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
Bank of America European equities strategists warn that an improving macro backdrop in Europe - including German fiscal stimulus, easing inflation and softer ECB rhetoric - may not translate into higher stock prices because valuations already reflect ideal conditions and AI-related capex expectations could be challenged.
Comments from Federal Reserve Chair Kevin Warsh at a central bankers' panel in Sintra and a June U.S. jobs report that showed fewer hires than expected have not resolved uncertainty over the Fed's next policy move. Barclays analysts say their central view is for an extended hold on rates, conditional on inflation, activity, and labor market trends …
A poll of 39 foreign exchange analysts conducted June 26 to July 1 finds the Canadian dollar is now expected to strengthen less versus the U.S. dollar over the next year than was projected a month earlier, as uncertainty around revisions to the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) and soft domestic growth reduce the likelihood of Bank of Canada rat…
Barclays expects the European Central Bank to deliver a second interest-rate increase this year at its September meeting. The bank's strategists note that while headline inflation in the euro area has eased and oil prices have retreated, signs of cost-push pressures in selling price expectations leave scope for further tightening.
Barclays estimates Britain will still need to identify about £4.7 billion in the 2026 budget to fully pay for recently announced increases in defence spending. The bank finds that planned cuts to capital budgets across government departments cover roughly £11.3 billion of a pledged £15 billion rise over the next four fiscal years, leaving a residua…
As the U.S. market opens the second half of 2026, investors are parsing minutes from the Federal Reserve's latest meeting and early earnings reports from Delta Air Lines and PepsiCo to assess whether the stock rally, driven largely by technology and semiconductors, can broaden. Recent weakness among big tech names has introduced uncertainty, while …
President Javier Milei has proposed legislation to recognize companies that rely centrally on artificial intelligence, an initiative that has drawn both enthusiasm and critique. While the bill would mark Argentina as one of the first jurisdictions to formally create an "automated company" category, the draft still requires human administrators to o…
In the week ending July 1, global equity funds saw increased net inflows as investors added technology stocks following a market pullback. Technology funds recovered strongly, while global bond and money market vehicles continued to draw substantial capital. Emerging market equities and precious metals recorded outflows.
Photos published by Iranian state media show Gen. Ahmad Vahidi attending funeral preparations for the slain former Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and sitting beside what is believed to be the casket. Vahidi's return is notable given his reported role in shaping Iran's hardline negotiating posture and his reported ties to the new Supreme Lead…
With headline economic releases sparse and major central bank votes not on the docket, markets will instead focus on the Federal Reserve's June meeting minutes - the first under new chair Kevin Warsh - a consequential NATO summit in Turkey, and continued volatility in oil markets. Corporate earnings from major U.S. companies will provide early sign…
U.S. exchanges will be closed for the Independence Day holiday, but futures pointed higher after a softer-than-expected U.S. jobs report reduced odds of an imminent Federal Reserve rate increase. Asian markets reclaimed losses as investors returned to semiconductor and technology names. Tesla’s Chinese suppliers jumped on stronger delivery numbers,…
Europe's STOXX 600 reached a record high on Friday and was poised for its largest weekly advance in over a month, supported by stronger cyclical sectors and a shift in investor expectations about the timing of U.S. interest rate moves. Germany's DAX also rose to an all-time peak, with industrial names and defence stocks among the week's strongest p…
European Central Bank President Christine Lagarde said she may still depart the ECB before her mandate ends in late 2027 in order to take part in the French political debate ahead of next year’s presidential election. While she did not commit to running for office, Lagarde emphasized her intention to speak with both a French and a European voice an…
India's services sector recorded its slowest growth in 17 months in June, driven by weakening domestic demand and the slowest pace of new business in over two-and-a-half years. Hiring nearly stalled, input cost inflation eased and firms showed reduced willingness to raise prices, while business sentiment slipped to a five-month low.
Global equity benchmarks pushed higher toward the end of the week after Purchasing Managers' Index readings from several Asian economies pointed to renewed expansion. The MSCI All-Country World Index rose for the week, helped by stronger-than-expected activity gauges in China, Japan, Australia and Singapore. Softer-than-anticipated US jobs data red…
Japanese Finance Minister Satsuki Katayama reaffirmed the government's readiness to intervene in currency markets, emphasizing ongoing communication with U.S. counterparts even during American holidays. The statement followed a sharp yen rally triggered by softer U.S. employment data and market speculation of official action.
A recent private-sector survey indicates that China's services sector continued to expand in June, albeit at a more moderate pace compared to the previous month. While domestic new business growth slowed, a notable acceleration in overseas demand helped sustain overall expansion. The data highlights a divergence in market forces, with export activi…
The U.S. dollar is poised to record its largest weekly drop in nearly three months after a lackluster June jobs report shifted market expectations regarding Federal Reserve interest rate policy. The soft labor data has prompted investors to reduce their bets on imminent rate hikes, offering a brief reprieve for the Japanese yen and other major curr…
Asian equity markets opened with a mixed performance on Friday, reflecting a significant shift in investor sentiment regarding Federal Reserve policy. The release of a sluggish U.S. jobs report for June effectively dismantled prevailing expectations for an imminent interest rate increase, prompting a broad reassessment of the central bank's traject…
U.S. financial markets experienced a mixed session on Thursday, characterized by divergent performance across sectors and asset classes. The technology sector faced headwinds due to weakness in semiconductor stocks, contributing to pressure on the Nasdaq Composite. Simultaneously, a softer-than-expected June employment report led to a decline in th…
The June jobs report showed slower-than-expected payroll growth and downward revisions to the prior two months, signaling a cooling but still-stable U.S. labor market. Financial markets reacted by reducing the probability of an imminent Federal Reserve rate increase, easing short-term pressure on equities - particularly high-valuation technology na…
US money market funds recorded a $47.7 billion inflow in the week ending July 1, lifting total reported assets to an all-time high of $7.95 trillion, according to Investment Company Institute data. Government funds led gains, while prime funds also saw meaningful increases. Broader industry tracking that includes internal funds shows a larger total…
European Central Bank President Christine Lagarde defended the bank’s decision last month to raise interest rates, saying the Governing Council acted with the information available and to curb inflation risks even as headline price growth has since slowed and oil prices have fallen following a US-Iran peace accord.
U.S. Treasury yields fell after the Labor Department reported nonfarm payrolls that were noticeably below expectations. The 10-year Treasury yield eased marginally during the session, while market odds of a July rate increase declined according to CME FedWatch. Weekly initial jobless claims came in slightly lower than forecast.
The US legal sector expanded by 5,100 positions in June, raising total employment to 1,243,500 and marking the third straight month of record employment, according to Labor Department data. The sector has added jobs in 11 of the last 12 months and shows an 8.4% gain versus five years ago, even as overall US payroll growth cooled and labor force par…
