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Japan’s economy has endured global trade pressure since spring 2025, when U.S. tariff policy raised duties as high as 12.5% on automobiles, a key export. While the move weighed on carmakers, the weaker yen helped cushion earnings. Fears that tariffs would trigger a wider slowdown eased as U.S. consumption stayed...

US job openings continued to decline in December, reaching 6.5 million, a decrease of 386,000 from the previous month, according to Bureau of Labor Statistics. This marks a significant drop of 966,000 over the year. The job openings rate stood at 3.9%, showing little change from November. Hires and total separations...

The European Central Bank (ECB) has decided to keep the three key interest rates unchanged, citing a resilient economy and a medium-term inflation outlook of 2%. This decision reflects the bank's confidence in the current monetary policy stance, despite ongoing global trade policy uncertainty and geopolitical tensions. The ECB's Governing Council...

France’s industrial sector stumbled in December 2025, with manufacturing output plunging 0.8% following a modest 0.5% rise in November. Overall, industrial production fell 0.7% after November’s 0.1% increase, driven mainly by a steep 9.9% drop in transport equipment manufacturing, including a 15.8% decline in other transport equipment and aerospace construction....

Speaking at the Economic Club of Miami, Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook said the U.S. economy remains resilient after stronger than expected growth in the second half of 2025. Cook said overall growth stayed solid, with the economy expanding slightly above 2% in 2025, while GDP jumped at a 4.4%...

The euro’s steady rise has long unsettled European Central Bank officials, and that concern sharpened ahead of Thursday’s meeting. The ECB is widely expected to hold its benchmark rate at 2% for a fifth straight meeting. However, the eurozone’s January inflation eased to 1.7%, below the ECB’s 2% target, while...

Euro area industrial producer prices fell by 0.3% in December 2025 and was down 0.4% in the EU, reversing November gains of 0.7% and 0.8%, respectively. According to Eurostat, prices were down 2.1% year-over-year in the euro area and 1.9% in the EU. Energy prices dropped 1.2% in the euro...

Euro area inflation is expected to continue its downward trend at the start of 2026, slipping to 1.7% in January from 2.0% in December, according to a flash estimate from Eurostat. Services still recorded the highest annual rate at 3.2%, down from 3.4% in December. Food, alcohol and tobacco rose to...

U.S. private hiring remained weak in January, with private employers adding just 22,000 jobs, according to ADP National Employment Report. Annual pay increased 4.5% following a long slowdown that saw 398,000 jobs added in 2025, down from 771,000 in 2024. Education and health services led the gains with 74,000 jobs,...

Gold surged back near $5,100 on Wednesday, driven by safe-haven demand amid rising U.S.-Iran tensions. Spot gold jumped 2.9% to $5,082.94, after a nearly 6% gain on Tuesday, the biggest daily jump since 2008, following last week’s record high of $5,594.82. U.S. April gold futures climbed 3.4% to $5,103.50. Analysts...

The United States and Iran are scheduled to hold nuclear talks in Oman on Friday, a move aimed at easing rising tensions in the Middle East. The talks follow months of escalating confrontations, including Iran’s violent crackdown on anti-government protests and a U.S. naval buildup off its coast. Trump warned...

China’s service industry kicked off 2026 with its fastest growth in three months, according to the latest RatingDog General Services PMI data. The headline Business Activity Index rose to 52.3 in January from 52.0 in December, extending the country’s service sector growth streak to over three years. The expansion was...

Stephen Miran’s path through Washington shifted in early 2025 when he joined the Trump administration as chair of the Council of Economic Advisers before moving months later to the Federal Reserve. Miran joined the CEA in January 2025 but went on leave in September after being appointed to the Federal...

Senate Democrats on the Banking Committee are demanding an immediate delay in Kevin Warsh’s nomination to lead the Federal Reserve, urging Chair Tim Scott to pause proceedings until investigations into Fed Chair Jerome Powell and Governor Lisa Cook are concluded. The push follows President Donald Trump’s nomination of Warsh last...

The United States and India have shared a long trade relationship shaped by tariffs and energy ties, but tensions grew after Russia’s February 2022 invasion of Ukraine. India turned to discounted Russian oil, prompting U.S. pressure. In June, President Donald Trump imposed a 25% tariff on Indian goods, then added...

