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.
2,619 total articles
An Illinois family-owned educational toy company that imports most of its products from China was among the first small businesses to sue over tariffs imposed under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act. The U.S. Supreme Court struck down those tariffs, opening the possibility that importers could receive billions in refunds, though the c…
U.S. intelligence agencies estimate that between 15,000 and 20,000 people, including affiliates of the Islamic State, have dispersed across Syria after a security collapse at the Al-Hol camp. The facility, located in Syria's eastern desert, once housed tens of thousands and had been guarded by U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces until recent advan…
The U.S. State Department has announced visa restrictions on three unnamed Chilean government officials, accusing them of involvement in activities that compromised critical telecommunications infrastructure and undermined security across the hemisphere. The measures render the officials and their immediate family members generally ineligible for U…
Atlanta Fed President Raphael Bostic described full-year GDP growth of 2.2% as "a pretty strong number" and warned that such expansion, coupled with his expectation of 2.4% growth this year, raises concerns about persistent inflation. With inflation near 3% and the Fed's 2% target still distant, Bostic said it would be prudent to maintain higher in…
The U.S. Supreme Court ruled that President Trump's application of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) to impose broad reciprocal tariffs exceeded his authority. The UK government said it expects the preferential tariff treatment it enjoyed to persist and will work with the U.S. Administration to assess the practical effects. Bu…
Britain expects its favored trading position with the United States to remain intact following a U.S. Supreme Court decision that limited the former president's authority to impose broad 'reciprocal' tariffs. The ruling found that the invocation of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act exceeded executive powers. Officials say most bilater…
Atlanta Federal Reserve President Raphael Bostic said the Supreme Court’s recent ruling striking down a broad set of tariffs under presidential emergency powers creates new uncertainties for Fed officials seeking to assess effects on prices and the economy. Bostic highlighted questions around potential rebates to firms, shifts in sourcing and wheth…
The European Union is studying the U.S. Supreme Court decision that invalidated tariffs imposed during the Trump administration and has asked the U.S. Administration for clarity on how it will respond. An EU spokesperson highlighted the importance of stable trading conditions for businesses on both sides of the Atlantic and reaffirmed the union's c…
OpenAI has gathered a team exceeding 200 people to develop a line of AI-driven consumer devices, including a smart speaker, smart glasses, and a smart lamp. The smart speaker is slated to be the first product, reportedly carrying a $200 to $300 price target and a built-in camera to collect data on users and their surroundings. Sources say the speak…
The U.S. Supreme Court, in a 6-3 decision authored by Chief Justice John Roberts, found that the president exceeded his authority by using the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) to impose broad tariffs on imports. The ruling affirms lower court decisions brought by businesses and a coalition of 12 states, and leaves open the admini…
Core personal consumption expenditures (PCE) inflation excluding food and energy climbed 0.4% in December after a 0.2% rise in November, lifting the 12-month core PCE rate to 3.0%. The advance GDP report included the data, which, together with sticky services inflation and outsized legal-services moves, reinforces expectations that the Federal Rese…
Retail sales in Canada declined 0.4% in December to $70.0 billion as shoppers pared back on large purchases during the holiday period. The drop was led by motor vehicle and parts dealers, while online sales advanced and full-year 2025 figures posted growth driven by automotive gains. Early estimates point to a rebound in January.
The Commerce Department's advance estimate showed U.S. gross domestic product rose at a 1.4% annualized rate in the fourth quarter, well below the 3.0% pace economists had expected. The shortfall reflects disruptions from a record 43-day government shutdown and a slowdown in consumer spending. Forecasters note that tax cuts and investment related t…
U.S. equity futures fell after Commerce Department data showed GDP growth slowed to a 1.4% annualized pace in the fourth quarter, below consensus, while the Federal Reserve's preferred inflation gauge, the Personal Consumption Expenditure index, rose 0.4% in December. Core PCE also increased 0.4% month-over-month. Index futures traded lower in earl…
Minutes released from the February meeting of India’s six-member monetary policy committee show most members consider the current policy rate appropriate for the economy. Two external members signalled potential for easing at some point, but several policymakers said fresh GDP data and the transmission of past cuts will guide future decisions. The …
The European Union should be ready to implement its free trade agreement with the Mercosur bloc in the coming months, EU trade chief Maros Sefcovic said, even as France leads domestic opposition and the European Parliament has lodged a legal challenge that could delay ratification. The accord, signed in January after 25 years of talks, would elimin…
U.S. stock index futures were largely unchanged on Friday as traders awaited a slate of economic releases - including preliminary fourth-quarter GDP and the Personal Consumption Expenditures index - that could shape expectations for monetary policy easing. Market participants also monitored tensions between Washington and Tehran, a potential U.S. S…
Morgan Stanley identifies the persistence of trade-driven volatility as the central question for U.S. growth in 2026. Analyst Michael Gapen argues that large swings in net trade were a defining feature of 2025 and that if those swings have abated, GDP will provide a clearer reading next year. The bank flags specific import categories - computers, p…
Global equity funds recorded their biggest weekly net inflow in five weeks during the seven days to February 18, receiving $36.33 billion as risk appetite broadened beyond artificial intelligence names and hopes for Federal Reserve rate cuts improved. European funds led regional flows while U.S. and Asian funds also drew substantial purchases. Bond…
BofA Securities economists expect the Federal Reserve to reduce interest rates at its June and July 2026 meetings, even though they argue that underlying economic signals - including a falling unemployment rate and a recent uptick in the Fed’s preferred inflation gauge - do not support such moves. The projection comes amid debate over the policy st…
A Penn-Wharton Budget Model analysis estimates that more than $175 billion in tariff collections tied to duties imposed under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) could have to be returned to importers if the U.S. Supreme Court rules those tariffs unlawful. The projection, created for Reuters, draws on detailed product- and count…
Global equity markets modestly advanced on Friday, with Europe and U.S. futures rising as investors largely weighed economic fundamentals above geopolitical jitters. The pan-European STOXX 600 gained 0.5% and was poised for its fourth straight week of gains, while S&P 500 futures added 0.4%. At the same time, oil rallied to its highest levels in ov…
Deutsche Bank has revised its view on European consumer staples from cautious to neutral, citing a firmer U.S. consumer, recovering sector earnings and comparatively low valuations versus U.S. peers and the broader Stoxx 600. Analysts expect modest earnings growth by 2026 and see several cyclical and policy-related drivers supporting demand.
Peru’s Congress removed President Jose Jeri just four months into his term and installed Jose Balcazar as interim president, yet financial markets moved little. Analysts say the country’s mining-centric economy and confidence in its central bank have kept investor sentiment resilient despite recurrent political turnover. The focus now shifts to the…
Preliminary S&P Global Purchasing Managers’ Index data for February show the UK composite PMI at 53.9, extending a rebound into a second month. The headline picture of modest growth masks sharp reductions in services-sector staffing tied in part to higher employer social security payments introduced in April 2025. Manufacturing activity strengthene…
