Global Economy News and Headlines
Global Economy News and Headlines
Global Economy Pulse
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Every morning
Weekly
Tuesday recap
Chinese households are amassing cash at record levels, with deposits reaching roughly 118% of GDP by 2025, despite falling interest rates. A Reuters poll shows more than 80% of respondents prefer saving over spending, reflecting deep‑seated precautionary behavior. The shift stems from a collapsing property wealth effect, stagnant wages and weak social safety nets, leaving consumers reluctant to make big purchases. This “shadow saving” is throttling the anticipated consumer‑led rebound and rattling global brands that depend on Chinese demand.
The Federal Open Market Committee is expected to leave its benchmark interest rate unchanged at the March 2026 meeting. The decision follows a February jobs report that revealed a loss of roughly 100,000 positions and a sharp rise in oil...
Hedge funds such as Fivestar Asset Management are reshaping their Japanese bond and currency positions ahead of the Bank of Japan’s policy meeting, expecting Governor Kazuo Ueda to hint at a hawkish stance due to inflation pressures from the Iran...
The Bank of England will announce its March 19 interest‑rate decision, weighing whether to keep the Bank Rate at 3.75% or trim it by 25 basis points to 3.50%. A narrow 5‑4 vote in February highlighted deep divisions within the...
Since 2023, China has poured more than $120 billion into overseas mining and mineral‑processing projects, covering lithium, rare‑earth metals and battery components. The Australian think‑tank Climate Energy Finance says the outflow fuels clean‑energy deployment in developing economies, supplying inputs for solar,...
Despite the Middle East war, European securitisation issuance has remained remarkably active, excluding BSL CLOs. The conflict has nearly halted corporate lending markets, yet consumer‑focused asset classes show no systemic disruption. Pricing discipline has tightened and execution windows are more...
Qatar’s customs chief assures that supply chains remain secure despite regional tensions, citing strategic reserves, digital customs systems, and multiple transport routes. The Al Nadeeb electronic platform and recent upgrades have accelerated clearance and increased transparency. Coordination with the GCC Customs...
Fastmarkets will introduce three new global spot prices for dysprosium oxide 99.5%, terbium oxide 99.99% and ferro‑dysprosium 80% on March 19. The move responds to Chinese export controls and dwindling non‑Chinese supply, which have forced Japan and other magnet‑dependent economies...
US President Donald Trump’s scheduled summit with Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi was postponed, pushing back the pre‑China coordination meeting ahead of Trump’s Beijing visit. Analysts link the delay to the escalating Iran‑Israel conflict and the newly announced Chinese meeting...
An Israeli airstrike hit Beirut’s central Bachoura neighbourhood on March 18 after the military warned residents to evacuate the building. The strike was part of a broader wave of attacks across Lebanon targeting Hezbollah, following the militant group’s March 2 assault on...
Deutsche Bank expects the Federal Reserve to keep its policy rate unchanged at the March 2024 meeting, with only modest tweaks to the post‑meeting statement. The bank says the Fed will downplay volatile payroll data and instead spotlight rising geopolitical...
India’s digital economy, currently contributing about 13 % of GDP, is projected to rise to nearly 20 % by 2030, growing at roughly twice the pace of the broader economy. The surge is driven by rapid adoption of artificial intelligence and expanding...
The People’s Bank of China (PBOC) set the USD/CNY reference rate at 6.8909 for the current session, modestly above the 6.8798 market estimate. The central bank maintains the yuan’s daily fluctuation band at plus or minus 2% around this midpoint....
Iraq announced the rapid revival of the 600‑mile Kirkuk‑Ceyhan pipeline, aiming to resume crude shipments to Turkey and bypass the Hormuz bottleneck caused by the Iran‑US‑Israel conflict. The oil ministry expects the line to be operational within a week, targeting...
The Philippines faces a looming fuel shortage, with national reserves estimated at only three to four weeks of supply. The crisis stems from Iran’s restriction of the Strait of Hormuz, a key conduit for 20% of global oil, which has...
Chancellor Rachel Reeves announced plans to devolve a share of national tax revenues, starting with income tax, to England’s regional mayors. The Treasury will also allocate £2.3 bn in city investment funds and allow future business‑rates revenue to stay with metro...
