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.
364 total articles
Canada recorded a sizeable rise in its monthly goods trade deficit in November after a pronounced fall in merchandise exports, particularly metals and motor vehicles. While trade with the United States remains a surplus, overall exports declined and trade with other countries widened the non-U.S. deficit. Currency and short-term bond markets reacte…
President Donald Trump told reporters he will unveil his selection to replace Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell on Friday morning. The comment, made at a documentary premiere on Thursday evening, confirmed a decision after months of consideration but did not identify a nominee. Speculation about possible candidates has intensified amid concern ov…
Former President Donald Trump, joined by his sons and the Trump Organization, filed a federal suit in Florida seeking $10 billion in damages from the Internal Revenue Service and the U.S. Treasury. The complaint alleges the agencies failed to protect confidential tax return data, enabling a former IRS contractor to access and leak the information t…
The U.S. dollar looked headed for a second consecutive weekly decline as new tariff threats related to Cuba and rising tensions across multiple geopolitical fronts eroded demand for U.S. assets. Reports that the White House is considering strikes on Iran spurred an oil price jump and put additional pressure on the dollar index. Domestic development…
President Donald Trump said on Thursday evening he will impose a 50% tariff on Canadian-made aircraft sold in the United States if Canada does not certify certain Gulfstream jets, and announced plans to decertify Bombardier aircraft including the Global Express. The remarks come days after a separate threat to impose 100% tariffs on Canada tied to …
Colombia's highest court has temporarily suspended an emergency decree enacted by President Gustavo Petro's government that allowed the executive to raise taxes and act by decree to address budget shortfalls. The measures, implemented in December after a tax reform failed in Congress, were intended to generate tens of trillions of pesos for the 202…
The U.S. Treasury has issued General License No. 46, expanding permission for American oil companies to conduct activities tied to Venezuelan crude exportation and refining. The authorization, limited to pre-established U.S. entities, enables shipping and logistics arrangements but keeps strict bans on dealings with designated foreign actors and bl…
The U.S. Treasury said recent declines in the South Korean won outpaced the country’s underlying economic strength, according to its semi-annual currency report. The assessment pointed to a spike in depreciation pressures in late 2024 tied to a policy rate cut and domestic political instability, and noted further weakening into late 2025. South Kor…
The Federal Reserve and the Trump administration remain sharply divided over the appropriate path for interest rates, but they now share a clearer consensus on the near-term economic outlook. Both sides see productivity gains easing price pressures and expect tariff-driven price increases to be temporary, and both anticipate continued solid growth.…
CIBC economists Benjamin Tal and Katherine Judge find a widening divergence in North American manufacturing, with U.S. output and capital intensity rising well above Canadian levels. U.S. manufacturing GDP is now almost 10% above pre-pandemic figures while Canadian output remains below its 2019 baseline. The bank's analysis highlights a sharp incre…
A central bank official told investigators that state-run Banco de Brasília (BRB) may need to allocate in excess of 5 billion reais to cover dealings with failed lender Banco Master. The estimate is significantly higher than an earlier provision and follows probes into large transfers and questions over the nature of assets involved in the transact…
General Motors enacted a reduction in operations at its Oshawa assembly plant by eliminating a production shift, moving the facility to a two-shift model. The change, effective Friday, threatens as many as 1,200 positions in the region, including about 500 direct GM employees, and will affect the plant's supply chain. Union leaders say months of ne…
Allies of the United States are increasingly pursuing trade diversification and bilateral deals to 'de-risk' economic ties with Washington. While military and technological dependence on the U.S. endures, recent agreements and corporate moves indicate goods trade can be reconfigured relatively quickly at manageable economic cost. Constraints includ…
The U.S. trade deficit almost doubled in November 2025 to $56.8 billion as imports climbed sharply, led by record capital goods purchases tied to computers and semiconductors. Exports retreated, particularly in goods, intensifying the goods trade shortfall and raising the odds that fourth-quarter GDP growth estimates will be revised down.
Ukraine has opened talks with U.S. satellite operator SpaceX to address reports that Russian long-range unmanned aerial vehicles are carrying Starlink terminals, the country’s defence minister said. The move follows social media posts from a defence ministry adviser showing wreckage of drones, including Shaheds, with Starlink equipment attached. Ky…
Canada recorded a merchandise trade deficit of $2.2 billion in November as total exports fell 2.8%, outpacing a 0.1% decline in imports. A steep 24.4% drop in exports of metal and non-metallic mineral products - following two months of unusually strong unwrought gold shipments - and an 11.6% slowdown in motor vehicle production were the primary con…
President Donald Trump used a Truth Social post to sharply criticize Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell for holding interest rates steady, arguing the United States should have substantially lower rates and the lowest rates in the world. His remarks followed the Fed's decision to leave benchmark rates unchanged and reiterated claims that tariffs b…
Ameriprise Financial reported a 10% increase in fourth-quarter profit as markets buoyed by AI enthusiasm, easing interest rates and steady growth pushed its assets under management, administration and advisement to a record $1.7 trillion. Management and financial advice fees rose, net investment income remained solid, and the firm returned more tha…
Ukraine’s central bank lowered its policy rate to 15% from 15.5% on Thursday, citing a slowdown in consumer inflation and improved visibility on international financial support. Officials said the move marks the start of an easing cycle intended to bolster lending and help the economy adapt to wartime challenges, while noting persistent risks tied …
India will rebase its consumer price index to 2024 and reduce the share of food in the CPI basket to 36.75% under a revamped series. The statistics ministry said the update expands major spending groups from six to 12, introduces an overlapping year in 2025 for statistical conversion, and brings new items such as e-commerce prices into inflation tr…
Official figures show total bank lending in Brazil climbed 10.2% in 2025, surpassing the central bank's December projection. The stronger-than-expected gain was led by household credit, supported by recently announced government measures to broaden payroll-deductible loans and extend subsidized home purchase programs to middle-income families. The …
Blackstone reported fourth-quarter distributable earnings and results that exceeded analysts' forecasts, buoyed by active dealmaking, asset sales and gains in its infrastructure portfolio led by data center operator QTS. The firm raised substantial new capital and expanded its purchase commitments during the period, while its stock performance and …
Lazard reported adjusted fourth-quarter results that exceeded analyst expectations, driven by growth in both its financial advisory and asset management divisions. The investment bank also appointed longtime executive Tracy Farr as chief financial officer effective Feb. 1, while reporting a rise in assets under management alongside an equity market…
The Federal Reserve left interest rates unchanged at the conclusion of its two-day meeting, prompting investors to assume the central bank’s easing cycle will be on hold through the remainder of Chair Jerome Powell’s term, which ends in May. Market participants are now relying on rate reductions expected under a successor, with futures pointing to …
Preliminary figures released Thursday show Ireland's GDP fell 0.6% in the fourth quarter of 2025 compared with the prior quarter. The decline follows an earlier sharp rise driven by a spike in pharmaceutical exports to the United States. The Irish government continues to warn that headline GDP can be distorted by multinational corporate activity an…
