Japan’s government is deliberating a plan to raise the basic income tax threshold, introducing effective permanent tax cuts estimated at $51 billion. This move, a key component of a 39 trillion yen ($253 billion) economic stimulus package, aims to address persistent labor shortages, increase disposable income, and encourage private consumption. However, the proposal has sparked […]

Germany’s economic performance in the third quarter of 2024 has been revised downward, with the country’s gross domestic product (GDP) growing by a mere 0.1% compared to the previous quarter. This modest growth figure, released by Germany’s federal statistics office, falls short of the earlier estimate of 0.2%, further highlighting the economic challenges faced by […]

Inflation in the United Kingdom surged to a six-month high in October, climbing to 2.3%, up from 1.7% in September, driven largely by increased domestic energy bills and persistent inflation in the services sector. The rise pushes inflation back above the Bank of England’s target rate of 2%, complicating efforts to ease borrowing costs amid […]

Global investment banks Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley have lowered their market outlooks for Hong Kong and China, citing economic headwinds, geopolitical tensions, and reduced corporate earnings prospects. These downgrades highlight growing skepticism over the region’s economic recovery efforts and raise questions about the potential impact on global investors. Hong Kong Under Pressure Goldman Sachs […]

The Bank of Japan (BOJ) is set to unveil the findings of a comprehensive policy review on December 19, marking a critical step towards ending its prolonged era of ultra-loose monetary policy. The report, anticipated to justify the central bank’s gradual pivot to policy normalization, will reflect on the pros and cons of unconventional monetary […]

Germany, Europe’s largest economy and a global industrial powerhouse, is projected to remain the eurozone’s economic underperformer until 2026, according to the European Commission’s Autumn Forecast. The forecast paints a grim picture for Germany, which is expected to face a 0.1% contraction in GDP in 2024, making it the only economy in the eurozone predicted […]

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) and Saudi Arabia have announced a groundbreaking initiative to jointly host an annual high-level conference aimed at addressing pressing global economic challenges. The inaugural event, titled the AlUla Conference for Emerging Market Economies, will take place in the historic city of AlUla, Saudi Arabia, from February 16 to 17, 2025. […]

Global investors have shifted their economic expectations significantly following Donald Trump’s recent election victory, anticipating both stronger global growth and rising inflation, according to Bank of America’s (BofA) monthly fund manager survey. The survey indicates that investors are positioning their portfolios in response to Trump’s win, with increased allocations to U.S. stocks and small-cap companies […]

Japan’s economy continues to face challenges as wholesale inflation surged at the highest annual rate in over a year in October, driven largely by the depreciation of the yen. As the yen weakened further, import costs rose, putting the Bank of Japan (BOJ) under increased pressure to consider additional interest rate hikes sooner than expected. […]

Sterling took a significant dip, reaching a three-month low against the U.S. dollar as recent data indicated a deceleration in wage growth alongside a slight increase in unemployment in the UK. The currency was down 0.5% at one point, trading as low as $1.2806, its weakest point since mid-August, and settled around $1.2814. In contrast, […]