The Bank of Japan retained its key interest rate in a split vote on Tuesday and upgraded its inflation outlook citing higher global crude oil prices due to the Iran war, and the policy assessment added to expectations for an interest rate hike in the near-term. The BoJ policy board, headed by Kazuo Ueda, voted 6-3 to hold the uncollateralized overnight call rate at around 0.75 percent at the end
The Japanese yen strengthened against other major currencies in the Asian session on Tuesday, after the Bank of Japan left its key interest rate unchanged and upgraded its inflation outlook citing higher global crude oil prices. The policy board voted 6-3 majority to hold the uncollateralized overnight...
The U.S. Dollar value changed a little on Monday after Iran offered a draft proposal to the U.S. regarding an arrangement for reopening the Strait of Hormuz following the U.S. cancellation of peace talks with Iran, last Saturday.
The Dollar Index rebounded during the week ended April 24, amidst an uncertain geopolitical situation in the Middle East and lack of clarity about a deal to end the conflict.
German consumer sentiment is set to deteriorate sharply in May as income expectations collapsed due to rising inflation amid the war in Iran, the latest results of the NIM Consumer Climate powered by GfK showed Monday. The forward-looking consumer confidence index fell to -33.3 in May from -28.1 in April. This was the lowest score since February 2023.
The commodity linked currencies such as the Australia, the New Zealand and the Canadian dollars strengthened against their major currencies in the Asian session on Monday, as Asian stock markets traded higher with markets in Japan, Taiwan and South Korea surging, as traders remained cautious and shrugged...
The U.S. Dollar value inched lower on Friday as optimism on a resolution to the U.S.-Iran crisis increased after Iran readies for next round of peace talks with the U.S.
Revised data released by the University of Michigan on Friday showed consumer sentiment in the U.S. deteriorated by less than previously estimated in April but still hit a record low. The University of Michigan said its consumer sentiment index for April was upwardly revised to 49.8 from the preliminary reading of 47.6. Economists had expected the index to be unrevised.
The euro strengthened against other major currencies in the European session on Friday, as investors await the Fed and the ECB's monetary policy announcements next week. Gediminas Simkus, a member of the European Central Bank Governing Council, dismissed the prospect of a rate increase at the meeting...
Russia's central bank reduced its benchmark rate for the eighth consecutive time to contain rising inflation. The Board of Directors of the Bank of Russia decided to cut its interest rate by 50 basis points to 14.50 percent. The bank said it will assess the need for further key rate cuts at its upcoming meetings depending on sustainability of inflation slowdown.
UK retail sales grew unexpectedly in March largely due to a rise in fuel sales as motorists stocked up on fuel amid the war in the Middle East, the Office for National Statistics reported Friday. Retail sales increased 0.7 percent on a monthly basis in March, reversing a 0.6 percent fall in February. The increase also exceeded economists' expectations of flat growth.
German business confidence declined to its lowest level in nearly six years in April, driven by the supply chain disruptions and energy shocks caused by the war in the Middle East, survey data from the ifo Institute revealed Friday. The business climate index dropped to 84.4 in April from 86.3 in March. The reading hit the lowest since May 2020 but remained above economists' forecast of 85.7.
The U.S. Dollar value inched higher as supply-disruption concerns on crude oil due to the continued blockade of Strait of Hormuz, pushed inflationary pressures higher despite U.S. extending the ceasefire on Iranian attacks.
First-time claims for U.S. unemployment benefits rose by slightly more than expected in the week ended April 18th, according to a report released by the Labor Department on Thursday. The report said initial jobless claims climbed to 214,000, an increase of 6,000 from the previous week's revised level of 208,000.
The UK private sector economy gained momentum in April after posting the weakest growth in six months in March, supported by moderate upturns in both manufacturing production and service sector output, survey data from S&P Global showed Thursday. The composite output index posted 52.0 in April, up from 50.3 in March. A score above 50.0 indicates expansion.
April 24, 2026 15:15 ET Economics news flow was relatively light this week even as the conflict in the Middle East continued, raising concerns for policymakers. In the U.S., spending data, initial jobless claims and pending home sales were the highlights. Business confidence in the biggest euro area economy was in focus in Europe. Inflation data from Japan gained attention in Asia.