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.
7,101 total articles
U.S. crude oil inventories, including the Strategic Petroleum Reserve, fell by over 15 million barrels in the week ending June 19 to 743.3 million barrels, the Energy Information Administration reported, marking the lowest combined level since October 1984. Excluding the SPR, crude stocks also reached a recent low, while regional inventories and Ea…
Romania's Social Democratic Party has announced it will support its leader, Sorin Grindeanu, for the prime ministership as parties continue negotiations to form a government after the collapse of a pro-European coalition. The political rupture, triggered when the Social Democrats left the coalition and aligned with the far right to remove Liberal P…
Bulgaria's finance minister presented a 2026 budget targeting a 5.7% deficit with a path to the European Union's 3% limit by 2028. Measures include spending cuts, salary caps at state firms and the phased removal of mandatory health insurance payments for select public servants. The proposal faces parliamentary approval and follows recent EU moves …
Gold-backed exchange-traded funds face renewed pressure from growing investor expectations of interest rate increases. Spot gold fell below $4,000 per ounce for the first time since November 2025, pressured by a stronger U.S. dollar and a shift toward tighter monetary policy expectations. Data show ETF outflows continued into June after net redempt…
The International Maritime Organization has defined two distinct transit corridors through the Strait of Hormuz to support an operation to evacuate more than 11,000 seafarers stranded in the Middle East. The plan allows passage either through waters under Iranian control or through areas coordinated by Oman and the United States, and requires shipm…
The United States posted a current account deficit of $226.8 billion in the first quarter, an increase from the revised fourth-quarter figure and larger than economists had forecast. The shortfall rose as primary income swung into deficit and primary income payments hit a record high, partially offset by a smaller goods and services trade deficit.
Chile's central bank opted to maintain its policy interest rate at 4.5% at the June meeting, a unanimous decision described in minutes released Wednesday. Board members characterized holding rates steady as "the only plausible option" given heightened global uncertainty. The minutes show the inflation outlook was largely unchanged and that policyma…
Indian and U.S. trade officials met in New Delhi to discuss possible routes toward an interim trade agreement. Officials said they have made substantial progress and remain committed to reaching an accord described as "balanced and commercially meaningful," even as legal rulings and ongoing investigations have complicated key elements of the negoti…
Russia's parliament approved changes to the tax code on Wednesday aimed at addressing widespread gasoline and diesel shortages that have followed Ukrainian drone strikes on oil refineries. The amendments authorize blending lower-quality fuel with straight-run gasoline, create subsidies for fuel imports tied to Indian delivery costs and prices, and …
Official statistics show Mexico's annual inflation rate at 3.55% in the first half of June, down from 4.11% in the first half of May and below the Reuters poll median forecast of 3.77%. On a month-on-month basis, consumer prices declined 0.11% in early June, while the core price index rose 0.19%, both softer than economists had expected.
Mexico's annual inflation rate slowed to 3.55% in the first half of June, down from 4.11% in the first half of May and below economists' forecasts. Month-on-month consumer prices fell 0.11% in the period, while the core price index rose 0.19%, slightly under expectations of 0.21%. The data were released by the national statistics agency.
Affluent buyers from Poland, the United States and the Gulf are increasingly purchasing high-end homes in Madrid and along Spain’s Mediterranean coast. Citing wars in Ukraine and the Middle East and political turbulence in the United States, these buyers are driving up prices in tourist provinces and intensifying demand for premium housing as inves…
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent told CNBC that the U.S. Treasury will oversee Iranian funds released under President Donald Trump’s interim agreement, with a substantial share intended for purchases of U.S. food and medical supplies. The administration says the arrangement is temporary and designed to pause hostilities and allow a 60-day negotiati…
The European Commission unveiled a tax simplification package designed to reduce administrative burdens on companies across the EU. If adopted by all member states, the measures could cut annual compliance costs by up to €8 billion, while removing withholding taxes and scaling back reporting rules to spur cross-border activity.
L'Oréal shares climbed just over 2% after Jefferies raised its price target to €328 from €323 and lifted earnings estimates. The broker retained an 'underperform' rating, warning that the market currently prices in a growth rate the company’s recent underlying data may not sustain. Jefferies cited stronger scanner-data performance in North America …
The Paris Club's 2025 annual report says the Common Framework for restructuring sovereign debt of low-income countries needs reforms to become quicker and more efficient. The report highlights ongoing disputes - notably Ethiopia's confrontation with bondholders - and calls for clearer rules on creditor treatment and Preferred Creditor Status to ens…
A recent quarterly survey of more than 500 chief financial officers found that the spring spike in energy costs following conflict in the Middle East produced higher unit costs for many firms but only modest direct price increases and little deterioration in demand. The poll, conducted by the Federal Reserve banks of Richmond and Atlanta with Duke …
A European Central Bank report published on June 24 in Frankfurt says EU members outside the euro area have shown little to no recent progress toward meeting convergence criteria. While Bulgaria joined the euro earlier this year, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, Romania and Sweden remain years away from accession, with Hungary, despite politica…
The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission's enforcement division is conducting a probe into continuation vehicles - funds private equity managers use to retain assets beyond a fund's life - examining potential conflicts of interest, valuation practices and the adequacy of investor disclosures, three people with direct knowledge said. The inquiry,…
The Federal Reserve will publish the outcomes of its annual stress test for 32 large U.S. banks on Wednesday, providing an updated view of their capital strength. With the central bank not adjusting the stress capital buffer this year, banks already have the capital framework they will use to plan dividends and buybacks. Analysts expect mostly mode…
Summary: Apple plans to expand its original film and television output for both its streaming platform and movie theaters, senior executive Eddy Cue said while accepting an industry award in Cannes. Cue, who manages Apple's media and entertainment operations, said incoming CEO John Ternus supports the content strategy. Apple will continue to produc…
The UK sold £4.25 billion of conventional gilts maturing in 2031 on Wednesday. The auction attracted £14.75 billion of bids for a bid-to-cover ratio of 3.47. The lowest accepted price was 99.317 (yield 4.286%), while the highest accepted price was 99.332 (yield 4.282%). Non-competitive allocations went largely to gilt-edged market makers, and the i…
U.S. equity futures ticked higher as investors sought stabilization following a steep selloff in technology and semiconductor stocks. Attention has shifted to Micron’s upcoming quarterly report as a signal of AI-driven demand, while falling oil prices tied to easing U.S.-Iran tensions and fresh developments at Nvidia, Meta and major index changes u…
Reserve Bank of Australia Deputy Governor Andrew Hauser told an audience in Sydney that the bank still needs to bring inflation down, explaining how the Phillips curve influenced the board’s decision to begin lifting rates in February. While lower global oil prices tied to a possible resolution of the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran would help, Hauser war…
Reserve Bank of India Governor Sanjay Malhotra told ET NOW that discussing interest rate hikes is premature given persistent global uncertainties and unclear second-round inflation effects. The central bank will remain data-dependent and would first change its stance from neutral to restrictive if preparing markets for tighter policy. Malhotra also…
