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.
7,195 total articles
Kevin Warsh, President Donald Trump’s nominee to lead the Federal Reserve, has told lawmakers he wants robust debate at the central bank’s policymaking table. If confirmed, Warsh will step into a Federal Open Market Committee populated by officials divided over inflation risks, the health of the labor market, the proper role of the Fed’s balance sh…
Russia's central bank is weighing a rule that would require commercial banks to hold mandatory yuan reserves, aiming to ease shortages of the Chinese currency in the foreign-exchange market and to rein in outsized yuan lending. Governor Elvira Nabiullina flagged the proposal after yuan swap rates surged above 40% in March due to heavy lending and d…
China's central bank held a meeting in late April instructing some commercial banks to expand lending in April and to ensure outstanding loan balances post positive month-on-month growth, according to people familiar with the matter. The guidance, described by sources who declined to be named, reflects policymakers' concern about slowing credit exp…
Minutes from the Bank of Korea's latest policy meeting show the monetary policy board prefers to monitor developments linked to the Iran war before making further moves. The board left the policy rate at 2.50% on April 10, a decision anticipated by a poll of economists, and a strong majority of analysts expect no change through year-end despite con…
U.S. index futures were rangebound as markets digested reports that President Trump is unhappy with an Iranian offer to end the recent hostilities but delay nuclear talks. Corporate earnings take center stage with roughly a third of S&P 500 companies due to report, while OpenAI's internal revenue and user targets reportedly fell short, and BP logge…
Euro zone household inflation expectations climbed notably in March, according to the European Central Bank's monthly Consumer Expectations Survey. One-year expectations rose to 4.0% and three-year expectations to 3.0%, both exceeding the ECB's 2% medium-term goal. Five-year expectations edged only slightly higher to 2.4%. The survey also showed co…
A European Central Bank survey found that banks across the euro area tightened access to credit in the three months to March and anticipate additional constriction in the quarter to June. The ECB said the conflict in Iran, which began in late February, has pushed up energy prices and funding costs and was cited by banks as a driver of reduced risk …
Minutes from the Bank of Korea's previous monetary policy meeting show the board favors a cautious, wait-and-see approach, citing heightened uncertainty from the Iran war and the need to monitor its effects on growth and inflation. The board left the benchmark rate unchanged at 2.50% on April 10, a decision that matched economists' expectations. Po…
Ukraine has been urged to pass legislation imposing value-added tax on low-value parcels arriving from abroad to keep its $8.1 billion International Monetary Fund programme on track ahead of a June review. Lawmakers have so far withheld support for the draft, leaving Kyiv in negotiations with the IMF and raising the prospect of delayed or lost inte…
The Bank of Japan left policy rates unchanged, even as three of nine policymakers advocated raising borrowing costs. Governor Kazuo Ueda said the central bank had significantly raised its price outlook and is closely watching risks that a supply shock tied to the Middle East conflict could push inflation higher, potentially prompting a future rate …
The Bank of Japan kept its policy rate steady at a guided overnight call rate of 0.75% while flagging a higher-than-expected path for inflation in fiscal 2026 and warning that surging oil and energy prices stemming from the Middle East war could slow growth and squeeze corporate profits. The decision was split, with three of nine board members favo…
The Bank of Japan kept its short-term policy rate at 0.75% after a two-day meeting, but three of nine board members dissented, preferring a rise to 1.0%. The split underscores concern about inflationary pressure linked to the Middle East conflict and has market participants watching Governor Kazuo Ueda’s post-meeting remarks for guidance on the tim…
The Japanese yen traded flat in Asian hours as markets awaited the Bank of Japan’s policy announcement, the first of several major central bank decisions this week. The BOJ is widely expected to maintain its policy rate at 0.75%. Geopolitical uncertainty from the Iran war is shaping central bank caution, while U.S. monetary policy developments and …
Asian equities remained close to record levels while the dollar held steady as investors balanced geopolitical risks in the Middle East against looming megacap earnings and a busy central bank calendar. The Bank of Japan is expected to pause on rates while offering guidance on its future path; oil prices climbed amid continued disruptions around th…
The Department of Homeland Security reported that over 1,000 Transportation Security Administration officers have departed since a funding shutdown began in mid-February. The agency said staffing losses accelerated over the spring as 50,000 TSA employees endured six weeks without pay, producing extended security wait times at some airports. Politic…
A survey of economists finds India’s headline growth forecasts largely unchanged, yet warns that the country’s extensive informal sector is already feeling the impact of Middle East tensions that are disrupting fuel supplies. Limited real-time data on fuel costs, employment, consumption and small enterprises makes it difficult to quantify the hit, …
U.S. President Donald Trump and his national security advisers have expressed skepticism about Iran's proposal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz while postponing talks on its nuclear program, according to reporting that cites U.S. officials. While not rejecting the overture outright, Trump questioned Iran's willingness to negotiate in good faith and t…
A committee of the House of Lords has recommended that Finance Minister Rachel Reeves adopt an explicit target to lower public debt from its current level within three years, arguing that the government's existing fiscal rules are insufficient to prevent a long-term rise in debt as a share of the economy.
Easter sales on confectionery, home improvement products and apparel helped push annual shop price inflation down to 1.0% in April from 1.2% in March, the British Retail Consortium said. Food inflation moderated to 3.1% from 3.4%, as retailers competed for weaker consumer spending. Industry surveys show a sharp drop in sales volumes and warnings th…
Speaker of the House Mike Johnson said the Senate-passed Department of Homeland Security funding measure will be revised before a House vote, potentially delaying funds for several DHS components. The Senate had twice approved the bill unanimously but excluded Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Border Patrol, prompting hardline House Republica…
Oil prices climbed again amid no sign that the Strait of Hormuz will reopen soon, yet U.S. equities eked out gains with the S&P 500 and Nasdaq reaching fresh highs. Markets are positioned for a busy week of corporate results and central bank decisions. Broader concerns about fiscal discipline in a world prioritizing energy, military and resource se…
The Bank of Japan is widely expected to keep its short-term policy rate at 0.75% at the end of a two-day meeting, while softening hawkish language to preserve room for further hikes if inflationary pressures from the U.S.-Israeli war with Iran intensify. Markets will scrutinize the bank's quarterly outlook and Governor Kazuo Ueda's remarks for guid…
Republican lawmakers in Congress are advancing legislation to fund and hasten construction of a new White House ballroom that President Trump is building on the site of the demolished East Wing. The effort, billed as a security upgrade after a shooting at an event where Mr. Trump had been scheduled to speak, would finance the 90,000-square-foot pro…
China's state economic planner has directed parties to withdraw a December 29 acquisition of AI startup Manus, effectively ordering Meta Platforms to reverse a $2 billion deal after the firm shifted operations to Singapore. The directive highlights the difficulty of separating people, code and capital once integration has occurred, and sends a sign…
A monthly YouGov survey conducted for U.S. bank Citi showed that British consumers pared back both short-term and long-term inflation expectations in April. The year-ahead expectation dropped to 5.0% from 5.4% in March, while the longer-run expectation eased to 4.2% from 4.5%. Citi/YouGov characterises the March jump as anomalous and says the April…
