Global Economy News and Headlines
Global Economy News and Headlines
Global Economy Pulse
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Daily
Every morning
Weekly
Tuesday recap
Bank of Japan Deputy Governor Shinichi Himino said the central bank’s policy remains somewhat accommodative but should gradually move toward a neutral stance through moderate rate hikes. He noted that the inflation gap is still slightly negative but expected to close, and that the impact of previous hikes on the economy has been limited. Himino cautioned against over‑reacting to market moves or temporary supply shocks, emphasizing a focus on underlying inflation. The yen edged higher, with USD/JPY trading around 156.25.
An Israeli‑U.S. strike that killed Iran’s supreme leader has weakened the Islamic Republic, prompting speculation that its eventual collapse could reshape Asian economic ties. Iran holds the world’s fourth‑largest oil reserves and the second‑largest gas deposits, assets long constrained by...
Qantas Airways’ shares plunged more than 10% to A$8.92, their lowest level in ten months, after the United States and Israel launched large‑scale strikes on Iran, sending oil prices sharply higher. The geopolitical flare‑up forced the closure of key Middle...
Uzbekistan’s foreign trade turnover jumped to $5.8 bn in January, a 29.2% year‑on‑year increase. Exports rose 26.7% to $1.69 bn, driven by industrial goods, food, chemicals and services, while imports climbed 30.3% to $4.14 bn, widening the trade deficit to $2.44 bn. China remained...
Lufthansa Group and Air India announced a joint business agreement (JBA), the first airline‑to‑airline JBA since Lufthansa’s 2017 partnership with Singapore Airlines. The deal deepens an existing codeshare and Star Alliance relationship by integrating network planning, joint sales, marketing, schedule...
China’s oil imports reached a record 11.55 million barrels per day in 2025, a 4.4% increase over the prior year, driven by aggressive stockpiling and expanded storage capacity. While the country continues to buy discounted Russian crude and benefits from Saudi...
The United States and Israel’s air campaign against Iran threatens the Russia‑Iran “North‑South” trade corridor, a lifeline that helps Moscow evade Western sanctions and sustain its war in Ukraine. The corridor, recently bolstered by a Russian‑Iran rail modernisation agreement, now...
A new study argues that persistently low fertility in high‑income countries may be economically beneficial. The authors note that total fertility rates have fallen below replacement and often under 1.3, a level once thought temporary. Cross‑sectional data show a positive...
Fintech investment in Asia‑Pacific fell to a decade low in 2025, totaling $9.3 billion across 763 transactions, down from $11.7 billion in 2024. Venture capital supplied $7.5 billion of that amount, while mergers and acquisitions contributed $1.7 billion and private equity under $0.1 billion. Funding...
The European Free Trade Association‑Singapore Digital Economy Agreement (ESDEA) has entered into force for Singapore and Norway, following its signing in September 2025. The pact establishes binding rules for cross‑border data flows, electronic payments, and paperless trade, while prohibiting data‑localisation...
Greece’s tourism sector posted strong growth in 2025, with total travel earnings climbing to €23.63 billion, a 9.4% rise over the prior year. Visitor arrivals reached 37.95 million, up 5.6%, and average spend per traveler increased 3.8%, boosting overall revenue. The United...
The recent escalation between the United States, Israel and Iran highlights the market challenge of "unknown unknowns"—risks that defy traditional modeling. While investors have tools to hedge known shocks, the lack of definable parameters forces regulators to prioritize liquidity and...
Middle Eastern oil powerhouses, led by the UAE and Saudi Arabia, are accelerating multibillion‑dollar clean‑energy programs that span solar, wind, nuclear, and green‑hydrogen. The region’s renewable capacity is set to surge, with solar projected to grow ten‑fold and nuclear output...
India is set to restart the 1984 Jhelum River water‑management project in Kashmir, marking the first unilateral water‑flow decision since it suspended the Indus Waters Treaty with Pakistan nine months ago. The revival follows a brief armed clash between the...
Korea Marine Transport Co (KMTC) has placed a KRW 372.4 bn ($258 m) order for six 1,800‑TEU feeder containerships with HD Hyundai shipyards. The vessels are scheduled for delivery between August 2027 and June 2028, adding to KMTC’s fleet of more than 60 ships that...
