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.
2,610 total articles
Investors directed substantial flows into exchange-traded funds tied to gold, other precious metals and gold miners in January, seeking safety amid geopolitical uncertainty, forecasts for a softer dollar and growing expectations of U.S. interest rate cuts. LSEG Lipper data show sustained inflows into metal ETFs and an unprecedented cumulative haul …
Economists at Barclays and Morgan Stanley contend that Kevin Warsh's expected elevation to Federal Reserve chair will not materially alter the central bank's monetary stance in the near term. They point to a resilient U.S. economy, persistent inflation, and a split Federal Open Market Committee as constraints on aggressive easing. Barclays still pr…
The pound remained close to $1.37 as market focus shifted to the Bank of England's policy announcement later this week. Sterling recently touched its strongest level since September 2021 before retreating amid a stronger U.S. dollar after a high-profile Fed nomination. Domestic manufacturing data showed improvement, but money markets largely expect…
UK manufacturing activity strengthened in January, with the S&P Global Purchasing Managers' Index rising to 51.8 from 50.6 in December and narrowly exceeding the earlier provisional estimate of 51.6. The new orders component jumped to 53.2 from 50.2, its strongest reading since February 2022, supported by the first rise in export orders in four yea…
Germany's retail association HDE has forecast nominal revenue growth of 2% for 2026, which translates to just 0.5% after adjusting for inflation. The outlook follows a 3.8% rise in retail sales in 2025, or 2.7% when measured in real terms. HDE executive Stefan Genth described the sector as lacking momentum and pointed to geopolitical uncertainties …
Kevin Warsh, nominated to lead the U.S. central bank, has argued for a substantial reduction in the Federal Reserve's multitrillion-dollar portfolio of Treasury and mortgage bonds. While he contends that a smaller footprint would correct distortions and allow proceeds to be used for lower rates benefiting households and small businesses, market par…
Japanese retail investors poured just over 2 trillion yen into major foreign asset funds in January 2026, a slight increase from the same month a year earlier, according to Bank of America. The early-year rush reflects seasonal use of NISA allowances and a reallocation toward gold and global funds amid rising concern about inflation and fiat curren…
Investors face a packed week: the U.S. monthly jobs report will arrive alongside a wave of high-profile corporate results, led by Alphabet and Amazon, while Eli Lilly's quarterly update will shed light on the lucrative obesity-drug market. A sharp retreat in gold and silver has already altered market mood, and incoming labor data could influence Fe…
The European Central Bank meets as policymakers weigh the implications of a recent spike in the euro, renewed U.S. trade uncertainty and signs of domestic resilience. With the policy rate likely to remain at 2% for a fifth straight meeting, officials will focus on how exchange-rate moves, energy prices, German fiscal delivery and shifts in U.S. pol…
U.S. stock futures opened lower Monday while sharp declines in gold and silver weighed on sentiment across Asian markets. Bitcoin extended a weekend retreat below $80,000. Investors are positioning for a busy week of corporate earnings and economic reports, and are parsing implications of President Trump’s nomination of Kevin Warsh for Federal Rese…
Euro zone factory activity remained in contraction in January for a third consecutive month despite a return of production growth, according to the HCOB Eurozone Manufacturing PMI from S&P Global. The headline index rose to 49.5, driven by an output component that moved back above the 50 expansion mark, while new orders declined again and input cos…
Japan’s planned auction of 700 billion yen of 30-year government bonds, scheduled three days before polls open in a snap election, has become a focal point for investors weighing the fiscal direction signaled by Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi. Long-dated yields have been especially sensitive to talk of looser fiscal restraint, and recent trading has…
China's property sector - once responsible for roughly a quarter of the country's economy at its peak - has been under stress since mid-2021 amid a debt crisis that has led to widespread developer payment defaults. Authorities have rolled out a sequence of measures from 2023 through early 2026 intended to shore up the market, ranging from interest-…
Recent policy signals and renewed bond issuance have sparked optimism for China’s troubled property sector, yet developers and analysts warn the underlying squeeze remains. Despite reported easing of the debt-ratio limits known as the "three red lines," continuing falls in home prices, weak new-home sales, and persistent funding constraints mean ma…
The International Monetary Fund's managing director said global inflation is forecast to decline to 3.8% this year and to 3.4% in 2027, attributing the improvement to weaker demand and reduced energy prices. Speaking at the Annual Arab Fiscal Forum in Dubai, she also highlighted resilient global growth despite major structural shifts and urged grea…
Gold and silver continued to weaken on Monday after the CME Group raised margin requirements on metal futures following last week’s steep selloff triggered by President Donald Trump’s nomination of Kevin Warsh for Federal Reserve chair. Spot gold and silver posted further losses as leveraged positions were squeezed and equity futures slid.
Keidanren has invited Elliott Investment Management to a private meeting on March 5 to discuss corporate governance. The move reflects mounting shareholder activism in Japan, where activists have escalated stakes in major firms. Keidanren says the session will help both sides understand each other’s governance priorities.
Vice President Sara Duterte is facing a fresh set of impeachment complaints lodged by civil society and leftist organizations, accusing her of betraying public trust, corruption and other crimes. The new filings echo last year’s unsuccessful impeachment effort, which the Supreme Court found to have violated constitutional safeguards. The complaints…
A dramatic drop in precious metals prices on Monday set off widespread selling across Asian markets, hitting last year’s leaders and dragging futures lower. Silver plunged about 11.25% to $75.10 and gold fell roughly 5.34% to $4,604.47. South Korea’s Kospi, noted for its strong performance in the previous year, slipped as much as 5.6%, while S&P 50…
The Reserve Bank of Australia is widely anticipated to increase its cash rate by 25 basis points at the end of a two-day meeting on February 3, moving the benchmark to 3.85% from 3.60%. The expected move follows stronger-than-expected inflation readings driven by rising rents, food costs, a firm labour market and higher import prices. While a near-…
Finance Secretary Frederick Go said the Philippines will return to at least 5% GDP growth in 2026, pointing to intact fundamentals, controlled inflation and steady credit ratings after growth cooled to 4.4% in 2025 amid a corruption scandal that hit public spending and confidence. The government is targeting 5% to 6% growth for the year and highlig…
On the eve of the Singapore Airshow, aviation executives warned that persistent supply chain disruptions and shifting geopolitical forces - notably U.S. import tariffs - are weighing on carriers and air cargo volumes. Leaders also reiterated efforts to reduce emissions, while the head of the UN aviation governing council cautioned that existing inf…
The Australian and New Zealand dollars weakened on Monday after the nomination of Kevin Warsh as the next U.S. central bank chief bolstered the U.S. dollar and prompted declines in gold and silver. The Australian dollar fell to a one-week low before stabilizing, while the kiwi also slipped. Markets now focus on an imminent Reserve Bank of Australia…
A survey by the Asahi newspaper indicates Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s Liberal Democratic Party is poised to win far more seats than its current tally in next week’s lower house election. A decisive result would consolidate her control of the party and provide a mandate for expansionary fiscal measures, a prospect flagged as likely to i…
House Speaker Mike Johnson told NBC’s Meet the Press that he believes he has enough Republican votes to end a partial federal shutdown by at least Tuesday, while acknowledging logistical hurdles arising from travel disruptions after a southeastern U.S. snowstorm. The Senate has already approved a spending measure that would fund agencies outside th…
