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
A recent poll of economists finds the U.S. central bank is likely to keep its policy rate unchanged for at least the next six months as a nearly two-month war in the Middle East pushes fuel costs higher, dents consumer sentiment and erases market odds of near-term easing. While forecasts for growth and unemployment remain broadly steady, inflation …
Futures tied to Canada's primary equity benchmark climbed on Wednesday following U.S. President Donald Trump's declaration of an indefinite extension to a ceasefire with Iran. Investors balanced the announcement against fresh attacks on ships near the Strait of Hormuz and persistent disruptions to oil shipments. Global markets were also reacting to…
Best Buy announced that Jason Bonfig will succeed Corie Barry as chief executive officer on October 31. The move comes as the electronics retailer works to restore growth following a sustained slowdown in demand for consumer electronics driven by household cost pressures. Barry, who has served as CEO since 2019, will remain with the company as a st…
CME Group reported stronger first-quarter adjusted profit driven by a surge in trading activity across interest-rate and equity index futures as market volatility prompted investors to hedge. Average daily volumes reached a record 36.2 million contracts, lifting clearing and transaction fees and supporting year-over-year profit growth.
Turkey's central bank held its key policy rate at 37% and left overnight rates unchanged, citing geopolitical uncertainty from the Iran war and elevated, volatile energy prices that could alter the inflation trajectory. The bank signalled vigilance for second-round inflation effects even as market expectations shift and Reuters polling shows most e…
France’s statutory fiscal watchdog said on Wednesday that uncertain economic conditions and possible interest rate changes threaten the government’s plan to reduce the budget deficit to 3% of output by 2029. Rising energy costs linked to the Middle East conflict have altered macro projections, prompting the finance ministry to trim 2026 growth fore…
UBS expects the U.S. Federal Reserve to be positioned to cut interest rates before year-end, citing cooler underlying inflation in March and indications of labour demand softening. The bank also noted that a likely more dovish Fed board composition and policymakers' preference for a policy rate nearer 3% mean markets may be pricing policy too tight…
European Energy Commissioner Dan Jorgensen warned that the current energy outlook is dire and could persist for an extended period as the U.S.-Israeli conflict with Iran continues to disrupt supplies. He compared the situation to the combined severity of the 1973 and 2022 energy crises, said rebuilding Qatar's gas capacity would take roughly two ye…
Mexico’s Mayan Train, promoted as a catalyst for development across the Yucatan Peninsula, has underperformed on multiple fronts two years after inauguration. Ridership and hotel occupancy are far below projections, revenue covers a small share of operating costs, and communities along the route report that promised improvements in services and job…
China has published a set of guidelines intended to curb what the government described as 'unreasonable' growth in total energy consumption. The measures emphasize tighter controls on fossil-fuel use, targeted reductions in carbon emissions across major industrial sectors, development of non-fossil energy and energy storage, and measures to boost e…
The Bundesbank reported modest growth in Germany’s economy during the first quarter, driven by industrial sales, business-related services and robust exports. However, the central bank warned that rising energy prices and uncertainty stemming from the Iran war are likely to weigh on activity in the second quarter, undermining hopes that heavy gover…
The Bundesbank reported modest growth in Germany in the first quarter, driven by resilient industrial sales, healthy exports and strong business-related services. The central bank cautioned that elevated energy prices and uncertainty linked to the Iran war are likely to weigh on activity in the current quarter, limiting prospects for a meaningful a…
Thailand's finance minister said the government can issue up to 500 billion baht ($15.55 billion) in borrowings by October without breaching the 70% public debt-to-GDP ceiling. The minister flagged sufficient capital and bond market capacity and said not borrowing could risk a GDP contraction. The government will retain its approved 2027 fiscal pla…
Following Peter Magyar's decisive electoral win over Viktor Orban, U.S. and other foreign investors in Hungary are calling for a return to consistent policymaking and stronger legal safeguards. The American Chamber of Commerce and its member companies want predictable rules, confidence in the judiciary and steps to restore fiscal credibility that r…
Crypto investor Justin Sun filed a federal lawsuit in California seeking to unfreeze his WLFI tokens, restore his governance voting rights, and prevent World Liberty Financial from burning or otherwise seizing his holdings. Sun says the project secretly retained authority to blacklist wallets and reallocate tokens, froze his early investor tokens t…
U.S. equity futures rose after President Trump announced an indefinite extension of a ceasefire with Iran, but disruptions to shipping through the Strait of Hormuz have kept oil prices above pre-conflict levels. Kevin Warsh, Trump’s Fed nominee, emphasized Federal Reserve independence during his Senate hearing, while rising jet fuel costs linked to…
Consumer price inflation in the United Kingdom rose to an annual rate of 3.3% in March, up from 3.0% in February, marking the first observable impact on prices from the conflict in the Middle East. The uptick was driven in part by higher petrol and other fuel costs during March. Policymakers at the Bank of England have adjusted forecasts higher bec…
Markets appear set to maintain April's risk momentum after talk of an indefinite ceasefire in the Middle East, even as questions remain over whether all parties have agreed. U.S. President Donald Trump announced a ceasefire extension shortly before the prior window expired, but it is not clear whether Iran or Israel have consented. Simultaneously, …
New Zealand's Active Investor Plus (AIP) visa has secured NZ$3.905 billion in combined committed and pipeline capital within its first year following a reset of rules. The government reports NZ$1.49 billion already invested and NZ$2.415 billion in the pipeline, with 609 applications covering 1,988 people. Changes to the programme include lower mini…
The U.S. dollar moved to its strongest level in a week in early Asian trade as renewed skepticism over an indefinite extension of a U.S.-Iran ceasefire increased demand for safe-haven assets. Comments from Federal Reserve nominee Kevin Warsh were read as mildly hawkish, and stronger-than-expected U.S. retail sales added an upbeat element to the eco…
Japan recorded an 11.7% year-on-year increase in exports in March, marking the seventh consecutive month of growth as solid overseas demand and rising prices supported overseas shipments. Imports rose 10.9%, producing a trade surplus of 667 billion yen, below market expectations. Supply disruptions tied to Middle East tensions and shortages of petr…
U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy has asked Congress for $10 billion to fund the next stage of a multibillion-dollar program to modernize the Federal Aviation Administration’s aging air traffic control infrastructure. The request follows a prior $12.5 billion appropriation and targets software development, tower improvements and surface awar…
Federal Reserve officials are widely expected to keep the policy rate steady at their April 29-30 meeting. While many policymakers still view a reduction in short-term interest rates as possible later in 2026, several noted that the timing of any cut hinges on how long the Iran conflict and associated upward pressure on oil prices persist. Reuters …
Oil and the U.S. dollar strengthened on Tuesday while U.S. equities retreated as markets reacted to ambiguous signals from both Washington and Tehran over whether talks are proceeding. The move came one day before the U.S.-Iran ceasefire deadline, which President Donald Trump extended after markets had closed. Other market drivers included a conten…
During a two-and-a-half hour appearance before the Senate Banking Committee, Federal Reserve chair nominee Kevin Warsh avoided directly endorsing President Donald Trump’s contention that the Fed’s policy rate is too high and should be cut. While he declined to answer certain pointed questions, Warsh set out several priorities for the Fed should he …
