June 12, 2026 17:14 ET Major central bank action was the focus this week in economic news. The European Central Bank became the first major central bank to move in response to the rising inflationary pressures in the backdrop of the conflict in the Middle East. In North America, the U.S. inflation and trade data as well as Canada’s central bank decision gained attention. The Chinese trade data was the main news in Asia.
June 17, 2026 03:57 ETSlovakia's EU measure of inflation eased marginally in May as expected. The EU measure of the harmonized index of consumer prices, or HICP, rose 4.0 percent year-on-year in May, slower than the 4.1 percent increase in April. The annual price growth in food and non-alcoholic beverages softened to 0.3 percent from 1.0 percent, and that in health slowed to 4.4 percent from 4.8 percent.
June 16, 2026 23:08 ETAsian stock markets are trading mixed on Wednesday, following the mixed cues from Wall Street overnight, as traders are now optimistic about the inking of a peace deal between the US and Iran on Friday to end the Middle East war and the opening of the Strait of Hormuz. Meanwhile, traders also cautiously await the interest rate decision by the US Fed later in the day.
June 16, 2026 14:43 ETExtending three consecutive sessions of losses, crude oil prices were in freefall on Tuesday with transit disruption concerns fading due to an imminent U.S.-Iran deal.
June 16, 2026 09:34 ETOptimism surrounding the preliminary U.S.-Iran deal as well as uncertainty surrounding the actual terms of agreement swayed global market sentiment.