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.
2,061 total articles
China will present its 15th five-year plan when parliament convenes on March 5, laying out policy priorities for 2026-2030. The document is expected to signal how Beijing intends to raise household consumption, accelerate technological advancement and manage the role of manufacturing in the economy, while restating goals on urbanisation, research s…
Japan's spending on factories and equipment rose 6.5% year-on-year in the October-December quarter to 15.4 trillion yen, Ministry of Finance data showed, marking a fourth consecutive quarterly increase and a record high for the quarter. The result underpins expectations for an upward revision to GDP, even as consumption remains pressured by inflati…
Blackstone increased the portion of its private credit fund available for quarterly redemptions after investor requests exceeded the usual limit, resulting in net outflows of $1.7 billion for the quarter despite new commitments and a firm-led capital injection to satisfy remaining requests. The moves reflect strains in private credit as questions a…
Asian equities extended declines and the dollar gained in early trade after strikes on Iran prompted fears of higher energy costs and broader economic disruption. Brent crude and LNG prices jumped sharply, pressuring inflation dynamics and complicating the Federal Reserve's outlook, while Treasury yields, gold and cryptocurrencies registered mixed …
Reserve Bank of Australia Governor Michele Bullock warned that the central bank may not wait for first-quarter inflation readings before raising interest rates further, and highlighted the risk that rising energy prices tied to a deteriorating Middle East conflict could push inflation expectations higher. Bullock described the upcoming March 17-18 …
Japan's finance minister said authorities are tracking global markets with an "extremely strong sense of urgency" amid volatility linked to the Middle East conflict. Tokyo has maintained close contact with overseas financial officials, highlighted the possibility of currency intervention, and emphasized continued communication with international co…
Global currencies came under pressure as expanding military action in the Middle East raised concerns about energy supplies and the inflationary consequences for countries that rely heavily on imported fuel. The dollar strengthened on safe-haven flows, the euro and yen weakened after sharp moves, and policymakers signalled intervention and close mo…
Annual shop price inflation in the UK slowed to 1.1% in February, the British Retail Consortium reported, driven by softer food price growth and declines in non-food categories. The BRC noted narrower rises for food overall, a drop in non-perishable food inflation to a four-year low, and a small fall in non-food prices. The trade group warned that …
British finance minister Rachel Reeves is poised to present a cautious budget update as investors fret over recent strikes and counter-strikes in the Middle East. Fresh forecasts from the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) will accompany her remarks, but she is widely expected to refrain from new spending measures ahead of a full autumn budget.…
Reserve Bank of Australia Governor Michele Bullock told a business conference in Sydney that the RBA's policy board could raise interest rates at its March meeting if it judged inflation expectations were at risk of becoming unanchored. She emphasised that the board would not necessarily wait for the full first-quarter inflation read due in late Ap…
A weekend U.S.-Israeli attack on Iran set off a wave of market volatility on Monday as oil and gas prices posted their largest gains in years. Global stock indices outside the United States and China fell roughly 1-3%, bond yields jumped, and safe-haven flows pushed currencies and commodities into disarray. The U.S. equity market offered a notable …
Reserve Bank of Australia Governor Michele Bullock defended the board's decision to raise the cash rate by 25 basis points in February, citing strong January inflation readings and robust employment data. She warned that recent developments in the Middle East increase uncertainty for the inflation outlook, noting that a supply shock could push pric…
Secretary of State Marco Rubio told reporters at the Capitol that Iran is producing hundreds of missiles each month and represents an unacceptable risk to regional and U.S. security. He described current U.S. military operations as focused on eliminating missile capabilities and naval assets inside Iran, confirmed Congressional notification, and sa…
Brazil expects to channel more than 250 billion reais ($48.4 billion) into sustainable investments over President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva's current four-year term. Tatiana Rosito, who is leaving her post at the Finance Ministry to join the World Bank in July, said the emphasis for 2026 will be on consolidating existing initiatives and attracting …
Elon Musk’s social network X and AI startup xAI plan to repay roughly $17.5 billion of debt in full, according to people familiar with the matter. Morgan Stanley, which arranged the financings, has informed current lenders that the two firms will retire the outstanding obligations. The origin of the repayment funds has not been revealed. The compan…
The White House physician confirmed that President Donald Trump is applying a prescribed topical cream to the right side of his neck as a preventative skin treatment. The regimen is expected to last one week, though the physician warned that the visible redness may linger for a few weeks. No additional details about the specific medication or the u…
Janet Yellen said the conflict involving Iran will slow U.S. growth and add upward pressure on prices, reducing the likelihood that the Federal Reserve will ease policy soon. She noted inflation currently sits about one percentage point above the Fed's 2% goal, with tariffs accounting for roughly half a point of the 3% pace, and highlighted the ris…
A federal appeals court on Monday refused the Trump administration's bid to delay litigation over tariff refunds, directing that proceedings be immediately reopened and returned to the U.S. Court of International Trade. The decision follows the Supreme Court's ruling that the prior tariff program was unlawful and comes amid thousands of related law…
Officials from the United Arab Emirates and Qatar have been quietly encouraging allied governments to persuade President Donald Trump to adopt a measured, time-limited U.S. military approach toward Iran. The Gulf states are building a coalition aimed at achieving a rapid diplomatic de-escalation to prevent a wider regional conflict and associated e…
European credit indicators weakened sharply as geopolitical escalation in the Middle East pushed investors away from risk assets. Measures of high-yield and investment-grade credit both widened, bank shares tumbled and short-dated U.S. Treasury yields rose on concerns about oil, inflation and the fragility of private credit channels. Market partici…
The U.S. economy, which had shown signs of renewed business confidence and resilient labor markets, now confronts heightened uncertainty after President Donald Trump ordered open-ended military action against Iran aimed at toppling its long-standing Islamist leadership. Immediate effects included a weekend jump in oil from $70 to nearly $80 a barre…
The U.S. Treasury Department said it will stop using Anthropic’s products, including the Claude platform, following a directive from President Donald Trump. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said the decision was made at the president’s direction and emphasized that government tools must serve the public interest. The president ordered all federal a…
President Donald Trump told CNN that the United States has not yet conducted its most significant strikes against Iran and that a larger attack is forthcoming. He also said it is unclear who currently leads Iran after the killing of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and that the U.S. does not know who Iran will choose as a new leader.
Financial markets across Europe weakened after air attacks in the Middle East pushed oil and gas prices sharply higher. Analysts and traders say the move renews the risk of an energy-driven inflation shock, keeping central bank policy in focus and pressuring banks, the euro and sterling. While differences with the 2022 energy crisis limit direct pa…
Bank of England policymaker Alan Taylor said it is premature to determine how the recent escalation in the Middle East will affect Britain’s weak economy. With a surge in oil prices and renewed geopolitical risks, markets have reduced expectations for near-term BoE rate cuts while Taylor reiterated concerns about rising downside growth risks and th…
