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Economic News and Analysis

The latest news and analysis about the health of the US economy.

South Africa Inflation Quickens Less Than Expected in December

(Bloomberg) -- South African inflation quickened at a slower pace than expected in December, providing room for policymakers to cut interest rates later this month.Most Read from BloombergTexas HOA Charged With Discrimination for Banning Section 8 RentersHow Sanctuary Cities Are Preparing for Another Showdown With TrumpDonations to LA Fire Victims Rise Past $200 Million MarkNY’s Hochul Calls for Law Banning Cell Phone Use in SchoolsWhat LA’s Fires Mean for the City’s Housing ShortageConsumer pri

Bloomberg 1 hour ago

Malaysia Keeps Rate Unchanged on Steady Growth, Inflation

(Bloomberg) -- Malaysia kept its benchmark interest rate unchanged on Wednesday, a move widely expected as officials bet they can sustain growth momentum and keep inflation under control this year.Most Read from BloombergTexas HOA Charged With Discrimination for Banning Section 8 RentersHow Sanctuary Cities Are Preparing for Another Showdown With TrumpDonations to LA Fire Victims Rise Past $200 Million MarkNY’s Hochul Calls for Law Banning Cell Phone Use in SchoolsWhat LA’s Fires Mean for the Ci

Oil extends drop as Trump’s tariff threats raise trade war fears

(Bloomberg) -- Oil pushed lower as President Donald Trump threatened a tariff on China, raising concerns over trade wars on several fronts after he said hefty levies on Canada and Mexico were being considered.Most Read from BloombergTexas HOA Charged With Discrimination for Banning Section 8 RentersHow Sanctuary Cities Are Preparing for Another Showdown With TrumpDonations to LA Fire Victims Rise Past $200 Million MarkNY’s Hochul Calls for Law Banning Cell Phone Use in SchoolsWhat LA’s Fires Mea

Oil extends drop as investors watch Trump 2.0 policies

Oil prices dipped on Wednesday extending the previous session's declines as markets weighed U.S. President Donald Trump's declaration of a national energy emergency on his first day in office and eyed his tariff policies. The contracts settled lower on Tuesday after Trump laid out a sweeping plan to maximise oil and gas production, including declaring a national energy emergency to speed permitting, rolling back environmental protections, and withdrawing the U.S. from the Paris climate pact. "Market participants are trying to digest the mixed signals that Trump 2.0 bring for the trajectory for oil prices," said Yeap Jun Rong, market strategist at IG.

New Zealand Inflation Unexpectedly Held at 2.2% Last Quarter

(Bloomberg) -- New Zealand’s annual inflation was unexpectedly steady in the final three months of last year, remaining above the midpoint of the central bank’s target band even as domestic price pressures eased.Most Read from BloombergTexas HOA Charged With Discrimination for Banning Section 8 RentersHow Sanctuary Cities Are Preparing for Another Showdown With TrumpDonations to LA Fire Victims Rise Past $200 Million MarkNY’s Hochul Calls for Law Banning Cell Phone Use in SchoolsWhat LA’s Fires

Federal Reserve could hike rates if Trump tariffs unleash inflation: BNY CEO

BNY CEO Robin Vince won't rule out a Fed rate hike if Trump tariffs stoke inflation.

A trade war with China is coming as Trump takes office: Bremmer

Eurasia Group founder and president Ian Bremmer warned Monday that he believes the US is headed for a trade war with China just as Donald Trump assumes the presidency for the second time.

Trump and Powell could be on a collision course in 2025

Donald Trump and Federal Reserve Chair Jay Powell have clashed before, and may be set to do so again in 2025.

Trump makes the Fed's challenging inflation fight more complicated

Inflation was a top concern for central bank leaders in 2024. Donald Trump could make the fight against higher prices even more difficult.

Investors cheered December's inflation data. Experts say US economy is not 'out of the woods' yet.

December's CPI print finally showed some relief in core inflation. But the threat of sticky prices is still a reality for most economists.

