Latest coverage
WTO doubles 2026 goods trade forecast to 3.9% as AI hardware offsets Gulf losses
The World Trade Organization's 8 October outlook lifts merchandise trade growth to 3.9% from 1.9%, with AI-enabling goods accounting for 47% of first-half growth, while services trade is cut to 3.3%.
Seven OPEC+ producers hold November output steady at 31.01 million barrels a day
Saudi Arabia, Russia and five partners agreed at a 4 October virtual meeting to keep September's quotas in place for a second month, with actual supply still lagging targets amid Hormuz disruption.
Healey's first Budget on 28 October faces a £23.6bn buffer eroded by gilt yields
Chancellor John Healey delivers the Burnham government's first Budget in under two weeks, with Bloomberg Economics estimating the gilt sell-off has cut roughly £12bn from the fiscal headroom he inherited.
Takaichi pledges to cut Japan's food consumption tax to 1% without deficit bonds
Opening a 69-day extraordinary session on 5 October, the prime minister pledged a two-year cut in the levy on food from 8% to 1% from April, paired with cash benefits and funded without new deficit-covering bonds.
Congressional fact sheet maps US tariff regime rebuilt on Sections 232, 301 and 338
A Congressional Research Service report dated 8 October catalogues the active duties that replaced the emergency-powers tariffs struck down in February, including 10% to 100% on patented pharmaceuticals and 50% on select Canadian goods.
US hiring slows to 29,000 in September as unemployment edges up to 4.2%
The Bureau of Labor Statistics reported the weakest payroll gain of the year on 2 October, with prior months revised down by 60,000, two weeks after the Federal Reserve raised its policy rate to a 3.75%–4% range.
RBA raises cash rate to 4.60%, its fourth increase of 2026, as inflation risks build
Australia's central bank lifted its policy rate by 25 basis points on 29 September to the highest level since 2011, saying upside risks to inflation were "materialising", and left the door open to further tightening at its November meeting.
US 10-year yield breaks its 2007 peak above 5.3% before weak jobs data pares the move
The benchmark Treasury yield closed at 5.297% on 30 September and briefly traded near 5.34%, its highest since 2002, as sticky inflation, $100 oil and soft auction demand collided with a Federal Reserve that has resumed raising rates.
World
IMF holds 2026 global growth at 3.1% as energy shock and AI boom diverge
The Fund's October World Economic Outlook, released in Bangkok on 13 October, keeps world growth at 3.1% this year and 3.4% in 2027, with global inflation seen rising to 4.7% before easing.
WTO doubles 2026 goods trade forecast to 3.9% as AI hardware offsets Gulf losses
The World Trade Organization's 8 October outlook lifts merchandise trade growth to 3.9% from 1.9%, with AI-enabling goods accounting for 47% of first-half growth, while services trade is cut to 3.3%.
Seven OPEC+ producers hold November output steady at 31.01 million barrels a day
Saudi Arabia, Russia and five partners agreed at a 4 October virtual meeting to keep September's quotas in place for a second month, with actual supply still lagging targets amid Hormuz disruption.
Politics
Healey's first Budget on 28 October faces a £23.6bn buffer eroded by gilt yields
Chancellor John Healey delivers the Burnham government's first Budget in under two weeks, with Bloomberg Economics estimating the gilt sell-off has cut roughly £12bn from the fiscal headroom he inherited.
Takaichi pledges to cut Japan's food consumption tax to 1% without deficit bonds
Opening a 69-day extraordinary session on 5 October, the prime minister pledged a two-year cut in the levy on food from 8% to 1% from April, paired with cash benefits and funded without new deficit-covering bonds.
Congressional fact sheet maps US tariff regime rebuilt on Sections 232, 301 and 338
A Congressional Research Service report dated 8 October catalogues the active duties that replaced the emergency-powers tariffs struck down in February, including 10% to 100% on patented pharmaceuticals and 50% on select Canadian goods.
Economy
US hiring slows to 29,000 in September as unemployment edges up to 4.2%
The Bureau of Labor Statistics reported the weakest payroll gain of the year on 2 October, with prior months revised down by 60,000, two weeks after the Federal Reserve raised its policy rate to a 3.75%–4% range.
RBA raises cash rate to 4.60%, its fourth increase of 2026, as inflation risks build
Australia's central bank lifted its policy rate by 25 basis points on 29 September to the highest level since 2011, saying upside risks to inflation were "materialising", and left the door open to further tightening at its November meeting.
Eurozone inflation jumps to 3.8% in September as energy prices rise 18.8%
Eurostat's flash estimate published on 2 October showed euro area inflation accelerating from 3.2% in August, above the 3.6% economists expected, with energy up 18.8% year on year; the ECB meets on 29 October after raising its deposit rate to 2.5% in September.
