Economy

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.

Articles

2,600 total articles

U.S. Operation in Iran Expected to Conclude Within Weeks, Rubio Says

U.S. Operation in Iran Expected to Conclude Within Weeks, Rubio Says

Following a meeting with G7 foreign ministers in France, the U.S. Secretary of State said the U.S. expects its operation connected to Iran to finish in weeks rather than months, that Russian support for Iran is not hindering U.S. actions, and that Washington does not plan to deploy ground forces. He also called a potential Iranian tolling scheme fo…

Judge Accuses VA of Defying Court After Re-termination of Massive Union Contract

Judge Accuses VA of Defying Court After Re-termination of Massive Union Contract

A federal judge has warned the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs it could be held in contempt after the agency terminated a bargaining agreement covering roughly 320,000 employees following a prior judicial order to reinstate the contract. The move came in an after-hours filing and prompted the judge to demand immediate compliance and explanation…

Dollar Climbs to 160 Yen as Tokyo's Intervention Threshold Looms

Dollar Climbs to 160 Yen as Tokyo's Intervention Threshold Looms

The U.S. dollar strengthened to roughly 160 yen on Friday, a level traders view as a potential trigger for official action by Japanese authorities. The move accompanies gains in the dollar index as investors seek U.S. currency amid geopolitical uncertainty, while Japan's fiscal policy stance and reliance on energy imports leave the yen and local go…

Barkin: AI advances and Iran conflict have intensified economic uncertainty

Barkin: AI advances and Iran conflict have intensified economic uncertainty

Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond President Tom Barkin told an economics forum that the range of uncertainty facing policymakers and businesses has widened over the past year. He pointed to rapid advances in artificial intelligence and the conflict involving Iran as primary new sources of ambiguity, while noting that growth, consumer spending, and s…

Canada's 2025/26 Ten-Month Budget Shortfall Rises to C$31.21 Billion

Canada's 2025/26 Ten-Month Budget Shortfall Rises to C$31.21 Billion

Canada reported a C$31.21 billion budget deficit through the first ten months of the 2025/26 fiscal year as government outlays grew faster than receipts. Program spending rose modestly, while public debt charges edged lower overall due to reduced rates on short-term instruments but were partly offset by higher effective rates on a larger stock of m…

Barkin: Geopolitical shock and AI roll-out deepen uncertainty for Fed

Barkin: Geopolitical shock and AI roll-out deepen uncertainty for Fed

Richmond Federal Reserve President Thomas Barkin said the twin shocks of the U.S. war with Iran and the rapid deployment of artificial intelligence technologies have increased uncertainty around the central bank's outlook, making it appropriate to keep interest rates on hold. Barkin warned that an oil-price shock from the Iran conflict and AI-drive…

Argentina Wins Reversal of $16.1 Billion YPF Judgment

Argentina Wins Reversal of $16.1 Billion YPF Judgment

A U.S. federal appeals court on Friday overturned a $16.1 billion judgment tied to Argentina's 2012 nationalization of YPF SA, ruling that a Manhattan judge erred in deciding for former shareholders. The lawsuit had backing from litigation funder Burford Capital Ltd., which had stood to receive a significant share of any award. The decision elimina…

Two COSCO Container Vessels Turn Back After Attempt to Transit Strait of Hormuz

Two COSCO Container Vessels Turn Back After Attempt to Transit Strait of Hormuz

Two Hong Kong-flagged container ships operated by China’s COSCO attempted to leave the Gulf through the Strait of Hormuz but turned back shortly after beginning the transit, ship-tracking data shows. The incident occurred despite a statement from Iran saying it had allowed passage for friendly nations including China. The move was the first recorde…

Bolsonaro Leaves Hospital to Begin 90-Day Humanitarian House Arrest

Bolsonaro Leaves Hospital to Begin 90-Day Humanitarian House Arrest

Former Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro, 71, was discharged from a Brasilia hospital and moved to his residence to begin a 90-day period of so-called humanitarian house arrest approved by a Supreme Court justice. Bolsonaro has been serving a 27-year sentence since November for plotting a coup after his 2022 election defeat. He was treated in inte…

Markets End Q1 in Turmoil as Geopolitics, Energy Shock and Rate Moves Reorder Risk

Markets End Q1 in Turmoil as Geopolitics, Energy Shock and Rate Moves Reorder Risk

The first quarter has closed on a turbulent note as global financial markets absorbed a severe geopolitical shock in the Middle East alongside large moves in energy prices and interest rates. An estimated $7 trillion was wiped from global equity markets, oil posted one of its largest quarterly gains of the century, European gas prices nearly double…

When Oil Prices Shift from Fueling Inflation to Slowing Growth

When Oil Prices Shift from Fueling Inflation to Slowing Growth

Morgan Stanley warned that rising crude costs tied to the Middle East conflict could move from primarily lifting inflation to damaging economic growth if price gains become sharp enough. Analysts led by Michael Gapen say the bank is watching retail sales excluding gasoline, upcoming March payroll data, business confidence measures and inflation-lin…

Marcopolo Targets Export Growth to Counter Brazilian Market Slowdown

Marcopolo Targets Export Growth to Counter Brazilian Market Slowdown

Marcopolo is leaning on international markets to make up for a softer outlook at home in 2026, boosting exports across Latin America and preparing a push into European markets. International operations accounted for nearly half of the company's net revenue in 2025, and executives say they are seeing momentum in multiple neighboring countries while …

First Economic Strains from Iran Conflict Hit UK, Exposing Policy Constraints

First Economic Strains from Iran Conflict Hit UK, Exposing Policy Constraints

Early economic effects from the Iran war are surfacing in Britain, with surging gas prices and downgrades to growth and inflation forecasts constraining both monetary and fiscal policymakers. The combination of higher energy costs, falling consumer confidence, and limited fiscal headroom raises difficult trade-offs for the Bank of England and the g…

China Calls on EU to Loosen High-Tech Export Restrictions and Deepen Trade

China Calls on EU to Loosen High-Tech Export Restrictions and Deepen Trade

China’s commerce minister told the European Union’s trade commissioner that Beijing is prepared to increase imports from the 27-member bloc and urged the EU to relax controls on high-tech exports and avoid politicising trade relations, according to a statement from China’s commerce ministry. The exchange took place on the sidelines of a World Trade…

Philippines and China Restart Formal South China Sea Talks in Quanzhou

Philippines and China Restart Formal South China Sea Talks in Quanzhou

The Philippines and China convened formal talks on their South China Sea dispute in Quanzhou for the first time in over a year, holding two bilateral meetings to pursue candid exchanges and examine cooperation in non-sensitive areas. The sessions followed signals from Manila about potential collaboration on a joint oil and gas project and requests …

U.S. Futures Tepid After Another Delay in Strikes on Iran Fails to Soothe Markets

U.S. Futures Tepid After Another Delay in Strikes on Iran Fails to Soothe Markets

U.S. stock index futures showed little momentum on March 27 as investors weighed a further delay in planned strikes on Iran’s energy infrastructure. President Donald Trump extended a deadline for Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, after Tehran rejected a 15-point U.S. proposal to end hostilities. The pause did not calm markets: oil prices rose, g…