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
BRASILIA, May 5 - The Central Bank of Brazil debated shifting its assessment of the balance of inflation risks but ultimately kept that assessment unchanged, even as the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran has pushed inflation expectations higher. The bank trimmed its policy rate by 25 basis points to 14.5% for a second consecutive meeting, while minutes from…
Minutes from the central bank's April 29 meeting show policymakers view the Middle East conflict and stronger domestic demand as ongoing inflation drivers. While the board approved a quarter-point cut to the Selic rate to 14.5%, members stressed the need for a restrictive stance to counter deanchoring of expectations and second-round effects from h…
Canada moved to a merchandise trade surplus of C$1.78 billion in March, reversing a C$5.11 billion deficit in February. The shift was led by stronger energy receipts amid higher crude prices and a surge in metal and non-metallic product exports, while overall imports declined.The gain represented the first monthly surplus in six months and exceeded…
RadixArk has raised $100 million in a seed round at a $400 million valuation to advance software that reduces the compute required to run AI models. The round was led by Accel and Spark Capital, with participation from Nvidia’s NVentures, Broadcom CEO Hock Tan, and others. RadixArk's open-source engine, SGLang, operates as a middle layer leveraging…
Mozambique’s prolonged economic difficulties have intensified recently as an Islamist insurgency, post-election unrest and financing strains have combined to raise the prospect of a sovereign debt restructuring. The International Monetary Fund reclassified the country’s debt as unsustainable, arrears to creditors have accumulated, and market indica…
Long-dated UK government bond yields climbed to their highest point in almost three decades as traders increased bets on additional Bank of England rate rises. The 30-year gilt yield rose 11 basis points to 5.76% as trading resumed after a public holiday, with heightened Middle East tensions and firmer oil prices contributing to the move. Interest …
Romania's minority administration lost a no-confidence vote in parliament, toppling Prime Minister Ilie Bolojan's government and introducing political uncertainty that could stall efforts to reduce the European Union's largest budget deficit. The motion was filed by the Social Democrats, who exited the coalition last month over unpopular fiscal cut…
Consumer prices in Switzerland rose 0.6% year-on-year in April, the highest pace in 16 months, driven largely by surging energy costs linked to conflict in the Middle East. Core inflation excluding energy fell to 0.3%, and Swiss authorities expect the recent uptick to be temporary, with higher electricity charges not reaching households until next …
Brazil's finance minister Dario Durigan said the government's relaunched consumer debt relief program is unlikely to derail the country's nascent cycle of monetary easing, describing the fiscal effect as 'quite contained.' Durigan tied current monetary pressures to geopolitical events that have pushed oil prices higher and reiterated opposition to …
Hungary's central bank governor, Mihaly Varga, warned that the country's primary budget deficit could expand this year from the 0.9% of GDP recorded in 2025. Speaking at a business conference, Varga outlined monetary policy priorities - preserving a positive real interest rate and maintaining the policy rate unchanged at 6.25% - and flagged both ex…
Bank of America expects Mexico's central bank to lower its policy rate by 25 basis points to 6.50% at the May 7 meeting, anticipating a 4-1 vote split. The bank says Banxico will keep guidance closely tied to incoming data while inflation remains above target, and projects the terminal rate will stay at 6.50% for the remainder of 2026. BofA also hi…
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…
