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.
5,100 total articles
U.S. equities, buoyed by a robust corporate earnings season and easing concerns over the Iran conflict, head into a week dominated by April inflation readings, consumer spending data and a meeting between U.S. and Chinese leaders that could touch on rare earths and technology access. Market participants will watch the consumer price index, producer…
An approach focused on companies that deliver sustained returns on equity, strong cash generation and mid-teens earnings growth has outperformed the MSCI Emerging Markets Index over the past decade. Rob Brewis of Aubrey Capital Management finds that only a small share of the thousands of firms in the emerging markets universe meet a roughly 15% ROE…
Bank of America strategists argue the U.S. dollar’s failure to rally reflects market reluctance to price additional Fed hikes. With April payrolls due and BofA forecasting 80,000 jobs, the bank says a strong print would widen the distribution of possible Fed moves and likely lift the dollar. However, perceived restraint under incoming Fed Chair War…
A federal trade court has ruled that the 10% universal tariff imposed under Section 122 of the Trade Act of 1974 is unlawful, voiding the duties that took effect as a 150-day stopgap on February 24. The decision, issued by the U.S. Court of International Trade in a 2-1 ruling, concluded the administration did not satisfy the statute's requirement f…
The 2026 FIFA World Cup, to be staged across the United States, Canada and Mexico, is forecast to be the largest sporting event in history and a significant economic catalyst. Bank of America Global Research estimates the tournament will contribute roughly $41 billion to global GDP and support more than 800,000 jobs. With 48 teams competing in 104 …
Germany's draft budget for 2027 sets net funding needs at €196.5 billion, or roughly 4.3% of GDP, marking an increase versus 2026 and prior medium-term forecasts. Analysis from BofA Global Research attributes about half of the rise to a faster ramp-up in defense spending and the remainder to cyclical weakness. Berlin faces an estimated €20 billion …
A Qatari liquefied natural gas tanker, the Al Kharaitiyat, has passed through the Strait of Hormuz and is now in the Gulf of Oman. Loaded at Ras Laffan earlier this month and listed as bound for Pakistan, the transit is the first from Qatar through the waterway since the outbreak of the Iran war. The voyage followed a northern route close to the Ir…
Ship-tracking records show the liquefied natural gas tanker Merkuriy, which recently adopted a Russian flag, berthed alongside the Saam floating storage unit near Murmansk and appears to be taking on cargo from the sanctioned Arctic LNG 2 project. Observers say the move illustrates a widening effort to assemble an opaque 'shadow fleet' capable of c…
U.S. President Donald Trump is scheduled to travel to Beijing next week for a high-level summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping. Set to take place from May 14 to May 15, this meeting represents the first time a U.S. leader has visited the Chinese capital in nearly ten years. The primary objective of the summit is to stabilize bilateral relations,…
In a move that significantly alters Australia's political landscape, the One Nation party has achieved its inaugural victory in the lower house. During the Farrer by-election held on Saturday, candidate David Farley secured a decisive mandate, capturing nearly 60% of the total vote. This landmark result marks the first time the far-right party has …
Recent Transportation Security Administration (TSA) screening figures suggest a period of volatility for the U.S. aviation sector. While there was a marginal improvement in passenger numbers last week, year-over-year growth remains in negative territory across all major domestic carriers when measured by available seat mile (ASM)-weighted screening…
In a recent address at a political conference in Toronto, Prime Minister Mark Carney outlined a potential shift in Canada's trade posture, suggesting the nation is open to deepening economic ties with the United States and Mexico. This movement toward more integrated regional structures is being considered alongside the upcoming mandatory six-year …
Diplomatic efforts regarding the ongoing conflict in the Middle East have intensified over the weekend as the United States and Iran evaluate a proposed memorandum of understanding intended to formally conclude hostilities. While President Donald Trump has indicated that Washington is anticipating an imminent response from Tehran concerning the dea…
While the long-term promise of artificial intelligence lies in enhanced productivity, current market dynamics suggest the technology is acting as an inflationary force. According to a recent note from Goldman Sachs, AI is contributing to rising U.S. consumer prices through specific upward pressures on electronics components, software subscription m…
People familiar with the matter, including U.S. officials, say a clandestine Israeli military outpost in Iraq's western desert was established to support a five-week air campaign against Iran. The facility, built shortly before the conflict with U.S. awareness, hosted special forces and search-and-rescue teams and was defended by strikes after Iraq…
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said Europe remains committed to a robust NATO and shares the United States' objective of ending the war with Iran and preventing Tehran from acquiring nuclear weapons. Speaking in Stockholm with Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson, Merz called for preserving the transatlantic alliance despite recent strains betw…
Prime Minister Keir Starmer has appointed former prime minister Gordon Brown as his adviser on global finance and cooperation and named Harriet Harman as his adviser on women and girls. The moves come as Labour reels from heavy municipal losses, sparking internal demands for a leadership change and adding fresh political pressure amid a cost-of-liv…
The United Kingdom has dispatched the Type 45 destroyer HMS Dragon from the eastern Mediterranean toward the Middle East to be in position to support a multinational maritime security operation aimed at protecting commercial traffic through the Strait of Hormuz. The move comes as Washington awaits an Iranian response to a ceasefire proposal followi…
European governments are preparing for the possibility that U.S. President Donald Trump will announce more troop withdrawals from the continent following an order to remove 5,000 personnel from Germany. Diplomats and officials cited options that include cuts in Italy, cancellation of planned missile deployments in Germany, reduced participation in …
Goldman Sachs Commodities Research warns that while global oil inventories remain above official emergency thresholds on aggregate, the pace at which stocks are being drawn down and their uneven regional distribution are creating the risk of localized shortages. Immediate pressure is concentrated in petrochemical feedstocks and jet fuel in Europe a…
SiamAI, a Bangkok-based technology company, formally rejected accusations that it helped route advanced AI servers to China in breach of U.S. export rules. The firm reiterated compliance with U.S. export and re-export controls as U.S. prosecutors allege billions in sensitive American AI technology were diverted to China during a concentrated window…
The U.S. government announced sanctions on three Chinese satellite imagery companies, alleging they delivered satellite imagery and data to Iran that assisted attacks on American forces in the Middle East. The action - which also added Iran’s Ministry of Defence Export Center to the list - arrives days before a high-level U.S.-China summit in Beiji…
Germany's governing coalition has proposed sweeping reforms to address a projected €40 billion shortfall in statutory health-insurance funds by 2030. The package, described by Chancellor Friedrich Merz as "historic," imposes stricter pricing controls on pharmaceuticals, increases mandated rebates, and gives insurers tools to steer prescriptions to …
China reported a stronger-than-expected rebound in exports in April, with outbound shipments rising 14.1% year-on-year. Imports climbed even more sharply, up 25.3%, driven by purchases of high-end semiconductors and power equipment tied to artificial intelligence infrastructure. The result was a trade surplus of $84.82 billion, even as shipping dis…
A recent analysis from Bank of America (BofA) Global Research suggests that the structural macroeconomic challenges facing Europe may be too deeply entrenched to be solved by a sudden geopolitical shift in the Middle East. Despite emerging discussions regarding a potential peace agreement between the United States and Iran, BofA analysts maintain a…
