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.
5,193 total articles
The Bank of France has cut its growth forecast for 2026 and raised its inflation outlook after incorporating higher energy prices linked to the Iran war. Its updated projections include adverse and severe scenarios for the French economy, and still suggest consumer price growth will remain below 2% next year even in the most extreme case. The centr…
President Volodymyr Zelenskiy told Reuters that Ukrainian military intelligence reviewed data indicating Russia continues to share intelligence with Iran. Zelenskiy said Moscow offered to stop its intelligence transfers to Tehran if the United States ceased providing intelligence to Ukraine, a move he characterized as blackmail. He also said some I…
Iran's parliament speaker said intelligence indicates that 'enemies' are planning to occupy an Iranian island with support from an unnamed regional country. He warned that Iranian forces are monitoring movements and vowed to strike that state's vital infrastructure with continuous attacks if action is taken. The statement did not name the country o…
A.P. Moller-Maersk board chair Robert Maersk Uggla told shareholders that the Gulf region faces a significant need to import food, much of it moved in refrigerated containers, and that the company is seeking alternate routes after the Strait of Hormuz was closed amid recent regional hostilities. The closure and associated attacks have brought Gulf …
The Federal Reserve reported a total comprehensive loss of $19.6 billion for 2025 in its audited financial statement, a marked improvement from the $77.5 billion loss in 2024 and the $114.6 billion loss in 2023. The central bank’s losses continue to reflect the consequences of an enlarged balance sheet built through large Treasury and mortgage bond…
European Central Bank President Christine Lagarde said the ECB stands prepared to raise interest rates should a projected increase in euro zone inflation prove larger than temporary. Speaking at a conference in Frankfurt, Lagarde flagged the risk of a communication breakdown if the bank did not respond to a clear overshoot and reiterated that a mea…
Analysts at BofA Securities warn that a sustained, moderate increase in energy prices could push the Federal Reserve toward a more hawkish policy stance. The strategists say West Texas Intermediate trading in an $80 to $100 per barrel range this year would make rate hikes more plausible, while a temporary, large oil spike or a market-driven demand …
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is accelerating efforts to approve Israel's state budget before a March 31 deadline that, if missed, would trigger snap elections. Despite hopes in his camp that the opening strikes against Iran - including the attack that killed Ayatollah Ali Khamenei - might shift public support and allow a June ballot, polls sho…
U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren has asked Federal Reserve official Randall Guynn to explain how he will address potential conflicts of interest tied to his long career representing major banks now that he has been assigned to a senior role overseeing the banking industry. The Fed acknowledged receipt of Warren's letter but offered no further comment.
Iran has refused a 15-point peace proposal put forward by the United States, Iranian state television reported. Tehran says its defensive operations will persist until specific conditions are satisfied and has communicated to regional mediators that it will not accept a U.S.-imposed timeline for ending hostilities. Iranian broadcaster PressTV liste…
Mortgage borrowing costs rose sharply last week, pushing the average 30-year fixed-rate mortgage to 6.43% in the week ended March 20. Rising oil prices tied to the Iran war have driven Treasury yields higher, eroding refinance incentives and weighing on both purchase and refinance loan applications, the Mortgage Bankers Association said.
President Donald Trump on Wednesday named the inaugural members of his President's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology, appointing a series of well-known figures from the technology sector. The council will be co-chaired by David Sacks and Michael Kratsios and is charged with advising on policies to strengthen U.S. leadership in science a…
Bank of England rate-setter Megan Greene said she was not close to voting for an interest rate increase at the Monetary Policy Committee meeting this month, which she said was dominated by concerns over the economic effects of the conflict in the Middle East. Speaking at an event hosted by Jefferies, Greene reiterated that she was not tempted to hi…
Iran has turned down a U.S. proposal for a ceasefire, telling Iranian state-linked media that a truce and negotiations are not feasible under current conditions. The refusal came despite what Iran described as intensified American efforts to secure a pause in fighting. Reports from regional and international outlets indicate diplomatic activity, in…
A new ADP Research report finds only 22% of workers worldwide strongly believe their jobs are safe from elimination. The Today at Work 2026, Issue 1 survey of more than 39,000 adults across 36 markets shows the greatest insecurity among lower-paid, repetitive-task workers and lower-level employees. The study links job-security perceptions to engage…
A quarterly Federal Reserve survey of 473 chief financial officers found improving economic expectations through early 2026, with firms projecting revenue growth, modest hiring and price increases. The survey - conducted by the Federal Reserve banks of Atlanta and Richmond with Duke University Fuqua School of Business from February 17 to March 5 - …
UBS’s Chief Investment Office moved Eurozone equities to a neutral stance and cut its 2026 earnings growth outlook to 5% from 7%, citing the risk that ongoing interruptions to energy supplies could derail a hoped-for manufacturing rebound. At the same time, the bank upgraded Swiss equities and European health care to Attractive and reiterated secto…
The European Central Bank will closely monitor companies' expected selling prices and wages paid to new hires as signals of whether recent energy-driven price shocks will translate into sustained inflation, ECB Chief Economist Philip Lane said at a Frankfurt conference. Markets appear to be pricing a one-off price-level jump rather than persistent …
European Central Bank President Christine Lagarde said the ECB could respond with modest tightening if recent energy-related price pressures, driven by the war in Iran and attacks on regional energy infrastructure, cause inflation to overshoot the 2% target - even if that overshoot is not deeply persistent. The ECB held rates steady last week but r…
U.S. stock index futures climbed after media reports suggested Washington proposed a month-long ceasefire to Iran, reducing some investor fears about sustained energy disruptions. Oil prices slipped roughly 4%, supporting risk appetite. Market attention also focused on corporate movers including Arm, Intel, Nvidia, JD.com, Alibaba, Destiny Tech100 …
U.S. officials are describing ongoing, indirect exchanges with Iran about a potential ceasefire, but Iranian authorities have pushed back on those characterizations and set high preconditions for any talks. Mediators are seeking to bridge the gap even as Gulf Arab states urge sustained pressure on Tehran and military activity across the region rema…
Futures tied to major U.S. stock gauges moved higher as reports emerged that diplomatic channels may be arranging talks between U.S. and Iranian officials. Energy markets pulled back, with Brent crude slipping under $100 a barrel, while gold strengthened and the U.S. dollar eased. The developments followed reports that the U.S. presented a 15-point…
Sweden's central bank expects interest rates to remain unchanged for the near term, according to the Riksbank's latest minutes, which highlight heightened uncertainty from the ongoing war in the Middle East and its potential to disrupt global energy supplies. Governor Erik Thedeen warned of possible long-term effects on oil and natural gas availabi…
China's commerce ministry concluded that Mexico's recent tariff increases and other trade measures amount to barriers to trade and investment, affecting more than $30 billion of Chinese exports. The ministry estimated the moves could cause roughly $9.4 billion in losses to China's mechanical and electrical sectors, with about $9 billion of that imp…
European Central Bank President Christine Lagarde said a 'not-too-persistent' inflation overshoot driven by the current energy shock could justify modest tightening. While the ECB held rates steady last week, policymakers are weighing scenarios under which they would lift interest rates to prevent a temporary price surge from becoming entrenched. L…
