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.
7,112 total articles
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 …
Federal Reserve Governor Christopher Waller said he would "absolutely" oppose any attempt to remove regional Federal Reserve bank presidents for their views on interest rate policy. Speaking at a Washington event, Waller defended the design of the Federal Reserve system even as he advocated consolidating back-office functions across the Fed's 12 re…
Kevin Warsh, President Donald Trump's nominee for Federal Reserve chair, told a Senate confirmation panel he would seek to reduce the central bank's balance sheet and would coordinate with the Treasury on that effort. Warsh argued a smaller balance sheet would benefit the broader economy and allow lower short-term rates, while criticizing the Fed's…
President Donald Trump has nominated Christopher Phelan, a long-serving University of Minnesota economics professor and former senior economist at the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis, to serve as his chief economic adviser. The nomination, announced by the White House, aims to fill the vacancy created when Stephen Miran left the Council of Econ…
Citigroup warns that Romania’s ongoing political instability increases the likelihood of fiscal deterioration, which could weigh on domestic government debt. Yields on the 10-year local-currency note have risen for a fifth day, while Citi highlights the potential for a wider fiscal slippage and warns of downside risks to both bond and currency mark…
Federal Reserve Governor Christopher Waller on Tuesday proposed a reorganization of the Fed system's 12 regional Reserve Banks to centralize key operational functions. Speaking at the Brookings Institution in Washington, he described two models ranging from standardized system leadership to deeper physical consolidation for activities that do not r…
Federal Reserve Governor Christopher Waller outlined a plan to restructure operational responsibilities across the Fed's 12 regional Reserve Banks, advocating consolidation of core business functions such as human resources, finance, procurement and technology under centralized national units rather than letting each bank run them independently. He…
Commonwealth Fusion Systems says its demonstration fusion device in Massachusetts is over 75% complete and is slated to be switched on in 2027. The company intends to move quickly to build a 400-megawatt commercial plant in Virginia once permits and capital are in place, and is scouting additional sites across the U.S. and internationally.
Markets fell on Tuesday while Kevin Warsh, President Donald Trump’s nominee for Federal Reserve chair, testified before the U.S. Senate. Warsh has voiced support for scaling back the central bank’s balance sheet and called for a different approach to managing inflation. His hearing prompted debate among investors and strategists about the likely di…
The commander of U.S. Indo-Pacific forces emphasized to the Senate that Taiwan needs to approve its delayed defense budget to maintain credible self-defense. Admiral Samuel Paparo warned that U.S. support cannot substitute for Taiwan's own commitment to fund its military. The dispute in Taiwan's parliament—where the opposition Kuomintang holds a ma…
Meta has begun rolling out software on U.S.-based employees' computers that records mouse movements, clicks and keystrokes, and takes occasional screen snapshots on specified work-related apps and websites. Internal memos seen by staffers describe the tool as a source of training data to help the company's AI models handle tasks such as selecting d…
Kevin Warsh, President Joe Biden's nominee to lead the U.S. central bank, faced intense questioning from Senate Democrats about a plan to divest most of his financial assets if confirmed. Warsh told the Senate Banking Committee he agreed to sell virtually all of his holdings and has an agreement to complete sales within 90 days of being sworn in, b…
South Africa’s central bank warned that the Iran war and related Middle East conflict pose material upside risks to the country's inflation path. The South African Reserve Bank (SARB) said headline inflation will be higher in the near term, with an average of 3.7% expected this year, but still forecast to return to its 3% target by late 2027. Marke…
A joint survey from KPMG and Nuway Capital of 120 high-net-worth individuals, family offices and wealth managers across ten international markets finds technology assets now lead alternative investment portfolios. Respondents expressed particular optimism about GPU-related assets, driven by expectations of capital appreciation and diversification, …
Banco de Brasilia (BRB) has signed a memorandum of understanding with Quadra Capital to form an investment vehicle that will take on assets tied to transactions BRB received from Banco Master, with a reference value of 15 billion reais ($2.9 billion). The MoU, released late on Monday, outlines a mix of cash and subordinated shares as consideration …
The U.S. Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee has opened confirmation hearings for President Trump's nominee to lead the Federal Reserve, Kevin Warsh. Senators and markets are watching for signals about the Fed's likely interest-rate trajectory and broader questions about the central bank's independence after a Justice Department pr…
