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.
7,112 total articles
Australia's House of Representatives approved legislation to narrow tax concessions for property investors and replace the current capital gains discount with an inflation-adjusted gains tax and a minimum tax. The bill, which also provides modest tax relief for workers, now moves to the Senate where the government will need crossbench support to se…
Global risk appetite cooled as markets digested a fragile ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon alongside renewed U.S.-Iran tensions and domestic U.S. political manoeuvres. Oil eased modestly, equity futures fell, and the yen firmed from intervention-suspect levels amid signals of closer coordination between Tokyo and the Bank of Japan.
Bank of Japan Governor Kazuo Ueda signalled a clear pivot from a cautious exit from stimulus toward an overt inflation-fighting stance, saying the central bank is prepared to raise rates if upside risks to prices outweigh downside risks to growth. His remarks reduced ambiguity over war-driven supply shocks and reinforced market expectations of a ra…
Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group (SMFG) has announced an ambitious strategic goal to double the revenue generated by its sales and trading division. Arihiro Nagata, the head of SMFG’s global markets division, indicated that the firm intends to increase this specific revenue stream from its current level of approximately 400 billion yen to a target o…
President Donald Trump has privately indicated to his administration that the current ceasefire with Iran could be terminated should there be fatalities among American service members. This reported stance comes at a critical juncture as both nations engage in a series of air strikes that have strained the existing truce. While the U.S. and Iran tr…
Following a fourth round of trilateral negotiations, Israel and Lebanon have reached an agreement to implement a ceasefire. The announcement was made via a joint statement by the U.S. Department of State, alongside representatives from both Israel and Lebanon, on Wednesday evening. While the deal marks a significant development in regional tensions…
The Confederation of British Industry (CBI) has issued a formal plea to the British government, cautioning against treating the corporate sector as an inexhaustible source of tax revenue. Amidst an anticipated cost-of-living crisis sparked by conflict in Iran, the employer organization expressed concern over both rising fiscal burdens and accusatio…
The United States Senate has taken a significant step in the legislative process by voting on Wednesday to begin debates regarding a $70 billion funding package intended for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Border Patrol. This move comes as the Republican-led chamber seeks to advance President Donald Trump's immigration enforcemen…
Global markets faced downward pressure on Wednesday as escalating Middle East tensions and a wave of profit-taking within the technology sector impacted equities and bonds. While the dollar and oil prices rose, the Nasdaq and Dow Jones Industrial Average saw declines. Amidst this volatility, the Japanese yen breached key levels, prompting discussio…
In prepared remarks released ahead of her scheduled appearance before the House Financial Services Committee this Thursday, Federal Reserve Vice Chair for Supervision Michelle Bowman provided an assessment of the current state of the United States banking sector. Bowman characterized the financial system as resilient and sound, noting that banks ar…
The Canadian government has signaled its plan to extend central steel and aluminum tariff measures for an additional year to protect domestic producers from global trade distortions. Subject to formal approval, the move would prolong tariff-rate quotas for non-CUSMA partners until June 27, 2027, and continue horizontal tariff relief for eligible U.…
President Donald Trump signed an executive order that removes civil service protections for about 8,000 mostly senior federal workers, a step the White House and the Office of Personnel Management say will make it simpler to dismiss officials they view as obstructing policy. The measure targets a group earning as much as nearly $200,000 and judged …
Dallas Federal Reserve President Lorie Logan said strong economic growth, surging corporate earnings and an AI investment boom are keeping financial conditions accommodative and raising the likelihood that the Fed may need to lift interest rates later this year to return inflation to 2%. Logan flagged rising inflation pressures from multiple source…
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio told lawmakers that President Donald Trump will participate in the NATO meeting of heads of state scheduled in Ankara in early July. Rubio framed the announcement against the backdrop of the president's frustrations with some NATO allies for restricting U.S. military access during the conflict with Iran, and said…
U.S. equities retreated from record levels as renewed hostilities in the Middle East and higher crude prices prompted investor caution and profit-taking. Financial and technology sectors were the main drags, the small-cap Russell 2000 lagged, and energy shares benefited from rising oil. Market pricing for eventual Fed tightening increased, even as …
New Zealand house prices were unchanged in May following a 0.2% drop in April, according to Cotality’s home value index published Thursday in Wellington. Prices have broadly been stable this year and sit 0.4% above a two-year low recorded in August of last year. Analysts point to higher home-loan interest rates and the global energy shock tied to t…
U.S. Treasury yields climbed on Wednesday after renewed tensions in the Middle East sent oil prices higher. The 10-year Treasury yield rose to 4.489%, its largest one-day gain in two weeks, while U.S. crude reached $96 per barrel. Diplomatic progress toward reopening the Strait of Hormuz stalled following attacks and subsequent military strikes.
The Federal Reserve's latest Beige Book finds the economy propped up by business investment but under strain from higher prices, softer consumer spending and modest job growth. Energy-driven inflationary pressures tied to the Middle East conflict have rippled into shipping, groceries and fertilizer, with anecdotal evidence of household belt-tighten…
Bank of America will onboard 4,000 early-career hires next week - 2,000 summer interns and 2,000 full-time college recruits - maintaining the same campus intake as last year while expanding the use of artificial intelligence to lift productivity and manage headcount through natural attrition. The firm says the intake is a core leadership pipeline a…
Zambia is preparing to enter confidential negotiations with a subset of bondholders who have prevented the government from executing a buyback of a $1.36 billion bond ahead of a scheduled coupon increase later this year. Potential non-disclosure agreements could open the door to direct exchanges about the tender offer, while advisers to the governm…
The Federal Reserve's latest Beige Book indicates a modest increase in U.S. economic activity in recent weeks, largely steady employment, and widespread inflationary pressures tied to higher energy costs stemming from conflict in the Middle East. Business outlooks were cautious amid elevated uncertainty and weakening consumer spending, and the repo…
Germany, France and the United Kingdom have been working with Ukrainian officials on proposals to engage Russia in negotiations to end the conflict, according to Bloomberg News, which cited people familiar with the discussions. The three European governments see a window to potentially bring President Vladimir Putin to the table amid a stalemate on…
Activity in the U.S. services sector accelerated in May, with companies increasing orders and rebuilding inventories amid emerging supply constraints and higher input prices. The Institute for Supply Management's non-manufacturing index rose to 54.5, while the prices-paid gauge climbed to its strongest level in nearly four years, reflecting a widen…
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio told a House Foreign Affairs Committee that Washington is engaged in regular talks with Denmark and Greenland about using the territory for collective defense. When questioned about Greenland's political status relative to Denmark, Rubio replied, "For now." He said discussions, focused on missile defense and broa…
Between May 23 and May 31, roughly 20 flights delivered technical equipment and specialist personnel to a Kenyan air force base where the U.S. government is preparing a 50-bed isolation facility for people potentially exposed to Ebola. The activity has proceeded despite a Kenyan court order suspending construction and intense local opposition that …