The United States, via Secretary of State Marco Rubio, is urging diplomats to counter foreign data‑sovereignty measures, calling EU regulations overly burdensome and a threat to innovation. At the same time, France announced it will replace Microsoft Teams and Zoom with...
Global equities fell sharply on March 1 as the Iran crisis escalated, with Asian shares dropping 1.6% and U.S. and European futures slipping over 1% and 1.7% respectively. The heightened geopolitical risk pushed investors toward safe‑haven assets, lifting the U.S....
The travel and tourism sector is confronting a perfect storm of economic uncertainty, rising tax burdens, and mounting infrastructure strain. Consumer confidence dips have already curbed discretionary travel spending, while layered fees on flights, hotels and rentals add friction for...
The Atlantic Council essay by Ahmed Charai examines how the United States can preserve a credible deterrence posture in the Middle East after the eventual death of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei. Charai argues that Washington must blend conventional force,...
India’s electronics and tech exports to the Gulf, valued at $4.5 billion in FY26, face disruption as the Iran‑Israel conflict restricts airspace and the strategic Strait of Hormuz. The United Arab Emirates, the second‑largest buyer, accounted for $4.1 billion of those shipments,...
A new Australian study using HILDA survey data and latent class analysis identified six distinct profiles of discouraged workers – people who want a job but have stopped looking. The groups range from young, low‑educated men to older, well‑educated women...
The ongoing West Asia conflict is expected to push global pulse prices higher, threatening a rise in dal costs for Indian households. India imports roughly 5‑6 million tonnes of pulses from Myanmar, Canada and Africa, leaving the domestic market vulnerable to...
The escalating Middle East conflict sparked a fire at Jabel Ali port, the UAE hub that moves roughly 65 % of GCC polymer exports and 33 % of regional petrochemical cargo. The blaze, caused by debris from an aerial interception, resulted in no...
The Strait of Hormuz, a vital oil conduit, has seen trade reduced to a trickle after a wave of escalatory attacks. U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iranian targets, followed by Iranian reprisals triggered by the reported assassination of Supreme Leader...
Iranian drone attacks on Dubai and other Gulf cities followed the launch of Operation Epic Fury, immediately crippling air services and throttling ship traffic through the Strait of Hormuz. The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states, heavily dependent on imported food...
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz urged the United States and European allies to develop a coordinated "day after" strategy for Iran following recent U.S. and Israeli strikes that killed Iran’s supreme leader. He reaffirmed Germany’s support for Washington’s objective of ending Tehran’s...
Some Iranian citizens attempting to cross the Kapıköy land border into Turkey were stopped on March 1, days after the United States and Israel launched strikes that killed Iran’s Supreme Leader. Travelers reported 300‑400 people waiting on the Iranian side, while...
MUFG Bank expects U.S. tariffs on Philippine imports to decline following the Supreme Court’s decision that curbed the Trump administration’s emergency‑powers tariff authority. The bank notes that exemptions for high‑value semiconductors and key agricultural products should keep effective trade costs...
European Central Bank Governing Council member Joachim Nagel warned that confidence in the U.S. dollar’s safe‑haven status is waning. He noted that recent market turbulence has led international investors to question the dollar’s reliability, contributing to its ongoing weakness. Nagel...
The article highlights how simultaneous geopolitical tensions at the Strait of Hormuz, the Red Sea, and Pakistan’s Arabian Sea threaten global maritime trade. Iranian Revolutionary Guard warnings triggered tanker stand‑offs, navigation interference, and a surge in war‑risk insurance premiums, while...
U.S. officials are negotiating a nuclear cooperation agreement with Saudi Arabia that could permit the kingdom to develop uranium enrichment capabilities. Congressional documents and the Arms Control Association warn the deal may create a pathway to a Saudi weapons program,...
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Consumer Price Index (CPI) omits key out‑of‑pocket healthcare expenses, masking true inflation for many Americans. While the CPI shows a modest 3% rise since President Trump’s second inauguration, premiums on the ACA marketplace have...
The escalating Gulf conflict between the United States, Israel and Iran is rippling through global tourism, prompting sentiment‑driven hesitation among long‑haul travelers while leaving Thailand largely insulated. Short‑term booking delays and modest fare increases are expected as airlines absorb higher...
