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.
5,062 total articles
The Bank of Japan recorded a decline in net income for fiscal 2025 after rising policy rates raised the interest it pays on excess reserves. For the first time, the BOJ's interest payments on reserves exceeded the interest it earned from its government bond holdings, while the central bank also reduced its total assets as it scaled back bond purcha…
Dallas Federal Reserve President Lorie Logan warned that if shipping through the Strait of Hormuz remains curtailed because of the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran, global consumption of oil and liquefied natural gas may need to fall more substantially. Logan highlighted strained supplies, finite inventories, and limited near-term gains in U.S. oil output,…
The German Council of Economic Experts has lowered its growth projection for Germany, blaming the Middle East conflict, rising energy costs and shifts in U.S. trade policy. The panel now forecasts 0.5% growth for the current year, down from a 0.9% projection issued in November, and 0.8% for 2027. Inflation is expected to rise in 2026 before easing …
In its biannual Financial Stability Report, the European Central Bank cautioned that the Iran war and persistent trade tensions pose risks to euro area growth and fiscal stability. Markets have largely discounted these threats, keeping equity valuations high and borrowing costs low, but the ECB warned that a sustained energy shock or a loss of conf…
A Reuters poll of 14 analysts conducted May 19-26 projects that European stocks will post only modest gains through the end of the year, with the STOXX 600 forecast at 645 points - roughly a 2.6% increase from current levels. The survey highlights the economic drag from the Iran war, the potential for ECB rate hikes amid rising energy prices, and E…
The outlook for Australia’s major banks has deteriorated as a combination of slower mortgage lending, increased loan-loss provisions and further interest rate increases prompt investors to reassess the sector. Once favoured for steady dividends and strong property-market exposure, the Big Four have seen share prices underperform since late February…
Former Federal Reserve executive Donald Kohn told central bank peers that supply-shock-driven inflation and growing public debt raise the risk that politicians will seek to blame and pressure central banks. Speaking at a BOJ-hosted conference in Tokyo, Kohn argued these forces make independence more vital even as they increase incentives for short-…
Speaking in Tokyo, Minneapolis Federal Reserve President Neel Kashkari said policymakers should concentrate on the growing risk of inflation driven by higher energy costs linked to the Middle East conflict. He argued that the potential inflationary impact outweighs the risk of a deteriorating labor market, favored neutral forward guidance, and said…
Thailand's housing market recorded higher transaction volumes in the first quarter of 2026, supported by government stimulus and easing lending conditions, but gains in market value were modest and the outlook is fragile. The Government Housing Bank warned that rising energy costs tied to the Middle East war, subdued domestic demand and weaker fore…
Global equity indices pushed higher on renewed optimism around AI and the prospect of a U.S.-Iran agreement to reopen key shipping lanes. Central bankers, however, cautioned that recent energy disruptions have lasting inflationary consequences, prompting some officials to argue for further rate action even if a peace deal is reached.
BlackRock said it supports consolidation among large mining companies, arguing that bigger, more liquid miners are better positioned to attract generalist investors, trade at stronger multiples, and marshal the teams and capital required to deliver large and complex projects. The comments, delivered by Olivia Markham at the Australian Financial Rev…
SK Hynix reached a record market capitalization of 1,680 trillion won ($1.12 trillion) after shares jumped as much as 14.9%, making it the third memory-chip maker to top $1 trillion amid soaring demand for AI-capable memory. The rally pushed South Korea's KOSPI to a fresh high and fuelled heavy investor interest in single-stock leveraged ETFs tied …
The Reserve Bank of New Zealand (RBNZ) opted to keep the official cash rate at 2.25% during its May policy meeting, but the decision was marked by a significant internal divide among board members. While the rate remains unchanged for the third consecutive meeting, the central bank issued a cautionary outlook, suggesting that interest rate increase…
The Reserve Bank of New Zealand (RBNZ) has opted to keep the official cash rate steady at 2.25%, matching market anticipations. However, the central bank issued a significant warning regarding the trajectory of monetary policy, suggesting that borrowing costs may need to rise more aggressively and sooner than previously projected in February. This …
New data released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics indicates that consumer price inflation in Australia experienced a slowdown during the month of April. While the headline figure came in lower than many market analysts had anticipated, primarily due to the impact of tax breaks on fuel, certain underlying components showed signs of upward pre…
The Japanese yen is trading near its May lows against the U.S. dollar, hovering close to levels that have previously triggered direct currency intervention by Japanese authorities. This movement comes as global markets digest the geopolitical implications of a potential escalation in the conflict involving Iran. While traders eye the possibility of…
Asian stock markets experienced gains on Wednesday, with the Nikkei reaching record levels following Wall Street's momentum. This upward movement occurs against a backdrop of high oil prices and intense scrutiny regarding the diplomatic status between the United States and Iran. Investors are closely monitoring central bank communications to gauge …
New data released on Wednesday indicates that Japan's service-sector inflation climbed by 3.0% year-over-year during the month of April. This increase in the services producer price index (PPI) follows a revised growth rate of 3.3% recorded in March. The upward trend in prices charged between companies for services aligns with observations from the…
The United States government is moving toward a formal process to identify specific categories of Chinese imports that may qualify for reduced tariff rates. U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer announced on Tuesday that the administration will soon issue a public notice seeking input from stakeholders regarding which goods should be eligible fo…
Global equity markets experienced a significant surge on Tuesday, with major U.S. indices including the S&P 500 and Nasdaq reaching new record peaks. This upward movement was largely propelled by sustained enthusiasm surrounding artificial intelligence technologies, most notably evidenced by Micron Technology's ascent into the $1 trillion market ca…
United States Trade Representative Jamieson Greer has signaled that the U.S. government is prepared to implement tariffs against its partners within the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) framework. Speaking at a recent forum, Greer indicated that these potential duties are linked directly to the nation's substantial trade deficits. The …
The Trump administration is preparing to solicit public feedback regarding the potential reduction of tariffs on specific Chinese imports. During an event hosted by the Council on Foreign Relations on Tuesday, U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer announced that the administration will initiate a process to determine which goods should qualify f…
Bolivian sovereign bonds extended a 10-day losing streak as nearly 60 road blockades across six departments restricted deliveries of food, fuel and medical supplies to La Paz. Dollar-denominated issues posted the weakest performance in emerging markets over the past two weeks, while yields on front-dated paper climbed. Political protests demanding …
Norway's Tax Administration issued Binding Advance Ruling No. 15/2025 on April 14, deciding that a planned cross-border merger between a Norwegian parent and its wholly owned nonresident subsidiary qualifies as a tax-free merger under Section 11-11(6) of the Taxation Act. The ruling also addresses an intra-group loan with unrealized foreign exchang…
The Canadian government is preparing to announce a liquefied natural gas supply deal with Germany that would source gas from the Ksi Lisims project, a C$10 billion floating export facility on British Columbia’s coast. The purchaser is SEFE, the German state-controlled entity that succeeded a nationalized Gazprom unit. The agreement is expected to b…
