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.
7,188 total articles
European Central Bank board member Piero Cipollone said the likelihood of an ECB rate increase has grown as inflation remains elevated and upside risks persist. Inflation reached 3% in April, and while negotiated wage data have not shown a jump in pay demands, Cipollone warned that shifts in longer-term expectations or a rapid rise in wages could f…
U.S. stock futures pushed higher after President Donald Trump said he would suspend a U.S. operation to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and indicated progress toward a peace arrangement with Iran. Brent crude fell but remained above $100 a barrel. Advanced Micro Devices reported a sharp rise in profit and revenue driven by demand for AI-related data ce…
With UniCredit formally launching a 37 billion euro takeover of Commerzbank and having accumulated close to a 30% stake, some figures in Berlin are exploring whether state-owned KfW could be used to expand Germany’s existing 12% share. The move would aim to create a large enough holding to obstruct a full takeover, a plan that faces political and f…
Global equity benchmarks rose to fresh records after major Asian markets reopened from holidays, propelled by a jump in semiconductor shares in Seoul and strong services data from China. Samsung Electronics surged, pushing the KOSPI above 7,000 and lifting MSCI global and emerging market indices. Oil fell for a second day after remarks from the U.S…
A private-sector purchasing managers' survey showed China's services activity expanded at a quicker clip in April, with new domestic business the main driver. The reading diverged from an official survey that signaled a return to contraction. Export demand softened further and firms faced rising input costs tied to higher oil, fuel and freight pric…
The U.S. dollar weakened against most major peers after Washington signalled potential progress toward a comprehensive agreement with Iran. Comments from U.S. officials and a temporary pause in a naval escort operation helped drive oil prices lower, while the yen drifted toward levels that have previously attracted intervention from Tokyo. Markets …
President Donald Trump announced a temporary pause in Project Freedom, the operation intended to reopen commercial passage through the Strait of Hormuz, saying a deal with Iran was close and "great progress" had been made toward a "complete and final agreement." He added the naval blockade of Iran will continue. The pause comes after Iranian milita…
Stocks rallied to fresh highs on a wave of AI optimism supported by strong corporate results, lower oil prices and easing Middle East tensions. The advance was broad-based, led by technology and semiconductors, even as long-term government bond yields rose and inflation breakevens signalled persistent price pressures.
The U.S. Trade Representative has opened a four-day Section 301 hearing into excess industrial capacity among 16 major trading partners. Domestic manufacturers urged higher duties to counter rising exports from countries with spare factory capacity, while import-dependent sectors and farm groups urged restraint. Testimony from nearly 150 representa…
JPMorgan Chase strategists warn that New York City now faces an elevated probability of a credit rating downgrade after New York State signaled it is unlikely to approve significant personal and corporate tax hikes. The bank's report highlights constrained revenue options for the city as it confronts an estimated $5.4 billion two-year budget shortf…
Senate Republican leaders have proposed directing $1 billion in taxpayer funds to the U.S. Secret Service this year to finance security improvements that would cover upgrades to the White House ballroom, a project President Trump has said would be paid for by private donations. The broader measure, part of an almost $72 billion package to fund Immi…
President Donald Trump said he will bring up the war in Iran when he meets Chinese President Xi Jinping at a summit next week, and characterized Xi's handling of the issue as respectful and non-confrontational. Trump noted that Beijing purchases substantial volumes of Iranian oil, supplies that have been interrupted by the conflict. The meeting, se…
The European Commission urged the United States to restore the tariff framework agreed in last year’s EU-US trade deal before the pact’s one-year mark at the end of July. In a Paris meeting, EU official Maros Sefcovic and U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer discussed outstanding issues including U.S. threats to raise car and truck tariffs to 2…
Francois Villeroy de Galhau, an outgoing member of the European Central Bank's Governing Council, said the bank does not currently see clear evidence that rising oil prices have produced inflationary effects broad or durable enough to merit higher interest rates. He reiterated that the ECB would act if second-round effects emerged, and noted he wil…
Peter Magyar, Hungary's incoming prime minister, warned that the country's budget deficit is expected to reach 6.8% of gross domestic product this year, a figure well above the government's earlier targets. Magyar said his party uncovered a government decree suggesting the current cabinet plans to empty public funds ahead of the transfer of power, …
JPMorgan reported that April proved a difficult month for dealmaking as clients put transactions on hold because of geopolitical uncertainty tied to the Iran war. Anu Aiyengar, the bank’s global head of advisory and M&A, said the environment produced a stop-and-start pattern and that the market is favoring larger transactions, with deals under $2 b…
Federal Reserve Vice Chair for Supervision Michelle Bowman warned Tuesday that consumer fraud and scams are an escalating threat to the financial system, noting that almost every case involves a bank account or a payment linked to one. She said regulators are weighing stronger measures as banks increase investments in security and consumer educatio…
Wolfe Research analyst Tobin Marcus says tax provisions in the One Big Beautiful Bill give the economy a modest tailwind for 2026 but fall short of producing the broad-based stimulus-fueled boom the Administration described. Household tax refunds are tracking close to Wolfe's $111 billion estimate, yet much of the benefit has gone to higher-income …
Satellite analysis from a maritime monitoring firm indicates that a very large crude carrier sailing under Iran's flag appears to have surfaced off Bali after months without entries on commercial tracking systems. The vessel had been observed near an Iranian port just hours before the U.S. enforcement operation in the Gulf of Oman began on April 13…
The unemployment rate for Americans aged 22 to 27 holding bachelor’s degrees remained at 5.6% in March, the same level recorded in December, according to the New York Federal Reserve. The first quarter of 2026 saw a decline in underemployment for this group to 41.5%, while unemployment for similarly aged workers without four-year degrees fell to 7.…
Job openings in the United States eased in March even as employers increased hiring sharply, according to the Labor Department's JOLTS report. Openings fell by 56,000 to 6.866 million, while hires rose by 655,000 to 5.554 million. Layoffs and discharges also increased, and economists point to geopolitical disruptions and commodity price pressures a…
France has convened an online meeting of G7 ministers to address global dependence on China for critical minerals and to present a national plan to rebuild a full rare-earths and permanent magnets supply chain. Finance Minister Roland Lescure said the session is a preparatory step for a mid-June G7 leaders' summit in Evian and described measures Fr…
The Securities and Exchange Commission is drafting rules to roll back a 2024 climate-related disclosure requirement designed to give investors information on companies' climate spending, emissions and risks. The action follows the agency's earlier decision not to defend the rule in court and comes amid an administration intent on undoing prior clim…
The U.S. employment report due later this week is being watched as a pivotal signal for Federal Reserve policy. Strong economic readings and concerns about inflation tied to the war with Iran have pushed markets to expect no rate moves this year. A clear, sustained weakening in the labor market would be required to revive serious consideration of c…
Saudi Arabia recorded a budget deficit of 125.7 billion riyals ($33.5 billion) in the first quarter of 2026, the finance ministry said Tuesday. The gap was driven by a 20% increase in government spending to 386.7 billion riyals while total revenues slipped to 261.0 billion riyals. Oil receipts fell 3% year-on-year to 144.7 billion riyals as non-oil…
