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.
2,039 total articles
A new equality study by the Rita Levi-Montalcini SVIMEZ - W20 Observatory shows Italy trailing major peers on female employment, a shortfall that researchers and the Bank of Italy say threatens economic growth and the nation’s demographic outlook. Female employment in 2024 was 53.2%, leaving a 17.8 percentage point gap with men; closing that gap co…
Rep. Jamie Raskin has written to USPTO Director John Squires seeking details about the agency’s decision to file trademark applications for the Board of Peace. Raskin said the move appeared to hide who controls and benefits from the board and raised the prospect of trademarks being used to silence critics.
Chile's economy expanded 2.5% in 2025, central bank data showed, easing from a revised 2.8% in 2024. Activity returned to growth in the fourth quarter, but the full-year result disappointed authorities who said it fell short of household expectations. The new administration plans nearly $4 billion in spending cuts while targeting stronger growth in…
The administration has temporarily waived Jones Act restrictions for 60 days to permit foreign-flagged vessels to move oil, natural gas, fertilizer and coal between U.S. ports. Officials framed the move as a short-term measure to address supply interruptions and rising energy costs linked to recent attacks on Iran and strained passage through the S…
The Bank of Canada left its target for the overnight rate unchanged at 2.25%, citing heightened uncertainty from geopolitical developments in the Middle East and ongoing trade risks. Governor Tiff Macklem highlighted recent energy price volatility following the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, an unexpected inventory drawdown that weighed on fourth…
The Bank of Canada left its policy rate at 2.25% and signaled readiness to raise interest rates if rising energy prices feed through to broader, persistent inflation. Governor Tiff Macklem flagged the short-term inflationary effect of the Middle East conflict on gasoline prices, said near-term growth is likely weaker than the bank forecast in Janua…
White House Press Secretary Leavitt made a series of public remarks Wednesday on Iran, the Strait of Hormuz, the U.S. position on Iran's nuclear fuel, and a delayed presidential trip to China. Speaking on Fox News and in briefings with reporters, he described the death of Iran’s Khatib as "a good thing for the US," said the president retains full c…
The Central Bank of the Republic of Uzbekistan left its policy rate unchanged at 14.00% in March while shifting to a firmer tone. Officials said headline inflation has stopped falling, core inflation has picked up, and external developments are now viewed as more pro-inflationary, leading the bank to note the potential need for further tightening i…
Macquarie Asset Management has stepped away from the process to acquire a stake in Kuwait's oil pipeline network, a transaction valued at as much as $7 billion, citing the Iran conflict and an unclear outlook. The withdrawal underscores growing investor caution over Gulf energy assets after disruptions to shipping through the Strait of Hormuz. Desp…
A poll of 17 housing analysts conducted between Feb. 27 and March 18 found that British house prices are now forecast to rise more slowly than previously expected, with average prices projected to increase 2.5% this year and 3% in each of the following two years. The recalibration in outlook comes as expectations for near-term Bank of England rate …
Producer prices in February rose more than economists had predicted, sending U.S. equity futures lower and reducing market expectations that the Federal Reserve will cut interest rates within the year. Core measures excluding food and energy also exceeded forecasts on both annual and monthly bases, reinforcing concerns about persistent inflation pr…
U.S. producer prices rose 0.7% in February, driven by services, outpacing economists' expectations. A 12-month increase of 3.4% and a more than 40% jump in oil prices after the outbreak of the U.S.-Israeli war with Iran are intensifying inflation pressures that policymakers will weigh at the Federal Reserve meeting.
European Central Bank supervisory chief Claudia Buch warned that financial markets are not fully pricing in geopolitical threats, increasing the chance of sudden sell-offs. She cautioned against loosening bank regulations despite pressure from recent U.S. regulatory easing and said fragmentation or weakening of standards could undercut banks' resil…
The Federal Reserve has largely achieved its objectives in restoring money-market liquidity and is poised to slow the pace of its Treasury bill purchases after a mid-April tax date, while continuing efforts to shorten the average maturity of its bond holdings and reduce the relative share of mortgage-backed securities on its balance sheet.
An International Monetary Fund mission opened discussions with Ukrainian officials on March 18 as the government seeks to secure additional funding contingent on implementing fiscal measures. Central items on the table include higher taxes for individual entrepreneurs and small businesses, steps to shrink the shadow economy, and tax changes for dig…
U.S. stock futures moved higher Wednesday morning as investors awaited the Federal Reserve's interest rate decision and monitored continuing conflict involving Iran that has kept oil prices elevated. Gains in futures followed advances on Wall Street in the prior session, while developments in the Middle East - including reported deaths of two senio…
The UK government said it will examine whether AI-generated material should carry labels to help guard against deepfakes and disinformation, while pursuing further copyright reforms to protect creators and smaller cultural organisations. Technology minister Liz Kendall said policymakers must balance protection for creative industries with space for…
Bank of America has rescinded its forecast for a March rate cut by the Bank of England, now anticipating that policymakers will keep the Bank Rate at 3.75% amid a near-term energy price shock. The bank's strategists, led by Mark Capleton, expect a 7-2 vote to hold at the upcoming meeting but warn that outcomes remain sensitive to the size and persi…
Australia's Treasurer will prioritise fiscal savings, productivity measures and tax reform in the May budget to prepare for an inflation shock and a potential drag on growth linked to a prolonged Middle East conflict, according to excerpts of his pre-budget remarks. A Treasury scenario warns the conflict could add 1.25 percentage points to inflatio…
Bank of America continues to forecast Mexico's policy rate falling to 6% by the end of 2026 and expects a 25 basis point reduction as early as March. The bank maintains this out-of-consensus view despite identifying upside inflation pressures from energy, fertilizer, shipping and commodity markets. BofA says Banxico is likely to justify a March cut…
Switzerland's government has trimmed its 2026 GDP growth forecast to 1% from 1.1% amid uncertainty tied to the Middle East conflict and a rise in energy costs. The forecast for 2027 remains 1.7%. An expert group at the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs raised its 2026 inflation projection to 0.4% and flagged slightly weaker private consumption…
The Bank of Canada is widely expected to keep its policy rate at 2.25% when it announces its decision on Wednesday, with inflation hovering near the midpoint of the bank's 1% to 3% target range. Economists say the central bank is likely to flag the inflationary risks posed by a recent spike in oil prices linked to the Middle East conflict, while ci…
The Federal Open Market Committee is widely expected to leave its policy rate unchanged at 3.50%-3.75% when it concludes a two-day meeting on Wednesday. A recent jump in oil prices and the onset of the Iran conflict have elevated inflation concerns, prompting some economists to warn that the Fed could signal a 'symmetric policy bias' that leaves bo…
U.S. stock index futures advanced after oil prices slipped, while market participants awaited the Federal Reserve's policy update and commentary on how the Middle East conflict, tariffs and a cooling labor market may shape future monetary decisions. Strength in AI-related chip demand supported technology names, and data on producer prices for Febru…
U.S. equity futures moved higher as markets awaited a Federal Reserve interest rate decision that arrives while fighting in Iran continues to unsettle energy markets. Brent crude eased but remained above $100 a barrel amid concerns that disrupted supplies will sustain inflationary pressures and could delay prospective Fed rate cuts. Memory-chip mak…