Geopolitical tensions surged after coordinated US‑Israeli strikes on Iran, prompting Iranian missile and drone attacks across the Gulf. Kuwait’s Boursa Kuwait suspended all trading, while Saudi, Oman and Bahrain markets slipped 1‑2% despite Saudi Aramco’s 2.6% rally on rising oil...
Skuld P&I announced the cancellation of its war‑risk coverage for vessels operating in the Middle East Gulf and the Gulf of Oman, citing a deteriorating geopolitical climate after US and Israeli strikes on Iran and Tehran’s retaliatory actions. The notice...
Bunker traders in Fujairah, the Middle East’s largest marine fuels hub, are preparing for a sharp decline in demand after heightened Gulf tensions and unverified warnings of a Strait of Hormuz closure. Recent missile strikes near Fujairah and Jebel Ali have...
Canada and Mexico posted record foreign direct investment in 2025, underscoring North America’s growing role as a manufacturing hub. Canada received $96.8 billion, the strongest inflow in 18 years, while Mexico attracted a historic $40.87 billion, a 10.8% year‑over‑year rise. U.S. investors...
State‑owned QatarEnergy Marketing postponed its March Qatar Sulphur Price (QSP) announcement to 4 March, citing recent geopolitical developments. February’s QSP was set at $520 per tonne FOB, a modest $3 increase from January. The delay follows the US‑Israeli strike on Iran,...
Following US and Israeli airstrikes on Iran and the death of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei, crude oil prices surged, with WTI at $67.29 and Brent at $72.87. Barclays raised its Brent forecast to $100 per barrel, citing heightened supply‑disruption risk...
Artificial intelligence is moving from hype to tangible disruption, with AI‑driven code generation eroding the market value of traditional IT services firms such as IBM, which saw a 13% drop in market capitalisation. The technology is also bypassing established middlemen...
India’s Andaman Basin is seeing a major push in oil exploration after 63.5% of the 600,000‑sq‑km no‑go zone was cleared for drilling, a move Lieutenant Governor Admiral D.K. Joshi says could help lift the country from its current $4 trillion GDP...
Visa announced a new sub‑regional structure covering Egypt, Libya and Sudan, part of its broader North Africa, Levant and Pakistan growth strategy. The reorganisation appoints Malak El Baba as country manager for the three markets and moves veteran Ahmed Mohey...
China’s foreign ministry called for an immediate cessation of Israeli and U.S. strikes on Iran, urging both parties to respect Iran’s sovereignty and resume dialogue. The statement followed unverified reports that Beijing may offer to mediate between Tehran and the...
Prime Minister Narendra Modi remained silent as missiles struck Iran, Israel and other Middle Eastern states, opting instead to post cricket highlights, investment news and birthday wishes on social media. His silence follows a high‑profile visit to Israel that suggested...
Democratic lawmakers condemned President Trump’s unilateral strikes on Iran, labeling them dangerous and unnecessary. They are pushing a Senate‑originated War Powers Resolution to require congressional approval before any further US military action against Iran. The effort has attracted bipartisan backing,...
South Korea’s exports surged 29% year‑over‑year in February, hitting a record high. The jump was driven primarily by a sharp rebound in semiconductor shipments as global chip demand accelerated. The trade surplus expanded sharply, reinforcing the country’s position as a...
NYDIG research chief Greg Cipolaro argues that Bitcoin’s trajectory will be shaped more by AI’s macroeconomic impact than by its own technology. He highlights that AI‑driven automation could cut jobs, suppress consumer demand, and trigger central‑bank liquidity responses that may...
Fresh U.S. and Israeli strikes have shone a spotlight on Iran’s parallel crypto economy, now estimated at $7.78 billion. Since legalising mining in 2019, Tehran subsidises electricity for licensed operators who sell Bitcoin to the central bank, using it to bypass...
Kazakh miner QazMoly is close to securing up to $240 million from the U.S. Export‑Import Bank to fund its Drozhilov tungsten project, provided all output is sold to U.S. buyers. The financing would cover a large share of the mine’s capital...
Iran fired a barrage of missiles at Kuwait, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain in retaliation for recent U.S. and Israeli strikes. All four Gulf states’ air defenses intercepted most of the projectiles, though debris caused at least one...
