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.
5,109 total articles
The Bank of Japan kept its short-term policy rate at 0.75% after a two-day meeting, but three of nine board members dissented, preferring a rise to 1.0%. The split underscores concern about inflationary pressure linked to the Middle East conflict and has market participants watching Governor Kazuo Ueda’s post-meeting remarks for guidance on the tim…
The Japanese yen traded flat in Asian hours as markets awaited the Bank of Japan’s policy announcement, the first of several major central bank decisions this week. The BOJ is widely expected to maintain its policy rate at 0.75%. Geopolitical uncertainty from the Iran war is shaping central bank caution, while U.S. monetary policy developments and …
Asian equities remained close to record levels while the dollar held steady as investors balanced geopolitical risks in the Middle East against looming megacap earnings and a busy central bank calendar. The Bank of Japan is expected to pause on rates while offering guidance on its future path; oil prices climbed amid continued disruptions around th…
The Department of Homeland Security reported that over 1,000 Transportation Security Administration officers have departed since a funding shutdown began in mid-February. The agency said staffing losses accelerated over the spring as 50,000 TSA employees endured six weeks without pay, producing extended security wait times at some airports. Politic…
A survey of economists finds India’s headline growth forecasts largely unchanged, yet warns that the country’s extensive informal sector is already feeling the impact of Middle East tensions that are disrupting fuel supplies. Limited real-time data on fuel costs, employment, consumption and small enterprises makes it difficult to quantify the hit, …
U.S. President Donald Trump and his national security advisers have expressed skepticism about Iran's proposal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz while postponing talks on its nuclear program, according to reporting that cites U.S. officials. While not rejecting the overture outright, Trump questioned Iran's willingness to negotiate in good faith and t…
A committee of the House of Lords has recommended that Finance Minister Rachel Reeves adopt an explicit target to lower public debt from its current level within three years, arguing that the government's existing fiscal rules are insufficient to prevent a long-term rise in debt as a share of the economy.
Easter sales on confectionery, home improvement products and apparel helped push annual shop price inflation down to 1.0% in April from 1.2% in March, the British Retail Consortium said. Food inflation moderated to 3.1% from 3.4%, as retailers competed for weaker consumer spending. Industry surveys show a sharp drop in sales volumes and warnings th…
Speaker of the House Mike Johnson said the Senate-passed Department of Homeland Security funding measure will be revised before a House vote, potentially delaying funds for several DHS components. The Senate had twice approved the bill unanimously but excluded Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Border Patrol, prompting hardline House Republica…
Oil prices climbed again amid no sign that the Strait of Hormuz will reopen soon, yet U.S. equities eked out gains with the S&P 500 and Nasdaq reaching fresh highs. Markets are positioned for a busy week of corporate results and central bank decisions. Broader concerns about fiscal discipline in a world prioritizing energy, military and resource se…
The Bank of Japan is widely expected to keep its short-term policy rate at 0.75% at the end of a two-day meeting, while softening hawkish language to preserve room for further hikes if inflationary pressures from the U.S.-Israeli war with Iran intensify. Markets will scrutinize the bank's quarterly outlook and Governor Kazuo Ueda's remarks for guid…
Republican lawmakers in Congress are advancing legislation to fund and hasten construction of a new White House ballroom that President Trump is building on the site of the demolished East Wing. The effort, billed as a security upgrade after a shooting at an event where Mr. Trump had been scheduled to speak, would finance the 90,000-square-foot pro…
China's state economic planner has directed parties to withdraw a December 29 acquisition of AI startup Manus, effectively ordering Meta Platforms to reverse a $2 billion deal after the firm shifted operations to Singapore. The directive highlights the difficulty of separating people, code and capital once integration has occurred, and sends a sign…
A monthly YouGov survey conducted for U.S. bank Citi showed that British consumers pared back both short-term and long-term inflation expectations in April. The year-ahead expectation dropped to 5.0% from 5.4% in March, while the longer-run expectation eased to 4.2% from 4.5%. Citi/YouGov characterises the March jump as anomalous and says the April…
Two law firms representing Annie Altman in her civil suit accusing OpenAI CEO Sam Altman of sexual abuse have filed to withdraw, citing a breakdown in the attorney-client relationship and other professional considerations. The move requires court approval and comes as Sam Altman denies the allegations and pursues a defamation counterclaim.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt characterized the shooting at the White House Correspondents Association dinner as the third major attempt on President Donald Trump’s life. The president spoke with the Secret Service agent wounded in the incident, and White House officials said security measures performed as intended. The administratio…
Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Monday that the United States will not accept a situation in which Iran controls passage through the Strait of Hormuz, responding to reports that Tehran proposed conditions for reopening the waterway after negotiations between the two countries collapsed over the weekend. Rubio argued that Iran cannot be allowed …
Gabe Plotkin is preparing to move a portion of his personal investments into a newly proposed exchange-traded fund, using a 351 conversion that can defer taxes. Insiders say Plotkin will supply most of the initial securities for the fund, which was first filed in December. Details remain private and were provided by people who asked not to be ident…
A recent poll finds Gulf Cooperation Council economies facing their steepest slowdown since the pandemic as a regional conflict disrupts energy markets, damages infrastructure and constrains shipments through the Strait of Hormuz. Economists have sharply cut 2026 growth forecasts for several Gulf states, while forecasting a possible rebound in 2027…
Short positions against U.S. life insurers have more than doubled over the past year to exceed $5 billion, driven in part by investor concern about insurers' growing allocations to private credit and limited transparency around related holdings. Analysts and market participants warn about structural vulnerabilities in the private credit market and …
Germany's Finance Ministry said it is prepared to consider temporarily lifting the country's constitutionally enshrined debt brake as an emergency measure if disruptions tied to the war in Iran materially affect the economy. Chancellor Friedrich Merz and his conservative coalition have rejected the option, but the Finance Ministry, led by Lars Klin…
Across advanced economies, public debt has climbed to levels not seen in decades outside the pandemic window, even as growth has held up. But escalating military budgets, renewed industrial policy, resource nationalism and the need to secure supply chains and critical technologies make a credible roll-back of deficits increasingly improbable, say g…
Citigroup plans to expand its investment banking footprint across Japan and China through selective senior hires aimed at strengthening sector coverage and boosting cross-border M&A capabilities. The move follows the bank's global restructuring and comes as Asia deal activity remains robust in key markets while some energy-sensitive emerging market…
Shipping data show about seven vessels, predominantly dry bulk carriers, passed through the Strait of Hormuz in the last 24 hours amid stalled diplomatic talks between Iran and the United States. The movements, including departures from Iraqi ports and one ship from Iran, are a small fraction of pre-conflict traffic. Separately, recent U.S. actions…
Two months after the conflict in Iran began, emerging and developing economies are displaying mounting economic stress. Disrupted shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, surging energy prices and renewed inflationary pressure are forcing some central banks to tighten policy, widening fiscal gaps and threatening fiscally fragile countries, according …
