJ's …
The U.S. dollar remained close to a 1-1/2-week high as a renewed standoff between Iran and the United States pushed oil prices back above $100 a barrel. Tehran's seizure of two vessels in the Strait of Hormuz and an indefinite extension of a ceasefire by the U.S. president, with no progress on restarting talks, have left the waterway effectively cl…
Japan's manufacturing sector accelerated in April to its most vigorous expansion since January 2022, driven by firms ramping up production amid worries about potential supply disruptions tied to rising tensions in the Middle East. The S&P Global flash data showed a sharp rise in the manufacturing PMI and a record jump in the output sub-index, while…
Senate Republicans prepared to advance a $70 billion, three-year funding blueprint for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and U.S. Border Patrol through a nonbinding budget resolution, a step intended to break a partial Department of Homeland Security (DHS) shutdown. Democrats have pressed for legal and operational guardrails for immigration…
South Korea's economy expanded 1.7% in the first quarter of 2026 from the previous three months, the Bank of Korea reported, marking the fastest quarterly gain since the third quarter of 2020. A 5.1% rise in exports - driven by shipments of IT components including semiconductors used in AI infrastructure - was the primary engine of growth. Private …
New inflows to private credit vehicles aimed at high-net-worth investors fell 45% in the first quarter versus the same period in 2025, according to RA Stanger. Non-traded business development company sales plunged to $8.9 billion from $16.3 billion a year earlier, while real estate and infrastructure strategies drew more capital.
U.S. equities rallied on April 22 with the Nasdaq rising to a fresh record and the S&P 500 closing at a new high, driven by optimism around technology and corporate earnings. That risk appetite persisted despite Brent crude returning above $100 a barrel on renewed worries about the Middle East and requests from some U.S. allies for dollar swap line…
The Federal Housing Finance Agency announced that Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac will accept the VantageScore 4.0 model, which incorporates rent and utility payment data, in their mortgage guarantee process. HUD said it will consider similar scores for Federal Housing Administration loans. Regulators say the change aims to broaden access to affordable …
President Donald Trump urged Republican lawmakers to remain united in support of a reconciliation measure intended to provide funding for Border Patrol and Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents. In a Truth Social post he commended Senate Majority Leader John Thune and Senator Lindsey Graham for advancing what he called a crucial initial step a…
President Donald Trump stated that Iran will not carry out executions of eight women protesters after he directly appealed to Iranian leaders on social media. According to his posts, four of the women will be released immediately while the other four will serve one-month prison sentences instead of facing execution. Trump framed the development as …
Shareholders of Banco de Brasilia approved a capital increase of up to 8.8 billion reais ($1.77 billion) to strengthen the bank's finances after harmful dealings with failed Banco Master. The decision follows a memorandum with Quadra Capital to create a 15-billion-real investment vehicle to absorb and monetize assets tied to those transactions, wit…
Manara Minerals Investment Co., a Saudi joint venture formed to acquire foreign mining stakes and secure raw materials for domestic processing, is pivoting its investment model. According to people familiar with the matter, the company will prioritize joint ventures or partnerships with trading firms and pursue debt investments, while retaining the…
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent told a US Senate panel that several Gulf allies and a number of Asian nations have asked for foreign exchange swap lines. During his testimony he defended cuts at the Internal Revenue Service, highlighted rising enforcement recoveries, commented on energy markets and tax refund trends, and said the Treasury has lost…
A Spanish prosecutor has urged a judge to terminate a corruption investigation into Begoña Gomez, the wife of Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, in a case initiated by far-right groups demanding lengthy prison terms. The decision now rests with investigating judge Juan Carlos Peinado, who may either accept the prosecutor's recommendation or order a tria…
European Central Bank Executive Board member Piero Cipollone said he is not worried about reports that the European Parliament may move a scheduled early May vote on the digital euro to late June, and that the bank can keep to its timelines provided final legislation is in place by year-end. He made the remarks during a virtual event with the Peter…
Shares of publicly traded private credit funds, known as business development companies (BDCs), are trading at their largest discounts to reported net asset values in more than five years. Median price-to-forward 12-month NAV for BDCs was around 0.74 at the end of March, implying a roughly 26% discount, according to LSEG data. Investors question wh…
A new OMFIF Gender Balance Index finds women hold a record 19% of top roles across major financial institutions, up from 16% a year earlier. The report highlights strong gains at central banks and in North America, but an overall index score of 44/100 and persistent promotion bottlenecks underline how far institutions remain from gender parity.
