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
U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said the United States adheres to a strong-dollar policy and denied that Washington is taking steps to prop up the Japanese yen. His comments lifted the dollar from a recent four-year low, while officials reiterated faith in domestic policy measures to attract investment and reduce trade deficits without stokin…
U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent voiced disappointment after the European Union completed a trade agreement with India, arguing Brussels put trade considerations ahead of support for Ukraine. Bessent told CNBC that European purchases of refined products sourced from Indian processing of sanctioned Russian oil and a reluctance to match U.S. tar…
Economists surveyed in a recent quarterly poll expect global growth of 3.0% in 2026, unchanged from forecasts a year earlier. The consensus holds even as major trade-policy shifts by the United States and fresh geopolitical realignments create fresh sources of uncertainty. Many forecasters say the full economic effects of sweeping U.S. tariffs anno…
A senior UBS currency trader warned that a material uptick in hedging demand for U.S. dollar assets could test banks' structural capacity to provide hedges. With the dollar down markedly from last year and continued policy uncertainty, investors seeking protection may require banks to free balance-sheet resources quickly, potentially forcing dealer…
The Bank of Canada left its key policy rate unchanged at 2.25% and highlighted elevated uncertainty that complicates predictions about the timing and direction of future rate changes. Officials signalled comfort with the current stance while acknowledging a broad set of potential economic outcomes, and market commentators stressed the role of trade…
The Bank of Canada left its policy rate unchanged at 2.25%, citing a fragile outlook shaped by shifting trade dynamics and US protectionist measures. Officials noted domestic demand is showing signs of recovery, inflation remains near target, but heightened trade and geopolitical risks are weighing on growth and labour-market dynamics.
Fitch Ratings does not expect to lower the United States' sovereign credit rating again soon, saying the 2023 downgrade already incorporated the nation’s fiscal strains and that the dollar’s dominant reserve role supports current assessments. The agency signaled a stable outlook that implies no downgrade is expected over the next one to two years.
The Bank of Canada left its policy rate unchanged at 2.25% and said elevated uncertainty makes it difficult to pinpoint the timing or direction of future adjustments. In a quarterly monetary policy report the central bank kept forecasts for modest growth in 2026 and 2027 and expected inflation to remain close to the 2% target. The central bank high…
Kenneth Rogoff, a Harvard economist and former IMF chief economist, said the Federal Reserve's dollar swap line facilities - emergency dollar lending to foreign central banks - could be weaponised by the Trump administration. Rogoff suggested the tool could be leveraged in trade disputes, noting existing concerns about erratic U.S. policy since the…
The S&P 500 climbed past 7,000 points for the first time on Wednesday, propelled by strong investor appetite for AI-driven growth and expectations of robust Big Tech results alongside prospects for monetary easing. Technology stocks, which make up nearly half the index, have been central to the rally while markets also factor in potential Federal R…
The Federal Reserve is widely anticipated to hold its policy rate steady on Wednesday after three consecutive 25-basis point reductions. Recent data on inflation and jobs offer mixed signals, and market participants will be closely monitoring Fed Chair Jerome Powell's press conference for comments on a Department of Justice investigation and the in…
Ro, the telehealth provider, reported a surge in new users seeking the recently introduced Wegovy pill for weight loss, including men who had avoided the injectable form. Company CEO Zach Reitano attributed the uptick to the pill's convenience and an introductory price point. Ro is also preparing a high-profile Super Bowl commercial and a broader h…
U.S. electric vehicle charging networks expanded rapidly in 2025 with roughly 11,300 ultra-fast charging cords added, a 48% rise from 2024. Data show growing deployment of chargers capable of 250 kW and above, particularly in the fourth quarter, where nearly one in four new installs reached that threshold. These high-power units can typically add a…
Germany's government has reduced its GDP growth projections for 2026 and 2027, pointing to heightened uncertainty in global trade. The economy ministry's annual report highlights stronger domestic momentum supporting a cyclical recovery while noting that external headwinds are easing. Fiscal measures, including a large infrastructure fund approved …
India and the European Union have concluded a comprehensive free trade agreement that, according to Deutsche Bank analysts, effectively opens the European market to Indian companies. The pact cuts or removes tariffs on the large majority of goods traded between the two economies, provides markedly expanded access for European-made vehicles into Ind…
The German government has lowered its GDP growth projections for 2026 and 2027, citing rising uncertainty in international trade. The economy ministry said domestic momentum is supporting a cyclical recovery even as external headwinds persist. Fiscal measures, including a large infrastructure fund, are expected to provide a meaningful boost to grow…
A Reuters poll of economists projects Turkey's consumer prices will climb 4.32% in January, boosted by the annual minimum wage increase and multiple new-year price changes. The median forecast sees annual inflation easing to 30.0% in January, with a range of 29.9% to 30.4%. Economists note measurement challenges from annual basket-weight changes an…
Israel’s parliament moves to cast an initial vote on the 2026 state budget draft amid deepening rifts within Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s coalition. With the law requiring full approval by the end of March or a snap election being triggered, disputes over military conscription for ultra-Orthodox seminary students and sharp differences over w…
On Jan 28 the FTSE 100 declined as losses in healthcare and bank shares offset gains in miners and energy names. The domestically focused FTSE 250 rose, hitting its highest level since January 2022 earlier in the session. Market attention centred on corporate earnings and an awaited U.S. Federal Reserve policy update.
Stronger demand for bank credit, documented in recent surveys and quarterly bank reports, is easing financial conditions and could reduce urgency for the Federal Reserve to lower its policy rate. Policymakers remain focused on inflation and labor-market metrics, but growing lending activity provides an additional reason to hold rates for now.
The Bank of Canada is widely expected to keep its policy rate unchanged at 2.25% as recent economic data suggest the domestic economy is performing broadly in line with the central bank's projections, even with the limited effects of U.S. tariffs on specific sectors. Markets and economists largely anticipate a prolonged pause in policy adjustments …
The Federal Reserve is widely expected to keep its policy rate unchanged at its upcoming meeting, entering a pause that markets predict will last beyond upcoming leadership transitions. Recent data show labor market resilience and core inflation running well above the Fed's 2% goal, while policymakers remain divided on whether and how quickly addit…
India's industrial production expanded 7.8% year-on-year in December, driven by gains in manufacturing, mining and electricity generation, according to government data released on Wednesday. The print outpaced economists' forecasts of a 5.5% rise and followed a revised 7.2% increase in November. While December showed broad-based strength, output fo…
European Central Bank officials expressed growing concern about the euro’s rapid gains against the U.S. dollar, saying the move could exert downward pressure on inflation even as price growth is already set to undershoot the ECB’s 2% goal. Officials flagged the exchange-rate shift as a factor that could influence policy settings in coming months.
A former Bank of Japan official involved in past market interventions said coordinated tactics, including suspected U.S. rate checks, have helped halt a one-sided slide in the yen. He argued that Tokyo may not need to carry out direct yen-buying intervention for now, warning that a direct intervention could push the currency higher and weigh on sto…
