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
The Bank of Israel trimmed its benchmark interest rate to 3.5% from 3.75% at a policy meeting on Monday, its second consecutive reduction. Officials pointed to continued subdued inflation and lower energy prices following a U.S.-Iran ceasefire as central reasons for the move. Staff projections show inflation expected to decline to 1.8% by the end o…
Estonian officials say the United States is reassessing its military footprint in Europe, leaving the long-term status of U.S. forces in Estonia unclear beyond the next scheduled rotation. The next rotation is due this summer and will remain until the end of 2026. Estonia and the U.S. are in ongoing consultations and will provide further informatio…
Junichi Hanzawa, chief executive of Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group, warned that a prolonged period of inflation caused by a depreciating yen risks undermining consumer sentiment and Japan's broader economic recovery. He said price increases that outstrip wage growth would hit consumption and pose a threat to sustainable expansion, remarks made as t…
Federal Reserve Governor Christopher Waller said forward guidance can accelerate monetary policy effects when applied correctly but becomes counterproductive if treated inflexibly. Speaking in prepared remarks to a Bank of Italy conference in Rome on monetary policy transmission, Waller cited the Fed's fall 2021 guidance episode as an instance wher…
The Bank of Israel reduced its key interest rate by 25 basis points to 3.5%, marking a second consecutive cut. Policymakers pointed to stable inflation and a U.S.-Iran ceasefire deal that has eased energy prices, while cautioning that geopolitical uncertainty and other opposing forces could still influence future inflation and monetary policy.
Argentina's Economy Minister Luis Caputo announced plans to refinance existing obligations at the lowest achievable rates and identified obtaining an 'investment grade' credit rating as a priority. The comments came during a press briefing on the government's strategy to cover debt payments through 2027, when more than $23 billion in foreign-curren…
The Institute for Supply Management's nonmanufacturing PMI slipped to 54.0 in June from 54.5 in May, signaling continued expansion in the services sector but a loss of momentum. New orders cooled, supplier delivery times remained long, and prices paid by services firms eased as oil returned to pre-conflict levels. Employment within services rebound…
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte told reporters that European allies and Canada have raised combined defense spending to about 4% of GDP, driven by a near-20% rise in core defense outlays last year. Rutte said the extra planned investment for 2025 and 2026 totals $258 billion and expects detailed plans at the Ankara leaders summit to meet a 5% of …
India's office leasing market reached an all-time high for any six-month period in the first half of 2026, with 45.5 million square feet taken up. Growth was driven by large transactions from multinational firms expanding global capability centres and from flexible workspace operators. Fortune 500 companies accounted for a substantial share of acti…
Morgan Stanley says the recent pullback in U.S. semiconductor shares signals a widening of market leadership, with investors expected to shift capital toward AI 'hyperscalers' and into consumer discretionary, transport and biotechnology stocks. The bank notes hyperscalers have already invested heavily in AI infrastructure, but says there is limited…
A recent two-page European state intelligence note concludes that Russia’s banks face an "explosive" risk of crisis as they absorb mounting credit risks tied to the state’s wartime financing. The report highlights a rise in doubtful corporate loans, elevated retail non-performing loans, surging household indebtedness and growing deposits held outsi…
Hedge funds trading equities posted double-digit returns year-to-date after a strong June, driven by successful positioning in crowded trades and large fundamental bets. Fundamental stockpickers produced outsized quarterly gains, while systematic managers saw modest monthly returns and mixed results across currencies and commodities. Losses in June…
Hungary completed its first international bond issuance since Viktor Orban's government left office in April, offering benchmark euro-denominated notes maturing in 2032 and 2037. The operation drew bids above €5 billion and came as yields on existing euro paper fell sharply. The new administration, which regained access to European Union funds and …
The Bank of England has named Rhys Phillips as its next chief cashier, succeeding Victoria Cleland. Phillips, currently the governor's principal private secretary, will take on executive director duties on October 19 and oversee a planned redesign of sterling banknotes that replaces historical figures with wildlife images. Cleland will leave the Ba…
The UK Financial Conduct Authority has recommended a review to determine whether large language models and other general-purpose AI systems should fall inside financial regulation, citing growing consumer trust in these tools and the concentration of reliance on a few technology providers that could create system-wide vulnerabilities.
Ten vessels connected to Japan began transiting out of the Strait of Hormuz on Monday after being detained in the corridor for months, media reports said. The group includes six very large crude carriers loaded with about 12 million barrels of Middle Eastern crude, alongside chemical tankers, a vehicle carrier and a container ship. The movements, c…
NATO members agreed to raise combined defence and security-related spending to 5% of GDP by 2035, a target that is already forcing countries to rework budgets. Some nations - notably Germany and several Nordic and eastern European states - are increasing outlays quickly, while several of Europe’s largest economies are encountering funding shortfall…
At least eight ships operated by Japan's Mitsui OSK Lines Ltd. are transiting the Strait of Hormuz through a passage closer to Iran, according to ship-tracking data. The group - five supertankers, two chemical tankers and a car carrier - are moving as a convoy after some vessels previously abandoned earlier exit attempts. The movements follow shift…
U.S. stock futures climbed on Monday as semiconductor shares steadied and oil prices fell following an OPEC+ agreement to lift output targets. The move built on a rally that lifted the main indexes last week, while investors continued to reassess Federal Reserve rate expectations and prepared for an increase in corporate results later this month.
Spain is poised to surpass 100 million foreign tourists if current momentum continues, the tourism minister said, with the government projecting strong summer arrivals and a significant revenue increase for the June-September period. Middle East uncertainty is cited as a factor supporting higher bookings.
Michelle Turner founded Here Now Health to deliver mental health counseling for children entering foster care, using AI tools to design a business plan, refine investor materials and learn startup practices. The company, launched in January 2025, has grown to 16 employees and is certified in three states to provide Medicaid-funded services. The cas…
Markets return from the Fourth of July break with attention concentrated on U.S. services sector activity, the Federal Reserve's June meeting minutes and possible announcements of appointees to new Fed task forces. Corporate results from Levi Strauss and Delta Air Lines add an earnings angle, while commentary from new Fed Chair Kevin Warsh on the c…
U.S. equity futures traded marginally higher heading into a week heavy with economic releases, led by a closely watched Institute for Supply Management non-manufacturing PMI for June. Oil prices eased after OPEC+ agreed to lift production targets beginning in August, while spot gold fell as the dollar recovered some ground. Separately, Foxconn repo…
A quarterly BF.direkt survey shows a marked deterioration in sentiment among German commercial real estate financiers in Q2, with the financing readiness barometer plunging to -25.97 from -9.74. Respondents attributed the shift to the war in Iran, which has contributed to an energy-driven inflation shock and renewed fears of rising interest rates. …
The coming week offers few scheduled macro releases but several high-impact events that could move markets. Investors will pore over minutes from the Federal Reserve's June meeting - the first under chair Kevin Warsh - for signs of internal divisions and policymakers' views on recent energy price moves. A NATO summit in Ankara will test alliance co…
