A benchmark Asian rice price climbed to the highest in almost two years, threatening to accelerate food inflation as the El Niño weather pattern disrupts production of the staple grain.
The Reserve Bank of Australia’s interest-rate hike this week likely brought a close to the developed world’s most aggressive tightening campaign this year, economists and money managers said, as reports of tensions on the policy-setting board emerged.
Brazil’s central bank held its interest rate steady, pausing its easing cycle and warning of a tough outlook with weaker growth, faster inflation and high uncertainty after President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva’s reelection.
Donald Trump was rebuked by tariff-weary voters in midterm elections, but one of the US president’s main targets — Canada — still faces a dilemma about what to do next.
Paraguayan President Santiago Peña named veteran economist Raúl Vera Bogado to lead the central bank as the South American nation grapples with a solvency crisis at a major lender with ties to the government.
A new inflation measure developed by the Bank of England shows little sign yet that UK price pressures are building, offering some comfort to rate-setters at the central bank at their meeting this week.
Poland kept interest rates unchanged for an eighth straight month as policymakers extend their wait-and-see stance even as inflation risks are expected to climb next year.
The European Central Bank will likely have to continue with a hawkish stance and be wary of inflation shocks, according to Klaas Knot, who is one of the frontrunners to succeed President Christine Lagarde.
Canada’s trade surplus with all countries widened to C$5.35 billion ($3.8 billion) in September, as higher energy and gold exports to the US appeared to offset the impact of new tariffs.
Chile’s central bank said it considered raising its interest rate a quarter-point at its October policy decision due to rising cost pressures, according to the minutes of that gathering published on Wednesday.
Australia’s massive construction program is being amplified by a surge in new data centers that are fueling inflationary forces, according to Deloitte Access Economics, which reckons investment will be double the mining boom of more than a decade ago.
European Central Bank President Christine Lagarde called this year’s hot summer a warning that the continent must boost defenses against the financial fallout of global warming and make its energy system more flexible.
Brazil’s central bank is likely to pause its interest-rate cuts in its first decision since President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva’s reelection, as worsening inflation expectations and mounting political pressure complicate the broader policy outlook.
