European Union
The European Central Bank (ECB) has updated its dataset of structural financial indicators for the banking sector in the European Union (EU), revealing a further decline in the number of bank offices across Member States. The total number of offices in the EU decreased by an average of 3.41%
European Union
Bulgaria is poised to become the eurozone's 21st member, following the European Commission and the European Central Bank's green light for the country's entry into the currency union. The expansion comes amid geopolitical shifts that experts say could strengthen the euro's position
Bank of Canada
As the Bank of Canada's interest rate decision looms, Governor Tiff Macklem is facing a daunting task: charting a course that keeps the economy afloat while taming inflation. The central bank's policy rate stands at 2.75 per cent, and most economists expect a hold on
Financial markets
The Brazilian government, facing widespread criticism from financial markets and internal opposition, partially reversed a decision to increase the Tax on Financial Transactions (IOF) just hours after announcing it. The change, decided during an emergency meeting at the presidential palace, saw the IOF rate on investments by domestic funds abroad
Financial markets
As the central bank takes steps to revamp its monetary policy toolkit, Governor Dr. Johnson Pandit Asiama emphasized the need for clear and accessible post-meeting communication to anchor expectations and sustain public trust in the central bank's commitment to price stability. The Bank of Ghana (BoG) is transitioning
Financial markets
Portugal's banking sector, despite benefiting from low leverage and a reduced exposure to capital instruments, faces substantial negative impacts on economic activity, inflation, and asset prices due to the unpredictability of US economic policies and reactions from geopolitically and trading partners. Portuguese issuers, however, receive a better assessment
Financial markets
Gold prices have seen unprecedented surges since 2023, reaching a series of all-time highs, as investors increasingly turn to gold as a safe-haven asset in times of high geopolitical risk and policy uncertainty. The US presidential election of November 2024 and the subsequent spike in policy uncertainty have led to
Economic growth
Global trade conflicts could have devastating effects on the economy, according to the European Central Bank (ECB), potentially slowing economic growth and destabilizing the financial system. The ECB report highlights the stagnation of trade openness since 2008, reflecting growing skepticism towards globalization. Adverse geopolitical developments could further exacerbate trade tensions,
Financial markets
The Federal Reserve Bank of New York and the Bank for International Settlements (BIS) have published a joint research study examining the potential for central banks to implement monetary policy operations in hypothetical tokenized wholesale financial markets. The project, dubbed Project Pine, found that central banks could use programmable smart
Financial markets
The European Central Bank's policy shift from aggressive interest rate hikes to consecutive rate cuts has put the eurozone economy on a precarious tightrope. As inflation eased to 2.2% in January, the ECB cut rates by 25 basis points in March and April 2025, bringing the deposit
Financial markets
Brazil and China are set to strengthen their financial ties with the signing of a currency swap agreement, as Central Bank President Gabriel Galípolo and his Chinese counterpart, Pan Gongsheng, meet in Beijing. The agreement, which will provide a maximum outstanding balance of R$157 billion over five years, is
Financial markets
China and Brazil have taken a significant step towards deepening their financial cooperation by signing two key agreements on May 13, 2025. The Memorandum of Understanding on Financial Strategic Cooperation between the People's Bank of China and the Central Bank of Brazil aims to improve the investment environment
