Central banking
Asia-Pacific markets set to fall as Trump extends Iran ceasefire but uncertainty drags on
A pedestrian looks at an electronic quotation board showing numbers of the Nikkei 225 index in Tokyo on September 11, 2020. Kazuhiro Nogi | AFP | Getty Images Asia-Pacific markets were set to open broadly lower Wednesday as concerns grew that the Middle East conflict could drag on, after President Donald Trump extended a U.S. ceasefire […]
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Asia markets open higher as hopes for Iran peace talks offset Trump threat of escalation
The Tokyo Stock Exchange in January 2022. Toru Hanai | Bloomberg | Getty Images Asia-Pacific markets opened higher Tuesday amid hopes for a resolution to the Middle East conflict, even as tensions between Iran and the U.S. continue to simmer. “Trump, by imposing a siege and violating the ceasefire, seeks to turn this negotiating table— […]
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China keeps benchmark lending rates unchanged as economic growth revs up, Mideast risks loom
BEIJING, CHINA – DECEMBER 22: A woman walks by the headquarters of the People’s Bank of China (PBOC) on December 22, 2025 in Beijing, China. Zhang Xiangyi | China News Service | Getty Images China held its benchmark lending rates unchanged for an 11th straight month, keeping its powder dry as policymakers weigh the economic […]
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Asia markets set to open higher amid renewed Iran-U.S. tensions
Currency dealers monitor exchange rates as an electronic screen (top) shows South Korea’s benchmark stock index (KOSPI) in a foreign exchange dealing room at the Hana Bank headquarters in Seoul on March 13, 2026. Jung Yeon-je | Afp | Getty Images Asia-Pacific markets were set to open higher Monday, as investors continue to keep a […]
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We spoke to over 30 central bankers, policymakers and politicians. Here are their top concerns
A man walks among buildings destroyed in a joint attack by Israel and the United States on April 6, 2026, in Tehran, Iran. Majid Saeedi | Getty Images Policymakers around the world are closely watching developments in the Middle East as they gauge the most prudent response to the economic fallout of the war. CNBC […]
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Israel’s central bank chief pins hopes on peace as economic shock looms
The Israeli economy is facing a significant hit to growth projections as a result of the Middle East conflict — but its central bank chief is hopeful that a rapid resolution to the wars in Lebanon and Iran can help ease the shock. Speaking with CNBC’s Karen Tso at the IMF-World Bank spring meeting in […]
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Asia markets open lower as fragile Middle East ceasefire tempers sentiment
Kazuhiro Nogi | AFP | Getty Images Asia-Pacific markets opened lower Friday, as cautious optimism over the Middle East conflict tempered sentiment, diverging from Wall Street’s record-setting rally. U.S. President Donald Trump on Friday said that the war in Iran “should be ending pretty soon,” reiterating rosy predictions about the end of the conflict. Hours earlier, […]
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ECB keeps markets guessing on rates with two weeks to go, warns of ‘layer cake of shocks’
With less than 2 weeks remaining until the next European Central Bank meeting, the bloc’s policymakers appear undecided on the future of interest rates. Financial markets are currently pricing in a hold at the April 29-30 meeting, followed by a hike in June, according to LSEG data. The majority of traders expect the ECB’s key […]
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Asia markets open higher after hopes of U.S.-Iran deal lift Wall Street benchmarks to new records
Asia markets opened higher after Wall Street hit record levels on growing expectations of a U.S.-Iran deal to end the war. Source
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Asia markets set to open higher as hopes for a U.S.-Iran deal rise and oil prices drop
The West Texas Intermediate was down 2.39% at $88.94 per barrel as of 7:40 p.m. ET. Brent crude fell over 4% to settle at $94.79 per barrel on Tuesday. Source
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