December retail sales signal strong economic growth to end the year

The December retail sales report comes as investors are closely watching for signs of health in the consumer as the Federal Reserve is expected to hold interest rates higher for longer than initially hoped.

Housing inflation pressures ease in encouraging sign for Fed

The latest Consumer Price Index showed that housing inflation pressures continued to moderate in December in an encouraging sign for the Federal Reserve.

Core CPI rises less than forecast as inflation pressures ease slightly in December

A key inflation metric eased for the first time since July as investors debate the Federal Reserve's next interest rate decision.

The fight over H-1B workers highlights a core problem with the US economy: Labor shortages

Though visas and immigration are hot topics, many types of employers across the country are struggling to hire qualified workers.

The elaborate visa system that enables foreigners to work in the US

The federal government has an elaborate system of visas that allow foreigners to work in the US — a topic that is sure to heat up as Donald Trump takes office.

Exclusive-Warren Buffett's Pilot Co shuts oil trading business, sources say

Warren Buffett's Pilot Co is shuttering its international oil trading business, ending an excursion into the trillion-dollar global market to refocus on its Pilot Flying J service stations and truck stops in the U.S., three sources told Reuters on Tuesday. The company, a unit of Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway has let go of almost all employees running international trading, two sources familiar with the matter said. Known for its service stations and truck stops, Knoxville, Tennessee-based Pilot began international trading after Berkshire Hathaway took a 39% stake in 2017.

Tariff Threat Unleashes Flood of Canadian Oil Heading to US

(Bloomberg) -- A flood of Canadian oil is heading south to the US to beat President Donald Trump’s threatened tariffs. Most Read from BloombergTexas HOA Charged With Discrimination for Banning Section 8 RentersHow Sanctuary Cities Are Preparing for Another Showdown With TrumpNY’s Hochul Calls for Law Banning Cell Phone Use in SchoolsDonations to LA Fire Victims Rise Past $200 Million MarkWhat LA’s Fires Mean for the City’s Housing ShortageEnbridge Inc.’s Mainline, the largest oil export pipeline

Federal Reserve could hike rates if Trump tariffs unleash inflation: BNY CEO

BNY CEO Robin Vince won't rule out a Fed rate hike if Trump tariffs stoke inflation.

Russian Oil Flows Stall as US Sanctions Start to Buffet Tankers

(Bloomberg) -- Russia’s seaborne crude exports saw their biggest drop since November last week after outgoing US President Joe Biden imposed sweeping sanctions on the country’s oil trade, with early signs that the measures are reshaping flows.Most Read from BloombergTexas HOA Charged With Discrimination for Banning Section 8 RentersHow Sanctuary Cities Are Preparing for Another Showdown With TrumpWhat LA’s Fires Mean for the City’s Housing ShortageDeadly Landslide of Garbage Displays Uganda's Mi

BofA CEO welcomes Trump's economic policies as 'good thing' for business

DAVOS, Switzerland (Reuters) -Bank of America Chief Executive Brian Moynihan on Tuesday welcomed economic policies announced by U.S. President Donald Trump since his inauguration as a "good thing" for business. "They want to see the U.S. economy grow and prosper," Moynihan said in an interview with Reuters on Tuesday, referring to the new administration. Corporate executives and policy makers gathering at the World Economic Forum's annual meeting in Davos, Switzerland, are parsing the economic impact of Trump's initial executive orders.

After two years of smooth sailing, Fed ready to navigate rocky bond market, Trump uncertainty

After two years of progress on inflation and surprisingly persistent economic growth, the Federal Reserve next week meets with one eye on new Trump administration policies and another on a bond market that has ratcheted up borrowing costs even as U.S. central bankers have been cutting interest rates. Both pose potential challenges in an economy where inflation has edged slowly closer to the Fed's 2% target without the recession and large rise in unemployment that some central bank officials felt would be needed for price pressures to ebb. The unemployment rate instead fell as low as 3.4% and ended 2024 at 4.1%, close to what many economists think the economy can support without reigniting price pressures; inflation has declined to perhaps just half a percentage point from the Fed's target.