Economy

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.

Articles

2,600 total articles

Kyiv and SpaceX Collaborate to Curb Use of Starlink on Russian Long-Range Drones

Kyiv and SpaceX Collaborate to Curb Use of Starlink on Russian Long-Range Drones

Ukraine has opened talks with U.S. satellite operator SpaceX to address reports that Russian long-range unmanned aerial vehicles are carrying Starlink terminals, the country’s defence minister said. The move follows social media posts from a defence ministry adviser showing wreckage of drones, including Shaheds, with Starlink equipment attached. Ky…

Trump Renewed Criticism of Powell, Urges U.S. Rates Be Cut to Global Lows

Trump Renewed Criticism of Powell, Urges U.S. Rates Be Cut to Global Lows

President Donald Trump used a Truth Social post to sharply criticize Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell for holding interest rates steady, arguing the United States should have substantially lower rates and the lowest rates in the world. His remarks followed the Fed's decision to leave benchmark rates unchanged and reiterated claims that tariffs b…

India Revises CPI Basket, Reduces Food Weighting to 36.75% in New Series

India Revises CPI Basket, Reduces Food Weighting to 36.75% in New Series

India will rebase its consumer price index to 2024 and reduce the share of food in the CPI basket to 36.75% under a revamped series. The statistics ministry said the update expands major spending groups from six to 12, introduces an overlapping year in 2025 for statistical conversion, and brings new items such as e-commerce prices into inflation tr…

Brazilian Bank Credit Expands 10.2% in 2025, Outpacing Central Bank Forecast

Brazilian Bank Credit Expands 10.2% in 2025, Outpacing Central Bank Forecast

Official figures show total bank lending in Brazil climbed 10.2% in 2025, surpassing the central bank's December projection. The stronger-than-expected gain was led by household credit, supported by recently announced government measures to broaden payroll-deductible loans and extend subsidized home purchase programs to middle-income families. The …

Blackstone Tops Q4 Estimates as Dealmaking and Data Centers Lift Results

Blackstone Tops Q4 Estimates as Dealmaking and Data Centers Lift Results

Blackstone reported fourth-quarter distributable earnings and results that exceeded analysts' forecasts, buoyed by active dealmaking, asset sales and gains in its infrastructure portfolio led by data center operator QTS. The firm raised substantial new capital and expanded its purchase commitments during the period, while its stock performance and …

Lazard Tops Q4 Earnings Estimates as Advisory and Asset Management Accelerate

Lazard Tops Q4 Earnings Estimates as Advisory and Asset Management Accelerate

Lazard reported adjusted fourth-quarter results that exceeded analyst expectations, driven by growth in both its financial advisory and asset management divisions. The investment bank also appointed longtime executive Tracy Farr as chief financial officer effective Feb. 1, while reporting a rise in assets under management alongside an equity market…

Markets Price Later Rate Cuts as Fed Pauses Easing Ahead of Leadership Change

Markets Price Later Rate Cuts as Fed Pauses Easing Ahead of Leadership Change

The Federal Reserve left interest rates unchanged at the conclusion of its two-day meeting, prompting investors to assume the central bank’s easing cycle will be on hold through the remainder of Chair Jerome Powell’s term, which ends in May. Market participants are now relying on rate reductions expected under a successor, with futures pointing to …

Ireland’s Economy Shrinks 0.6% in Q4 2025 After Earlier Surge

Ireland’s Economy Shrinks 0.6% in Q4 2025 After Earlier Surge

Preliminary figures released Thursday show Ireland's GDP fell 0.6% in the fourth quarter of 2025 compared with the prior quarter. The decline follows an earlier sharp rise driven by a spike in pharmaceutical exports to the United States. The Irish government continues to warn that headline GDP can be distorted by multinational corporate activity an…

MSCI Alert Sparks Volatile Sell-Off in Jakarta as Investors Flee

MSCI Alert Sparks Volatile Sell-Off in Jakarta as Investors Flee

MSCI, the index compiler behind the widely used Emerging Markets Index, warned clients about opaque shareholding structures and trading behaviour in Indonesia that clouded free float and investor categorisation. The announcement triggered a steep sell-off in Jakarta, with the Jakarta Composite Index tumbling as much as 16.7% over two days before re…

