Month: August 2026

July consumer inflation eased, yet producer costs and the Federal Reserve’s own projections argue against treating one softer report as an all-clear for rapid rate cuts.

China’s property downturn intensified in the first half of 2026. Here is what declining investment, sales and developer financing mean for markets, companies and portfolios.

India’s equity market is balancing foreign outflows and global risks against deep domestic liquidity, a US$5 trillion market and a durable investment cycle.

U.S. inflation eased to 3.4% in July as core price growth slowed, giving the Fed more room to wait—but elevated energy costs keep risks alive for markets and households.

Gold has retreated sharply from its January record, exposing a divide between price-sensitive investors and strategic central-bank buyers. The next move depends on rates, the dollar and whether institutional demand remains resilient.

July’s payroll decline and sharp downward revisions show a labor market with little hiring momentum, even as unemployment remains low and private demand stays resilient.

Singapore’s economy is growing rapidly as AI demand lifts semiconductors and chipmaking equipment, but weakness elsewhere makes the composition of growth as important as the headline.

A renewed oil shock is lifting bond yields and complicating the path for central banks. Here is where the pressure could surface across portfolios, sectors and corporate balance sheets.

Singapore has raised its 2026 growth forecast to 4.5%–5.5% as AI-linked manufacturing and trade surge. The harder question is whether that strength will spread to consumers, jobs and household purchasing power.

Japan has moved beyond deflation, but the 2026 economy is testing whether wage growth, investment and monetary normalization can withstand an energy-driven squeeze on households.