Economy

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.

Articles

6,933 total articles

U.S. Announces 25% Tariff on Select Brazilian Imports After Year-Long Probe

U.S. Announces 25% Tariff on Select Brazilian Imports After Year-Long Probe

The United States will levy a 25% tariff on certain imports from Brazil after a year-long Section 301 investigation concluded that Brazilian policies unfairly restricted U.S. commerce. The move, directed by President Donald Trump and announced by U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer, follows unsuccessful negotiations on a range of issues and le…

Record surge in consumer defaults undercuts Beijing’s push to revive spending

Record surge in consumer defaults undercuts Beijing’s push to revive spending

A growing number of Chinese households are falling behind on loans even as authorities encourage borrowing to lift domestic demand. Consumer defaults have reached unprecedented levels, with banks tightening lending standards and using loan restructurings to avoid immediate non-performing classifications. The trend poses risks for lenders concentrat…

Fed Beige Book Signals Ongoing Growth Amid Uneven Inflation Signals

Fed Beige Book Signals Ongoing Growth Amid Uneven Inflation Signals

The Federal Reserve's latest Beige Book reports continued expansion across its 12 districts, with employment increasing but not exerting notable upward pressure on wages. Price growth broadly held steady or decelerated compared with the previous period, though contacts reported divergent inflation expectations and flagged fuel-cost uncertainty foll…

Peru’s May Growth Tumbles to 1.8%, Weakest Monthly Expansion in 2026

Peru’s May Growth Tumbles to 1.8%, Weakest Monthly Expansion in 2026

Peru's economy expanded 1.8% in May from a year earlier, the slowest monthly growth recorded so far in 2026. The national statistics agency INEI released the data showing a marked slowdown from April's 3.73% expansion and below the 3.2% forecast from analysts. Sharp contractions in the fishing and manufacturing sectors were prominent contributors t…

Report Warns France’s Debt Path Will Worsen Without Swift Spending Restraint

Report Warns France’s Debt Path Will Worsen Without Swift Spending Restraint

An independent panel of economists commissioned by the French government finds public finances set to deteriorate markedly through 2030 unless policymakers implement corrective measures. The report forecasts widening deficits, rising debt-to-GDP and sharply higher interest costs, and urges targeted structural reforms and reconsideration of automati…

Fed Governor Cook Signals Readiness to Tighten Policy if Inflation Fails to Ease

Fed Governor Cook Signals Readiness to Tighten Policy if Inflation Fails to Ease

Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook said she is prepared to raise policy if inflation does not begin to slow soon, while allowing a brief window to observe incoming data. Cook highlighted risks tied to an investment boom around artificial intelligence, tariffs and price pressures stemming from the U.S. war with Iran. Her comments underscore a shift …

Banks Signal U.S. Consumer Resilience as Loan Balances Rise

Banks Signal U.S. Consumer Resilience as Loan Balances Rise

Executives at major Wall Street banks described U.S. households as largely resilient, pointing to modest growth in consumer loan balances led by credit cards, steady spending across income groups, and broadly stable credit metrics. Banks flagged concerns about higher living costs for lower-income households and the inflationary impact of geopolitic…

Money Market Funds Trim Maturities as Fed Path Remains Unclear

Money Market Funds Trim Maturities as Fed Path Remains Unclear

Money market funds have shortened their weighted average maturities and shifted allocations toward floating-rate notes and repurchase agreements as uncertainty about the U.S. Federal Reserve's policy path persists. Data show funds reduced average maturities in July and moved cash into FRNs and repos, even as T-bill holdings were trimmed. Market sig…

Senate Panel Advances Brett Matsumoto Nomination to Lead Labor Statistics Agency

Senate Panel Advances Brett Matsumoto Nomination to Lead Labor Statistics Agency

Brett Matsumoto, President Donald Trump’s nominee to direct the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), was advanced by the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee in a party-line vote, bringing him closer to heading the agency responsible for key labor and inflation data. The committee also cleared two nominations to the National Lab…

Wall Street's Deal Engine Powers Back to Life

Wall Street's Deal Engine Powers Back to Life

A wide-ranging pickup in investment banking activity is underway at major U.S. banks, supported by a surge in IPOs, elevated merger volumes and strong debt issuance. Investment banking fees at the six largest U.S. banks rose sharply in the second quarter, while banks report fuller backlogs and renewed sponsor exits to public markets.

Warsh: AI-Driven Price Gains Are Real but Not Necessarily Inflationary

Warsh: AI-Driven Price Gains Are Real but Not Necessarily Inflationary

Federal Reserve Chairman Kevin Warsh told the Senate Banking Committee that price increases tied to artificial intelligence-driven investment are occurring but should not automatically be treated as inflation. He said supply responses and Federal Reserve actions will determine whether these price moves take on persistent inflationary character. War…

Rome Talks Yield Progress on Plan for Israeli Pullback in Southern Lebanon

Rome Talks Yield Progress on Plan for Israeli Pullback in Southern Lebanon

Ambassador-level negotiations held at the U.S. embassy in Rome concluded after two days with U.S. officials describing progress toward implementing a framework agreement that could see Israeli forces withdraw from parts of southern Lebanon in the coming days. The talks aim to operationalize a pilot zone arrangement agreed on June 26 that calls for …