Economy

Warsh Fed Nomination Heads to Senate as Powell Investigation Tests Central Bank Independence

Trump’s pick of Kevin Warsh to succeed Jerome Powell hits the Senate amid a DOJ probe of Powell, market whiplash and warnings over Fed autonomy.

#federalreserve, #kevinwarsh, #jeromepowell, #interestrates, #senate

Reeves touts improving outlook, but watchdog warns UK’s fiscal cushion is thin as energy shocks hit markets

UK forecasts show slower growth and higher joblessness as the OBR warns a slim fiscal buffer could vanish if Middle East conflict keeps energy prices high.

#uk, #budget, #inflation, #energy, #ftse100

ECB Warns Iran Conflict Could Rekindle Inflation If Hormuz Energy Flows Are Hit

ECB chief economist Philip Lane warns a prolonged Iran war and Hormuz disruptions could spike oil and gas prices, reviving inflation and stalling euro-zone growth.

#ecb, #inflation, #oil, #hormuz, #eurozone

IMF Hails U.S. Growth but Warns Deficits Put Debt on ‘Stability Risk’ Path

IMF says U.S. growth is strong and inflation easing, but warns deficits of 7%–8% of GDP could push debt to 140% by 2031.

#imf, #usdebt, #deficit, #inflation, #tariffs

Euro-Area Inflation Falls Below ECB Target, but Rate Cuts Remain on Hold

Euro-area inflation dipped to 1.7% in January, below the ECB’s 2% target. Officials held rates at 2% as energy prices fell and gaps widened.

#eurozone, #inflation, #ecb, #interestrates, #eurostat

U.S. Firms Announce 108,000 January Job Cuts as Hiring Plans Hit Record Low

Planned layoffs jumped to 108,435 in January, led by transportation, tech and health care, while intended hires fell to a record low, Challenger reports.

#layoffs, #jobs, #ups, #amazon, #interestrates

Banxico Pauses Rate Cuts at 7%, Citing New Taxes and Tariffs That Could Delay Inflation Target to 2027

Mexico’s central bank held its benchmark rate at 7%, ending 12 cuts, and warned new excise taxes and import tariffs may push inflation back to target by 2027.

#mexico, #banxico, #interestrates, #inflation, #tariffs

Bank of England holds rates at 3.75% in knife-edge vote, signals cuts likely ahead

BoE keeps Bank Rate at 3.75% on a 5-4 vote, but shifts dovish as inflation cools and growth slows, lifting bets on spring rate cuts.

#bankofengland, #interestrates, #inflation, #ukeconomy, #gilts

China’s clean-energy boom carried 2025 growth as property slump deepened, analysis finds

New research estimates clean energy made up 11.4% of China’s GDP in 2025 and drove 37% of growth, offsetting a sharp real-estate downturn.

#china, #cleanenergy, #electricvehicles, #solarpower, #tradewar

Euro Area Inflation Gauge Gets a Makeover as ECB Watches the Numbers

Eurostat rolls out a new rulebook for the HICP inflation index, adding gambling and updating spending categories—while keeping headline rates largely unchanged.

#eurozone, #inflation, #ecb, #eurostat, #hicp

RBA Raises Rates to 3.85% as Inflation Reignites, Ending Australia’s 2025 Easing Cycle

Australia’s central bank lifts rates for the first time in two years, citing re-accelerating inflation, strong demand and housing pressures.

#australia, #interestrates, #inflation, #rba, #mortgages

U.S. job growth slows to post-pandemic low even as layoffs remain near record lows

Hiring cooled sharply in 2025 while unemployment claims stayed low, creating a “low-hire, low-fire” job market that’s squeezing mobility.

#jobsreport, #unemployment, #federalreserve, #wages, #labormarket

Fed Holds Rates at 3.5%–3.75% as Dissents, Trump Pressure Test Central Bank Independence

The Fed paused rate cuts in a 10-2 vote, citing resilient growth and elevated inflation, as Trump pressure and legal fights sharpen scrutiny of its independence.

#federalreserve, #interestrates, #inflation, #centralbank, #trump

Australia Inflation Surprise Revives Rate-Hike Bets, Lifts Aussie Dollar

Inflation rose to 3.8% in December, above forecasts, pushing markets to price a possible RBA rate hike in February and sending the Australian dollar higher.

#australia, #inflation, #rba, #interestrates, #audusd

ECB Quietly Rewrites Rules for Crisis Liquidity, Collateral and Climate Risk

New ECB guidelines reshape who can borrow in a resolution, tighten post-pandemic collateral rules, add climate haircuts and admit DLT-linked securities.

#ecb, #eurozone, #banking, #collateral, #climaterisk