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.
5,135 total articles
In a significant escalation regarding maritime security in the Middle East, Iranian authorities have seized a support vessel owned by a Chinese maritime security firm. The vessel, identified as the Hui Chuan, was intercepted near the Strait of Hormuz, an area critical to global shipping lanes. This incident represents the first recorded impoundment…
China's Commerce Ministry said Beijing and Washington have reached a broad, in-principle understanding to lower tariffs on a set of goods following high-level talks between the two presidents. The agreement includes creating trade and investment councils, steps to expand bilateral agricultural trade through mutual tariff cuts, cooperation on market…
Iran has drawn up a mechanism to direct vessel movements through the Strait of Hormuz along a designated route and intends to charge fees for passage, the head of the Iranian parliament’s national security committee said. The plan will be unveiled soon and will apply to commercial vessels and parties that cooperate with Iran, while excluding operat…
Iraq’s seaborne crude exports via the Strait of Hormuz fell to 10 million barrels in April from a pre-conflict baseline near 93 million barrels per month, prompting a shift to overland routes and contributing to a rise in global oil benchmarks. Baghdad has restarted flows through the Kirkuk-Ceyhan pipeline and plans to expand exports via Ceyhan whi…
The chief executive of Harvard Management Co., which oversees the university's approximately $57 billion endowment, has informed the institution's board that he intends to retire. He has not established a firm departure date but has discussed the prospect of leaving in late 2027. The investment arm did not immediately respond to requests for commen…
The Kremlin announced that Russian President Vladimir Putin will undertake an official state visit to China from May 19 to 20 at the invitation of President Xi Jinping. The trip follows a Beijing summit between Xi and U.S. President Donald Trump and is timed to coincide with the 25th anniversary of the Treaty on Good-Neighbourliness, Friendship and…
The Federal Reserve Board has designated Jerome Powell as chair pro tempore to lead the U.S. central bank until Kevin Warsh is formally sworn in. The appointment preserves leadership continuity but revealed fractures among governors and heightened institutional uncertainty after Powell said he will keep his separate governor seat until an active cr…
N.P. "Narv" Narvekar, who has led Harvard Management Co. and overseen the university's $56.9 billion endowment for almost ten years, has informed the board of plans to retire. He has discussed a possible timeline targeting late 2027 to allow for transition and succession planning. Under his tenure the endowment shifted its operating model, increase…
Starbucks plans to launch its inaugural corporate office in India focused on technology roles, a move tied to a broader effort to cut $2 billion in costs. The facility, slated to open in the company’s fiscal 2027 year beginning in October, will bring certain technical functions back in-house and reduce reliance on outside service providers. The dec…
Shares of Moderna climbed after reports of Hantavirus infections aboard the cruise ship MV Hondius, but Bernstein Global Research cautions that the event is unlikely to become a global pandemic. The firm left its Market-Perform rating and $45.00 price target intact, noting Moderna’s mRNA platform could be repurposed but that collaborations remain p…
Amazon.com Inc is facing a proposed class-action lawsuit in federal court, with plaintiffs alleging that the company failed to reimburse customers for price increases driven by unlawful tariffs. The litigation, filed on Friday in a Seattle federal court, centers on costs passed down to consumers from trade tariffs that were subsequently deemed inva…
Mexico’s economy faced a significant downturn in the first quarter, recording a 3.2% contraction on a seasonally adjusted annualized basis. This unexpected decline has prompted analysts to question whether the country is experiencing a temporary cycle or a deeper, structural 'growth drift' characterized by declining productivity and job creation.
A research note from JPMorgan suggests that emerging market (EM) equities are set for a major upward movement during the second half of the year. This outlook is supported by several converging factors: highly attractive valuations compared to developed markets, an anticipated shift away from hawkish central bank policies, and early indicators of e…
Global energy markets experienced significant upward pressure after a 48-hour summit between U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping concluded without a joint roadmap for regional peace. While the U.S. State Department confirmed a 45-day extension of the ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon, broader geopolitical tensions remain…
A significant implementation agreement has been reached between Prime Minister Mark Carney and Alberta Premier Danielle Smith to advance energy sector development while simultaneously addressing emissions reductions and export diversification. The pact establishes a structured framework for carbon pricing, sets ambitious targets for electricity gen…
An internal email circulated within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services notifies staff that several teams will be reclassified under Schedule P/C, formerly Schedule F, stripping civil service job protections for personnel. An HHS official confirmed the message and said the move implements previously announced reductions in force and th…
U.S. President Donald Trump completed a two-day state visit to Beijing that showcased ritual and theater but produced few concrete policy outcomes on the central disputes between Washington and Beijing. Conversations ranged across Iran, trade, Taiwan and investment governance, yet tangible commitments were scant. The trip, the first by a U.S. presi…
Data released by the Central Bank of Sri Lanka show both the services and manufacturing Purchasing Managers' Indexes (PMIs) slipped below the 50 threshold in April, signaling contraction. The services PMI fell to 46.7 from 59.4 in March, while the manufacturing PMI dropped to 42.6 from 66.7. Key subcomponents across the two surveys - including new …
UK government bond yields climbed sharply after Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham announced moves that make a leadership challenge possible, prompting traders to price in a premium for higher borrowing needs. The 30-year gilt yield jumped to 5.86%, its highest level since 1998, while the pound weakened amid worries about fiscal loosening, persistent in…
The U.S. State Department announced that Israel and Lebanon have consented to extend the cessation of hostilities declared on April 16 by 45 days. Talks held in Washington were characterized as productive, with delegations set to return to negotiations on June 2 and June 3, the department said. The meetings mark the third round since intensified ex…
The National Football League has asked the U.S. Commodities and Futures Trading Commission to impose stricter rules on sports-related prediction markets. In a letter from the NFL's senior vice president for government affairs and public policy to CFTC Chairman Michael Selig, the league recommended banning certain contract types, raising the minimum…
India raised export duties on petrol, diesel and aviation turbine fuel in a government statement late Friday. The move, announced one day after the first retail fuel price increase since the Iran war began, keeps domestic excise rates unchanged and follows the government’s fortnightly review process tied to average international fuel and crude pric…
Five sources say the U.S. is considering asking Israel to transfer some tax revenue it has withheld from the Palestinian Authority to President Trump’s Board of Peace to finance the U.S. post-war reconstruction plan for Gaza. The proposal remains under discussion, with details on amounts and mechanism not disclosed. Palestinian officials say Israel…
A board member of Colombia’s central bank, Bibiana Taboada, said the institution may be able to slow the speed of further interest-rate increases, asserting that the bulk of monetary tightening has already been implemented. The comment comes after an April unanimous decision to hold the policy rate at 11.25% amid political pressure surrounding the …
President Donald Trump said on Air Force One that Chinese President Xi Jinping appears to be giving serious consideration to releasing a detained pastor, but that the fate of jailed media tycoon Jimmy Lai presents greater resistance. Trump described his private exchanges with Xi and expressed pessimism after raising Lai's case.