Tensions between the U.S. and Iran escalated on Tuesday after a U.S. Navy F-35C fighter jet shot down an Iranian Shahed-139 drone approaching the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln in the Arabian Sea. U.S. Central Command said the drone “aggressively approached” the carrier with “unclear intent” and ignored de-escalation efforts....

After six years of operating as TD365, the company has announced that all customers will soon be integrated into the Trade Nation brand. Trade Nation has managed TD365’s platform and back-end services from the start, so users will find the experience familiar. Key features like low fixed spreads, an easy-to-use...

After a steady rise of 0.8% in December 2025, France’s consumer prices moderated in January 2026, increasing by 0.3% year-on-year, according to provisional data from INSEE. The slowdown reflects falling prices in manufactured goods, especially clothing and footwear, aided by extended sales over 18 days versus 13 last year in...

Australia’s building sector slowed sharply in December 2025 after modest gains in November. Total dwelling approvals dropped 14.9% to 15,542, with private sector houses rising slightly 0.4% to 9,487, while private sector dwellings excluding houses plunged 29.8% to 5,855. Most states recorded declines, including Victoria (-32.2%), Queensland (-16.3%) and New...

President Donald Trump on Monday insisted the criminal investigation into Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell should continue, urging U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro to "take it to the end and see." Trump made the remarks in the Oval Office, shrugging off Republican Senator Thom Tillis, R-N.C., who has vowed to block...

New Zealand's seasonally adjusted new dwelling consents fell 4.6% in December 2025, after a 2.7% rise in November. Annually, 36,619 new dwellings were consented, up 9.0%, lifting approvals to 6.9 per 1,000 residents from 6.4. December recorded 3,128 new dwellings: 1,494 townhouses, flats, and units, 1,299 stand-alone houses, 263 retirement village...

U.S. manufacturing activity returned to growth in January 2026, ending 12 straight months of contraction, according to the latest ISM Manufacturing PMI report. The PMI rose sharply to 52.6% from 47.9% in December, its strongest level since early 2022. New orders climbed to 57.1%, production increased to 55.9%, and backlogs...

Inflation in Australia fell after peaking in 2022, but rose again in the second half of 2025. The Reserve Bank of Australia on Tuesday raised the cash rate target by 25 basis points to 3.85%. Household spending and business investment picked up, housing activity and prices increased, and capacity pressures...

Eurozone manufacturing production rose slightly in January, hitting a two-month high as the HCOB Eurozone Manufacturing PMI climbed to 49.5 from 48.8 in December. The Output Index reached 50.5, a three-month high, marking the first growth after December’s decline. New factory orders fell for the third straight month, while job...

2026 promises a year of high-stakes elections that could intensify market uncertainty already stirred by U.S. policy shifts and geopolitical tensions. Japan’s snap election on February 8 could influence fiscal policies in the world’s most indebted nation, as Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi seeks to turn personal popularity into support for...

UK manufacturing started 2026 on a strong note, with output, new orders, and exports all rising. The S&P Global UK Manufacturing PMI jumped to 51.8 in January, a 17-month high and up from 50.6 in December, marking growth for the third month in a row. Large manufacturers led expansion...

JP Morgan said late on Sunday it expects demand from central banks and investors to drive gold prices to $6,300 per ounce by year-end. Gold slid to about $4,677 an ounce after a sharp selloff from last week’s record high of $5,594.82. Forecasts say that central banks will buy...

Commodities faced sharp declines on Monday after Kevin Warsh was selected as the next U.S. Federal Reserve chair, triggering significant selling in risk assets. Gold dropped 5%, reaching its lowest level in over two weeks, while silver fell more than 7%, following their recent record highs. Oil prices eased nearly...

The Bank of Japan may be forced to accelerate interest rate hikes to counter a weak yen and inflation pressures tied to expansionary fiscal policy. Japan is heading toward a pivotal political moment as Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) is projected to win a sweeping victory in...

China’s factory activity strengthened in January, building on late 2025 gains as manufacturers ramped up output ahead of the extended Lunar New Year holiday. The Rating Dog China General Manufacturing PMI rose to 50.3 from 50.1 in December, matching market expectations and marking the strongest reading since October’s 50.6. Production...