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.
5,117 total articles
Crude production among OPEC's 11 current members fell to 16.33 million barrels per day in May, the lowest recorded level in at least 37 years, driven largely by a steep drop in Iranian output after a US-imposed maritime blockade and by production cuts across major Gulf producers. Despite physical supply losses, OPEC and its partners continue to sch…
The European Commission is preparing proposals that would obligate companies to reduce heavy dependence on single suppliers, part of a push to rebalance economic ties with China. The plan under discussion includes a rule prompting firms to relocate supply chains if they source more than 40% of stocks from one supplier, and seeks political direction…
Surveys published by the Reserve Bank of India show households now expect inflation to climb through the year. The central bank kept its policy rate at 5.25% while monitoring whether price pressures broaden, and separate surveys flagged weaker consumer confidence in both urban and rural areas amid concerns about the US-Iran war and forecasts for be…
Norway has rejected a U.S. determination that it has not done enough to prevent forced labour in supply chains, with Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide calling the assessment unfounded. The U.S. administration has proposed tariffs of up to 12.5% on imports from 60 countries, including Norway, after concluding those nations failed to curb goods made …
U.S. nonfarm payrolls rose by 172,000 in May, above consensus, while the unemployment rate held at 4.3% for a third month. Markets reacted with a drop in equity futures, higher Treasury yields and a notable shift in fed funds futures toward a greater chance of a December rate increase. Commentators said the report strengthens the case for the Feder…
U.S.-focused private credit lending has cooled, with direct lending issuance tumbling in recent months and fundraising failing to return to earlier highs. Managers face elevated redemption requests, closer scrutiny of loan quality following weakness in software debt, and competition from cheaper syndicated loans. The combination could constrain ass…
Hedge funds, especially those focused on equities, outpaced market benchmarks in May as a rally led by U.S. technology shares boosted returns. Stock-picking strategies recorded stronger gains than the MSCI total return index, while systematic stock funds also posted positive returns. Rising borrowing and concentrated long positions amplified the mo…
India and the United States are progressing rapidly toward finalising the first tranche of a bilateral trade agreement, with Indian Trade Minister Piyush Goyal saying the initial phase could be executed by mid-July. Talks stalled earlier this year but resumed momentum after meetings in New Delhi; a separate U.S. tariff proposal linked to forced lab…
Several Chinese banks have increased the interest rates they offer on U.S. dollar deposits in recent weeks, according to sources. The moves - spanning large state-owned lenders to smaller joint-stock banks - have pushed some dollar deposit rates to around or above the U.S. Secured Overnight Financing Rate (SOFR) of 3.61%. Market participants say th…
Canada added 88,000 jobs in May, reversing four months of declines. The gain was driven entirely by full-time hiring, which rose by 154,000, while part-time positions fell by 66,000. The national unemployment rate declined to 6.6%, hourly wages moderated to 3.0% year-over-year growth, and a larger share of workers reported working entirely outside …
Nonfarm payrolls rose by 172,000 in May, following an upwardly revised 179,000 increase in April. The unemployment rate stayed at 4.3% for a third month. Economists say low layoffs and corporate balance-sheet support from tax and tariff refunds have helped preserve jobs even as firms remain cautious amid tariff fallout and the U.S.-Israeli war with…
China’s State Council announced plans to increase investment in fundamental research and to steer additional foreign capital into advanced manufacturing. The cabinet said state investment funds will play a guiding role in efforts to cultivate more start-ups and unicorns in priority sectors, while urging caution on project approvals. The policy pack…
Deutsche Bank warns that an energy shock tied to the Iran conflict has likely eroded the UK's early-2026 growth momentum, with GDP slipping into slight contraction in April and a modest recovery expected across the rest of the year. The bank projects full-year GDP growth of 1%, with very weak quarter-on-quarter expansion in Q2 and the second half.
Global equity funds drew a net $21.44 billion in the week to June 3, the largest weekly inflow since May 13, driven by strong technology earnings and investor enthusiasm around AI. European funds led regional buying, while global bond and money-market funds also saw sizable inflows for successive weeks.
Swiss authorities have formally rejected U.S. findings that they failed to address imports made with forced labour, while signalling they will continue negotiations with Washington. The government plans to restate its policy in writing and stresses a regulatory framework that combines rules, mandatory private-sector risk checks and international co…
The Kremlin confirmed that Russian President Vladimir Putin has been briefed on an open letter from Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelenskiy, delivered in written form overnight and reviewed by the president after media circulation. Zelenskiy proposed a meeting to negotiate an end to the war and warned Kyiv would keep fighting if no agreement is reached. Krem…
China's securities regulator unveiled stricter rules for private funds, targeting the country's 23 trillion yuan ($3.40 trillion) industry to reduce financial risks, weed out misconduct and channel long-term capital into technology-focused venture investing. The measures include higher registration thresholds, a cross-agency monitoring platform and…
The Swiss government said it will continue trade talks with the United States and will submit a written response rebutting allegations that it has not sufficiently tackled imports of products made with forced labor. The announcement comes as Washington contemplates raising additional tariffs on Swiss goods from the current 10% to 12.5%, and as a se…
China’s securities regulator announced tougher oversight of the nation’s private fund industry, worth 23 trillion yuan ($3.40 trillion), aiming to curb financial risks and redirect capital into technology and other emerging sectors. The China Securities Regulatory Commission said it will impose higher registration requirements, intensify investigat…
Relations between AI developer Anthropic and elements of the U.S. government have shown signs of improvement after several months of friction that began when the company rejected military uses of its models for domestic surveillance and fully autonomous weapons. The dispute prompted the Defense Department to brand Anthropic a "supply-chain risk" an…
Federal Reserve officials’ easing concern about the labor market will be examined by Friday’s May jobs figures, which economists expect to show 85,000 payrolls added and an unchanged 4.3% unemployment rate. That data will feed into the opening policy debate of new Fed Chair Kevin Warsh and could bolster a growing view among policymakers that contai…
Hezbollah has refused to accept a recently announced ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon, citing demands for a full Israeli withdrawal before any halt to operations. The group's stance complicates U.S. efforts to secure a broader peace agreement with Iran, while continued fighting in southern Lebanon and shifting troop deployments have added ambig…
The Japanese yen pushed up against the 160-per-dollar level, drawing renewed official warnings as the dollar held firm ahead of key U.S. employment data. Renewed hostilities in the Gulf have kept oil above $90 a barrel, supporting safe-haven demand for the dollar and fueling concerns about the outlook for importers and global growth.
U.S. equity futures traded weaker on mounting geopolitical uncertainty after Hezbollah dismissed a U.S.-brokered Israel-Lebanon ceasefire, undercutting hopes for progress in U.S.-Iran negotiations. Tech sector weakness following a disappointing Broadcom report added to the cautious tone. Investors now await the monthly U.S. employment report for cl…
Average UK house values were essentially unchanged in May as regional disparities widened. Halifax data show a small monthly dip and a marginal rise in annual growth, driven by strong gains in Northern Ireland and continued weakness in London and much of southern England. Market participants cite Middle East uncertainty, elevated borrowing costs an…
