13 February 2026 The latest figures from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reveal that inflation eased in January, offering a welcomed sign to economists and policymakers after months of stubborn price increases. According to the consumer price index, overall inflation climbed 2.4 percent compared with the same month a year earlier, down from a 2.7 percent increase in December and below many analysts’ forecasts. This marked the slowest year-over-year rise in prices in nearl

11 February 2026 New York City’s newest mayor, Zohran Mamdani, delivered an unexpectedly upbeat fiscal update this week as he laid out his administration’s latest budget projections before state lawmakers in Albany. After inheriting what was initially described as a staggering two-year budget deficit totaling $12 billion, Mr. Mamdani announced that improved revenue estimates largely driven by a banner year for Wall Street bonuses combined with aggressive municipal savings had

7 February 2026 Photographer: SOPA Images/LightRocket In the shifting landscape of Indo-Pacific geopolitics, the U.S. Navy is quietly repositioning itself for a future in which great-power conflict with China, especially over Taiwan, is treated not as a distant risk but as a strategic priority requiring preparation now. Central to this recalibration is a plan to use HMAS Stirling, a naval base on Western Australia’s Indian Ocean coast, as a forward operating location for Amer

13 January 2026 In December 2025, American households felt once again the pinch of rising prices as the latest inflation data showed that consumer costs continued to climb at a moderate pace, offering a snapshot of an economy where price increases remain stubbornly above the Federal Reserve’s long-term target. The U.S. Consumer Price Index (CPI), the government’s broadest measure of inflation, rose by 0.3 percent in December compared with the previous month, a gain that was i

11 January 2026 In a move that has shaken both Wall Street and the political world, U.S. President Donald Trump announced a proposal on January 10, 2026 calling for a temporary cap on credit card interest rates at 10 percent for one year beginning January 20, the first anniversary of his second inauguration. The proposal was delivered via his social media platform Truth Social, where Trump framed the move as part of a broader effort to address the rising cost of consumer borr

10 January 2026 At a recent artificial intelligence summit in Beijing, China’s leading AI researchers and tech founders delivered a message that was equal parts optimistic and pragmatic: Beijing’s technology sector is rapidly closing the gap with the United States despite significant structural obstacles, but formidable barriers remain that could delay any overtaking of American technological dominance in key areas. The discussions at the AGI-Next Frontier Summit made clear t

9 January 2026 As the curtain closed on 2025, the U.S. labor market delivered a mixed and somewhat sobering snapshot of the economy’s strength when official data showed that job growth in December slowed more than economists had expected, even as the unemployment rate eased modestly, a combination that reflected persistent caution among employers and broader questions about the direction of hiring as 2026 begins. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, nonfarm payrolls r

8 January 2026 In a development that surprised economists and caught the attention of financial markets, new government data released in early January revealed that the United States’ trade deficit shrank dramatically in October to its lowest level in more than 15 years, a change driven by a sharp drop in imports and a modest rise in exports that together point to shifting trade patterns and uneven domestic demand as the U.S. economy headed into the final stretch of 2025. The

7 January 2026 The U.S. labor market showed further signs of cooling as the year drew to a close, with employers posting significantly fewer job openings in November than economists had expected, a development that added to growing evidence that demand for workers is weakening even as broader economic activity remains resilient. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey, commonly known as JOLTS, job openings fell by 303,000 to 7.146 m

30 December 2025 In 2026, the American economic landscape is poised for one of the most consequential shifts in years as sweeping changes to federal tax policy unfold, carrying implications that could reverberate across household budgets, corporate investment plans and broader economic growth patterns. At the heart of this transformation is the One Big Beautiful Bill legislation enacted in mid-2025, a sprawling tax and spending act championed by President Donald Trump and Con

29 December 2025 China is planning a targeted reduction in import duties on a wide range of products beginning January 1, 2026, in a move aimed at making certain foreign-sourced inputs more affordable, encouraging trade in key sectors and aligning its market policy with priorities in manufacturing and healthcare. The Customs Tariff Commission of the State Council announced that provisional import tariff rates for 935 specific items will be set below the standard most-favoured

18 December 2025 In a highly anticipated release on December 18, 2025, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that the Consumer Price Index, a key measure of inflation, rose 2.7 percent in the year ending in November, a slower pace than economists had forecast and a modest improvement from earlier readings. This figure came in below the 3.1 percent increase that had been expected by analysts polled by Reuters, and represents a continuation of the trend of decelerating p

16 December 2025 A long-delayed government report released on December 16, 2025 revealed that U.S. retail sales in October remained unchanged from the previous month, confounding economists who had expected a modest increase and spotlighting the uneven state of consumer spending as the fourth quarter began. The Commerce Department’s data showed that overall retail spending did not advance in October after a downward revision to September’s figures, which were trimmed to a sli

12 December 2025 As 2025 winds down, Americans and policymakers find themselves grappling with a paradox that is at once hopeful and politically fraught: the latest forecasts suggest that inflation in the United States may slow in the year ahead, yet many people remain deeply concerned about the everyday cost of living and affordability issues that stubbornly linger across major household expenses. This dynamic, outlined in a Reuters report on December 12, highlights how econ

10 December 2025 A construction worker is shown at work on a multi-unit residential housing project in Encinitas, California, U.S., July 28, 2025. REUTERS/Mike Blake New data released on December 10, 2025 show that the growth in labor costs across the United States has cooled, underscoring emerging softness in the labor market and adding fresh context to shifting economic pressures. The broadest gauge of labor costs, the Employment Cost Index (ECI), rose just 0.8 percent in t

03 December 2025 In November 2025, the backbone of the U.S. economy, the services sector managed to hold its ground even as signs emerged of a growing slowdown, revealing a mixed economic picture for businesses and policymakers alike. According to the Institute for Supply Management (ISM), the non-manufacturing Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) nudged up slightly to 52.6 from 52.4 in October. That modest lift beat many analysts’ expectations and confirmed that the services sec

02 December 2025 The engines of China’s service economy sputtered in November as the private-sector services index dipped to its weakest growth in five months. The RatingDog China General Services PMI, produced by S&P Global, fell to 52.1 from 52.6 in October still above the 50 threshold that separates expansion from contraction, but signaling a clear loss of steam. Earlier data from the government’s own index painted a darker picture. The official services PMI registered 49.

01 December 2025 The engines of American industry sputtered again in November 2025, as the latest data revealed a ninth consecutive month of contraction in the manufacturing sector. According to the Institute for Supply Management (ISM), its key index for factory activity, the Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) slid to 48.2 from October’s 48.7. That drop offers a stark reminder that the headwinds facing U.S. factories remain both deep and persistent. A PMI reading below 50 sign

24 November 2025 This year’s U.S. Black Friday window is set to see an unprecedented 186.9 million shoppers between Thanksgiving and Cyber Monday, yet the atmosphere around holiday sales is less celebratory and more cautious with bargain hunters confronting a bargain drought rather than an abundance of markdowns. Despite the record number of shoppers, the projected growth in holiday sales is modest at best. The National Retail Federation (NRF) estimates that sales for Novembe

21 November 2025 In November 2025, U.S. manufacturing posted its weakest monthly expansion in four months, as rising prices and a rapid accumulation of unsold goods signalled a looming challenge for growth. The flash reading of the purchasing-managers index for the manufacturing sector fell to 51.9 from October’s 52.5, according to S&P Global still above the 50-point threshold for growth but revealing a clear deceleration in momentum. Manufacturers reported a sharp decline in