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
Hui Ka Yan, founder of China Evergrande Group, went from a high-profile presence at official celebrations to pleading guilty to fundraising fraud and bribery after three years in detention. His property empire, now in liquidation with liabilities above $300 billion, epitomizes the strain on China’s property sector and the risks of aggressive levera…
U.S. equity futures edged higher amid reports of potential progress in negotiations aimed at a permanent ceasefire between the U.S. and Iran, even as a U.S.-enforced blockade of Iranian ports entered a second day and constrained passage through the Strait of Hormuz. Oil prices eased below $100 a barrel on improving diplomatic signals, while a wave …
European Central Bank policymaker and Bank of Finland governor Olli Rehn said the Middle East war underscores the importance of accelerating the green energy transition for Europe’s economic resilience and competitiveness. He warned that slowing that transition now would be a serious mistake, said a rise in headline inflation this year is unavoidab…
Investors have shifted capital into Chinese government bonds as low inflation and structural energy buffers make China less likely to raise interest rates in response to global oil-driven inflation pressures. March foreign inflows into Chinese debt contrasted with widespread outflows from other emerging markets, and short-term yields in China have …
Government indebtedness across the Group of Seven has climbed to levels that now amplify the effect of rising borrowing costs. Recent geopolitical shocks, notably the Iran conflict, have revived inflation risks and driven yields higher, intensifying pressure on countries with large deficits or heavy reliance on energy imports. Policymakers are reac…
Australia’s corporate sector is beginning to show tangible financial strain from the Middle East conflict and the accompanying surge in fuel prices. Profit warnings from Qantas Airways and Westpac, a steep fall in business confidence and a sharp drop in consumer sentiment point to mounting inflationary pressures alongside weaker demand, raising the…
U.S. diplomatic officials who met leaders of France’s National Rally returned unconvinced that the party has a credible economic programme to manage the country’s large, indebted economy. Concerns centered on unclear plans to cut the deficit, mixed messaging on fiscal priorities - including a potential rollback of a recent pension reform - and prop…
Businesses across Australia and New Zealand are reporting rising costs and operational disruptions linked to the US-Israeli conflict with Iran. Companies from carriers to banks and dairy exporters say elevated fuel and freight prices, supply-chain volatility and weaker consumer sentiment are creating headwinds for earnings and near-term activity.
Hui Ka Yan, founder of China Evergrande Group, pleaded guilty in a Shenzhen court to charges including misuse of funds, fundraising fraud and illegally taking public deposits. The company has defaulted since 2021 on the bulk of its roughly $300 billion in liabilities and on billions in wealth management product payments. Regulators fined Hui in 202…
Global markets rallied on hopes of resumed talks between Washington and Tehran after a weekend collapse in negotiations, even as a U.S. naval blockade of Iran's ports began and oil prices remained vulnerable. Asian shares rose and U.S. and European futures followed, while oil dipped below $100 a barrel. Central banks and corporate earnings will off…
U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent told Semafor Editor-in-Chief Ben Smith that the Federal Reserve should hold off on lowering interest rates as the war in Iran unfolds. He described the U.S. economy as "very strong" in January and February, expressed confidence that recent price jumps will not become entrenched in inflation expectations, and hi…
China's export growth cooled to an annual 2.5% in March, a five-month low, while imports surged 27.8% - the strongest rise since November 2021. The slowdown in outbound shipments underlines how the Middle East conflict and its resulting energy shock have complicated the boost from AI-related tech demand and raised questions about the outlook for th…
Shin Hyun-song, the nominee for governor of the Bank of Korea, told parliament in written remarks that won-denominated stablecoins should be introduced and could coexist with central bank digital currencies and deposit tokens. He reiterated concerns over high household debt and the need for continued de-leveraging and property market measures, and …
A National Australia Bank survey released Tuesday found business confidence plunged 29 points to -29 in March - the second largest monthly decline on record - after the Iran war triggered a global oil shock. Business conditions remained at +6 but profits and margins weakened as purchase costs rose sharply. The Reserve Bank of Australia raised rates…
Finance Minister Satsuki Katayama said she and Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi requested that Economy, Trade and Industry Minister Ryosei Akazawa refrain from public comments on the Bank of Japan's monetary policy, arguing that decisions on specific policy tools belong to the BOJ. The appeal follows Mr. Akazawa's suggestion that an April rate hike "c…
The dollar remained largely unchanged as investors weighed the implications of a US naval blockade of Iranian vessels against ongoing, if fragile, diplomatic engagement between Washington and Tehran. Currency moves were modest, oil prices slipped, and expectations for a Bank of Japan rate hike this month cooled amid renewed geopolitical uncertainty…
Reserve Bank of Australia Deputy Governor Andrew Hauser cautioned that policymakers are not confident interest rates are already at the level needed to bring inflation back to the 2%-3% target band, and said the central bank must now weigh the inflationary impact of the Iran war against potential effects on domestic activity.
U.S. and Iranian officials are exploring a second round of face-to-face negotiations aimed at restarting ceasefire talks after recent meetings failed to produce an agreement. Delegations are considering holding new discussions before a two-week ceasefire announced on April 7 expires next week, with Islamabad among the possible locations. Prior week…
A Westpac-Melbourne Institute survey showed Australian consumer sentiment tumbled 12.5% to 80.1 in April, the weakest reading in more than two years. The drop reflects fears over the economic effects of the U.S.-Israel war on Iran, a recent 25 basis-point rate increase and a spike in fuel prices. All survey components weakened, with assessments of …
Singapore's central bank modestly tightened its monetary stance by increasing the rate of appreciation of the S$NEER policy band while keeping its width and center unchanged. The Monetary Authority of Singapore said core inflation is expected to pick up and remain elevated over coming quarters, and that GDP growth in 2026 is likely to step down fro…
Singapore’s economy expanded 4.6% year-on-year in Q1 2026, weaker than expected and down from the previous quarter, while the Monetary Authority of Singapore tightened policy modestly by allowing greater appreciation of the Singapore dollar under its S$NEER band amid concerns over rising energy import costs tied to the war in the Middle East.
Kevin Warsh has submitted the paperwork the Senate typically requires to advance a nomination to Federal Reserve chair, potentially enabling a Banking Committee hearing as soon as next week. Important procedural steps and an ongoing Justice Department matter connected to Jerome Powell leave the timing for full-Senate confirmation uncertain.
U.S. equity benchmarks closed sharply higher Monday after investors responded to signs of progress in negotiations over the Middle East, allowing markets to look beyond the breakdown in initial U.S.-Iran talks. Financial and technology sectors outperformed, the dollar extended a multi-session decline, benchmark Treasury yields eased and oil retreat…
Anthropic is holding discussions with the Trump administration about its frontier AI model Mythos, co-founder Jack Clark said at a Washington event. The conversations follow the Pentagon's termination of business with the company after a contract dispute, and months after the agency labeled Anthropic a supply-chain risk and barred its use by the Pe…
Ukraine's central bank governor warned that oil price increases tied to the war in the Middle East have already pushed up prices within Ukraine and could raise the country's inflation rate by between 1.5 and 2.8 percentage points. He reiterated the central bank's commitment to bringing inflation to 5% within three years, welcomed recent Hungarian e…
