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.
5,102 total articles
The Reserve Bank of Australia raised its cash rate by 25 basis points to 4.35% at its May meeting, the third increase this year and a return to post-pandemic highs. With the board voting 8-1 for the hike, Governor Michele Bullock said policy is now slightly restrictive, allowing the bank to step back and assess inflation and growth risks linked to …
The Reserve Bank of Australia increased its cash rate by 25 basis points to 4.35% at its May meeting, marking the third hike this year and restoring interest rates to post-pandemic highs. The board cited rising fuel costs and the potential for second-round effects on broader prices as reasons to keep policy tight, and signalled risks remain tilted …
The Reserve Bank of Australia has raised its inflation projections and trimmed growth and labour market forecasts after a global energy shock originating in the Gulf pushed domestic fuel prices sharply higher. Policymakers are widely expected to lift the cash rate by 25 basis points to 4.35%, with the RBA warning of risks from a prolonged closure o…
The Reserve Bank of Australia increased its cash rate by 25 basis points to 4.35% on Tuesday, marking the third rise this year and moving borrowing costs to their highest point since late-2024. The central bank cited added inflationary pressure from energy market disruptions tied to the conflict in the Middle East and said consumer price inflation …
A U.S. operation tied to the protection of shipping, dubbed 'Project Freedom,' has struggled to restore safe transit through the Strait of Hormuz. Multiple incidents at sea, attacks on an oil port, and continuing uncertainty have left regional shipping largely halted, pushed oil prices above $100 a barrel and rattled markets ahead of earnings and c…
Asian equity markets softened on Tuesday amid renewed U.S.-Iran clashes around the Strait of Hormuz, while Brent and U.S. crude eased from recent peaks but stayed above $100 a barrel. Traders also monitored the yen after a sharp, short-lived move and awaited a heavy slate of corporate earnings and U.S. economic data later in the week.
The yen traded steady close to its strongest level in two months after reports of Tokyo stepping into the market last week. The U.S. dollar strengthened on safe-haven demand as renewed strikes in the Gulf and the closure of the Strait of Hormuz have kept crude prices high. Market attention is on an expected Reserve Bank of Australia rate rise and c…
Venezuela’s central bank reported that inflation slowed to 10.6% in April from 13.1% in March. The bank noted cumulative inflation of 90% so far in 2026, and calculations based on the central bank’s own figures put the annualized rate at 611.86%. Acting president Luis Perez defended the integrity of the data and said he expects single-digit inflati…
U.S. Customs and Border Protection now estimates that the initial electronic refunds tied to tariffs the Supreme Court found unlawful could begin as soon as May 12, one day later than an earlier expectation. The agency disclosed the estimated Automated Clearing House payment start date in a notice to shippers that also unveiled status reports claim…
Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Araghchi warned that a military approach cannot resolve the crisis around the Strait of Hormuz and said Pakistan-brokered discussions between Tehran and Washington are making progress. The statement follows a period of heightened conflict in the shipping lane, where U.S. escort operations and reported Iranian strikes …
Westpac Banking Corp posted a first-half net profit of A$3.41 billion for the six months ended March 31, a 3% rise from a year earlier but below the Visible Alpha consensus of A$3.47 billion. The result was pressured by lending competition, increased credit impairment charges and weaker Treasury income, which collectively trimmed the bank's net int…
Oil climbed further above $100 a barrel after Iran exercised control over the Strait of Hormuz, a development that has tightened shipping and stoked an energy-price shock. The move coincided with a rise in U.S. Treasury yields and a broadly weaker tone for stocks. Analysts warn that sustained energy-price pressure could push inflation materially ab…
International Monetary Fund Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva warned that inflation is already rising and that the global economy could face a substantially worse outcome if the Middle East conflict continues into 2027 and oil climbs to roughly $125 per barrel. She said the IMF's previously outlined mild slowdown scenario is no longer feasible…
Mexican inflation is forecast to have moderated in April, according to a median estimate from a 12-analyst poll, potentially allowing the central bank to conclude its prolonged easing cycle with a final 25 basis-point cut at its upcoming meeting. Both headline and core annual inflation are projected to decline from March levels, while monthly price…
Maersk confirmed that its commercial vessel Alliance Fairfax transited the Strait of Hormuz after receiving an offer of military protection from U.S. forces. The ship, operated by Farrell Lines Inc., was one of two U.S.-flagged merchant vessels Central Command said completed passage through the strategic waterway.
Benjamin Moore’s chief executive, Dan Calkins, told shareholders the company is seeing consumers shift from premium to mid-range paint as higher inflation, rising gas prices and increased mortgage rates squeeze household budgets. A small rise in home remodeling has not compensated for a slowdown in existing-home sales, and the company’s global foot…
South Africa’s central bank will monitor incoming economic data before choosing its next policy step as the conflict in Iran has raised global energy prices and complicated the inflation outlook. Governor Lesetja Kganyago said the bank held rates at 6.75% in March to assess the shock and remains committed to returning inflation to its 3% target des…
Blackstone President Jon Gray told a Milken Institute panel that the surge in artificial intelligence infrastructure spending is creating a rapid expansion in blue-collar employment tied to data-center construction and related work. QTS, a Blackstone-backed operator, plans to increase its on-site workforce from 10,000 to 40,000 within a year. The r…
U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer confirmed that the administration will implement President Donald Trump’s decision to raise tariffs on cars imported from the European Union to 25%. Greer said he discussed the move and compliance concerns with European and German trade officials over the weekend. The European Commission rejected the U.S. cl…
New York Federal Reserve President John Williams told an audience in New York that policymakers are more aligned on the current monetary stance than recent FOMC voting patterns imply. He highlighted shifting labor force dynamics, a revised break-even for job growth, stable longer-term inflation expectations, and a likely higher long-run federal fun…
Bundesbank President Joachim Nagel warned that the European Central Bank may need to raise interest rates in June if the inflation outlook shown in forthcoming ECB projections does not improve materially. The remark follows the ECB's decision to hold policy steady last week despite internal debate about further tightening. Inflation hit 3% last mon…
Berkshire Hathaway-owned Dairy Queen has put plans to expand further in the Middle East on hold as franchisees contend with supply-chain constraints tied to tensions that include conflict in Iran and shipping restrictions through the Strait of Hormuz. At the same time, the chain is testing an AI-powered ordering chatbot in roughly 50 drive-thrus as…
Bundesbank President Joachim Nagel warned that the European Central Bank could raise interest rates in June if the inflation outlook in upcoming ECB projections does not show material improvement. With inflation at 3% last month and oil prices above $110 per barrel amid the war in Iran, Nagel said the bank must guard against an initial shock becomi…
Bank of America analysts argue that the approaching U.S. midterm elections are becoming a meaningful input into Washington's trade and foreign policy calculations. The bank warns that an extended conflict could lift gas prices and that electoral timing may make the Administration less inclined to pursue aggressive tariff measures; it expects effect…
New York Federal Reserve President John Williams said monetary policy is in a good position to address economic uncertainty arising from the war in the Middle East, while cautioning that risks to both inflation and employment have increased. He outlined growth, unemployment and inflation projections for the year and stressed that energy-related sup…
