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.
7,117 total articles
A 19-minute prime-time speech from U.S. President Donald Trump, in which he vowed to hit Iran "extremely hard" over the next two to three weeks, erased investor optimism that a quick end to the conflict might be near. With the Strait of Hormuz remaining closed, markets reversed earlier gains: equities sold off, the U.S. dollar strengthened, oil jum…
President Donald Trump said Wednesday evening that U.S. forces will intensify operations against Iran within the next two to three weeks, warning of severe strikes on Tehran's electricity network if no agreement is reached. He framed the steps as necessary to prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon and said U.S. military objectives were nearin…
Major currencies traded with little net change in thin Asian sessions as investors awaited a primetime national address from U.S. President Donald Trump that is expected to outline whether a ceasefire in the Gulf war is imminent. The dollar, which benefited from safe-haven demand after the conflict began in late February, has slipped over two sessi…
The U.S. Treasury Department announced a series of meetings beginning in April with state, national and international insurance regulators to review recent developments in private credit markets. The sessions, which will run into early May, are intended to examine market events, emerging risks, risk management practices and sector outlooks as conce…
Global equity markets climbed on Wednesday while oil and the U.S. dollar slipped as investors grew cautiously optimistic that tensions in the Middle East could ease. Comments from the U.S. president indicating a possible rapid withdrawal from Iran and a forthcoming televised address dominated market attention. Treasury custody holdings at the Feder…
The U.S. military has presented President Trump with a detailed proposal to seize almost 1,000 pounds of highly enriched uranium from Iran. The plan, described by two people familiar with the matter, calls for flying in excavation equipment, constructing a runway for cargo aircraft, and airlifting substantial personnel and heavy gear. Officials bri…
Colombia’s decision to pull the finance minister from the central bank’s board has introduced new uncertainty around monetary policy after a divided board raised the benchmark rate by 100 basis points to 11.25%. Legal and market observers say the move could hinder the bank’s ability to act, undermine institutional credibility and lift risk premiums…
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian published an open letter directed to the American people that challenges U.S. foreign policy narratives, traces tensions back to the 1953 coup, and condemns recent attacks on Iranian infrastructure. The letter asserts Iran's peaceful stance toward other nations, highlights domestic advances in education and healt…
The Pentagon has ordered 18 additional A-10 ground-attack aircraft to the Middle East, roughly doubling the number deployed in the region. Officials say the planes will join about a dozen A-10s already operating there, which U.S. commanders have used against Iranian boats and Iran-backed militias in Iraq. The move highlights operational priorities …
President Donald Trump threatened to stop weapons shipments to Ukraine as leverage to compel European governments to join a U.S.-led effort to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, according to a Financial Times report citing people familiar with the discussions. The move followed a request that NATO navies assist in reopening the narrow waterway, which Eur…
The heads of the International Energy Agency, International Monetary Fund and World Bank announced the formation of a coordination group to synchronize their response to substantial energy and economic shocks stemming from the war in the Middle East. The group will evaluate impacts across countries, coordinate policy responses and mobilize stakehol…
The Bank of Canada’s rate-setting council said it will lean more on judgement than usual when setting interest rates because of heightened global uncertainty, including the war in Iran and evolving U.S. trade policy. The bank left its policy rate at 2.25% on March 18 and signalled a cautious, data-dependent stance as energy prices lift near-term in…
Minutes from the Bank of Canada show policymakers will place greater weight on judgment and risk management when setting rates, as the Iran war lifts crude prices and clouds the near-term inflation outlook. The bank left its policy rate at 2.25% on March 18 and said it will monitor developments - including US trade policy and incoming data - while …
The United Arab Emirates has formally requested that the United Nations Security Council authorize measures, including the use of force under Chapter Seven, to restore safe navigation through the Strait of Hormuz. The UAE's letter seeks immediate action to protect navigational rights and could provide diplomatic backing for Gulf states weighing mil…
Bain Capital Managing Partner David Gross cautioned that many executives are deploying artificial intelligence as if it were a simple technology rollout rather than rethinking business processes. He stressed starting from business objectives, warned of a growing skills gap needed to operationalize AI, and highlighted shifts in private markets that …
France’s navy chief warned that China’s current approach — limited political engagement with Iran and an insufficient number of Chinese vessels through the Strait of Hormuz — will likely be inadequate to restore regular traffic. Admiral Nicolas Vaujour said China may need to take a more direct role, and that political coordination led by France wil…
President Donald Trump said he is coordinating with House and Senate Republican leaders to move a bill that would fund Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents and Border Patrol personnel through a process that does not require Democratic support. He has asked that the measure reach his desk by June 1 and said his administration has been us…
Investment advisors report a growing stack of risks confronting clients as the second quarter begins. Uncertainty about the trajectory of conflict, energy prices and knock-on effects from private credit problems have left investors uneasy. Stocks, bonds and even gold all weakened in the first quarter, undermining traditional diversification strateg…
The Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland's updated nowcasts indicate that the Middle East conflict - through its impact on energy prices and supply chains - is likely to boost headline inflation measures for April, with smaller effects on core inflation. The bank's projections show sharper year-over-year increases in both the consumer price index and …
The Trump administration has submitted a revised plan to reduce staffing at the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau to 556 employees - roughly one third of its size at the start of the administration - stepping back from an earlier effort to eliminate nearly 90% of positions. The Justice Department filed the proposal with the U.S. Court of Appeals…
Demand for OpenAI shares is softening on secondary markets as institutional sellers report difficulty finding buyers, while Anthropic is drawing increased investor activity. Secondary-market brokers and platforms say the shift is tied to a large valuation differential between the two AI companies, and some banks are adjusting distribution terms for…
U.S. manufacturing expanded in March, with the Institute for Supply Management's PMI climbing to 52.7 from 52.4 in February. The gain came alongside a sharp rise in the survey's prices paid measure to 78.3 and a lengthening of supplier delivery times to 58.9, reflecting disrupted supply chains tied to the U.S.-Israeli war with Iran and related ship…
Alberto Musalem, president of the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis, said Wednesday that while he views the current policy rate as appropriately placed for the near term, rising risks to inflation and employment mean officials must remain ready to raise or lower rates depending on incoming data. He reiterated support for recent decisions to hold ra…
Bank of America has updated its macro outlook after revising its oil price forecast, warning that surging energy costs will push headline PCE inflation toward 4% year-over-year in the coming months. The bank expects the rise to be temporary but now sees price levels at the end of next year about 50 basis points higher than previously forecast, driv…
St. Louis Federal Reserve President Alberto Musalem told a Washington audience that he does not see an immediate need to alter the Fed's policy rate, saying the current stance is well positioned to manage risks to both growth and inflation. He emphasized rising inflation risks from the Middle East conflict and cautioned that higher commodity prices…
