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.
7,197 total articles
Standard & Poor's has raised Croatia's sovereign credit rating by one notch to 'A' and returned the outlook to stable. The upgrade, the sixth in roughly eight years, reflects S&P's view of a solid and resilient economic outlook and cites reforms tied to the Recovery and Resilience Facility and forthcoming OECD membership as supporting factors. S&P …
The Bank for International Settlements is urging central banks to avoid an immediate policy response to the recent Iran crisis-driven surge in oil and wholesale gas prices, calling the episode a classic temporary supply shock that should be 'looked through' if it proves short-lived. The warning comes as money markets swiftly repriced rate expectati…
U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent described trade talks with China as "very good" and said the relationship between the two countries is stable. He told CNBC the discussions included a new tariff regime and emphasized the U.S. is not seeking decoupling but is pursuing strategic change. Bessent also said it remains unclear whether a planned meet…
A March S&P Global survey found UK consumer sentiment slid to 44.1 from 44.8 in February, the weakest reading since January 2025. Households reported their gloomiest view of personal finances since December 2023 and the greatest reluctance to make major purchases in 14 months. Economists warn the conflict in the Middle East and rising global energy…
Italy will not join a naval operation in the Hormuz Strait, Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani said, urging diplomacy as the primary means to resolve the tensions. Speaking in Brussels, Tajani noted Italy already contributes to defensive missions in the Red Sea but does not have any deployment that could be redirected to the Hormuz Strait. His remarks…
Buenos Aires Fashion Week showcased local designers, but behind the shows Argentina’s textile and apparel sector is experiencing one of its sharpest downturns in decades. Ultra-low-cost imports, particularly from Chinese fast-fashion platforms, have surged as President Javier Milei’s trade liberalization measures lowered tariffs and eased cross-bor…
Prime Minister Keir Starmer said the United Kingdom is working alongside European partners and other allies on a joint effort to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and restore freedom of navigation. He described the initiative as necessary to stabilise the oil market but cautioned that the operation will be challenging. The government has also deployed mi…
A German government spokesperson said Germany will not take part in the war in Iran or in any military operations aimed at keeping the Strait of Hormuz open. The spokesperson emphasized that the conflict is not related to the NATO defense alliance, noted comments by President Trump about NATO, and said Germany coordinated with allies over the weeke…
Goldman Sachs has reduced its forecast for Euro area Q4/Q4 growth in 2026 to 1% after revising commodity assumptions higher, while also reshuffling sector recommendations and trimming U.S. growth projections. The bank raised its expected peak for euro-area headline inflation and delayed the timing of some central bank easing moves in response to a …
Barclays has updated its projection for the Bank of England's March monetary policy decision, now anticipating that the Monetary Policy Committee will keep the Bank Rate at 3.75% on March 19 rather than reduce it by 25 basis points. The change reflects concerns about higher energy costs, the ongoing war in the Middle East, and broader geopolitical …
Goldman Sachs reports a marked decline in UAE real estate transaction activity since the onset of the current Middle East conflict. Data for early March show overall transaction values down 31% year over year and 51% month over month since the conflict began, with particularly large falls in the secondary market, villa sales and off-plan apartment …
U.S. stock index futures moved higher on Monday, lifted by gains in large technology stocks including Meta and Nvidia, even as crude oil prices settled around $100 a barrel due to disruptions near the Strait of Hormuz. Investors entered a week heavy with central bank meetings, corporate results and an Nvidia developer conference, while futures mark…
Iran's foreign minister and a ministry spokesperson said Tehran has not sought a ceasefire in the current hostilities with Israel and the U.S., and that the Strait of Hormuz remains closed only to adversaries and their supporters. Officials added that vessels from countries not engaged in the fighting have been allowed to transit with coordination …
Nearly all economists polled expect the Swiss National Bank to leave its policy rate at 0% through 2026 and use foreign exchange interventions rather than negative interest rates to counter further appreciation of the Swiss franc, which has strengthened amid safe-haven flows since the onset of the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran.
Markets enter a new trading week with the conflict involving Iran remaining the dominant story as disruptions to the Strait of Hormuz push oil and gas prices higher. Investors will also focus on Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang's keynote at the company's developer event, Micron's quarterly results, and monetary policy decisions from the Federal Reserve and …
European authorities are expected to move first by cutting taxes on transport fuels in response to a recent spike in oil and short-dated gas prices. Citi Research economists say such steps would be the immediate fiscal response, with more expansive measures possible if elevated energy costs persist and household utility bills begin to rise sharply.
Federal Reserve officials convene amid rising oil prices and escalating hostilities involving Iran, a crisis that has temporarily sidelined roughly one-fifth of global oil flows. With inflation already about a percentage point above the Fed's 2% target and oil jumping nearly 50% in two weeks, officials must determine whether to maintain a tight sta…
The European Central Bank meets on Thursday amid fresh volatility in oil and gas markets driven by the conflict in the Middle East. With oil up sharply since the conflict began and European gas prices jumping this month, policymakers face uncertainty over whether the spike will produce a persistent inflation shock or a more pronounced growth drag. …
U.S. futures rose Monday as investors assessed the persistence of the U.S.-Israeli assault on Iran, now entering its third week. The conflict has pushed oil prices higher and heightened inflation worries, while attention is also fixed on Nvidia's annual developer conference and a key Federal Reserve policy decision later this week. The confluence o…
Barclays Research has trimmed its euro area growth outlook for 2026 to 1.1% from 1.5% in 2025, citing the impact of the Middle East conflict and tighter financial conditions. The bank expects the European Central Bank to keep its deposit rate at 2% at the March 19 meeting, and it now forecasts headline inflation at 2.4% this year before easing to 2…
European equities made modest gains on Monday as Commerzbank shares climbed following a 30% stake bid from UniCredit. Defence and energy stocks rose amid escalating Middle East tensions and concerns over shipping through the Strait of Hormuz. Investors are also watching a week of central bank meetings in major economies for guidance on interest-rat…
Citigroup trimmed its Nifty 50 valuation multiple to 19 times one-year forward earnings from 20 times and set a December 2026 Nifty target of 27,000. The bank cautioned that a second-week Middle East conflict centered on a Strait of Hormuz blockade - with ship traffic falling as much as 90% - risks shaving up to 30 basis points from India’s economi…
Barclays economists say recent U.S. data show weaker demand late last year but signs of resilience entering 2026. Persistent core inflation and upside risks from oil and geopolitics lead the bank to expect the Federal Reserve to keep rates steady at its upcoming meeting and to delay the first rate cut until September 2026.
Citi now expects the Bank of England to keep the Bank Rate unchanged at 3.75% at this week's Monetary Policy Committee meeting, removing an April cut from its previous path. The bank has pushed its terminal rate forecast to 3.25% with cuts pencilled in for June and September, citing rising uncertainty from a fresh energy shock linked to conflict in…
Rising energy prices tied to the war in the Middle East are forcing central banks worldwide to reassess the outlook for inflation and interest rates. Policymakers from the United States to Europe, Japan, Canada, Australia and emerging markets enter a week of meetings with markets increasingly uncertain about the path of policy after oil held above …
