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.
4,092 total articles
Norway’s $2.2 trillion sovereign wealth fund increased its holdings of U.S. Treasuries in the second half of 2025, raising the value to $199 billion, or 9.4% of total assets, as of Dec. 31. The fund’s overall allocation to U.S. assets climbed to 52.9% at year-end, even as some large Northern European investors have signaled wariness about U.S. asse…
A proposal by U.S. President Donald Trump to cap credit-card interest rates at 10% for one year, if put into effect, could substantially reduce profits for banks and in turn diminish the value and cash generation of airline loyalty programmes, advisers and industry officials said at an aviation finance conference in Dublin. The idea's implementatio…
Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell on Wednesday cautioned that while the present level of U.S. federal debt can be sustained, the ongoing trajectory of debt growth is unsustainable and requires timely policy attention. He emphasized concerns about large deficits occurring amid near-full employment and discussed how longer-term interest rates are i…
Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell declined on Wednesday to answer questions about whether he will continue as Fed chair after his term ends in May and refused to provide information about Department of Justice subpoenas tied to renovation work at the central bank. Powell also would not expand on a January 11 statement and reiterated the Fed's lon…
Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell said he attended recent Supreme Court arguments tied to President Trump's effort to remove Fed Governor Lisa Cook because of the case's exceptional significance to the U.S. central bank. Powell described the matter as possibly the most important legal case in the Fed's 113-year history and noted that previous cha…
Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell confirmed he attended Supreme Court arguments about President Trump’s attempt to remove Fed Governor Lisa Cook, calling the case "perhaps the most important legal case in the Fed’s 113-year history." At a news conference, Powell cited precedent for attending and emphasized his continued objectivity. On economic d…
Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell said December inflation likely remained above the Fed's 2% target, with the core personal consumption expenditures index estimated at 3%. He attributed most of the excess inflation to goods prices affected by tariffs, while services inflation continues to ease. The Fed left its policy rate unchanged at 3.50%-3.75…
Jersey Mike’s Subs is advancing plans for an initial public offering with Morgan Stanley and JPMorgan Chase & Co. advising, aiming for a potential launch as early as the third quarter of 2026. The chain, which operates more than 3,000 restaurants, is reportedly seeking a valuation of at least $12 billion and expects the sale to raise in excess of $…
The White House will host a meeting on Monday bringing together senior figures from the banking and cryptocurrency sectors to explore a way forward on major crypto legislation stalled by disagreements between the two industries, according to three people familiar with the discussions. The session, organized by the White House's crypto council, will…
The Federal Reserve voted 10-2 to maintain its benchmark policy rate at 3.50%-3.75%, citing continued inflationary pressure and steady economic activity while noting signs of stabilization in the labor market. The statement gave no timetable for further reductions and reflected persistent divisions among policymakers about the pace and scale of fut…
Unions representing federal employees have filed in federal court to stop the Trump administration from ending temporary contracts and on-call reservist agreements at the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), a move they say will affect more than 10,000 personnel and breaches statutory protections enacted after the recent government shutdown.
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said he and President Donald Trump held an extended discussion about who should succeed Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell, with four candidates still under consideration. Bessent, speaking to CNBC after traveling with Trump, declined to name the finalists or to say whether he recommended a pick, and said the timin…
Bank of Canada Governor Tiff Macklem said the growing threat to the independence of the U.S. Federal Reserve is contributing to heightened global economic uncertainty. Macklem made the remarks after holding Canadian interest rates steady, stressing the Fed's outsized role in global markets and warning that any loss of its autonomy would have broad …
Stonepeak and CMA CGM are forming a U.S.-based port company valued at about $10 billion. Stonepeak will put in $2.4 billion for a 25% stake while CMA CGM retains 75%. The venture - to be called United Ports - will include 10 terminals across the U.S., Brazil, Spain and Asia and is intended as the first phase of broader joint terminal development.
Canada and India have formalized an energy partnership committed to reciprocal trade in hydrocarbons, with Ottawa set to export crude oil and liquefied natural gas to New Delhi in exchange for Indian refined petroleum products. The announcement, issued by Energy Ministers Timothy Hodgson and Hardeep Singh Puri from Goa, follows high-level talks at …
U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said the United States adheres to a strong-dollar policy and denied that Washington is taking steps to prop up the Japanese yen. His comments lifted the dollar from a recent four-year low, while officials reiterated faith in domestic policy measures to attract investment and reduce trade deficits without stokin…
U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent voiced disappointment after the European Union completed a trade agreement with India, arguing Brussels put trade considerations ahead of support for Ukraine. Bessent told CNBC that European purchases of refined products sourced from Indian processing of sanctioned Russian oil and a reluctance to match U.S. tar…
Economists surveyed in a recent quarterly poll expect global growth of 3.0% in 2026, unchanged from forecasts a year earlier. The consensus holds even as major trade-policy shifts by the United States and fresh geopolitical realignments create fresh sources of uncertainty. Many forecasters say the full economic effects of sweeping U.S. tariffs anno…
A senior UBS currency trader warned that a material uptick in hedging demand for U.S. dollar assets could test banks' structural capacity to provide hedges. With the dollar down markedly from last year and continued policy uncertainty, investors seeking protection may require banks to free balance-sheet resources quickly, potentially forcing dealer…
The Bank of Canada left its key policy rate unchanged at 2.25% and highlighted elevated uncertainty that complicates predictions about the timing and direction of future rate changes. Officials signalled comfort with the current stance while acknowledging a broad set of potential economic outcomes, and market commentators stressed the role of trade…
The Bank of Canada left its policy rate unchanged at 2.25%, citing a fragile outlook shaped by shifting trade dynamics and US protectionist measures. Officials noted domestic demand is showing signs of recovery, inflation remains near target, but heightened trade and geopolitical risks are weighing on growth and labour-market dynamics.
Fitch Ratings does not expect to lower the United States' sovereign credit rating again soon, saying the 2023 downgrade already incorporated the nation’s fiscal strains and that the dollar’s dominant reserve role supports current assessments. The agency signaled a stable outlook that implies no downgrade is expected over the next one to two years.
The Bank of Canada left its policy rate unchanged at 2.25% and said elevated uncertainty makes it difficult to pinpoint the timing or direction of future adjustments. In a quarterly monetary policy report the central bank kept forecasts for modest growth in 2026 and 2027 and expected inflation to remain close to the 2% target. The central bank high…
Kenneth Rogoff, a Harvard economist and former IMF chief economist, said the Federal Reserve's dollar swap line facilities - emergency dollar lending to foreign central banks - could be weaponised by the Trump administration. Rogoff suggested the tool could be leveraged in trade disputes, noting existing concerns about erratic U.S. policy since the…
The S&P 500 climbed past 7,000 points for the first time on Wednesday, propelled by strong investor appetite for AI-driven growth and expectations of robust Big Tech results alongside prospects for monetary easing. Technology stocks, which make up nearly half the index, have been central to the rally while markets also factor in potential Federal R…
