Economy

22 articles tagged with this topic

April housing starts soften as mortgage rates stay above seven percent through spring

April housing starts came in at a 1.31 million annualized rate Tuesday morning, modestly below consensus, as elevated mortgage rates continued to weigh on residential construction through the spring.

4 min read

Empire Manufacturing survey prints negative as New York factory activity reflects lingering uncertainty

The Federal Reserve Bank of New York's Empire State Manufacturing Survey printed at minus three-point-four for May Monday morning, below consensus and reflecting lingering post-war uncertainty.

4 min read

Week ahead: housing starts, FOMC speakers, and OPEC-plus Vienna pre-briefings set tone

The week ahead will be shaped by housing-sector data, an unusually heavy Federal Open Market Committee speaker calendar, and the first OPEC-plus Vienna meeting pre-briefings.

4 min read

April retail sales beat expectations as travel and autos lead post-war rebound

April retail sales rose six-tenths of a percent month over month, the Commerce Department reported Friday morning, with travel-adjacent categories and motor-vehicle sales leading a broader-than-expected post-war rebound.

3 min read

Tea Shipments Stranded in Kenya as Iran War Disrupts Global Agricultural Supply Chains

Tea shipments were stranded in Kenyan ports and petrol shortages were spreading across Ethiopia on Saturday as the maritime disruption caused by the Iran war continued to fracture global agricultural supply chains, with analysts warning of a potential food security crisis if shipping disruptions extended into the planting season.

6 min read

S&P 500 Down 4.3% Since Iran War Began as Global Gas Prices Continue to Surge

Global financial markets remained under pressure on Saturday as the S&P 500 sat approximately 4.3% below its level from the day before the Iran war began, while Brent crude remained above $119 per barrel and consumer fuel prices continued rising across major economies.

5 min read

Egypt Imposes Mandatory 9PM Business Closures to Cope With Energy Crisis

Egypt announced mandatory closures of businesses by 9:00 PM on March 27 under emergency energy conservation measures, citing a near-doubling of domestic energy costs driven by the disruption of global oil supply through the Strait of Hormuz.

4 min read

Iran War Drives U.S. Mortgage Rates Higher for Fourth Consecutive Week

The average U.S. 30-year fixed mortgage rate climbed to 6.38 percent for the week ending March 25, rising for the fourth straight week since the Iran war began and pushing economists to revise their forecasts for a 2026 housing market recovery.

6 min read

Australia and European Union Sign Historic Free Trade Agreement After Eight Years of Talks

Australia and the European Union signed a landmark free trade agreement on March 24 after eight years of negotiations, removing tariffs on hundreds of goods and opening significant new market access for both sides.

5 min read

Freight and Shipping Costs Rise with Fuel Prices

Logistics companies face rising costs as fuel prices increase, with potential ripple effects across supply chains.

1 min read

Gas Prices Climb Nationwide, Pressuring Consumers

Rising gasoline prices are beginning to impact household budgets across the United States.

1 min read

U.S. Economy Shows Greater Resilience to Oil Price Shocks

Economists say the United States is better positioned to handle rising oil prices than in past decades, though the effects are still uneven across households.

3 min read

Military Operations in Iran Conflict Drive Rising War Costs

Officials say the financial cost of ongoing military operations tied to the Iran conflict has climbed rapidly as the situation evolves.

2 min read

DHS Partial Shutdown Deepens TSA Staffing Crisis at U.S. Airports

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security remained unfunded for a fourth consecutive week, with TSA callout rates at some airports exceeding 40% and causing significant flight delays across the country.

2 min read

Global Markets Trade Cautiously Amid Geopolitical Developments

Global financial markets traded cautiously as investors monitored geopolitical developments and energy prices.

1 min read

Global Oil Markets Remain Volatile as Strait of Hormuz Disruptions Continue

Energy markets remain unstable as shipping disruptions near the Strait of Hormuz continue to affect global oil supply.

1 min read

Airline Fuel Costs Surge as Conflict Drives Jet Fuel Prices Higher

Airlines worldwide are adjusting fares and surcharges as jet fuel prices spike amid escalating tensions in the Middle East.

1 min read

Global Stock Markets Drift Lower Amid Energy Price Uncertainty

Equity markets moved lower overnight as investors reacted to rising energy prices and geopolitical uncertainty.

1 min read

Cargo Shipping Routes Adjust as Maritime Insurance Costs Climb

Shipping companies are adjusting routes and insurance coverage as maritime risks rise near the Persian Gulf.

1 min read

Energy Markets React to Middle East Uncertainty as Oil Prices Fluctuate

Global energy markets are reacting to uncertainty in the Middle East as tensions involving Iran influence oil price volatility.

1 min read

Global Shipping Routes Face Renewed Pressure Amid Regional Security Concerns

Shipping companies and insurers are reassessing risk exposure as security concerns in key maritime corridors intensify.

2 min read

Supreme Court Tariff Ruling Sets Up Messy Refund Fight

After the U.S. Supreme Court struck down broad tariff authority, companies are bracing for a complicated, litigation-driven process to obtain refunds on billions in duties already collected.

3 min read