Riksbank Keeps Policy Rate at 1.75% Citing Geopolitical Uncertainty

Riksbank Keeps Policy Rate at 1.75% Citing Geopolitical Uncertainty

The Swedish central bank held its policy interest rate at 1.75% and maintained guidance that rates will remain at that level for an extended period. The decision, widely expected by markets, placed particular emphasis on rising uncertainty tied to recent geopolitical tensions and noted risks linked to US trade and foreign policy. Despite these conc…

Tokyo Leans on Quiet Diplomacy and U.S. Backing to Check Yen Weakness

Tokyo Leans on Quiet Diplomacy and U.S. Backing to Check Yen Weakness

Japan's senior currency officials have adopted a strategy of measured communication and operational discretion, bolstered by unusually visible U.S. cooperation, to blunt the yen's recent depreciation. A restrained public stance by Atsushi Mimura and coordinated rate checks with U.S. authorities have contributed to a roughly seven-yen move lower in …

India Forecasts 6.8%-7.2% Growth for 2026-27 Fiscal Year, Survey Says

India Forecasts 6.8%-7.2% Growth for 2026-27 Fiscal Year, Survey Says

The Indian government’s annual economic survey projects real GDP growth of 6.8% to 7.2% for the fiscal year beginning in April, down from the current fiscal year’s 7.4% estimate. The report, presented in parliament, highlights a broadly stable domestic economy while flagging external risks from slower trading partners and tariff-driven trade disrup…

Gold Demand Reaches Record 5,002 Tons in 2025 as Investors Flock to Safe Havens

Gold Demand Reaches Record 5,002 Tons in 2025 as Investors Flock to Safe Havens

Global demand for gold climbed to an unprecedented 5,002 metric tons in 2025, up 1% from the prior year, the World Gold Council reported. The rise was driven by a sharp increase in investment flows - notably into exchange-traded funds and bars and coins - even as jewellery buying fell sharply amid record price levels. Central bank purchases remain …

AI Build-Outs Drive Historic Capex, Markets Split on Costs vs. Future Gains

AI Build-Outs Drive Historic Capex, Markets Split on Costs vs. Future Gains

Microsoft and Meta reported massive increases in capital expenditures tied to artificial intelligence, prompting sharply different market responses. Microsoft’s near $38 billion quarterly capex and Meta’s raised plan for 2024 drew a $240 billion hit to Microsoft’s market value and a $140 billion gain for Meta. The Federal Reserve kept policy rates …

Trump and Schumer Near Agreement to Avoid Government Shutdown

Trump and Schumer Near Agreement to Avoid Government Shutdown

Senior congressional leaders have moved closer to a deal that could prevent a lapse in U.S. government funding later this week by carving Department of Homeland Security (DHS) funding out of a larger six-bill appropriations package. The proposed approach centers on imposing additional constraints on federal immigration agents and would require swif…

Philippine Economy Slows in Q4 as Growth Hits 3%, Below Poll Forecast

Philippine Economy Slows in Q4 as Growth Hits 3%, Below Poll Forecast

The Philippine economy expanded 3% year-on-year in the fourth quarter of 2025, underperforming a median 4% forecast and slowing from a downwardly revised 3.9% growth in the prior quarter. Full-year GDP rose 4.4%, missing the government’s 5.5% to 6.5% target. A corruption scandal that curbed public infrastructure spending last year contributed to th…

Dollar Volatility Persists as Policy Signals and Geopolitics Cloud Outlook

Dollar Volatility Persists as Policy Signals and Geopolitics Cloud Outlook

The U.S. dollar remained under pressure as market participants digested mixed signals from monetary authorities, Washington and European officials after a steep selloff earlier in the week. Investors interpreted a more sanguine Federal Reserve commentary on labor and inflation risks as suggesting interest rates may stay on hold, while supportive re…

MAS Holds Policy Steady, Flags Upside Risks to Inflation Amid Strong Growth

MAS Holds Policy Steady, Flags Upside Risks to Inflation Amid Strong Growth

The Monetary Authority of Singapore left its exchange rate-based monetary stance unchanged, maintaining the current rate of appreciation and the settings of the policy band. MAS warned that upside risks to growth and inflation persist, noting that sustained stronger-than-expected GDP expansion could lift wages and consumer sentiment and intensify d…