Economic NewsEconomic news，related to global economic dynamics, financial markets, trade policies,
Browse by Subject
RBA Pauses Rate Cuts; Mortgage Stress Shows Regional Divergence
Economic News
Australia’s central bank held its cash rate at 3.85% on July 9, with the Monetary Policy Committee voting 6-3 to wait. While May inflation dipped to 2.1% (core 2.4%, a 3.5-year low), June’s CPI was "slightly stronger than expected," and rising global trade policy uncertainties—like U.S. tariff hikes—prompted the RBA to seek more data confirming inflation’s steady move toward the 2.5% target.more
UK Retailers in Cost Quagmire as Inflation Worsens and Statistical Reform Looms
Economic News
The UK retail industry is facing a tough situation as inflationary pressures intensify and statistical reforms are on the horizon. On April 29th, data showed that the inflation rate of grocery prices in the UK climbed to 3.8% (Kantar data), and the food inflation rate reached 2.6% (BRC data), hitting a one - year high. The retail sector is burdened by three major pressures. Firstly, the packaging tax that comes into effect in October will increase the costs of enterprises. Secondly, the Employment Rights Act may lead to more than half of the enterprises scaling back their recruitment.more
Canada Launches Largest - scale Economic Reform since WWII
Economic News
Canada's Prime Minister Carney has announced the launch of the largest - scale economic transformation since World War II. The core measures include tax cuts for the middle class starting from July (a two - income family can save 825 Canadian dollars annually), the removal of internal trade barriers within the federation, reducing the proportion of temporary workers and international students to less than 5% by 2027more
New Zealand's S&P/NZX 50 Falls 0.7% as RBNZ Pauses Rate Cuts
Economic News
New Zealand’s benchmark S&P/NZX 50 index dropped 0.7% to 12,769 on Wednesday, pulling back from a seven-week high hit the previous day, after the Reserve Bank paused its rate-cutting cycle. The central bank kept the cash rate at 3.25% as expected, citing concerns that current inflation and global trade tensions could fuel price pressures. It had cut rates six times since August 2023, totaling 225 basis points, but signaled further cuts may come if inflation eases as projected in May.more
ESA Assesses Impact of US Budget Proposal; Europe Faces Energy Challenges
Economic News
The European Space Agency (ESA) is urgently evaluating the impact of the US 2025 fiscal year budget proposal on the joint lunar exploration program. The proposal plans to phase out the SLS rocket and the Orion spacecraft, which contains key modules of Airbus, a European company, and cancel the construction of the "Lunar Gateway" orbital station, which includes components contracted by Thales of France and Italy.more
Economic News
The Japanese stock market will be closed on April 29th. As for the Bank of Japan (BoJ), analysts widely anticipate it to maintain its current monetary policy stance in this week's meeting, which exerts downward pressure on the yen's traditional safe-haven properties.more
Trump Tariffs Jolt Australian Stocks; Gold Mining Sector Leads Declines
Economic News
Australia’s stock market fell across the board on July 9, with the S&P/ASX 200 dropping 0.61% to 8,538.6 points. Markets reeled after Trump announced plans to impose 50% tariffs on imported copper (effective as early as late July) and 200% on pharmaceuticals, triggering a 13.1% daily surge in copper prices—their biggest jump since 1989.more
TSMC’s Technological Prowess: Navigating Geopolitics While Defending Chipmaking Supremacy
Economic News
Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC), the world’s largest chip foundry, dominates the global semiconductor industry with its mastery of advanced manufacturing processes below 7nm. Counting tech titans like Apple and NVIDIA among its clients, TSMC’s cutting - edge capabilities underpin the development of smartphones, AI accelerators, and other high - tech products. However, escalating geopolitical tensions have forced the company to expand production facilities in the United States and Japan, posing new challenges to its bottom line.more
Meta’s Dual Path: Sustaining Social Dominance While Navigating Metaverse and AI Transitions
Economic News
Meta continues to assert its dominance in the social media realm through platforms like Instagram and WhatsApp. However, the rise of TikTok has siphoned off a significant portion of its young user base. In 2023, the company grappled with a staggering loss of over $13 billion in its metaverse division, Reality Labs, even as upgrades to its AI - driven recommendation algorithms and advertising tools spurred a revenue rebound.more
New Zealand Central Bank Pauses Rate Cuts as Recession Risks Loom
Economic News
On July 9, the Reserve Bank of New Zealand (RBNZ) kept the Official Cash Rate (OCR) steady at 3.25%, in line with market expectations. This pause brings an end to six consecutive rate cuts since August 2023, during which the rate was slashed by a cumulative 225 basis points.more
Economic News
On May 6, the UK's FTSE 100 index closed 0.2% lower at 8,143 points. Investors remained cautious ahead of the interest rate decisions of the Federal Reserve and the Bank of England. The mid - cap index, however, bucked the trend and rose 0.6%, achieving a nine - day winning streak. The precious metals sector soared 5.5% boosted by the gold price. Endeavour Mining (+5.2%) and Fresnillo (+4.7%) led the gains among the blue - chip stocks.more
Economic News
Japan’s 2025 "shunto" (spring wage negotiations) concluded with average pay hikes reaching 5.25%—equivalent to ¥16,356 per month—marking the second consecutive year of 5%-plus increases. Small and medium enterprises (SMEs) offered 4.65% raises (¥12,361 monthly), up 0.2 percentage points from 2024 but still lagging far behind large corporations. The Japanese Trade Union Confederation noted that while wage gains expanded, SMEs failing to hit the 5% threshold widened income disparities.more