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.
907 total articles
India and the European Union signed a long-awaited free trade agreement on Tuesday at the 16th India-EU summit, concluding almost two decades of negotiations. The pact, described by leaders as the 'Mother of all deals,' covers trade, investment and regulatory cooperation and is said to represent 25% of global GDP and one-third of global trade. Summ…
Global markets largely brushed off an unexpected U.S. tariff increase on South Korea to 25% from 15%, with South Korean equities ultimately rising to record levels after an initial dip. Precious metals rallied sharply and Asian shares hit new highs ahead of major U.S. tech earnings and a Federal Reserve policy decision that will be watched amid a D…
Thailand’s finance ministry reiterated an expected 2.0% expansion for the economy this year, maintaining its prior projection while raising its outlook for exports and lowering its headline inflation forecast. The ministry flagged ongoing headwinds including currency appreciation, U.S. tariffs and domestic challenges ahead of upcoming elections.
Asian equities ticked higher as investors shifted attention to an incoming slate of U.S. mega-cap earnings, even after President Trump announced increased tariffs on South Korean imports. The dollar weakened, helping precious metals rally, while a range of geopolitical and domestic U.S. risks - including a criminal probe into the Fed chair and fund…
The Federal Reserve confirmed its rate-setting committee will meet as scheduled on Tuesday and Wednesday and will publish all planned communications, despite severe snow and sleet that prompted closures across Washington D.C. The two-day meeting is widely expected to result in no change to the policy rate, which currently stands at 3.75%.
A National Australia Bank survey showed business conditions in Australia strengthened in December, driven by gains in sales and profits. While confidence edged higher and employment remained positive, elevated capacity utilisation and rising price measures suggest the economy may be nearing its operating limit ahead of the Reserve Bank of Australia…
A BOJ gauge tracking inter-company service charges rose 2.6% year-on-year in December, down marginally from November's 2.7% gain. Price increases were concentrated in labour-intensive areas such as hotels and construction, reinforcing the central bank's argument that a tight jobs market is keeping upward pressure on wages and services inflation. Th…
Negotiations in the Senate have stalled over a $64.4 billion Department of Homeland Security funding bill after the fatal shooting of a U.S. citizen by federal immigration officers in Minneapolis. Senate Democrats have refused to provide votes for the DHS measure unless it is separated from a larger appropriations package that would fund five other…
France’s lower house has approved legislation that would prohibit children under 15 from accessing social media and social networking functions embedded in larger platforms. The measure passed the National Assembly by 116 to 23 votes and will go to the Senate before a final lower-house vote. The proposal seeks enforcement via age-verification mecha…
Global equity benchmarks climbed to new peaks while gold vaulted past $5,000 an ounce and the dollar plunged toward four-month lows. Investors prepared for a heavy cadence of U.S. corporate results and a two-day Federal Reserve meeting that together could steer market direction in the near term. Currency intervention talk around the yen, an explosi…
President Donald Trump announced an increase in tariffs on South Korean goods from 15% to 25%, citing the South Korean legislature's failure to approve a trade agreement the two countries reached last year. The move, detailed in a Truth Social post, singles out automobiles, lumber, pharmaceuticals and other products subject to reciprocal tariffs an…
Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and U.S. President Donald Trump spoke by phone for 50 minutes on Monday. The conversation covered the situation in Venezuela, Trump’s proposed Board of Peace and efforts to combat organized crime. Brazil said Lula agreed to make a visit to Washington soon but the government did not clarify whether he wo…
With the Federal Reserve widely expected to keep its policy rate in the 3.50%-3.75% range at the end of its two-day meeting, bond managers are modestly increasing exposure to longer-dated debt and selective corporate credit. Market pricing for 2026 easing has retreated, while tight investment-grade spreads and geopolitical concerns limit more aggre…
The European Parliament has deferred a decision on whether to resume work on an EU-US trade deal it suspended in protest over President Donald Trump's reported bid for Greenland and tariff threats. Votes scheduled for Monday and Tuesday were put off, with the trade committee chair saying a negotiating team will reconvene on February 4 to reassess. …
CIBC economist Andrew Grantham argues that Canada's consumer spending pattern - unlike the 'K-shaped' divergence seen in the U.S. - conceals mounting stress in household balance sheets and the labour market. While spending appears evenly distributed across income groups, lower-income households are sustaining outlays by drawing down savings, and hi…
The dollar has slid sharply in early 2026 as investor confidence in a period of currency stability weakens. A constellation of factors - including explicit U.S. policy signals favoring a weaker dollar, aggressive trade rhetoric, geopolitical operations, and shifting central bank expectations - have driven a notable fall in the currency against peer…
Nearly all economists surveyed expect the Bank of England to keep Bank Rate at 3.75% at its February meeting, and a slim majority now foresee a 25 basis-point cut to 3.50% in March. The poll reflects stronger recent private sector growth, resilient retail sales and sticky inflation, leaving policymakers divided after a narrow decision to cut rates …
About 31,000 registered nurses and allied healthcare workers represented by the United Nurses Associations of California/Union of Health Care Professionals (UNAC/UHCP) are staging an open-ended strike at Kaiser Permanente locations across California and Hawaii beginning Monday at 7 a.m. PT (1500 GMT). The union says management undermined negotiatio…
The U.S. Treasury Department announced it has terminated all 31 contracts it held with Booz Allen Hamilton, valued at $21 million, accusing the firm of failing to protect sensitive information including taxpayer data accessed through work for the Internal Revenue Service. The move follows the conviction and 2024 sentencing of former contractor Char…
Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s large-scale fiscal programme has raised hopes of a return to growth in Germany after two years of near stagnation. Economists expect a marked improvement in 2026 as spending measures gather force, but many of the structural reforms seen as necessary for a durable recovery have not been enacted. Slow federal decision-maki…
Wolfe Research analyst Stephanie Roth identifies a 90-minute window during the January Federal Open Market Committee meeting as the most probable time for President Trump to announce his choice for the next Federal Reserve chair. The timing aligns with a Jan. 31 vacancy and the need to address potential attention around a Fed that did not cut rates…
Saudi Arabia will reduce the scale of its flagship Neom development following a government review of its gigaprojects. Major elements of the plan, including The Line and the Trojena ski resort, are being scaled back, and the kingdom has delayed hosting the Asian Winter Games that had been set for 2029. Analysts point to a reassessment of project sc…
Billionaire investor Bill Ackman contributed $10,000 to a GoFundMe for the family of Alex Pretti, who was fatally shot by federal immigration agents in Minneapolis. The campaign had raised more than $1 million and listed Ackman’s contribution. The donation follows an earlier $10,000 gift by Ackman to a fundraiser for an immigration officer involved…
The South African Reserve Bank faces a close call this week between keeping its policy rate unchanged or implementing a 25 basis point reduction. UBS analysts say their view is tilted toward no change, as the central bank may prefer to wait for the March meeting after reviewing the government budget due February 12 and January inflation adjustments…
The National Bank of Hungary is widely expected to maintain its current policy rate at its forthcoming meeting, with analysts citing stronger services inflation and a larger-than-anticipated fiscal deficit as key reasons to defer cuts. UBS and Bloomberg consensus forecasts point to unchanged policy for this session, even as the central bank had sig…
