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.
5,081 total articles
The European Commission says the euro zone economy will cool in 2026 after a second energy shock in under five years driven by conflict in the Middle East. A rise in oil to above $100 a barrel has pushed up inflation and weakened sentiment among businesses and households. The Commission has downgraded growth forecasts for 2026, raised inflation pro…
Policymakers across Asia are deploying rare and urgent measures to defend economies facing the fallout from a global energy supply shock. Currencies in major oil-importing markets have sunk to record lows, prompting central banks and governments to weigh aggressive rate hikes, direct market intervention and export controls as they attempt to limit …
U.S. stock futures rose after Nvidia reported a quarter of record revenue and profit driven by strong AI demand, even as the chipmaker's outlook drew scrutiny. Separately, SpaceX filed for an initial public offering that could eclipse prior records, while reports suggest OpenAI may file for its own IPO later in the year. Investors also tracked deve…
European Central Bank policymaker Olli Rehn said there are few signs that a persistent period of high inflation is taking hold in the euro area despite a recent rise in consumer prices following disruptions to oil shipments through the Strait of Hormuz. Rehn signalled the ECB is likely to raise rates at its June 11 meeting to protect its credibilit…
India's private-sector expansion moderated in May as a slowdown in manufacturing - linked to the Middle East conflict and weaker external demand - offset a slight improvement in services activity. The HSBC flash Composite PMI compiled by S&P Global fell to 58.1 from April's 58.2, with export orders, input costs and business optimism showing signs o…
Iran's Foreign Ministry has confirmed receipt of the latest U.S. position on ending hostilities and said it is reviewing those views as talks continue through Pakistan. The development follows U.S. President Donald Trump's announcement that a planned military operation has been postponed while negotiations progress, though he warned further action …
A late-night accord between Samsung Electronics and its union has temporarily halted a planned strike, but dissent from some shareholders threatens to undo the deal. While markets cheered, lifting South Korean equities and chip stocks, other developments - including oil shipments through the Strait of Hormuz, mixed signals from Nvidia, robust Japan…
A distinct set of retail-driven trading patterns has emerged as investors react to the market shocks associated with the second term of U.S. President Donald Trump and the conflict in Iran. Traders increasingly trade around acronyms such as TACO (Trump always chickens out), FAFO (f*** around, find out) and FOMO (fear of missing out), leaning into r…
Bank of Japan board member Junko Koeda has signaled a preference for incremental adjustments to monetary policy, suggesting that interest rates should be increased at what she described as an "appropriate pace." Speaking in Fukuoka, Koeda highlighted the necessity of addressing potential inflationary pressures while carefully managing the economic …
Global equity markets experienced a broad recovery on Thursday, buoyed by significant developments in the semiconductor industry and a temporary easing of maritime tensions in the Strait of Hormuz. While tech stocks gained momentum following Nvidia's latest financial forecasts, Samsung Electronics saw a massive boost after averting a major labor st…
Japan's export sector demonstrated continued strength in April, marking the eighth consecutive month of growth according to recent government figures released on Thursday. Despite the geopolitical volatility stemming from the conflict between the U.S., Israel, and Iran which has caused significant supply disruptions in the Middle East, Japanese out…
U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has offered a tempered outlook on the current volatility in bond markets and rising inflation, characterizing these economic pressures as temporary. Speaking during a G7 finance leaders meeting in Paris, Bessent suggested that the primary drivers of recent market instability-specifically elevated interest rate …
A mission from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) has successfully completed its scheduled discussions with Pakistani officials in Islamabad. The week-long engagement, which took place from May 13 to May 20, focused heavily on assessing current economic developments, evaluating the status of ongoing structural reforms, and reviewing fiscal plann…
A new federal fund totaling $1.776 billion, established by the Trump administration to compensate individuals who believe they have been victims of political "weaponization," has ignited significant legal and political friction. The initiative has drawn immediate interest from defendants involved in the January 6 Capitol riot and various allies of …
On Wednesday, global financial markets experienced a notable shift in sentiment, characterized by a rally in equities alongside a significant decline in oil prices and bond yields. This market movement was largely driven by mounting optimism regarding a possible peace deal between the United States and Iran, with President Donald Trump indicating t…
Anthropic is entering a phase of accelerated financial growth, with projections indicating that its revenue will more than double within a single quarter. According to data shared during an active funding round, the company's revenue is expected to climb from $4.8 billion in the first quarter to $10.9 billion in the second quarter. This surge repre…
The Federal Reserve has proposed a new class of payment account intended for nonbank firms, including fintechs, that would permit use of the Fed's payments infrastructure but provide fewer protections than standard bank accounts. The accounts would not include intraday credit, access to the discount window, or interest on reserves, and the Fed has …
President Donald Trump on Wednesday said the United States is 'freeing up Cuba' following a Department of Justice indictment of former Cuban President Raul Castro. He described the filing as a 'very big moment,' said Cuba remains on his administration's radar and expressed an intent to help the Cuban people while declining to outline specific polic…
The United Kingdom has signed a trade agreement with the Gulf Cooperation Council, marking the first time a G7 country has secured a pact with the six-nation bloc. The Department for Business and Trade estimates the deal will add £3.7 billion to UK GDP annually and raise wages by £1.9 billion per year over the long term. Immediate tariff reductions…
Minutes from the Federal Reserve's April meeting show a majority of policymakers judged that further policy firming - including interest rate hikes - would likely become appropriate if inflation continued to run above target. Participants pointed to recent upward pressure on inflation partly tied to rising oil prices amid the Middle East conflict a…
The U.S. Trade Representative’s office has endorsed a provisional European Union legislative agreement to eliminate import duties on U.S. goods, while warning that Brussels must still resolve regulatory and non-tariff obstacles referenced in the Joint Statement reached last year. The USTR said it will keep reviewing specific limiting amendments in …
Lazard CEO Peter Orszag warned that the U.S. economy has become a leveraged wager on artificial intelligence, with AI-driven equity gains and spending concentrated among higher-income consumers. Orszag highlighted recent advisory work on a major utility deal that underscores rising power demand tied to AI, and cautioned that rapid shifts could pose…
Iran's foreign ministry says diplomatic message exchanges with U.S. officials are ongoing, anchored in a 14-point proposal from Tehran. Pakistan's interior minister is in Iran to assist communication. Iranian officials reiterate demands including an end to what they describe as piracy against Iranian vessels, a halt to fighting including in Lebanon…
The U.S. Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control sanctioned over a dozen individuals and entities connected to two distinct Sinaloa Cartel networks involved in fentanyl and other illicit drug trafficking. The measures focus on a U.S.-based cash collection and crypto conversion ring and a separate organization led by a fugitive trafficker respon…
Bank of England Governor Andrew Bailey and policymaker Swati Dhingra told Parliament that government-imposed caps on food prices would be unsustainable and distort the economy in the long run. The Treasury has dropped plans to force grocery price caps after criticism from retailers. On monetary policy, Bailey said the central bank is not in a hurry…
