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
A recent blog post by two European Central Bank staff economists reports that firms in the euro zone which make substantial use of artificial intelligence are, on average, more likely to increase staffing in the near term. The finding is drawn from the ECB's Survey on the Access to Finance of Enterprises and stands in contrast to other studies that…
Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland President Beth Hammack said it is premature to judge how the Iran war will affect the U.S. economy and advocated keeping interest rates at their current levels for an extended period. Hammack highlighted the need to balance inflation reduction with potential softness in the labor market in remarks given in a New Yo…
Beth Hammack, president of the Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland, told the New York Times it is too soon to assess the economic fallout from the Iran war and supported keeping interest rates unchanged "for quite some time." She said policymakers should prioritize returning inflation to target while monitoring labor-market softness that could change…
The U.S. dollar has rallied since the outbreak of hostilities involving the U.S., Israel and Iran, driven in part by the covering of short positions and a sharp rise in oil prices. However, currency strategists polled in a monthly FX survey generally expect the dollar to resume weakening later in the year, with most still pricing in roughly two Fed…
A quarterly survey found South African business confidence rose by three points to 47 in the first quarter, the best reading since 2015 excluding the post-COVID rebound. The improvement was linked to perceptions of a stable government, a supportive interest-rate backdrop and tailwinds from the foreign exchange rate. Survey authors and the president…
A blog post published by European Central Bank staff economists finds that companies in the euro zone that make significant use of artificial intelligence are more likely to add workers in the near term, despite other surveys predicting job cuts over longer horizons. The ECB’s Survey on the Access to Finance of Enterprises suggests AI-intensive fir…
U.S. equity futures slipped as the confrontation between Iranian forces and U.S.-Israeli forces entered a fifth day, raising concerns about disruptions to oil and gas flows through the Strait of Hormuz. Brent and WTI crude prices moved higher, natural gas and diesel costs rose as supply interruptions were reported, and gold recovered after a recent…
Japan and the United States are discussing whether to include a nuclear power project in the next tranche of initiatives under Japan's $550 billion investment package, two people familiar with the matter said. The proposal - reportedly involving Westinghouse and potentially Japanese engineering firms - is framed as a measure to bolster energy suppl…
South Korea’s benchmark KOSPI suffered its largest single-day decline on record, erasing a year of gains as markets reacted to a spike in oil prices amid a widening Middle East conflict. The sell-off, concentrated in large-cap tech names that had driven the rally, left a high-tech district typically full at lunchtime unusually silent as retail inve…
Czech National Bank Vice-Governor Jan Frait warned on March 4 that U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran over the past week may reduce the central bank's ability to enact small interest rate cuts if those events lead major foreign central banks to delay easing amid inflation concerns. He said he still expects some easing from large overseas banks but ca…
U.S. equity futures slipped as investors weighed an intensifying Middle East conflict and hotter oil prices that could feed inflation. Brent crude climbed nearly 2% while oil has risen more than 13% this week, driving demand for safe-haven assets and complicating the Federal Reserve's policy outlook ahead of several economic releases.
Kenya's private sector recorded slower expansion in February, with agriculture and manufacturing weakening while construction, wholesale and retail and services supported activity. The Stanbic Bank Kenya Purchasing Managers' Index slipped to 50.4 from 51.9 in January, remaining just above the threshold that separates growth from contraction. Policy…
European banks have boosted their government bond holdings by about 14% over the past year, concentrated in France, Germany and Spain. Regulators warn that while current yield levels remain manageable, a pronounced economic downturn or a sharp rise in yields could erode the value of these securities, increase funding and hedging costs for lenders, …
Indonesian media reported that Fitch Ratings has shifted the country's sovereign outlook from stable to negative while keeping the BBB rating in place. Authorities in Jakarta have sought clarification, and the move follows a similar outlook downgrade by Moody's last month amid investor unease over policy direction, fiscal widening and central bank …
Carsten Spohr, Lufthansa’s long-tenured chief executive, is deploying crisis-management experience and tighter central oversight to steer the group through delivery delays, labour disputes and operational hiccups. He is prioritising efficiency, fleet renewal and more long-haul flying to lift margins from 4.4% in 2024 toward a target of 8-10% betwee…
Chinese authorities have announced a set of measures intended to boost domestic demand by expanding production of higher-quality consumer goods, creating new consumption drivers in services, raising employment quality and increasing incomes for urban and rural residents. The National People’s Congress spokesman said consumption accounted for 52% of…
A spokesperson for China’s parliament said Beijing is prepared to promote communications with the United States across all levels while maintaining core principles and 'red lines.' The remarks came ahead of the National People’s Congress and as both sides prepare for an anticipated summit between leaders at the end of March.
A broad market rout tied to concerns about a prolonged oil supply shock intensified in Asia, with South Korea suffering steep losses. Late U.S. policy moves to insure and potentially escort tankers provided limited relief amid questions about practicality and legal and logistical hurdles. At the same time, strains in private credit and worries abou…
Bank of Japan Governor Kazuo Ueda told parliament the central bank will keep raising interest rates if its economic and price projections are realised, while closely monitoring the fallout from the Middle East conflict. He warned that higher crude prices could both weaken Japan's terms of trade and influence underlying inflation through changing ex…
A monthly survey shows India’s services activity moderated in February as new orders expanded at the slowest rate in over a year and firms recorded the steepest rise in operating costs in two-and-a-half years. The HSBC India Services PMI, compiled by S&P Global, dipped to 58.1 from January’s 58.4. Export demand and employment gains provided counter…
Asian markets tumbled sharply as traders pared back positions in major technology and cyclical stocks on worries the conflict in the Middle East could trigger an oil shock, stoke inflation and delay rate cuts. The MSCI index for Asia-Pacific ex-Japan plunged 4.2%, Seoul’s KOSPI tripped a circuit breaker after an 11% drop in a single session and Jap…
South Korean equities plunged over 10% and the won fell to its weakest level in 17 years as fighting in the Middle East broadened, triggering circuit breakers, heavy foreign outflows and sharp losses among large-cap exporters and domestic cyclical names. The rout underscores investor sensitivity to higher oil prices and FX volatility for a country …
China’s official purchasing managers’ index (PMI) for manufacturing fell to 49.0 in February from 49.3 in January, marking a second consecutive month of contraction. Weak domestic demand and subdued investment are cited as drags that offset resilient exports. Non-manufacturing PMI edged up slightly to 49.5, remaining below the 50 cutoff for expansi…
China’s manufacturing sector registered its strongest expansion since December 2020 in February, according to the private-sector RatingDog China General Manufacturing PMI compiled by S&P Global. The index climbed to 52.1 from 50.3 in January, driven by rising new orders at home and abroad, faster output growth and greater confidence among manufactu…
A private-sector Purchasing Managers Index for China’s services sector climbed to 56.7 in February, the strongest reading in 33 months, driven by firmer domestic and overseas demand. The survey also showed a rise in input costs and output charges, a reinvigorated composite output index, and mixed labour trends as firms sought cost control while bac…
