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
Global equity benchmarks pushed higher toward the end of the week after Purchasing Managers' Index readings from several Asian economies pointed to renewed expansion. The MSCI All-Country World Index rose for the week, helped by stronger-than-expected activity gauges in China, Japan, Australia and Singapore. Softer-than-anticipated US jobs data red…
Japanese Finance Minister Satsuki Katayama reaffirmed the government's readiness to intervene in currency markets, emphasizing ongoing communication with U.S. counterparts even during American holidays. The statement followed a sharp yen rally triggered by softer U.S. employment data and market speculation of official action.
A recent private-sector survey indicates that China's services sector continued to expand in June, albeit at a more moderate pace compared to the previous month. While domestic new business growth slowed, a notable acceleration in overseas demand helped sustain overall expansion. The data highlights a divergence in market forces, with export activi…
The U.S. dollar is poised to record its largest weekly drop in nearly three months after a lackluster June jobs report shifted market expectations regarding Federal Reserve interest rate policy. The soft labor data has prompted investors to reduce their bets on imminent rate hikes, offering a brief reprieve for the Japanese yen and other major curr…
Asian equity markets opened with a mixed performance on Friday, reflecting a significant shift in investor sentiment regarding Federal Reserve policy. The release of a sluggish U.S. jobs report for June effectively dismantled prevailing expectations for an imminent interest rate increase, prompting a broad reassessment of the central bank's traject…
U.S. financial markets experienced a mixed session on Thursday, characterized by divergent performance across sectors and asset classes. The technology sector faced headwinds due to weakness in semiconductor stocks, contributing to pressure on the Nasdaq Composite. Simultaneously, a softer-than-expected June employment report led to a decline in th…
The June jobs report showed slower-than-expected payroll growth and downward revisions to the prior two months, signaling a cooling but still-stable U.S. labor market. Financial markets reacted by reducing the probability of an imminent Federal Reserve rate increase, easing short-term pressure on equities - particularly high-valuation technology na…
US money market funds recorded a $47.7 billion inflow in the week ending July 1, lifting total reported assets to an all-time high of $7.95 trillion, according to Investment Company Institute data. Government funds led gains, while prime funds also saw meaningful increases. Broader industry tracking that includes internal funds shows a larger total…
European Central Bank President Christine Lagarde defended the bank’s decision last month to raise interest rates, saying the Governing Council acted with the information available and to curb inflation risks even as headline price growth has since slowed and oil prices have fallen following a US-Iran peace accord.
U.S. Treasury yields fell after the Labor Department reported nonfarm payrolls that were noticeably below expectations. The 10-year Treasury yield eased marginally during the session, while market odds of a July rate increase declined according to CME FedWatch. Weekly initial jobless claims came in slightly lower than forecast.
The US legal sector expanded by 5,100 positions in June, raising total employment to 1,243,500 and marking the third straight month of record employment, according to Labor Department data. The sector has added jobs in 11 of the last 12 months and shows an 8.4% gain versus five years ago, even as overall US payroll growth cooled and labor force par…
The U.S. June jobs report showed payrolls rising by 57,000 - materially below the consensus of 114,000 - and downward revisions for April and May. The unemployment rate edged down to 4.2% from 4.3%, while labor force participation fell. Market reaction was mixed: stocks initially rose but later lost momentum as technology names slid, the dollar and…
June's unexpectedly small payroll gain, a drop in labor force participation and sizable downward revisions to prior months have reopened discussion among Federal Reserve officials about whether the labor market is genuinely tightening or weakening in ways that could matter for growth and policy. While the unemployment rate ticked down to 4.2%, that…
Canada intends to unveil roughly 10 founding countries for a proposed Defence, Security and Resilience Bank (DSRB) at next week’s NATO summit in Turkey, the lead Canadian negotiator said. The initiative, promoted by Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, aims to provide low-cost financing to strengthen allied defence capabilities, but its launch depe…
A divided 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals panel on Thursday ruled that the Trump administration cannot move forward with terminating 19 career intelligence officers who had been assigned to diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility (DEI) positions. The court affirmed a lower-court injunction that requires the CIA and Office of the Director o…
Hedge funds focused on equities reported double-digit gains year-to-date after June, buoyed by concentrated bets and momentum trades, according to a Goldman Sachs client note. Fundamental stockpickers delivered robust quarterly returns, while systematic traders and short positions in some markets weighed on results. Volatility in June, a strong Sou…
Colombia's president-elect Abelardo De La Espriella has directed incoming Finance Minister Miguel Gomez to travel to Washington to meet international banks and multilateral lenders to explore refinancing options for the country's high net public debt. The move is part of a set of measures aimed at restoring fiscal order amid reported deficits and p…
Bank of England policymaker Catherine Mann said she would be prepared to support an interest rate increase if elevated inflation expectations, partly driven by the U.S.-Iran war, make it less likely that inflation will return to the 2% target. Mann noted that a recent public survey showed record-high inflation expectations and that the BoE has trim…
Several European governments have concluded that vessels passing through the Strait of Hormuz are likely to face levies imposed by Iran and Oman, according to officials briefed on discussions. While some Gulf Arab interlocutors privately share that assessment, the United States and other Gulf nations continue to oppose any such charges on legal and…
A late-night agreement by Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s coalition lays out a broad set of reforms intended to ease bureaucracy, reduce taxes for lower earners, loosen labour rules and accelerate housing investment. Economists and business leaders say the package could lift Germany’s weak growth if the measures are enacted quickly and effectively, but…
San Francisco Federal Reserve President Mary Daly described U.S. monetary policy as "slightly restrictive" while warning that robust AI-driven investment and a still-stable labor market leave the Fed's next policy step uncertain. Daly spoke in Santander, Spain, noting recent oil price declines since the Iran war ceasefire, flagged both a risk of mo…
San Francisco Federal Reserve President Mary Daly described U.S. monetary policy as slightly restrictive and said uncertainty about artificial intelligence-driven investment and a steady labor market complicate the Fed's near-term rate decision. She outlined two possible economic paths and welcomed a fall in oil prices after a ceasefire in the Iran…
A softer-than-anticipated jobs report for June, together with a downward revision to May, has led traders to pare back the probability of a Federal Reserve rate increase in July. Short-term futures now put the chance of a July hike below 20%, while market pricing still favors a move by September. Analysts say the payroll slowdown weakens the case f…
U.S. job creation slowed sharply in June, with nonfarm payrolls increasing by 57,000 and May revised lower to a 129,000 gain. The unemployment rate, however, fell to 4.2%, leaving the broader labor market appearing stable even as slower payroll growth tempered expectations and influenced equity, bond and currency moves. Market participants and stra…
Morocco's trade gap widened 20.8% to 159 billion dirhams in the first five months of the year, driven by an 11.8% rise in imports to 370 billion dirhams while exports advanced 5.8% to 211 billion dirhams, according to the central foreign exchange regulator's monthly report. Energy and equipment purchases were the main contributors to the deteriorat…
