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.
7,098 total articles
China's gig economy has expanded to 320 million flexible workers, acting as a crucial employment buffer amid a property crisis, manufacturing automation, and weak domestic demand. This surge, driven by both blue-collar workers and a growing number of educated white-collar professionals and university graduates, is masking underlying labor market di…
Wall Street advanced on Monday with the technology-driven Nasdaq index posting the strongest gains, buoyed by a resurgence in semiconductor stocks. Meanwhile, crude oil prices eased on expectations of a post-war supply surge. The European STOXX 600 retreated from record highs. Key sectors saw divergent performance, with semiconductor companies like…
Bulgargaz and BOTAŞ have signed a protocol that suspends the existing terms of a long-term gas contract for 15 months. During that interval, Bulgaria will pay only for the import capacity it uses under improved terms, and the two firms will work on renegotiating the contract to reflect current market conditions. The agreement follows talks between …
European Central Bank board member Isabel Schnabel said the euro zone has not returned to the economic environment that existed before the Iran war, despite lower oil prices. She highlighted persistent core inflation, elevated gas and refinery margins, pipeline and supply-chain strains, and weather-related risks to food prices. Her comments point t…
European Central Bank board member Isabel Schnabel said the euro zone has not returned to pre-war conditions despite a fall in oil prices, citing sustained core inflation, elevated energy and supply-chain pressures, and new climate-related shocks. Belgian central bank governor Pierre Wunsch struck a more relaxed tone on market pricing but argued th…
Federal Reserve Governor Christopher Waller told an economics conference in Rome that the main risk facing the central bank has shifted from weak labor conditions to elevated inflation. Waller said that a year ago he had supported rate cuts amid a deteriorating labor market, but recent stabilization in employment and a pickup in inflation have reve…
European Central Bank policymaker Fabio Panetta cautioned that central banks across Europe could increasingly come under pressure from government spending demands tied to defense, industrial support and aging-related welfare costs. Speaking after an academic presentation in Rome, Panetta suggested these fiscal needs could push monetary authorities …
Bank of Italy Governor Fabio Panetta warned that central banks across Europe could encounter increasing pressure from governments seeking additional spending on pensions, industry and defence. He cautioned that rising voter demand for fiscal measures may push monetary policy into a subordinate role - a condition he described as fiscal dominance - a…
President Donald Trump said he expects to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping around Sept. 24, a timing that would align with the United Nations General Assembly in New York. The comment came as Trump discussed building a large White House ballroom, noting a visit by Xi as a reason for the expanded event space. The planned meeting follows a May summi…
Britain’s Financial Conduct Authority has been advised to evaluate whether large language models - including OpenAI’s ChatGPT, Anthropic’s Claude and Google’s Gemini - should fall within the regulatory boundary for financial advice. The recommendation stems from findings that a significant share of UK consumers turn to these AI tools for financial …
A Bank of Canada quarterly survey and a subsequent follow-up poll show Canadian businesses trimmed their inflation expectations following a mid-June interim agreement between the United States and Iran. While the business outlook cooled for the first time in three quarters, investment intentions stayed elevated and trade-related worries eased versu…
A Bank of Canada quarterly survey of business leaders found that firms have reduced their inflation expectations following a ceasefire in the Middle East and easing trade concerns. Conducted in May with a follow-up in mid-June, the survey offers central bank policymakers insight into how trade uncertainty influences inflation, employment and activi…
The Federal Reserve Bank of New York reported a decline in its Global Supply Chain Pressure Index for June, dropping to 1.25 from a revised 1.81 in May. The reading is close to levels seen in late 2022 and remains far below the December 2021 peak of 4.44. The bank linked recent improvements to easing disruptions from the Middle East conflict as goo…
The Federal Reserve Bank of New York reported that its Global Supply Chain Pressure Index declined to 1.25 in June from an upwardly revised 1.81 in May. The reading approaches late-2022 levels and stands well below the December 2021 peak of 4.44. The easing follows disruptions to shipping and energy transit related to the Middle East war and the ne…
Federal Reserve Governor Christopher Waller told a Bank of Italy conference that forward guidance can accelerate monetary-policy effects when applied appropriately, but becomes problematic if it is too rigid or used in environments with many possible economic outcomes. He cited the fall 2021 episode - when markets reacted to guidance but policy tig…
The Bank of Israel trimmed its benchmark interest rate to 3.5% from 3.75% at a policy meeting on Monday, its second consecutive reduction. Officials pointed to continued subdued inflation and lower energy prices following a U.S.-Iran ceasefire as central reasons for the move. Staff projections show inflation expected to decline to 1.8% by the end o…
Estonian officials say the United States is reassessing its military footprint in Europe, leaving the long-term status of U.S. forces in Estonia unclear beyond the next scheduled rotation. The next rotation is due this summer and will remain until the end of 2026. Estonia and the U.S. are in ongoing consultations and will provide further informatio…
Junichi Hanzawa, chief executive of Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group, warned that a prolonged period of inflation caused by a depreciating yen risks undermining consumer sentiment and Japan's broader economic recovery. He said price increases that outstrip wage growth would hit consumption and pose a threat to sustainable expansion, remarks made as t…
Federal Reserve Governor Christopher Waller said forward guidance can accelerate monetary policy effects when applied correctly but becomes counterproductive if treated inflexibly. Speaking in prepared remarks to a Bank of Italy conference in Rome on monetary policy transmission, Waller cited the Fed's fall 2021 guidance episode as an instance wher…
The Bank of Israel reduced its key interest rate by 25 basis points to 3.5%, marking a second consecutive cut. Policymakers pointed to stable inflation and a U.S.-Iran ceasefire deal that has eased energy prices, while cautioning that geopolitical uncertainty and other opposing forces could still influence future inflation and monetary policy.
Argentina's Economy Minister Luis Caputo announced plans to refinance existing obligations at the lowest achievable rates and identified obtaining an 'investment grade' credit rating as a priority. The comments came during a press briefing on the government's strategy to cover debt payments through 2027, when more than $23 billion in foreign-curren…
The Institute for Supply Management's nonmanufacturing PMI slipped to 54.0 in June from 54.5 in May, signaling continued expansion in the services sector but a loss of momentum. New orders cooled, supplier delivery times remained long, and prices paid by services firms eased as oil returned to pre-conflict levels. Employment within services rebound…
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte told reporters that European allies and Canada have raised combined defense spending to about 4% of GDP, driven by a near-20% rise in core defense outlays last year. Rutte said the extra planned investment for 2025 and 2026 totals $258 billion and expects detailed plans at the Ankara leaders summit to meet a 5% of …
India's office leasing market reached an all-time high for any six-month period in the first half of 2026, with 45.5 million square feet taken up. Growth was driven by large transactions from multinational firms expanding global capability centres and from flexible workspace operators. Fortune 500 companies accounted for a substantial share of acti…
Morgan Stanley says the recent pullback in U.S. semiconductor shares signals a widening of market leadership, with investors expected to shift capital toward AI 'hyperscalers' and into consumer discretionary, transport and biotechnology stocks. The bank notes hyperscalers have already invested heavily in AI infrastructure, but says there is limited…
