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
Israeli forces targeted Iran’s security chief, Ali Larijani, in airstrikes on Monday and say they believe he was killed, while Iranian state media announced it will soon release a message from Larijani. The Israeli military also reported the killing of Brig. Gen. Gholamreza Soleimani, the commander of the Basij militia, a volunteer paramilitary gro…
Futures tied to major U.S. stock indices moved lower as traders weighed renewed attacks near the Strait of Hormuz and their implications for oil supplies. Crude climbed above $100 a barrel after a projectile struck a tanker close to Fujairah and concerns mounted about halted sailings and insurance for tankers. Gold ticked higher ahead of a slate of…
The Reserve Bank of Australia increased its official cash rate by 25 basis points to 4.1%, the second consecutive monthly rise and the highest level in ten months. Policymakers cited a material upside risk to inflation as the intensifying Middle East conflict and sustained domestic demand weighed on the outlook. The decision was narrowly approved b…
A study by the German Economic Institute (IW) concludes that, one year after approval, the country's special infrastructure fund delivered little net new investment. The IW found most of the money used in the past year was shifted from other budget lines, with planned allocations missed or delayed and some expenses reclassified as investment.
The escalation of hostilities in the Middle East has pushed energy prices sharply higher, forcing central banks to weigh short-term inflationary pressures against longer-term economic dynamics. The Reserve Bank of Australia on Tuesday raised its cash rate by 25 basis points to 4.1% in the first major hike since the Iran conflict began, but a 5-4 vo…
The Reserve Bank of Australia increased its cash rate by 25 basis points to 4.1% in a split 5-4 decision, citing persistent inflation and upside risks linked to the intensifying Middle East conflict and elevated oil prices. The move marks a second consecutive monthly rise and reverses two of last year's rate cuts as markets reassess the path for fu…
The Reserve Bank of Australia increased its main cash rate by 25 basis points to 4.10% at its March meeting, marking a second consecutive rise and undoing two of three cuts made last year. The decision was narrowly split, with five board members voting for the increase and four against, the tightest recorded since the bank began publishing vote tal…
The Reserve Bank of Australia increased its cash rate by 25 basis points to 4.1%, pointing to a late-2025 resurgence in consumer inflation, tighter-than-expected domestic capacity and a tight labour market. Officials also flagged heightened uncertainty from the Middle East conflict and its potential to push energy prices and inflation higher.
Currency markets showed limited directional movement as traders digested developments in the Iran war and braced for a likely Reserve Bank of Australia rate increase. The euro and sterling eased modestly, the dollar index was largely unchanged, and commodity-linked currencies including the Australian and New Zealand dollars fell. The Japanese yen w…
Early Asian trading saw a modest advance as investors navigated a heavy central bank schedule and uncertainty from the U.S.-Iran war. Regional equities led gains while oil prices and safe-haven assets reacted to heightened geopolitical strain. Central banks - beginning with the Reserve Bank of Australia - are set to weigh the economic fallout from …
A three-judge panel of the 1st U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals on Monday largely sustained a lower court injunction that prevented the White House from imposing a broad freeze on federal financial assistance. The court found the Office of Management and Budget ordered agencies to halt payments without assessing recipients' reliance interests, while n…
Stocks climbed broadly on Monday with technology shares leading gains after volatile crude prices settled lower. The dollar weakened and U.S. Treasury yields dropped as traders reverted to pricing a Fed rate cut by year-end. Geopolitical friction in the Middle East and uncertainty over allied support for reopening the Strait of Hormuz remain key ma…
An Apollo Global Management executive told a UBS audience that private equity firms have likely overstated the value of software companies they bought, and that private credit lenders tied to those deals could face sizable losses as public tech shares fall and AI advances reshape demand. Apollo has said software represents under 2% of its assets un…
President Donald Trump said the United States retained the option to strike oil infrastructure on Iran's Kharg Island after ordering attacks on military targets there. He said US forces left the island's oil facilities intact for now - referring to them as "the pipes" - but warned that could change if Iran interferes with maritime traffic through t…
The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development is evaluating support measures to help firms in its jurisdictions cope with disruptions from the Iran war, including higher energy prices, limited fertiliser access and travel interruptions that threaten tourism revenues and financial flows, EBRD President Odile Renaud-Basso said.
The Justice Department has asked U.S. District Judge James Boasberg to revisit his recent order that effectively halted a criminal inquiry into Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell. The subpoenas, issued in January, sought records on renovation cost overruns at the Fed's headquarters and Powell's testimony to Congress. The judge had concluded prosec…
President Donald Trump told attendees at a lunch at the Trump Kennedy Center that he believes Iran wants to reach a deal to end the U.S.-Israeli conflict with Tehran, while stressing uncertainty over who currently speaks for the country and whether Iran is ready to close a deal. He said Iranian representatives are engaged in talks with U.S. officia…
Global markets are reacting to a new Middle East conflict with echoes of the Russia-Ukraine crisis in 2022. Energy prices and the dollar have moved sharply, yet safer assets and volatility measures are not uniformly mirroring the earlier episode. Analysts say underlying inflationary pressures persist, but near-term inflationary spikes have yet to m…
U.S. President Donald Trump told reporters at a White House event that French President Emmanuel Macron is willing to assist in efforts to unblock the Strait of Hormuz. Trump said he spoke with Macron on Sunday and indicated that a list of countries joining the initiative will be announced by Secretary of State Marco Rubio. He also expressed surpri…
Bond investors have adopted a conservative stance since the onset of the Iran war, shifting into short-dated U.S. Treasuries and avoiding longer maturities as they await the Federal Reserve’s monetary policy decision. While many anticipate the conflict will be contained and limit inflationary pressure from higher oil prices, market positioning and …
The Federal Reserve Bank of New York's latest Credit Access report shows applications for new credit in February climbed to their highest point since October 2022, driven largely by requests for higher credit card limits. Rejection rates fell to 15.9%, the lowest since June 2021, even as lenders closed accounts at a record pace over the past year. …
President Donald Trump announced that White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles has been diagnosed with early-stage breast cancer. In a Truth Social post he said she will start treatment immediately, that her prognosis is excellent, and that she will continue to spend virtually full time at the White House during treatment.
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez accused U.S. President Donald Trump of undermining the international order through a unilateral war with Iran, warning of domestic social consequences and outlining broader disputes with Washington over NATO spending, access to military bases, and regulation of American tech platforms.
U.S. homebuilder sentiment rose slightly in March, with the NAHB/Wells Fargo Housing Market Index gaining one point to 38. Despite the small improvement, builders remain below the 50 break-even mark for the 23rd consecutive month and continue to grapple with elevated construction costs, labor shortages and incentives to move inventory.
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent indicated the meeting between President Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping scheduled for later this month may be pushed back because of logistical constraints and the president's intention to remain in Washington to coordinate the war effort. Bessent emphasized that any postponement would not be tied to the pres…
