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.
5,179 total articles
Brazil's monetary authority reduced its benchmark Selic rate by 25 basis points to 14.50% in a unanimous decision, marking a second consecutive easing move. Policymakers refrained from providing forward guidance and said future rate adjustments will depend on new information about the economic effects of the U.S.-Israel war against Iran. The bank c…
The Federal Reserve's latest policy statement drew an unusually high number of dissents, with three regional bank presidents objecting to wording that implies a bias toward future rate cuts. Their concern reflects unease at signaling easier policy while inflation remains above the Fed's 2% target and energy prices have risen. The split underscores …
Oil climbed toward $120 a barrel as supply concerns intensified, while a sharply split Federal Reserve vote to hold rates saw U.S. bond yields rise and equities struggle. The Fed's decision marked its most divided vote since 1992, and markets reacted to signs of higher yields, a firmer dollar and mixed tech earnings from major U.S. cloud and intern…
U.S. equities traded unevenly after the Federal Reserve held interest rates steady in a notably divided decision, while a sharp climb in crude prices tied to potential Iranian port disruptions and a slate of high-profile tech earnings scheduled after the close left investors cautious. Corporate reports and capital spending indicators added to the d…
Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell delivered his final news conference in the role, saying he will not return to lead future briefings as Kevin Warsh prepares to assume leadership in mid-June. Powell expressed pride in the work completed with colleagues, noted that markets still price in the Fed's 2 percent inflation target credibility, and report…
Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell described the U.S. economy as "quite resilient" amid an energy shock tied to the Iran war and said growth should exceed 2% this year, driven by steady consumer spending and substantial business investment in data centers. Powell reiterated the Fed's commitment to bring inflation back to 2%, and said inflation sho…
Wall Street traders pushed up the probability of a Federal Reserve interest rate hike this year after signals from Fed officials that suggested policy may remain tighter for longer. Interest-rate futures climbed to imply an 11% chance of a hike, up from 5% earlier the same day and zero percent the previous trading day, while the odds of a cut sat n…
Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell told reporters he intends to return to his role as a Fed governor when his term as chair ends in May, will keep a low profile while remaining on the board for an unspecified period, and does not plan to act as a 'shadow chair' exerting outsized influence over monetary policy. He said he will try to support the ne…
Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell said he will remain in his role until he judges it is appropriate to step down, and that his choice to stay reflects concern about a string of legal challenges to the Fed. He warned those actions risk undermining the central bank's capacity to conduct monetary policy independently of political pressures and empha…
Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell announced he will remain a member of the central bank's Board of Governors after his term as chair ends on May 15. Speaking at a press conference after the latest Federal Open Market Committee meeting, Powell said he will continue as a governor for an undetermined period, intends to keep a low profile, will not a…
Summary: Russia's economy contracted by 0.3% in the first quarter, the first quarterly decline since early 2023, according to preliminary Economy Ministry data. Officials and analysts attributed the drop to a mix of tight monetary conditions, higher taxes, adverse weather for construction, labour shortages and a strong rouble. The performance promp…
Traders continued to price in no interest-rate cuts this year and likely not until well into the next year after the Federal Reserve kept its policy rate unchanged at the April policy meeting. The decision included three public dissents opposing the central bank's signaling of an 'easing bias,' while market-implied odds of cuts were largely erased …
On April 29 the Federal Reserve elected to keep its policy rate at 3.50%-3.75% in an 8-4 vote. The statement shifted its language to note that inflation is elevated in part because of higher global energy prices and flagged heightened uncertainty stemming from developments in the Middle East. Three regional presidents opposed inclusion of an easing…
The Federal Reserve left its policy rate at 3.50%-3.75% for the third consecutive meeting. The decision featured four dissenting votes - the most since September 1992 - as officials wrestled with higher headline inflation linked to surging oil prices and a labor market described as 'low hire, low fire.' Attention now turns to Chair Jerome Powell's …
The aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford is set to leave the Middle East in the coming days to return to the United States, ending a roughly 10-month deployment that involved about 4,500 sailors. Its exit will reduce the U.S. carrier force in the region while two other carriers continue operations, including enforcement of a blockade aimed at vessel…
Peter Magyar, Hungary’s incoming prime minister, said he will sign a political agreement at the end of May intended to free roughly €10 billion in European Union recovery money. Magyar described discussions with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen as "extremely productive and successful," and von der Leyen said the commission stands …
Russian President Vladimir Putin and U.S. President Trump held a phone conversation on Wednesday that lasted more than 1.5 hours, according to Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov. The aide characterized the exchange as friendly and businesslike and said the leaders discussed Iran's nuclear program, a proposed Ukraine ceasefire and potential economic and ener…
Orders for core U.S. manufactured capital goods climbed sharply in March, registering the largest monthly gain in nearly six years, while shipments also rose solidly. The boost in business spending on equipment - supported by an AI-driven data center investment cycle - could help lift first-quarter economic growth, even as the goods trade deficit w…
Kevin Warsh, President Trump’s nominee for Federal Reserve chair, has formally denied any personal or financial ties to Jeffrey Epstein after his name appeared in Department of Justice documents. In written answers to Senator Elizabeth Warren, Warsh said he does not know Epstein or Ghislaine Maxwell, did not attend events associated with them, and …
Cuba's foreign minister accused the United States of attempting to manufacture a justification for toppling the Cuban government after U.S. officials and senators debated expanding authority for the use of force. Washington has asserted that Cuba is allowing Chinese and Russian forces to operate near U.S. territory, a claim rejected by Havana. The …
China has told EU authorities it will respond with countermeasures if the European Union adopts a proposal to bar Huawei and other Chinese suppliers from telecom infrastructure. The Chinese mission asked the European Commission to delete language that brands Chinese equipment a cybersecurity concern and to drop plans to designate Chinese companies …
Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong told Chinese officials that uninterrupted shipments of commodities and food rely on continued imports of petrol, jet fuel and fertilizer. Speaking after meetings in Beijing, Wong stressed that inputs supplied by China underpin Australia's resources sector and help maintain bilateral trade in liquefied natural …
Kevin Warsh, President Donald Trump’s nominee for Federal Reserve chair, was advanced by the Senate Banking Committee to the full Senate after winning unanimous Republican support on the panel. The committee vote coincided with Jerome Powell presiding over what officials expect to be his final Federal Open Market Committee meeting, at which the pol…
The International Atomic Energy Agency says Iran could access a stockpile of near weapons-grade uranium located at sites struck by US forces, and that satellite imagery indicates much of the material remains where it was last observed near Isfahan. IAEA inspections of those sites have not taken place for 10 months, and negotiations between Washingt…
The Bank of Canada held its policy rate at 2.25% on Wednesday, choosing policy stability while monitoring higher energy prices and shifting U.S. trade policies. Officials said headline inflation has risen following a jump in gasoline prices but core measures remain close to target, and growth is projected to strengthen gradually through 2028 provid…
