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.
4,093 total articles
A planned handover to Kevin Warsh as Federal Reserve chair appears increasingly uncertain as Senator Thom Tillis has vowed to block confirmation until a Justice Department investigation into Jerome Powell’s oversight of Fed headquarters renovations concludes. With Powell’s term ending May 15 and the Senate Banking Committee slated to hold Warsh’s h…
Top U.S. banks posted a mixed set of first-quarter results as volatility tied to Middle East tensions and sector-specific selloffs lifted trading revenues but clouded the outlook for investment banking and dealmaking. Interest income rose with renewed loan demand, credit quality showed limited deterioration, and profits at major banks generally bea…
Peru’s financial markets reacted sharply after left-leaning congressman Roberto Sanchez, a former cabinet minister under Pedro Castillo, rose into a likely second-place finish in a tightly contested presidential race. With around 12% of votes to Keiko Fujimori’s 17% and roughly 92% of ballots counted, Sanchez’s platform calling for a constituent as…
German banking industry representatives and national authorities are coordinating reviews of Anthropic's new AI model, Mythos, amid cybersecurity concerns that the model could expose vulnerabilities in banks' legacy technology. The German Banking Association is working with member bank cyber specialists, the finance ministry, the Bundesbank and fin…
Bank of England Governor Andrew Bailey told the BBC at the IMF meeting in Washington that rising oil and gas prices linked to the Middle East conflict represent a "very big energy shock" that could feed into UK inflation. He said the Bank will not pre-empt its 30 April policy decision and is waiting for clearer data on the economic pass-through, wh…
U.S. stock futures rose amid growing investor optimism about talks to extend a ceasefire between the U.S. and Iran and early positive remarks from corporate earnings. Oil prices remained under $100 a barrel despite modest gains. China’s economy exceeded expectations in the first quarter with 5% year-on-year growth, and Taiwan Semiconductor Manufact…
Ebanx, the Curitiba-founded cross-border payments company, said it is broadening its global reach with immediate launches in Thailand, Indonesia and Turkey and planned entries into Malaysia and Vietnam next quarter. The company, backed by Advent International and FTV Capital, has shifted a growing share of gross profit to markets beyond Brazil and …
Bank of England Governor Andrew Bailey said he will not rush decisions on interest rate increases as higher oil and gas prices from the Iran war complicate the outlook. Speaking in Washington at the IMF spring meetings, Bailey stressed the difficulty of gauging how energy-driven price rises will pass through to the UK economy. His comments echoed s…
Japan's Financial Services Agency views private credit as a potential cornerstone of its forthcoming financial strategy to channel rising corporate funding needs, even as private credit markets overseas face redemption pressures. Officials point to a shift in corporate behaviour, an uptick in M&A activity and a push for investment-led growth under …
Alexander Demarco, head of Malta's central bank and an ECB policymaker, said the euro area may be moving toward the European Central Bank's adverse scenario for inflation and growth. He cautioned against rushing to tighten policy, noting that inflation expectations remain anchored, ECB credibility is strong and the bank entered the current shock fr…
A recent jump in European government bond yields tied to the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran has increased borrowing costs for national treasuries across the continent, intensifying pressure on fragile public finances even before slower growth and planned fiscal measures take effect. While equity markets have pared losses amid hopes of a quick end to the …
Estonian central bank policymaker Madis Muller said the European Central Bank may not have sufficient data by its April 30 meeting to determine whether interest rates should be raised in response to a recent jump in euro zone inflation to 2.5%.Muller pointed to the war in the Middle East and rising energy costs as the trigger for the inflation upti…
Global equity benchmarks rose to fresh highs and the U.S. dollar extended losses as investors increased bets that the Middle East conflict may be winding down. U.S. President Donald Trump posted that direct talks between Israel and Lebanon "will happen tomorrow", helping fuel rallying markets. Gains were broad-based, led by Asia-Pacific shares and …
A Reuters poll of economists found that 65% expect the Bank of Japan's policy rate to reach 1.00% by the end of June, with opinions divided between an immediate move in April and a hike in June. The escalation of the Middle East conflict involving Iran has heightened concerns about higher energy costs, inflationary pressure and further yen weakness…
The head of the European Banking Authority said lenders currently hold sufficient capital and liquidity buffers to withstand the immediate strains from geopolitical tensions, but supervisors must prepare for evolving threats - notably AI-related cybersecurity challenges and risks tied to private credit interconnections with regulated finance.
U.S. President Donald Trump said he is pursuing a pause in hostilities between Israel and Lebanon, announcing on Truth Social that the two countries will hold direct talks on Thursday after decades without direct contact. His comments come amid ongoing fighting with Hezbollah and broader U.S.-led efforts to stabilize the region, with mediation expe…
Official data show China’s economy expanded 5.0% year-on-year in the first quarter, outpacing market forecasts, while quarterly growth matched expectations at 1.3%. Industrial output surprised to the upside in March, but retail sales, fixed-asset investment and property investment lagged. Market response was modest and commentary from strategists h…
Official data showed China’s gross domestic product climbed 5.0% year-on-year in the January-March quarter, surpassing market expectations. On a quarterly basis, GDP rose 1.3%, in line with forecasts and slightly ahead of the prior quarter’s 1.2% increase. The outbreak of conflict in the Middle East since February 28 has heightened the economy’s vu…
The U.S. dollar remained close to its lowest levels since early March as growing optimism from the White House about a possible peace deal with Iran encouraged market participants to unwind safe-haven positions. Currency benchmarks and risk-sensitive currencies strengthened, while officials signalled further diplomatic engagement and potential mari…
Goldman Sachs endured losses on certain rates positions late in the first quarter after fixed-income and currency markets became volatile amid the conflict with Iran, sources familiar with the matter said. The firm’s FICC division recorded a 10% fall in revenue to $4.01 billion in Q1, while some rivals posted gains. Bank executives say the setback …
Thailand's economy is slowing amid spillovers from the U.S.-Israeli war with Iran, the Bank of Thailand said. Assistant Governor Chayawadee Chai-anant warned of deep and open-ended downside risks if the conflict continues, citing near-zero Gulf tourism in March, rising import costs due to energy dependence, and a downgraded 2026 baseline GDP foreca…
Foreign portfolio flows have reversed sharply in the wake of the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran, which has pushed global oil prices toward $100 a barrel and exposed Thailand’s heavy reliance on Middle East energy. The shock has coincided with a fragile economic backdrop - deflationary pressures prior to the conflict, slow growth, and public debt approach…
Japan and the United States have agreed to intensify communication on exchange rates, Japanese Finance Minister Satsuki Katayama said after meeting U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent in Washington. Katayama, attending IMF, G7 and G20 finance gatherings, posted the remark on her X account. Japanese officials have issued repeated verbal warnings a…
China appears to have accelerated growth at the start of 2026, driven by strong external demand and stepped‑up fiscal support. Yet a geopolitical shock in the Middle East is lifting energy and transport costs, cooling global demand and squeezing corporate margins, creating downside risks to the later parts of the year.
New York Governor Kathy Hochul announced support for a proposed tax on second homes worth more than $5 million, a measure endorsed by New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani. City Hall says the levy targets out-of-city ultrawealthy owners who treat local properties as wealth storage and could generate roughly $500 million a year to help close a municipa…
