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
Switzerland is aiming to conclude a bilateral trade agreement with the United States by the end of July, seeking assurances it will not face higher tariffs than other trading partners. Negotiators plan to resume talks in Washington this month to convert a preliminary framework into a binding treaty intended to protect exporters, including the pharm…
Brazil's consumer inflation accelerated in March, pushed by stronger transportation costs led by gasoline. Annual inflation rose to 4.14% from 3.81% in February, while the monthly IPCA reading jumped 0.88%, outpacing market forecasts and highlighting potential headwinds for the central bank's recent rate cuts.
Countries already recovering from recent economic crises are being pushed back toward instability by a spike in energy prices tied to the Iran war. Sri Lanka, Pakistan and Egypt face heavier import bills, currency pressure and shrinking buffers. Policymakers are seeking temporary relief from multilateral lenders, while households and small business…
A new Morgan Stanley analysis finds that artificial intelligence is beginning to influence U.S. labor markets, but its aggregate macroeconomic footprint is still small. The bank's AI disruption tracker points to early, narrow displacement that is most apparent among younger, early-career workers in high-exposure roles, while industry payrolls show …
An Iranian delegation led by Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and Parliament Speaker Mohammad-Bagher Ghalibaf is due in Islamabad Friday night ahead of Saturday talks with US representatives that aim to solidify a ceasefire. Washington is sending Vice President JD Vance, special envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner. Significant disagreements remain…
Consumer prices in the United States rose 0.9% in March, the biggest monthly increase since June 2022, driven by a spike in oil and gasoline costs and ongoing pass-through from tariffs. Core inflation excluding food and energy also picked up, leaving policymakers and markets more doubtful that the Federal Reserve will cut interest rates this year.
U.S. stock index futures moved higher after March Consumer Price Index figures matched economist estimates, easing some concerns about inflationary pressure stemming from the Middle East conflict. Overall CPI rose 3.3% year-over-year and 0.9% month-over-month. The core CPI, which excludes food and energy, increased 2.6% annually and 0.2% on the mon…
Canada added a modest 14,100 jobs in March while the unemployment rate remained unchanged at 6.7%, reflecting continued underutilization in the labour market. Employment gains were concentrated in part-time work and the goods-producing sector; full-time positions fell slightly. Average hourly wages for permanent employees rose 5.1% year-on-year, th…
Brazil's consumer-price index increased 0.88% in March, outpacing the Bloomberg median forecast of 0.77% from 40 economists and bringing annual inflation to 4.14%. Higher fuel prices tied to the ongoing Middle East conflict are pressuring households and have prompted fiscal measures ahead of elections, complicating central bank plans to pare back i…
San Francisco Fed President Mary Daly said the U.S. economy is fundamentally sound and the labor market has stabilized, but the recent oil shock tied to the Iran conflict has extended the time required to return inflation to the Fed’s 2% target. Daly said the central bank’s policy is restrictive enough to pressure inflation downward without damagin…
Bank of America reiterated its forecast for two Federal Reserve rate reductions in 2026, telling clients that the Fed's inclination to look past supply-driven inflation, muted wage pressures and political considerations should outweigh short-term inflation risks. The bank said incoming Fed Chair Kevin Warsh could have enough evidence of cooling inf…
Ukraine's chief negotiator Kyrylo Budanov told Bloomberg that talks involving Ukraine, Russia and the United States are progressing toward a possible peace agreement and that he expects a resolution soon. The comments coincided with a rally in Ukraine dollar bonds, while the Kremlin said a recent visit to the United States by a Russian investment e…
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio is scheduled to travel to India in May as Washington and New Delhi seek to rebuild diplomatic and trade relations strained by US tariff policies. The planned trip was disclosed by US Ambassador to India Sergio Gor after Rubio met India’s Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri in Washington. Officials have highlighted discu…
Japan's 2026 Diplomatic Bluebook downgrades the characterization of its relationship with China from "one of the most important bilateral relations" to "an important neighbor," reflecting continuing strain over Taiwan. Tokyo nonetheless underscores the need for ongoing contact and says it will pursue a strategic, mutually beneficial relationship an…
European defense equities slid while construction and materials companies rose after Ukraine's chief negotiator signaled growing optimism about the direction of talks with Russia, prompting market expectations that any rapprochement could lift rebuilding activity across the region. Major defense contractors saw notable percentage declines, while se…
The European Central Bank has recommended increasing the cap on UCITS funds' holdings of simple, transparent and standardized securitisations issued by a single entity to 20%, above the European Commission's 15% proposal and the current 10% limit. While the ECB says a higher ceiling could encourage investor participation and support securitization …
The Kremlin confirmed that Kirill Dmitriev, President Vladimir Putin’s special investment envoy, is visiting the United States to pursue economic matters. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters the trip is not intended to restart formal peace negotiations on Ukraine. Russian officials emphasized that Dmitriev leads a delegation focused on e…
Facing high jet fuel costs and congestion linked to disruptions in Middle East shipping lanes, some shippers are routing goods through Los Angeles by combining ocean and air legs to secure lower overall transport prices. Reduced Gulf air capacity and rising contract airfreight rates from Asia to Europe are reshaping route choices, while carriers, p…
The UN World Food Programme says Lebanon faces a mounting food security crisis as supply lines fray amid an ongoing Iran war. A fragile two-week ceasefire between the U.S. and Iran showed fresh strain, and rising prices plus increased demand from displaced families are pushing food beyond many households' reach.
U.S. equity futures were largely subdued as traders stayed on the sidelines ahead of a closely watched March Consumer Price Index release and as markets weighed the tenuous two-week truce between the United States and Iran. The ceasefire has helped push major indexes toward weekly gains, but concerns about its durability and higher energy costs hav…
Officials from the European Union and the United States are reportedly close to an agreement to align policies on critical minerals. The proposed framework, described in a report that cites an 'action plan' and a non-binding memorandum of understanding, would cover exploration through recycling and could deploy incentives such as minimum price guar…
Diplomatic efforts between the United States and Iran in Islamabad have once again become the focal point for global markets, with a tentative ceasefire announced late Tuesday already showing signs of fragility. Oil prices and energy markets remain sensitive to developments, while finance ministers and central bank governors gather in Washington fo…
U.S. equity futures were little changed as markets weighed a tentative U.S.-Iran ceasefire that remains unstable, continued Israeli strikes on Iran-aligned targets in Lebanon, and severe shipping disruptions through the Strait of Hormuz. Oil prices ticked higher and gold slipped, while attention turned to the March U.S. consumer price index, expect…
Finance Minister Ekniti Nitithanprapas said Thailand has limited ammunition to deal with its economic problems and outlined a package of targeted measures including soft loans for solar panels, consideration of a car trade-in scheme, cuts to unnecessary spending in next year’s budget, and plans for a borrowing guarantee to support an oil subsidy fu…
A fragile U.S.-Iran ceasefire faces fresh stress after Israeli strikes in Lebanon prompted retaliation from Hezbollah and Iran said those attacks breach its deal with the United States. Reduced shipping through the Strait of Hormuz has kept global oil flows far below pre-war levels, lifting prices and contributing to broader market nervousness as e…