A cross‑party think‑tank report, funded by McCain Foods, warns that the UK could face a £150 billion economic hit by 2050 if sustainable farming is not scaled up. It estimates regenerative practices could unlock over £56 billion in natural capital by 2035...
The DHL Global Connectedness Report 2026 shows globalization holding steady at a 25% index in 2025, matching the 2022 peak. Global trade grew faster than any year since 2017, driven largely by a surge in AI‑related product shipments that accounted...
U.S. Central Command confirmed that on March 17, 2026 it deployed multiple 5,000‑pound deep‑penetrator bunker‑buster bombs against hardened Iranian missile sites along the coast of the Strait of Hormuz. The strikes targeted underground launch and storage facilities that could threaten...
Standard Chartered raised its 2026 Brent forecast to $85.50 a barrel, up from $70, citing a 7.4‑8.2 million bpd supply cut from the Middle‑East war and limited off‑ramps. The bank projects quarterly Brent prices ranging from $78 in Q1 to $98...
On March 17 the Reserve Bank of Australia lifted the cash rate by 25 basis points, marking its second straight increase and a sharp reversal from the gradual easing path pursued throughout 2025. The hikes respond to inflation running above...
Argentine President Javier Milei denounced Iran at a ceremony marking the 34th anniversary of the 1992 bombing of the Israeli embassy in Buenos Aires. He reiterated Argentina’s support for the United States and Israel amid the ongoing US‑Israeli military campaign...
Energy Intelligence’s March 2026 update highlights rapid AI integration across the world’s 50 largest energy firms, with national oil companies leading and three regional hubs emerging in North America, Europe and the Gulf. Simultaneously, the escalating US‑Israel‑Iran conflict is disrupting...
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President Cyril Ramaphosa has kept South Africa’s embassy in Washington without a formally appointed ambassador for over a year, opting to run the mission through Deputy Ambassador Thabo Thage as chargé d’affaires. Senior adviser Alistair Ruiters, based in Pretoria, has become the...
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President Donald Trump criticized NATO allies for refusing to join the U.S.–Israeli military effort against Iran, calling the decision a “very foolish mistake.” He urged nations to help secure the Strait of Hormuz, where Iran’s attacks have threatened a key...
China’s National Development and Reform Commission has summoned Meta and Manus executives to question the $2 billion acquisition of the Singapore‑based AI startup. The move appears aimed at penalising individuals linked to the deal and may include exit bans preventing Manus...
The Supreme Court invalidated tariffs imposed under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, leaving importers entitled to refunds but without a clear administrative process. The Trump administration is developing an online portal for refund applications while simultaneously probing forced‑labor based...
Oil prices surged on Tuesday, with Brent climbing to $103.42 a barrel and U.S. crude reaching $96.21, reflecting a 2‑3% jump amid heightened geopolitical tension. President Donald Trump warned that NATO allies are unwilling to join a U.S.-led naval escort...
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman told the Rajya Sabha that India’s economy has withstood the pandemic, supply‑chain strains, the Russia‑Ukraine war, and the current West Asia conflict without severe shocks. She highlighted the passage of the Appropriation Bill 2026, which adds...
The Iran‑Israel war has shut the Strait of Hormuz, cutting off a vital source of petro‑capital that Gulf sovereigns traditionally channel into global finance. This disruption threatens the $1.4 trillion of assets held in UAE financial hubs and has already forced...
China is grappling with a global energy shock that has widened the price gap between its domestic fuel and the higher rates in neighboring Hong Kong. The disparity, driven by lingering subsidies and import dependence, prompts Hong Kong motorists to cross the...
The House Ways and Means trade subcommittee held a hearing on March 17 to examine WTO reform amid persistent challenges for U.S. agriculture. Chairman Adrian Smith urged the organization to address non‑tariff barriers that now limit market access. Former Trump...
Nissan announced it will begin exporting the Murano SUV, built in Smyrna, Tennessee, to Japan early next year, marking the first American‑made Nissan sold in Japan since the 1990s. The move follows recent regulatory changes that allow U.S.‑produced vehicles to...
