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
A spike in oil prices after renewed strikes between Iran and Israel has raised the risk of weaker growth and higher inflation in Japan, analysts say. With over 90% of its crude oil imported from the Middle East and only three months of reserves on hand, Tokyo faces a difficult trade-off: weaker consumption from higher fuel costs could undercut econ…
Bank of Japan Deputy Governor Ryozo Himino said the central bank is likely to continue raising interest rates gradually to steer policy toward a more neutral stance. He noted that the impact of previous rate hikes on the economy has been limited so far, underlying inflation is rising steadily, but it is premature to conclude inflation has definitiv…
Private-sector data from Australia and New Zealand Banking Group and employment site Indeed show job advertisements rose 3.2% month-on-month in February, reaching their strongest level in 16 months. The rise followed a revised 5.2% gain in January, produced consecutive monthly increases for the first time since October 2024, and saw year-on-year an…
Investors are increasingly focused on how artificial intelligence will reshape corporate earnings and employment, leaving equity markets sensitive to sector-specific developments. The upcoming U.S. jobs report for February and remaining fourth-quarter earnings - including Broadcom - will provide fresh signals on growth, labor resilience and the Fed…
President Donald Trump said in a Truth.Social video that U.S. combat operations against Iran will continue in full force until stated objectives are accomplished. He confirmed three U.S. service members were killed, warned there will likely be additional American casualties, and said the United States will avenge their deaths. His remarks follow a …
A landmark court decision that made it illegal to evade social insurance contributions was intended to redirect resources toward consumers by strengthening welfare entitlements. Six months after the ruling, reporting from factories in southern China shows many firms and workers responding in ways that reduce immediate costs but undermine the ruling…
Australia's national home values rose 0.8% in February to a record median of A$922,838, led by strong increases in Perth, Brisbane and Adelaide, according to Cotality. The rise came despite a 25 basis-point interest rate increase by the Reserve Bank of Australia to 3.85%. Sydney and Melbourne were flat for the month, with advertised listings rising…
President Donald Trump told CNBC that U.S. military operations targeting Iran are progressing 'very well - ahead of schedule' as strikes by U.S. and Israeli forces expand a regional confrontation. Reports say Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has been confirmed killed and multiple senior regime figures are among the dead. The U.S. milita…
Saudi Arabia's benchmark index opened lower by roughly 2.2% as broad selling in the financials and materials sectors outweighed a near 3.4% rise in Saudi Aramco. Major lenders recorded notable drops, and the market continued to trade with elevated volatility amid concerns over regional tensions and their potential effect on oil flows and economic a…
Analysts at HSBC and UBS warn that escalating military exchanges involving the U.S., Israel and Iran increase the risk to energy markets, particularly if shipping through the Strait of Hormuz is impeded. HSBC describes oil market risk as asymmetrical and highlights Hormuz transit as the central concern, while UBS expects upward pressure across the …
A Morgan Stanley report and industry developments show the neat split between U.S. software leadership and Chinese hardware production in humanoid robots is breaking down. China shipped more than 12,000 humanoids in 2025 and projects are pointing toward 28,000 units in 2026. Key Chinese suppliers provide high-precision actuator assemblies, promptin…
Kevin Warsh’s nomination to lead the Federal Reserve signals a potential retreat from the era of granular forward guidance. Warsh advocates reducing the Fed’s reliance on precise interest-rate projections and frequent data-triggered commentary, favoring broader indications of policy intent and a narrative that emphasizes a productivity-driven expan…
In a Truth Social post, U.S. President Donald Trump cautioned Iran against further retaliatory strikes on the United States and regional allies following a series of attacks attributed to Tehran. The exchanges have closed major Gulf airports, prompted suspension of airline and shipping services, and drawn warnings from analysts about significant di…
The escalation of conflict in Iran has effectively closed the Strait of Hormuz to liquefied natural gas shipments, halting at least 11 major LNG tankers and trapping roughly 20% of the global LNG supply. Asian importers are scrambling for alternative cargoes while producers face the prospect of curtailing output if exports cannot resume, creating u…
A suspected aerial strike attributed to Iran hit Dubai International Airport on Sunday, prompting a large-scale shutdown that canceled more than 2,300 flights in 24 hours and grounded the region’s major carriers. The stoppage, which saw over 90% of departures from Dubai canceled and more than 850 domestic flights in India called off, is reverberati…
A private index showed China's new-home prices across 100 cities fell 0.04% month-on-month in February, reversing a January rise and marking the steepest contraction since December 2022. The result highlights ongoing weakness in the property sector and the limits of recent policy steps to revive demand.
Japan's largest maritime carriers have suspended transits through the Persian Gulf and placed vessels on standby after a rapid military escalation linked to the death of Iran’s Supreme Leader. With U.S. forces urging commercial traffic to keep a 30-nautical-mile buffer and Iranian state media calling the Strait of Hormuz 'practically closed,' disru…
Explosions and sustained gunfire were heard across Kabul early Sunday as fighting between Afghanistan and Pakistan, now in its fourth day, moved from frontier skirmishes into the capital. Taliban spokespeople said Afghan air defenses engaged Pakistani aircraft seen over the city, while both capitals report heavy losses along a long, tense border.
China’s National People’s Congress, beginning March 5, is widely expected to set a 2026 GDP growth target of 4.5% to 5.0% and lay out a new five-year plan prioritizing structural shifts. Policymakers are likely to reinforce an anti-involution campaign that favors quality and innovation over output growth, promote a rotation of investment toward sma…
Morgan Stanley's analysis finds that early agentic AI travel tools are steering consumers toward online travel agencies' apps and websites to finish purchases instead of supplanting them. Because major AI platforms appear unwilling to assume payment, customer service, refunds and regulatory duties, OTAs remain the merchant of record and continue to…
BofA Securities projects China will set a 2026 GDP growth target of 4.5%–5.0% when the National People’s Congress convenes on March 5, while keeping fiscal and monetary policy accommodative. The forecast reflects persistent domestic demand weakness and structural headwinds such as property-sector strain, demographic trends and local government debt…
BofA Global Research says recent political and personnel signals in Japan have pushed market expectations toward a softer Bank of Japan stance. However, the bank warns that persistent yen depreciation would create political and financial pressures that could force the BoJ to act, and it has raised its USD/JPY forecast range accordingly.
U.S. military action in Iran and reported explosions across the Middle East have prompted warnings of heightened market volatility, though strategists say the moves are likely to be transient rather than a durable realignment of asset prices. Analysts point to energy markets - particularly oil - and traditional safe havens as the main channels thro…
A new note from ING finds that current vacancy and layoff datasets from the U.S., UK, France and Germany do not show a measurable AI-driven decline in hiring. Analysis of Indeed vacancies across roughly 50 sectors compared to AI exposure rankings produced by a chatbot shows little correlation, while layoff and usage data indicate limited immediate …
US and Israeli strikes on Iran, aimed at its leadership, and Iran’s missile response have raised the prospect of disruption to oil flows through the Strait of Hormuz and prompted immediate market reactions. Oil prices, currency swings, safe-haven demand and regional equity markets are all likely to be affected, with analysts warning that the scale …
