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.
6,933 total articles
Mortgage borrowing costs rose sharply last week, pushing the average 30-year fixed-rate mortgage to 6.43% in the week ended March 20. Rising oil prices tied to the Iran war have driven Treasury yields higher, eroding refinance incentives and weighing on both purchase and refinance loan applications, the Mortgage Bankers Association said.
President Donald Trump on Wednesday named the inaugural members of his President's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology, appointing a series of well-known figures from the technology sector. The council will be co-chaired by David Sacks and Michael Kratsios and is charged with advising on policies to strengthen U.S. leadership in science a…
Bank of England rate-setter Megan Greene said she was not close to voting for an interest rate increase at the Monetary Policy Committee meeting this month, which she said was dominated by concerns over the economic effects of the conflict in the Middle East. Speaking at an event hosted by Jefferies, Greene reiterated that she was not tempted to hi…
Iran has turned down a U.S. proposal for a ceasefire, telling Iranian state-linked media that a truce and negotiations are not feasible under current conditions. The refusal came despite what Iran described as intensified American efforts to secure a pause in fighting. Reports from regional and international outlets indicate diplomatic activity, in…
A new ADP Research report finds only 22% of workers worldwide strongly believe their jobs are safe from elimination. The Today at Work 2026, Issue 1 survey of more than 39,000 adults across 36 markets shows the greatest insecurity among lower-paid, repetitive-task workers and lower-level employees. The study links job-security perceptions to engage…
A quarterly Federal Reserve survey of 473 chief financial officers found improving economic expectations through early 2026, with firms projecting revenue growth, modest hiring and price increases. The survey - conducted by the Federal Reserve banks of Atlanta and Richmond with Duke University Fuqua School of Business from February 17 to March 5 - …
UBS’s Chief Investment Office moved Eurozone equities to a neutral stance and cut its 2026 earnings growth outlook to 5% from 7%, citing the risk that ongoing interruptions to energy supplies could derail a hoped-for manufacturing rebound. At the same time, the bank upgraded Swiss equities and European health care to Attractive and reiterated secto…
The European Central Bank will closely monitor companies' expected selling prices and wages paid to new hires as signals of whether recent energy-driven price shocks will translate into sustained inflation, ECB Chief Economist Philip Lane said at a Frankfurt conference. Markets appear to be pricing a one-off price-level jump rather than persistent …
European Central Bank President Christine Lagarde said the ECB could respond with modest tightening if recent energy-related price pressures, driven by the war in Iran and attacks on regional energy infrastructure, cause inflation to overshoot the 2% target - even if that overshoot is not deeply persistent. The ECB held rates steady last week but r…
U.S. stock index futures climbed after media reports suggested Washington proposed a month-long ceasefire to Iran, reducing some investor fears about sustained energy disruptions. Oil prices slipped roughly 4%, supporting risk appetite. Market attention also focused on corporate movers including Arm, Intel, Nvidia, JD.com, Alibaba, Destiny Tech100 …
U.S. officials are describing ongoing, indirect exchanges with Iran about a potential ceasefire, but Iranian authorities have pushed back on those characterizations and set high preconditions for any talks. Mediators are seeking to bridge the gap even as Gulf Arab states urge sustained pressure on Tehran and military activity across the region rema…
Futures tied to major U.S. stock gauges moved higher as reports emerged that diplomatic channels may be arranging talks between U.S. and Iranian officials. Energy markets pulled back, with Brent crude slipping under $100 a barrel, while gold strengthened and the U.S. dollar eased. The developments followed reports that the U.S. presented a 15-point…
Sweden's central bank expects interest rates to remain unchanged for the near term, according to the Riksbank's latest minutes, which highlight heightened uncertainty from the ongoing war in the Middle East and its potential to disrupt global energy supplies. Governor Erik Thedeen warned of possible long-term effects on oil and natural gas availabi…
China's commerce ministry concluded that Mexico's recent tariff increases and other trade measures amount to barriers to trade and investment, affecting more than $30 billion of Chinese exports. The ministry estimated the moves could cause roughly $9.4 billion in losses to China's mechanical and electrical sectors, with about $9 billion of that imp…
European Central Bank President Christine Lagarde said a 'not-too-persistent' inflation overshoot driven by the current energy shock could justify modest tightening. While the ECB held rates steady last week, policymakers are weighing scenarios under which they would lift interest rates to prevent a temporary price surge from becoming entrenched. L…
British consumer price inflation remained at an annual 3.0% in February, the same pace recorded in January. Economists polled expected the steady reading. The Bank of England's outlook has shifted higher following recent geopolitical developments and manufacturers report substantial cost increases that could be passed to consumers as energy price r…
Several Asian countries are revisiting emergency policies first used during the COVID pandemic as they confront a fuel squeeze linked to a near-total blockage of the Strait of Hormuz since February 28. Governments across the region are weighing measures ranging from work-from-home recommendations to releasing domestic reserves and temporary financi…
U.S. President Donald Trump said talks with Iran are underway and hinted at a concession of significant monetary value, a claim Tehran has not confirmed. The comments have nudged oil lower and Asian stocks modestly higher, but markets remain cautious amid continued strikes and sparse details about any ceasefire proposals. Euro zone activity shows s…
Hundreds of staff at the Australian Broadcasting Corporation walked off the job on Wednesday in a 24-hour strike - the first stoppage of its kind in 20 years - protesting pay and working conditions. Live news output was shifted to programming supplied by the BBC once the walkout began at 11:00 a.m. (0000 GMT). The action follows months of negotiati…
Australia's consumer price index was unchanged in February compared with January, with the annual rate easing to 3.7% from 3.8%. Core measures were a touch softer than expected, but a subsequent war-related jump in oil prices has increased inflationary risks for transport, goods and services. Market reactions were mixed, with the currency and bond …
Currency trading in early Asian hours showed limited movement as investors reacted cautiously to inconsistent signals about U.S. efforts to negotiate an end to the conflict with Iran. Equity futures and oil swung sharply on recent comments, while bond yields eased and expectations for U.S. policy tightening rose.
Global equities rose while crude prices fell after reports that the U.S. had transmitted a 15-point settlement plan to Iran and was pressing for a month-long ceasefire. Risk assets advanced across Asia and Europe, precious metals gained, and benchmark Treasury yields eased as markets digested the potential for a temporary de-escalation in the Persi…
Minutes from the Bank of Japan's January policy meeting indicate that many board members favored further increases in interest rates, though they did not agree on a set schedule. Some participants urged prompt moves to rein in inflation and to address yen weakness that raises import costs. The BOJ held short-term rates at 0.75% in January while mai…
Chicago Federal Reserve Bank President Austan Goolsbee said progress in reducing inflation is a prerequisite for any realistic chance of interest rate cuts this year. He told PBS that a recent surge in energy prices tied to the war in Iran is likely to boost inflation further in the near term, complicating the Fed's path back to its 2% goal. Curren…
Federal Reserve Governor Michael Barr said the central bank may need to hold its policy rate steady "for some time" as inflation remains notably above the Fed's 2% goal and higher oil prices risk feeding through to consumer costs. He said the labor market "appears to be stabilizing" but wants to see clear evidence of retreating goods and services p…