The U.S. Treasury is expanding sanction waivers to allow imports of Venezuelan fertilizer as part of a broader effort to curb soaring input costs for American farmers. The move follows comments from Ag Secretary Brooke Rollins that the administration is...
President Donald Trump’s import tariffs have imposed more than $35.4 billion in costs on automakers during the past year, according to Automotive News analysis. Japanese giant Toyota bears the heaviest burden at roughly $9.1 billion, while other foreign brands such as BMW,...
India’s external debt hovered at $746 billion by September 2025, translating to a 19% debt‑to‑GDP ratio—well below the peaks of the FY91 and FY13 crises. The debt‑service ratio remains modest at 6% of export earnings, while foreign‑exchange reserves cover 94% of total...
The UK Department for Business and Trade is poised to slash tariff‑rate quotas for steel imports by up to 50%, targeting hot‑rolled coil (HRC) and hot‑dip galvanized (HDG) products. Argus estimates the cuts would create annual shortfalls of roughly 488,000 t...
U.S. container ports are bolstering security and coping with sharply higher bunker‑fuel costs as the Iran‑Israel conflict escalates. While the Strait of Hormuz remains largely closed, shippers are rerouting around the chokepoint, extending voyage times and raising freight expenses. Major...
Moody's chief economist Mark Zandi warned that a 49% chance of a U.S. recession looms within the next year as crude oil prices surge amid the U.S.-Iran conflict. Brent crude jumped nearly 40% in March, reaching $119.50 per barrel, while...
President Donald Trump hinted at delaying his state visit to Beijing unless China helped reopen the Strait of Hormuz, prompting a brief media frenzy. Beijing’s foreign ministry responded calmly, accepting the postponement without framing it as U.S. pressure and emphasizing...
The U.S. International Trade Commission has advanced four packaging‑related trade cases this year, adding to a December antidumping ruling on thermo‑formed molded‑fiber products from China and Vietnam. The new investigations target polypropylene corrugated boxes from China, PET film from China,...
U.S. steel prices remain elevated because tariff uncertainty adds a risk premium that outpaces weak demand and softening industrial indicators. Reduced imports have pushed buyers toward higher‑cost domestic mills, providing short‑term price support despite limited capacity. Ongoing legal challenges to...
Brazil's National Treasury announced an expanded bond market intervention after a sharp rise in oil prices lifted inflation expectations and pushed sovereign yields upward. The authority increased direct purchases and offered additional liquidity to stabilize benchmark rates and limit volatility....
Croatia has posted strong, resilient GDP growth over the past decade, outpacing OECD and euro‑area averages. However, a rapidly shrinking and ageing population threatens that momentum, with the working‑age cohort projected to fall 25% between 2024 and 2050. OECD modelling...
French President Emmanuel Macron has appointed Nigerian billionaire Tony Elumelu to head the newly created Africa‑France Impact Coalition, a forum designed to deepen private‑sector collaboration between France and Africa. The coalition will be highlighted at the France‑Africa summit in Nairobi...
Gold rose to $5,049 per ounce and silver to $82.76 per ounce on 17 March as the U.S. dollar eased from a 10‑month high. The rally was fueled by the weaker dollar, central‑bank meeting anticipation, and a concurrent jump in crude‑oil...
Ports of Indiana announced the launch of its first overseas trade office in Ireland, appointing maritime veteran Brian Dooley to lead the European Trade Office based in Cork and Kildare. The office aims to develop a direct Europe‑Indiana container service...
Amid heightened Middle East conflict disrupting traditional maritime corridors, China and Russia convened the inaugural China‑Russia Logistics Business Forum in Moscow to explore deeper logistics cooperation. The dialogue emphasized expanding the Arctic Northern Sea Route, leveraging ports such as Arkhangelsk...
The Indonesia‑U.S. Agreement on Reciprocal Trade (ART), signed in February 2026, obliges Indonesia to eliminate tariffs on 99 percent of American goods, purchase billions in U.S. energy and aircraft, and surrender digital‑tax authority, while the United States faces a 19 percent tariff on...
Global demand for copper and other transition metals is set to triple by 2030, prompting a scramble for new sources. Uganda’s dormant Kilembe copper mine and newly identified mineral belts could supply millions of tonnes of copper and rare‑earth elements....
