Global equity markets are once again flirting with record highs, buoyed by renewed optimism that the global economy can achieve a soft landing—and by persistent enthusiasm over the potential productivity gains from AI-related investment. In our charts this week we focus on: The Fed and interest rate expectations The global business cycle Consumer confidence in the US and Europe Euro area credit conditions UK manufacturing Shipping costs and traded goods prices

Financial markets have been pulled between opposing forces in recent days. Risk sentiment has been hit by concerns over US lenders, credit conditions, tariffs, the government shutdown, and a potential AI-driven valuation bubble (chart 1). Offsetting this, easing growth and inflation have strengthened expectations of further central bank rate cuts, lifting soft-landing hopes. In our charts this week we drill into:   US equity market valuations Non-US equity markets and data surprises Oil prices and monetary policy China's credit growth US wage pressures UK inflation

Global financial markets are entering mid-October with a cautiously optimistic tone, supported by a mix of better macro data and easing geopolitical risk. In our charts this week we drill into:   The global growth consensus US investment in data centres Views on AI and productivity Geopolitical risks and oil prices China's trade patterns The UK labour market 

Financial markets have been navigating a US government shutdown that has frozen key data releases and muddied the macro picture. In the meantime, political cross-currents in Europe and Asia have added to the noise. In our charts this week we drill into: The US labour market Global productivity trends Electricity prices Natural capital versus produced capital Japan's politics Vietnam's economy 

Global financial markets have remained resilient in recent days, supported by a combination of easing inflation concerns, steady growth data, and hopes that geopolitical risks may ease. At the same time, investors are watching the fallout from the US government shutdown, which is likely to suspend or delay the release of key economic indicators, including Friday’s nonfarm payrolls. In our charts this week we focus on: Policy rate expectations Growth and inflation surprises US business formation US productivity trends and AI Semiconductor trade Defence spending 

Global financial markets have remained steady over the past few days: equity volatility remains low, credit spreads remain contained and core yields have drifted rather than lurched, even as policy noise—especially around US trade—remains high. In our charts this week we focus on: Global growth momentum European bond markets South Korean trade Global labour market activity UK financial balances Equity markets and uncertainty   

Global equity markets have remained near record highs over the past few days following the Fed’s 25bp cut on Wednesday, and which investors have arguably seen as a key prop even without a full dovish pivot. Clearly AI optimism is also doing some heavy lifting. In our charts this week we drill into: Equity markets and consumer confidence Inflation expectations and oil prices Forecasts for US profitability The Fed and Asia's policy rates Global food prices UK inflation 

Financial markets have spent the week recalibrating after last Friday’s much weaker-than-expected US payrolls data: government bond yields have declined sharply, while equity markets have remained perky off hopes of a gentler policy path and still-resilient earnings. Even so, the medium-term growth lens has arguably continue to dim. In our charts this week we focus on: The Blue Chip growth consensus US payroll revisions Healthcare employment China's trade with the US and Asia Private sector indebtedness Global supply chain pressures

Equity markets have lost a little ground in recent days and bond markets have been more jittery, as legal challenges to US tariff policies add to a tense backdrop of geopolitical meetings between China, Russia, and India. In our charts this week we focus on: Gold prices and trade policy uncertainty US Tariffs India's economy and markets Global monetary policy Euro area inflation The US profit cycle

Haver Analytics sits down with Pedro Antunes, Chief Economist at The Conference Board of Canada, and Cory Renner, who leads the Board’s forecasting team. Together, they discuss how Canada’s economic outlook is shaped by detailed provincial and metropolitan data, why quarterly accounts matter, and how large-scale models and real-time insights help forecast growth, investment, and labor market trends. Listeners will get an inside look at how The Conference Board builds trusted forecasts and what this means for understanding Canada’s evolving economy.

Recent financial market gains have been underpinned by resilient global data, AI-fuelled optimism, and hopes that most central banks will continue to loosen monetary policy. Yet beneath the surface, a more complicated picture may be emerging. In our chart this week we home in on: US housing indicators China's economy UK inflation Oil and inflation expectations Clean energy Renewables versus non-renewables  

Global financial markets head into late summer buoyed by resilient risk appetite, underpinned by hopes that AI will boost productivity and growth alongside expectations for further central bank policy easing. Yet this optimism has not been fully mirrored in the macro outlook. In our charts this week we focus on: Markets and data surprises The US investment consensus The global growth consensus US inflation drivers The UK labour market Energy prices and monetary policy 

Following last week's softer-than-expected US labour market report bond yields have fallen sharply as investors repriced the outlook for Fed easing. This recalibration arguably also reflects growing awareness of mounting downside risks across the US and broader global economy. In our charts this week we focus on: Capacity pressures in the US and Europe US housing market weakness US bank lending standards Global growth momentum Shipping costs and supply chain pressures Excess capacity in China 

Financial markets have remained generally buoyant in recent days, with global equity indices advancing on the back of relatively upbeat global growth data, benign European inflation readings and the prospect of further policy easing from major central banks. In our charts this week we focus on: The global policy rate consensus The dollar and data surprises Stagflation risks US port congestion Global warming Productivity losses from heat stress

Financial markets have been on a geopolitical rollercoaster in recent days. The Iran–Israel flare-up briefly sent oil prices surging and risk assets tumbling, but tensions have since eased and market conditions have stabilised. That calm has refocused attention on underlying fundamentals—and the signals are mixed. In our charts this week we focus on: Global business cycle indicators South Korea's trade Consumer confidence in the US and Europe Disinflation progress in advanced economies Gold and Bitcoin prices Global electricity generation  

Financial markets have been jolted over the past week by a sharp escalation in geopolitical risk. The sudden intensification of hostilities between Israel and Iran—marked by missile strikes and retaliatory air operations—has reignited fears of a broader regional conflict with global consequences. In our charts this week we focus on: Geopolitical risk Oil prices and global growth Global shipping costs Global oil reserves Living standards and energy prices Natural capital 

Financial markets have experienced considerable gyrations in recent weeks, reflecting substantial shifts in investor expectations and heightened uncertainty, largely driven by ongoing US tariff policies. Against this backdrop, consensus growth forecasts have seen notable downward revisions across most major economies over the past 6 months. In our charts this week we home in on: The Blue Chip growth consensus The Blue Chip inflation consensus Supply chain pressures and PPI inflation US policy rate uncertainty The UK labour market Energy and growth    

Recent weeks have seen a complex recalibration in global financial markets, as investors weigh the implications of renewed US tariff actions against accumulating signs of economic softness and growing confidence in the prospect of central bank easing. In our charts this week we home in on: The global policy rate consensus The US labour market and Fed easing expectations Oil prices and inflation surprises Services inflation in the euro area Global trade conditions China's domestic imbalances 

Financial markets have entered a more unsettled phase, with long-term yields, until very recently, rising notably across the US, Europe, and Japan. While inflation persistence and increased government borrowing have played a role, the moves also reflect broader concerns about global policy credibility and capital market dynamics. In our charts this week we focus on: The US dollar and Treasuries Savings and investment imbalances Central banks' QE policies US productivity growth Productivity growth in other advanced economies Electricity prices 

Despite escalating global economic uncertainty—driven in large part by US tariff policies—equity markets have, until recently, continued to surge, seemingly shrugging off risks that would typically provoke caution. This disconnect has grown more conspicuous in the wake of last week’s downgrade by Moody’s of the US sovereign debt outlook, which underscored mounting concerns over fiscal sustainability. In our charts this week we focus on: Markets and uncertainty Growth surprises and stocks Regional growth surprises US financial conditions Japan's portfolio flows Asia's energy demand