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.
5,054 total articles
A central bank official told investigators that state-run Banco de Brasília (BRB) may need to allocate in excess of 5 billion reais to cover dealings with failed lender Banco Master. The estimate is significantly higher than an earlier provision and follows probes into large transfers and questions over the nature of assets involved in the transact…
General Motors enacted a reduction in operations at its Oshawa assembly plant by eliminating a production shift, moving the facility to a two-shift model. The change, effective Friday, threatens as many as 1,200 positions in the region, including about 500 direct GM employees, and will affect the plant's supply chain. Union leaders say months of ne…
Allies of the United States are increasingly pursuing trade diversification and bilateral deals to 'de-risk' economic ties with Washington. While military and technological dependence on the U.S. endures, recent agreements and corporate moves indicate goods trade can be reconfigured relatively quickly at manageable economic cost. Constraints includ…
The U.S. trade deficit almost doubled in November 2025 to $56.8 billion as imports climbed sharply, led by record capital goods purchases tied to computers and semiconductors. Exports retreated, particularly in goods, intensifying the goods trade shortfall and raising the odds that fourth-quarter GDP growth estimates will be revised down.
Ukraine has opened talks with U.S. satellite operator SpaceX to address reports that Russian long-range unmanned aerial vehicles are carrying Starlink terminals, the country’s defence minister said. The move follows social media posts from a defence ministry adviser showing wreckage of drones, including Shaheds, with Starlink equipment attached. Ky…
Canada recorded a merchandise trade deficit of $2.2 billion in November as total exports fell 2.8%, outpacing a 0.1% decline in imports. A steep 24.4% drop in exports of metal and non-metallic mineral products - following two months of unusually strong unwrought gold shipments - and an 11.6% slowdown in motor vehicle production were the primary con…
President Donald Trump used a Truth Social post to sharply criticize Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell for holding interest rates steady, arguing the United States should have substantially lower rates and the lowest rates in the world. His remarks followed the Fed's decision to leave benchmark rates unchanged and reiterated claims that tariffs b…
Ameriprise Financial reported a 10% increase in fourth-quarter profit as markets buoyed by AI enthusiasm, easing interest rates and steady growth pushed its assets under management, administration and advisement to a record $1.7 trillion. Management and financial advice fees rose, net investment income remained solid, and the firm returned more tha…
Ukraine’s central bank lowered its policy rate to 15% from 15.5% on Thursday, citing a slowdown in consumer inflation and improved visibility on international financial support. Officials said the move marks the start of an easing cycle intended to bolster lending and help the economy adapt to wartime challenges, while noting persistent risks tied …
India will rebase its consumer price index to 2024 and reduce the share of food in the CPI basket to 36.75% under a revamped series. The statistics ministry said the update expands major spending groups from six to 12, introduces an overlapping year in 2025 for statistical conversion, and brings new items such as e-commerce prices into inflation tr…
Official figures show total bank lending in Brazil climbed 10.2% in 2025, surpassing the central bank's December projection. The stronger-than-expected gain was led by household credit, supported by recently announced government measures to broaden payroll-deductible loans and extend subsidized home purchase programs to middle-income families. The …
Blackstone reported fourth-quarter distributable earnings and results that exceeded analysts' forecasts, buoyed by active dealmaking, asset sales and gains in its infrastructure portfolio led by data center operator QTS. The firm raised substantial new capital and expanded its purchase commitments during the period, while its stock performance and …
Lazard reported adjusted fourth-quarter results that exceeded analyst expectations, driven by growth in both its financial advisory and asset management divisions. The investment bank also appointed longtime executive Tracy Farr as chief financial officer effective Feb. 1, while reporting a rise in assets under management alongside an equity market…
The Federal Reserve left interest rates unchanged at the conclusion of its two-day meeting, prompting investors to assume the central bank’s easing cycle will be on hold through the remainder of Chair Jerome Powell’s term, which ends in May. Market participants are now relying on rate reductions expected under a successor, with futures pointing to …
Preliminary figures released Thursday show Ireland's GDP fell 0.6% in the fourth quarter of 2025 compared with the prior quarter. The decline follows an earlier sharp rise driven by a spike in pharmaceutical exports to the United States. The Irish government continues to warn that headline GDP can be distorted by multinational corporate activity an…
Bank of Canada Governor Tiff Macklem warned that the likelihood of an unexpected economic disruption is unusually high, citing elevated geopolitical tensions and shifts in U.S. trade and policy direction. He said these factors make the central bank's growth and inflation projections more vulnerable, and stressed concern about threats to Federal Res…
MSCI, the index compiler behind the widely used Emerging Markets Index, warned clients about opaque shareholding structures and trading behaviour in Indonesia that clouded free float and investor categorisation. The announcement triggered a steep sell-off in Jakarta, with the Jakarta Composite Index tumbling as much as 16.7% over two days before re…
The Swedish central bank held its policy interest rate at 1.75% and maintained guidance that rates will remain at that level for an extended period. The decision, widely expected by markets, placed particular emphasis on rising uncertainty tied to recent geopolitical tensions and noted risks linked to US trade and foreign policy. Despite these conc…
Minutes from Taiwan's central bank December meeting indicate board members expect robust economic growth, boosted by tech exports tied to artificial intelligence demand, while some members warned of stock market overheating, growing ETF assets and potential foreign capital volatility that could weigh on the Taiwan dollar.
U.S. equity futures rose modestly as markets absorbed a Federal Reserve decision to keep rates at 3.5% to 3.75% and a wave of earnings from major technology firms that underscored continued heavy spending on artificial intelligence. Meta and Microsoft reiterated large AI commitments, Tesla signaled a deeper pivot toward AI through investment in Elo…
Japan's senior currency officials have adopted a strategy of measured communication and operational discretion, bolstered by unusually visible U.S. cooperation, to blunt the yen's recent depreciation. A restrained public stance by Atsushi Mimura and coordinated rate checks with U.S. authorities have contributed to a roughly seven-yen move lower in …
The Indian government’s annual economic survey projects real GDP growth of 6.8% to 7.2% for the fiscal year beginning in April, down from the current fiscal year’s 7.4% estimate. The report, presented in parliament, highlights a broadly stable domestic economy while flagging external risks from slower trading partners and tariff-driven trade disrup…
Global demand for gold climbed to an unprecedented 5,002 metric tons in 2025, up 1% from the prior year, the World Gold Council reported. The rise was driven by a sharp increase in investment flows - notably into exchange-traded funds and bars and coins - even as jewellery buying fell sharply amid record price levels. Central bank purchases remain …
Microsoft and Meta reported massive increases in capital expenditures tied to artificial intelligence, prompting sharply different market responses. Microsoft’s near $38 billion quarterly capex and Meta’s raised plan for 2024 drew a $240 billion hit to Microsoft’s market value and a $140 billion gain for Meta. The Federal Reserve kept policy rates …
Senior congressional leaders have moved closer to a deal that could prevent a lapse in U.S. government funding later this week by carving Department of Homeland Security (DHS) funding out of a larger six-bill appropriations package. The proposed approach centers on imposing additional constraints on federal immigration agents and would require swif…