Markets
US 10-year yield breaks its 2007 peak above 5.3% before weak jobs data pares the move
The benchmark Treasury yield closed at 5.297% on 30 September and briefly traded near 5.34%, its highest since 2002, as sticky inflation, $100 oil and soft auction demand collided with a Federal Reserve that has resumed raising rates.
Brent holds above $100 as Hormuz tanker attacks offset G7's 100m-barrel release
Oil traded between roughly $98 and $105 a barrel in the first half of October as renewed Iranian attacks on Gulf shipping countered an emergency stock release, prompting UBS to lift its fourth-quarter Brent forecast to $100 from about $80.
JPMorgan's $15.3bn quarter opens an earnings season forecast to grow 24%
The largest US bank reported net income up 6% on revenue of $50.2bn on 13 October, as analysts tracked by Zacks expect S&P 500 third-quarter earnings to rise 24.3% year on year, the eighth straight quarter of double-digit growth.
Technology
ASML posts record €11.7bn quarter and warns supply will trail demand into 2028
The Dutch lithography group reported third-quarter net sales of €11.7bn and net income of €5.0bn on 14 October, lifted full-year guidance to €44bn–45bn and said planned capacity for 2027 and 2028 will not fully meet customer orders.
TSMC lifts quarterly profit 69% to NT$763bn, guides fourth-quarter sales to US$54bn
Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company reported third-quarter revenue of US$46.7bn and net income of NT$763bn on 15 October, with a 66.4% gross margin, and guided fourth-quarter revenue to between US$52.3bn and US$54.3bn.
Nvidia-backed Firmus pulls US$5bn Australian IPO as investors balk at valuation
The AI data-centre developer pulled what would have been one of Australia's largest listings on 9 October, citing market volatility, after institutions including UniSuper declined to back a roughly US$30bn equity valuation.
Business
Goldman Sachs earns $17.01 a share as equities trading revenue surges 72% to $6.4bn
The bank reported third-quarter net revenues of $18.7bn and net earnings of $5.3bn on 13 October, far ahead of estimates, as equities revenue climbed 72% and advisory fees hit a record $1.65bn; assets under supervision reached $4.1tn.
LVMH growth slows to 1% as fashion and leather sales fall 5% on weaker China demand
The luxury group reported third-quarter revenue of €18.5bn on 12 October, with organic growth easing to 1% from 3% in the second quarter; its largest division, Fashion & Leather Goods, declined 5% while Watches & Jewelry and Sephora grew.
J&J raises 2026 outlook as $5.5bn talc charge shrinks quarterly profit to $210m
Johnson & Johnson reported third-quarter sales of $25.4bn, up 5.9%, and nudged its full-year forecasts higher on 13 October, even as a litigation charge of $5.5bn cut reported earnings to nine cents a share.
More coverage
TSMC lifts quarterly profit 69% to NT$763bn, guides fourth-quarter sales to US$54bn
Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company reported third-quarter revenue of US$46.7bn and net income of NT$763bn on 15 October, with a 66.4% gross margin, and guided fourth-quarter revenue to between US$52.3bn and US$54.3bn.
Nvidia-backed Firmus pulls US$5bn Australian IPO as investors balk at valuation
The AI data-centre developer pulled what would have been one of Australia's largest listings on 9 October, citing market volatility, after institutions including UniSuper declined to back a roughly US$30bn equity valuation.
Goldman Sachs earns $17.01 a share as equities trading revenue surges 72% to $6.4bn
The bank reported third-quarter net revenues of $18.7bn and net earnings of $5.3bn on 13 October, far ahead of estimates, as equities revenue climbed 72% and advisory fees hit a record $1.65bn; assets under supervision reached $4.1tn.
LVMH growth slows to 1% as fashion and leather sales fall 5% on weaker China demand
The luxury group reported third-quarter revenue of €18.5bn on 12 October, with organic growth easing to 1% from 3% in the second quarter; its largest division, Fashion & Leather Goods, declined 5% while Watches & Jewelry and Sephora grew.
Eurozone inflation jumps to 3.8% in September as energy prices rise 18.8%
Eurostat's flash estimate published on 2 October showed euro area inflation accelerating from 3.2% in August, above the 3.6% economists expected, with energy up 18.8% year on year; the ECB meets on 29 October after raising its deposit rate to 2.5% in September.
J&J raises 2026 outlook as $5.5bn talc charge shrinks quarterly profit to $210m
Johnson & Johnson reported third-quarter sales of $25.4bn, up 5.9%, and nudged its full-year forecasts higher on 13 October, even as a litigation charge of $5.5bn cut reported earnings to nine cents a share.