Economy

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.

Articles

6,527 total articles

Bessent Says Signs Point to Stronger Labor Demand After Capex Surge

Bessent Says Signs Point to Stronger Labor Demand After Capex Surge

U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent told the Economic Club of Dallas he expects the current low-hire, low-fire phase in the labor market to give way to stronger demand. He pointed to last year's surge in business investment in AI data centers and rising profits and demand at temp agencies as early signals. Bessent also commented on a recent Supre…

Bessent: Administration to Shift Tariff Strategy After Supreme Court Ruling

Bessent: Administration to Shift Tariff Strategy After Supreme Court Ruling

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said the Trump administration will rely on alternative statutory authorities to maintain tariff policy after the Supreme Court ruled that the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) does not permit the president to impose tariffs. Speaking at the Economic Club of Dallas, Bessent argued the administration…

Trump Repeats Call for Much Lower Interest Rates, Criticizes Fed Chair

Trump Repeats Call for Much Lower Interest Rates, Criticizes Fed Chair

President Donald Trump restated his preference for substantially lower interest rates and sharply criticized Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell during a briefing, saying Powell prefers high rates for political reasons. Trump reiterated that he plans to replace Powell with his nominee, Kevin Warsh, whose nomination he announced last month. The pres…

White House to Apply 10% Global Tariff for 150 Days, Citing Trade Act Authority

White House to Apply 10% Global Tariff for 150 Days, Citing Trade Act Authority

President Donald Trump announced on Friday a plan to impose a 10% global tariff for 150 days, to be enacted under Section 122 of the Trade Act of 1974. The duties would be layered on top of current tariffs and follow a Supreme Court decision that found the prior broad global tariffs illegal under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act. The…

Trump Denounces Supreme Court Ruling on Tariffs, Signals Sweeping Alternatives

Trump Denounces Supreme Court Ruling on Tariffs, Signals Sweeping Alternatives

President Donald Trump reacted strongly after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled 6-3 that his use of emergency powers to impose tariffs was unconstitutional. Speaking at the White House, he called the decision "deeply disappointing," said he was "absolutely ashamed" of the justices who opposed him, and warned foreign governments that they would not "be d…

Dallas Fed's Logan Says Policy Is Well Positioned as Inflation Risks Persist

Dallas Fed's Logan Says Policy Is Well Positioned as Inflation Risks Persist

Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas President Lorie Logan said monetary policy is well positioned to handle economic risks but remains wary about the path back to the Fed’s 2% inflation target. Speaking at Columbia University, she cited tariff uncertainty, upside inflation risks, and questions around the technology sector and demand-supply dynamics. Log…

EU Says It Is Reviewing U.S. Supreme Court Ruling on Trump-Era Tariffs

EU Says It Is Reviewing U.S. Supreme Court Ruling on Trump-Era Tariffs

The European Union is studying the U.S. Supreme Court decision that invalidated tariffs imposed during the Trump administration and has asked the U.S. Administration for clarity on how it will respond. An EU spokesperson highlighted the importance of stable trading conditions for businesses on both sides of the Atlantic and reaffirmed the union's c…

OpenAI Assembles 200-Plus Team to Build AI-Enabled Speaker, Glasses and Lamp

OpenAI Assembles 200-Plus Team to Build AI-Enabled Speaker, Glasses and Lamp

OpenAI has gathered a team exceeding 200 people to develop a line of AI-driven consumer devices, including a smart speaker, smart glasses, and a smart lamp. The smart speaker is slated to be the first product, reportedly carrying a $200 to $300 price target and a built-in camera to collect data on users and their surroundings. Sources say the speak…

Core U.S. PCE Inflation Accelerates in December, Pointing to Further Upside

Core U.S. PCE Inflation Accelerates in December, Pointing to Further Upside

Core personal consumption expenditures (PCE) inflation excluding food and energy climbed 0.4% in December after a 0.2% rise in November, lifting the 12-month core PCE rate to 3.0%. The advance GDP report included the data, which, together with sticky services inflation and outsized legal-services moves, reinforces expectations that the Federal Rese…

Canadian retail spending eases in December as big-ticket purchases retreat

Canadian retail spending eases in December as big-ticket purchases retreat

Retail sales in Canada declined 0.4% in December to $70.0 billion as shoppers pared back on large purchases during the holiday period. The drop was led by motor vehicle and parts dealers, while online sales advanced and full-year 2025 figures posted growth driven by automotive gains. Early estimates point to a rebound in January.

U.S. Growth Decelerates Sharply in Q4 as Shutdown, Weaker Spending Weigh In

U.S. Growth Decelerates Sharply in Q4 as Shutdown, Weaker Spending Weigh In

The Commerce Department's advance estimate showed U.S. gross domestic product rose at a 1.4% annualized rate in the fourth quarter, well below the 3.0% pace economists had expected. The shortfall reflects disruptions from a record 43-day government shutdown and a slowdown in consumer spending. Forecasters note that tax cuts and investment related t…

Futures Slip After Slower-Than-Expected Q4 Growth and Stronger December Inflation

Futures Slip After Slower-Than-Expected Q4 Growth and Stronger December Inflation

U.S. equity futures fell after Commerce Department data showed GDP growth slowed to a 1.4% annualized pace in the fourth quarter, below consensus, while the Federal Reserve's preferred inflation gauge, the Personal Consumption Expenditure index, rose 0.4% in December. Core PCE also increased 0.4% month-over-month. Index futures traded lower in earl…

Most MPC Members See Policy Rates as Appropriate, Minutes Show

Most MPC Members See Policy Rates as Appropriate, Minutes Show

Minutes released from the February meeting of India’s six-member monetary policy committee show most members consider the current policy rate appropriate for the economy. Two external members signalled potential for easing at some point, but several policymakers said fresh GDP data and the transmission of past cuts will guide future decisions. The …

U.S. Futures Flat as Investors Brace for GDP, PCE and Other Key Data

U.S. Futures Flat as Investors Brace for GDP, PCE and Other Key Data

U.S. stock index futures were largely unchanged on Friday as traders awaited a slate of economic releases - including preliminary fourth-quarter GDP and the Personal Consumption Expenditures index - that could shape expectations for monetary policy easing. Market participants also monitored tensions between Washington and Tehran, a potential U.S. S…