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
Foreign investors poured a net 2.38 trillion yen into Japanese equities in the week through April 18, driven by gains in AI-linked technology stocks and improved risk appetite tied to hopes for a Middle East ceasefire. While equities saw heavy foreign demand, overseas investors reduced holdings of long-term Japanese government bonds, and domestic i…
The Bank of Japan is widely expected to leave its short-term policy rate unchanged at its April meeting while indicating a willingness to increase rates as soon as June, amid concerns that a Middle East conflict and rising energy costs could push inflation higher. Markets have largely discounted an immediate hike, so the focus will be on the BOJ's …
The U.S. dollar remained close to a 1-1/2-week high as a renewed standoff between Iran and the United States pushed oil prices back above $100 a barrel. Tehran's seizure of two vessels in the Strait of Hormuz and an indefinite extension of a ceasefire by the U.S. president, with no progress on restarting talks, have left the waterway effectively cl…
Japan's manufacturing sector accelerated in April to its most vigorous expansion since January 2022, driven by firms ramping up production amid worries about potential supply disruptions tied to rising tensions in the Middle East. The S&P Global flash data showed a sharp rise in the manufacturing PMI and a record jump in the output sub-index, while…
Senate Republicans prepared to advance a $70 billion, three-year funding blueprint for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and U.S. Border Patrol through a nonbinding budget resolution, a step intended to break a partial Department of Homeland Security (DHS) shutdown. Democrats have pressed for legal and operational guardrails for immigration…
South Korea's economy expanded 1.7% in the first quarter of 2026 from the previous three months, the Bank of Korea reported, marking the fastest quarterly gain since the third quarter of 2020. A 5.1% rise in exports - driven by shipments of IT components including semiconductors used in AI infrastructure - was the primary engine of growth. Private …
New inflows to private credit vehicles aimed at high-net-worth investors fell 45% in the first quarter versus the same period in 2025, according to RA Stanger. Non-traded business development company sales plunged to $8.9 billion from $16.3 billion a year earlier, while real estate and infrastructure strategies drew more capital.
U.S. equities rallied on April 22 with the Nasdaq rising to a fresh record and the S&P 500 closing at a new high, driven by optimism around technology and corporate earnings. That risk appetite persisted despite Brent crude returning above $100 a barrel on renewed worries about the Middle East and requests from some U.S. allies for dollar swap line…
The Federal Housing Finance Agency announced that Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac will accept the VantageScore 4.0 model, which incorporates rent and utility payment data, in their mortgage guarantee process. HUD said it will consider similar scores for Federal Housing Administration loans. Regulators say the change aims to broaden access to affordable …
President Donald Trump urged Republican lawmakers to remain united in support of a reconciliation measure intended to provide funding for Border Patrol and Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents. In a Truth Social post he commended Senate Majority Leader John Thune and Senator Lindsey Graham for advancing what he called a crucial initial step a…
President Donald Trump stated that Iran will not carry out executions of eight women protesters after he directly appealed to Iranian leaders on social media. According to his posts, four of the women will be released immediately while the other four will serve one-month prison sentences instead of facing execution. Trump framed the development as …
Shareholders of Banco de Brasilia approved a capital increase of up to 8.8 billion reais ($1.77 billion) to strengthen the bank's finances after harmful dealings with failed Banco Master. The decision follows a memorandum with Quadra Capital to create a 15-billion-real investment vehicle to absorb and monetize assets tied to those transactions, wit…
Manara Minerals Investment Co., a Saudi joint venture formed to acquire foreign mining stakes and secure raw materials for domestic processing, is pivoting its investment model. According to people familiar with the matter, the company will prioritize joint ventures or partnerships with trading firms and pursue debt investments, while retaining the…
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent told a US Senate panel that several Gulf allies and a number of Asian nations have asked for foreign exchange swap lines. During his testimony he defended cuts at the Internal Revenue Service, highlighted rising enforcement recoveries, commented on energy markets and tax refund trends, and said the Treasury has lost…
A Spanish prosecutor has urged a judge to terminate a corruption investigation into Begoña Gomez, the wife of Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, in a case initiated by far-right groups demanding lengthy prison terms. The decision now rests with investigating judge Juan Carlos Peinado, who may either accept the prosecutor's recommendation or order a tria…
European Central Bank Executive Board member Piero Cipollone said he is not worried about reports that the European Parliament may move a scheduled early May vote on the digital euro to late June, and that the bank can keep to its timelines provided final legislation is in place by year-end. He made the remarks during a virtual event with the Peter…
Shares of publicly traded private credit funds, known as business development companies (BDCs), are trading at their largest discounts to reported net asset values in more than five years. Median price-to-forward 12-month NAV for BDCs was around 0.74 at the end of March, implying a roughly 26% discount, according to LSEG data. Investors question wh…
A new OMFIF Gender Balance Index finds women hold a record 19% of top roles across major financial institutions, up from 16% a year earlier. The report highlights strong gains at central banks and in North America, but an overall index score of 44/100 and persistent promotion bottlenecks underline how far institutions remain from gender parity.
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…
