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.
5,100 total articles
Rubric Capital, a $3 billion hedge fund founded by a former Point72 manager, told investors in a Feb. 18 letter that some business development companies (BDCs) are moving borrowings off their balance sheets around quarter end to make leverage look lower, then returning the debt days later. The letter alleges use of repo-like loans from a single inv…
This week brings several high‑impact data points and policy events that will shape market sentiment ahead of a critical central bank meeting. Key items include the U.S. February payrolls report, an OPEC+ production review, China’s National People’s Congress, Japanese bond auctions, and a contentious Mexican reform bill — all unfolding amid heighten…
China's currency has strengthened sharply against the U.S. dollar, driven by robust exports and a softer dollar environment. The People’s Bank of China has begun to adjust policy levers - including removing risk reserve requirements for forex forwards - and can use several other instruments to slow appreciation and manage market expectations.
Preliminary regional data for February show inflation cooling in multiple German states, with North Rhine-Westphalia dropping below 2% year-on-year and Bavaria and Lower Saxony easing to 1.9%. A harmonised national inflation figure is due at 2 p.m. (1300 GMT), with economists surveyed expecting no change from January's 2.1%.
The European Central Bank's monthly Consumer Expectations Survey for January found that euro zone households trimmed projected inflation for the year ahead and for the five-year horizon, while income growth expectations edged higher and broader economic growth expectations held steady. The results reflect subdued inflationary pressures driven by lo…
U.S. equity futures were lower as traders digested a set of influential technology earnings and corporate developments. Paramount Skydance has emerged as the front-runner in the contest for Warner Bros. Discovery after Netflix withdrew its rival proposal. AI startup Anthropic and the U.S. Defense Department are at an impasse over requested removals…
Germany recorded a marginal increase in the number of unemployed people in February, with seasonally adjusted figures rising by 1,000 to reach 2.977 million. The unemployment rate held steady at 6.3%. Analysts had anticipated a larger rise of about 2,000. Labour office chief Andrea Nahles said the labour market has yet to regain momentum, while Cha…
India says it aims to secure the most advantageous trade deal with the United States but will hold off on final commitments while Washington’s tariff strategy is unsettled. Trade Minister Piyush Goyal emphasized New Delhi’s interest in constructive engagement even as the U.S. implements temporary duties and the legal basis for sweeping tariffs has …
China’s Politburo said on Feb 27 that the country needs more proactive and effective economic policies and improved coordination across measures. It advocated continuing a proactive fiscal stance and a moderately accommodative monetary policy, prioritising stability in employment, businesses and markets, and boosting the domestic market. Official d…
Facing intensified scrutiny from populist and unconventional political forces, central bankers in the United States, Europe and Japan are taking steps to defend institutional independence. Those efforts range from public resistance to early resignations designed to limit political influence. The push-back aims to protect anti-inflation credibility …
A poll of a dozen economists conducted between February 23 and February 27 indicates Indonesia's trade surplus likely widened to a median $2.76 billion in January, up from $2.52 billion in December. Exports grew by an estimated 11.07% year-on-year while imports rose 13.23%, and headline inflation is forecast to accelerate to 4.31% in February.
A risk-averse tone gripped global markets as lofty technology valuations collided with a series of geopolitical flashpoints. Nvidia posted results that, while impressive on the surface, fell short of the expectations baked into industry valuations. Traditional havens such as the Japanese yen and U.S. Treasuries strengthened, crude oil ticked higher…
A Reuters poll of nine economists indicated South Korea's exports likely rose for a ninth consecutive month in February, led by a sharp jump in semiconductor shipments driven by global AI-related investment. The median forecast predicted a 24.0% year-on-year increase, with imports also expected to accelerate and the trade surplus widening to about …
Economists say a surge in productivity from artificial intelligence could slow the pace of government debt accumulation in major economies, but it is unlikely to resolve underlying fiscal pressures. High debt-to-GDP ratios, ageing populations and growing expenditure needs mean AI is more likely to buy time than deliver a definitive fix. Outcomes hi…
Currency markets in February were dominated by expectations about central bank policy rather than broader market volatility. The Australian dollar is set for one of the strongest monthly gains among G10 peers as investors price a more hawkish Reserve Bank of Australia. The Japanese yen slipped amid political developments that cloud the Bank of Japa…
China's central bank said it will eliminate the foreign exchange risk reserve applied to certain currency forwards, lowering the effective cost for institutions that buy U.S. dollars via these instruments. The People’s Bank of China (PBOC) will reduce the requirement from 20% to zero for financial institutions purchasing foreign exchange through fo…
Tokyo's annual core consumer price inflation slowed to 1.8% in February from 2.0% in January, falling beneath the Bank of Japan's 2% target for the first time since October 2024. A narrower measure that excludes fresh food and fuel rose 2.5%. The slowdown aligns with BOJ projections that fuel subsidies and last year's base effects will temporarily …
A federal judge in San Francisco has enjoined the U.S. Department of Agriculture from cutting off administrative funding to 22 Democratic-led states unless they turn over detailed recipient data for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. The order follows state challenges to USDA letters requesting names, addresses and immigration status of…
Royal Bank of Canada reported first-quarter results that exceeded analysts' expectations, driven by a surge in wealth management fees and stronger performance in its personal banking division. The bank's capital markets business posted a smaller gain, tempered by rising compensation and increased provisions for credit losses. Adjusted earnings per …
Mexico's culture ministry has launched legal proceedings and engaged diplomatic channels to stop a Paris auction house from selling 40 pre-Colombian items that its anthropology institute says are protected under Mexican law and thus the property of the nation. The auction house Millon had scheduled an in-person sale of the collection "Les Empires d…
Chicago Federal Reserve President Austan Goolsbee told Fox News on Thursday that he expects several interest-rate cuts later in 2026 and described himself as relatively optimistic compared with many Fed colleagues. At the same time, he urged the Federal Reserve to avoid front-loading cuts until there is clear evidence that inflation is moving back …
The head of the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention said there are significant concerns about data and pathogen-sharing provisions in recent U.S. bilateral health agreements with African countries. Zimbabwe has withdrawn from negotiations over a $367 million, five-year pact citing privacy and equity worries, and Zambia has pushed back…
The U.S. comptroller of the currency indicated he would consider allowing senior members of Congress to see an unredacted application from World Liberty Financial to become a national trust bank. Democratic senators raised conflict-of-interest concerns during a Senate Banking Committee hearing and urged the regulator to withhold or delay review, wh…
The average U.S. 30-year fixed mortgage rate fell to 5.98% this week, its lowest reading since September 2022, driven by a retreat in the 10-year Treasury yield amid legal and policy developments. Economists warn the move is likely transitory and insufficient on its own to rekindle broad housing demand without an increase in for-sale inventory. Per…
Canada’s minister overseeing trade with the United States described private conversations among Canada, the U.S. and Mexico about the upcoming USMCA review as not discouraging. Ottawa is readying formal negotiations with Washington ahead of the treaty’s renewal deadline of July 1, 2026. The minister noted the existence of bilateral arrangements wit…
