Brazil’s central bank raised interest rates by 50 basis points on Wednesday, marking the sixth consecutive increase and pushing the benchmark Selic rate to 14.75%—its highest level since August 2006. The decision was unanimous among board members, including Governor Gabriel Galipolo, and largely in line with expectations, as 32 out of 35 economists surveyed by Reuters had predicted the move. The hike
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In a decision that has left millions of mortgage borrowers and the government disappointed, the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) has maintained the official cash rate at 4.10%. This announcement came after a two-day policy meeting, aligning with market expectations but underscoring the bank’s cautious stance on economic risks. The RBA’s decision reflects ongoing global uncertainties and geopolitical tensions, particularly the potential
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Consumer confidence in the Eurozone took an unexpected dip in March, falling to its lowest level in three months, according to flash estimates released by the European Commission on Friday. The consumer confidence indicator for the Euro area fell to -14.5, down from -13.6 in February. The decline surprised analysts, who had anticipated an improvement to -13.0. This latest reading marks the
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The OECD’s latest Interim Economic Outlook reveals a global economy facing increasing uncertainty amid slowing growth, persistent inflationary pressures, and escalating trade tensions. While the global economy has shown resilience in 2024, signs of weakness are emerging, prompting the OECD to revise its growth and inflation projections. Global growth is forecast to decelerate to 3.1% in 2025 and 3.0% in 2026, with
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China has set an economic growth target of “around 5%” for 2025, according to announcements made during its annual parliamentary session. The government emphasized the implementation of a more proactive fiscal policy and monetary easing measures, as trade tensions with the United States continue to escalate under President Donald Trump’s second term. Since Trump’s return to the White House in January, Washington
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Japan’s annual inflation rate climbed to 4.0% in January 2025, a two-year high, up from 3.6% in December 2024, according to the Statistics Bureau. This sharp increase intensifies pressure on the Bank of Japan (BoJ) to continue tightening monetary policy. The primary driver of this surge was a significant rise in food prices, which jumped 7.8%, the steepest increase in 15 months.
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India’s central bank lowered its key repo rate by 25 basis points to 6.25% on Friday, February 7, marking its first rate cut in nearly five years. The Monetary Policy Committee (MPC), chaired by RBI Governor Sanjay Malhotra, announced the decision in a livestreamed address, signaling a shift in policy focus from inflation containment to economic support. “With the economy likely to
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UK house prices recorded their highest monthly increase since 2020, driven by a surge in new sellers entering the market in January, according to property website Rightmove. Average house prices rose by 1.7% in January compared to December, following a 1.7% decline in the previous month. On an annual basis, house price growth accelerated to 1.8% from 1.4% in December. Rightmove reported
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The world economy is projected to remain resilient despite significant challenges, according to the OECD’s latest Economic Outlook. The Outlook projects global GDP growth of 3.3% in 2025, up from 3.2% in 2024, and 3.3% in 2026. Inflation in the OECD is expected to ease further, from 5.4% in 2024 to 3.8% in 2025 and 3.0% in 2026. Headline inflation has already
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The European Union (EU) and Mercosur finalised a free trade agreement on Friday (Dec. 6), after more than 20 years of negotiations. Mercosur is the South American economic bloc comprising Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Paraguay, and Uruguay. “This is a win-win agreement, which will bring meaningful benefits to consumers and businesses, on both sides. We are focused on fairness and mutual benefit. We
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