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
A Reuters poll of 16 economists points to a small rise in Japan's nationwide core consumer price index in March to 1.8% year-on-year, driven primarily by higher energy costs linked to the Middle East conflict. The rate would be up from February's 1.6% but would remain short of the Bank of Japan's 2% inflation goal for a second month. Officials and …
A Reuters survey of market participants shows China is expected to hold its one-year and five-year loan prime rates steady at 3.00% and 3.50% respectively, extending an 11-month pause. Strong first-quarter GDP growth of 5.0% and the first positive reading in factory-gate prices in over three years have weakened the case for additional rate cuts, wh…
Deutsche Bank now expects the U.S. Federal Reserve to leave interest rates unchanged through 2026, pointing to oil-related inflationary pressures tied to the Middle East conflict, persistent economic growth and a still-tight labour market. The bank had previously forecast a 25-basis-point cut in September but says rate reductions would require soft…
A new wave of Indian apps is expanding low-cost, on-demand domestic help with services priced at about 99 rupees an hour. Startups including Pronto and Snabbit, and listed rival Urban Company, are training thousands of women and scaling bookings rapidly. The model offers pay that can exceed national per capita income levels for some workers but rai…
The International Monetary Fund's European Department head said on the sidelines of the IMF and World Bank spring meetings that IMF models point to the European Central Bank raising policy rates by about 50 basis points in 2026 to maintain a neutral monetary stance, with a potential easing in 2027. The recommendation is model-based and not a firm p…
Global markets took a cautious turn as traders priced in the prospect of weekend diplomacy between the U.S. and Iran, sending oil under $100 a barrel and easing some safe-haven flows. Despite the short-term relief, the Strait of Hormuz remains largely closed and the possibility of renewed fighting keeps downside risks alive. European equities opene…
Malaysia's economy expanded 5.3% year-on-year in the January-March quarter, official advance estimates show, a slowdown from the 6.3% growth recorded in the final quarter of 2025. Growth in Q1 was supported by continuing strength in manufacturing, services and construction, but mining and quarrying contracted amid lower crude oil and natural gas pr…
Exhibitors at the Canton Fair say the Iran war has driven up the price of plastics, metals and energy, eroding already-thin margins and denting overseas demand. Some manufacturers have passed costs onto buyers, others are absorbing losses or preparing cuts, while hopes for easing U.S. tariffs hinge on a potential presidential visit.
Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko said she left Washington encouraged after two days of intensive discussions with U.S. officials, including Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent. She emphasized Washington’s backing for keeping sanctions on Russia intact, reported steps to deepen U.S.-Ukraine investment cooperation through a reconstruction fund,…
The United States and the Philippines will construct a 4,000-acre industrial complex in the Luzon Economic Corridor after the Philippines joined Pax Silica, a U.S.-led initiative to protect AI and semiconductor supply chains. The move accompanies trilateral commitments with Japan to increase infrastructure investment in the corridor and is presente…
Foreign investors have begun returning to South Korea after a severe March selloff, drawn by demand for AI-related memory chips, corporate governance reforms and steady bond issuance. Yet the episode exposed market concentration in a few AI-linked firms, pronounced equity volatility and currency weakness that complicate the policy landscape and rai…
The U.S. dollar moved toward a second straight weekly decline as a 10-day ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon and indications of renewed U.S.-Iran engagement reduced demand for safe-haven assets. Major currencies traded in narrow ranges in Asia, while Treasury yields and central bank commentary signaled that policymakers remain cautious about infl…
Bank of Japan Governor Kazuo Ueda said after meetings in Washington that the central bank needs to take Japan's low real interest rates into account when deciding how soon to raise policy rates. He warned that rising inflation in Japan stems from a negative supply shock, which he described as harder to control with monetary policy than demand-drive…
The International Monetary Fund has re-established formal contact with Venezuela after more than six years, engaging with the interim administration led by Delcy Rodriguez. The move follows an initial re-engagement last month to gather basic economic data and comes amid investor interest in Venezuelan sovereign debt and U.S. involvement in the coun…
European Central Bank policymakers signaled that a rate increase in April looks unlikely, saying further data are needed to judge whether recent energy-driven inflation will spread to the wider economy. Several Governing Council members stressed timing is secondary to confirming any persistent inflationary effects, with markets cutting the odds of …
U.S. equities rose modestly as progress in Middle East negotiations and a mixed batch of corporate results supported risk appetite. The S&P 500 and Nasdaq recorded consecutive closing records, with the Nasdaq marking a 12-session winning streak - its longest since 2009. Investors digested geopolitical developments, a surprise decline in U.S. indust…
Bangladesh's finance minister said the country needs to replenish capital in both the private sector and the banking system before other reforms can be effective. He described a serious capital shortfall, noted widespread stress among businesses and banks, and warned that rising energy costs driven by the Middle East conflict are inflicting roughly…
Brazil's central bank is exercising caution about the remaining size of its interest rate easing cycle as uncertainty from the U.S.-Israeli conflict with Iran clouds inflation and growth prospects. Director of international affairs Paulo Picchetti said the balance of inflation risks has become more asymmetric since the March meeting, when the bank …
On April 16 in Washington, the U.S. House of Representatives voted 224-204 to extend Temporary Protected Status eligibility for roughly 350,000 Haitians after the Department of Homeland Security moved to end those humanitarian protections. Ten Republicans and one independent joined Democrats to pass a three-year extension. The legislation now goes …
The Office of Management and Budget is putting safeguards in place intended to allow major federal agencies to begin using a version of Anthropic PBC’s Mythos artificial intelligence model, according to a memo reviewed by news outlets. The OMB chief information officer notified Cabinet departments that protections are being established, but the com…
Bank of France Governor Francois Villeroy de Galhau told an IMF-World Bank spring meeting in Washington that independent central banks are a cornerstone of democratic governance and are necessary to deliver lower inflation and lower interest rates. His remarks come as U.S. allies express concern over political pressure and investigations surroundin…
On April 16, U.S. District Judge Richard Leon revised an injunction that had halted construction of a planned White House ballroom, saying his earlier order should be read to prohibit above-ground building while allowing below-ground work tied to national security. Leon criticized the Trump administration's attempt to treat the entire project as co…
Henry Paulson warned that a sudden loss of investor demand for US Treasuries could be highly disruptive and urged officials to develop an emergency response plan. He highlighted the unique dangers of a public debt funding crisis, outlined ways to address the fiscal shortfall, and cautioned that political resistance will complicate efforts to act be…
Kenya has asked the World Bank for rapid financial assistance to help cope with the economic fallout from the conflict in Iran, the nation's central bank governor said at the IMF-World Bank spring meetings. The request, described as significant, is intended to address immediate pressures such as petrol shortages and rising costs that could accelera…
Gulf Arab and European leaders estimate that negotiations to produce a US-Iran peace agreement will take about six months, and they are pressing for an extension of the current ceasefire to allow those talks to proceed. Leaders insist any deal must bar Iran from enriching uranium and from retaining long-range ballistic missiles, and they are callin…
