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
Czech National Bank Vice-Governor Jan Frait warned on March 4 that U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran over the past week may reduce the central bank's ability to enact small interest rate cuts if those events lead major foreign central banks to delay easing amid inflation concerns. He said he still expects some easing from large overseas banks but ca…
U.S. equity futures slipped as investors weighed an intensifying Middle East conflict and hotter oil prices that could feed inflation. Brent crude climbed nearly 2% while oil has risen more than 13% this week, driving demand for safe-haven assets and complicating the Federal Reserve's policy outlook ahead of several economic releases.
Kenya's private sector recorded slower expansion in February, with agriculture and manufacturing weakening while construction, wholesale and retail and services supported activity. The Stanbic Bank Kenya Purchasing Managers' Index slipped to 50.4 from 51.9 in January, remaining just above the threshold that separates growth from contraction. Policy…
European banks have boosted their government bond holdings by about 14% over the past year, concentrated in France, Germany and Spain. Regulators warn that while current yield levels remain manageable, a pronounced economic downturn or a sharp rise in yields could erode the value of these securities, increase funding and hedging costs for lenders, …
Indonesian media reported that Fitch Ratings has shifted the country's sovereign outlook from stable to negative while keeping the BBB rating in place. Authorities in Jakarta have sought clarification, and the move follows a similar outlook downgrade by Moody's last month amid investor unease over policy direction, fiscal widening and central bank …
Carsten Spohr, Lufthansa’s long-tenured chief executive, is deploying crisis-management experience and tighter central oversight to steer the group through delivery delays, labour disputes and operational hiccups. He is prioritising efficiency, fleet renewal and more long-haul flying to lift margins from 4.4% in 2024 toward a target of 8-10% betwee…
Chinese authorities have announced a set of measures intended to boost domestic demand by expanding production of higher-quality consumer goods, creating new consumption drivers in services, raising employment quality and increasing incomes for urban and rural residents. The National People’s Congress spokesman said consumption accounted for 52% of…
A spokesperson for China’s parliament said Beijing is prepared to promote communications with the United States across all levels while maintaining core principles and 'red lines.' The remarks came ahead of the National People’s Congress and as both sides prepare for an anticipated summit between leaders at the end of March.
A broad market rout tied to concerns about a prolonged oil supply shock intensified in Asia, with South Korea suffering steep losses. Late U.S. policy moves to insure and potentially escort tankers provided limited relief amid questions about practicality and legal and logistical hurdles. At the same time, strains in private credit and worries abou…
Bank of Japan Governor Kazuo Ueda told parliament the central bank will keep raising interest rates if its economic and price projections are realised, while closely monitoring the fallout from the Middle East conflict. He warned that higher crude prices could both weaken Japan's terms of trade and influence underlying inflation through changing ex…
A monthly survey shows India’s services activity moderated in February as new orders expanded at the slowest rate in over a year and firms recorded the steepest rise in operating costs in two-and-a-half years. The HSBC India Services PMI, compiled by S&P Global, dipped to 58.1 from January’s 58.4. Export demand and employment gains provided counter…
Asian markets tumbled sharply as traders pared back positions in major technology and cyclical stocks on worries the conflict in the Middle East could trigger an oil shock, stoke inflation and delay rate cuts. The MSCI index for Asia-Pacific ex-Japan plunged 4.2%, Seoul’s KOSPI tripped a circuit breaker after an 11% drop in a single session and Jap…
South Korean equities plunged over 10% and the won fell to its weakest level in 17 years as fighting in the Middle East broadened, triggering circuit breakers, heavy foreign outflows and sharp losses among large-cap exporters and domestic cyclical names. The rout underscores investor sensitivity to higher oil prices and FX volatility for a country …
China’s official purchasing managers’ index (PMI) for manufacturing fell to 49.0 in February from 49.3 in January, marking a second consecutive month of contraction. Weak domestic demand and subdued investment are cited as drags that offset resilient exports. Non-manufacturing PMI edged up slightly to 49.5, remaining below the 50 cutoff for expansi…
China’s manufacturing sector registered its strongest expansion since December 2020 in February, according to the private-sector RatingDog China General Manufacturing PMI compiled by S&P Global. The index climbed to 52.1 from 50.3 in January, driven by rising new orders at home and abroad, faster output growth and greater confidence among manufactu…
A private-sector Purchasing Managers Index for China’s services sector climbed to 56.7 in February, the strongest reading in 33 months, driven by firmer domestic and overseas demand. The survey also showed a rise in input costs and output charges, a reinvigorated composite output index, and mixed labour trends as firms sought cost control while bac…
Asian equities fell sharply as traders exited crowded trades in semiconductor stocks and gold, reacting to a broader Mideast conflict that has sent oil and gas prices higher. Seoul led losses after rapid selling by short-term and foreign investors, Japan posted a third consecutive down day, and benchmark crude climbed amid strikes and attacks tied …
Global markets suffered broad losses as escalation in the Middle East sent energy prices sharply higher and triggered a cross-asset selloff. Stocks, commodities and emerging market currencies fell while the dollar strengthened and bond markets repriced the outlook for U.S. rate cuts. Signs of strain in private credit added to the scramble for liqui…
Markets reacted sharply after U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran prompted fears of a longer-lasting Middle East conflict. A potential disruption to the Strait of Hormuz, which carries roughly one-fifth of global oil flows, pushed oil higher, pressured equities and altered expectations for Federal Reserve interest-rate cuts.
New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani and Governor Kathy Hochul announced a state-funded pilot to provide 2,000 free childcare places for two-year-olds starting later this year, expanding to 12,000 spots next year. The initiative is financed through New York State allocations within a broader $1.2 billion commitment to early childcare, but leaders did not …
Since Saturday, Iran has launched large numbers of Shahed-136 drones at U.S. bases and regional oil infrastructure, prompting American and allied forces to respond with expensive Patriot interceptors. The tactic appears designed to exhaust adversaries' high-end missiles rather than to maximize immediate destruction, raising concerns about the durab…
Federal Reserve officials are widely expected to keep the target range for short-term interest rates unchanged at their March 17-18 meeting, repeating the pause policymakers took in January. Public remarks from governors and regional presidents show a range of perspectives - commonly described as "dove" and "hawk" - with some officials emphasizing …
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman met with employees to respond to concerns about the company's agreement permitting the U.S. Defense Department to use its artificial intelligence tools for classified operations. The deal, disclosed last Friday, drew criticism from researchers and industry observers and led OpenAI to revise the agreement to bar domestic survei…
President Emmanuel Macron announced the deployment of the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle to the Mediterranean and said France is working to assemble a coalition to protect commercial shipping after the Middle East conflict began to threaten routes including the Straits of Hormuz, the Suez Canal and the Red Sea. Paris has also ta…
Gold remains supported by renewed geopolitical tensions in the Middle East and persistent economic uncertainty, but a swift move into the dollar as a safe haven and forced selling in other asset classes have driven a sharp short-term pullback. Market participants say the recent drop should draw buying interest and that the metal's structural appeal…
