News | Latest Breaking News Stories & Headlines

The ECB has reduced interest rates five times since last June

ECB rates no longer a material drag on growth - Schnabel

The European Central Bank interest rate that neither slows nor spurs growth has climbed in the past two years, and it is no longer clear the current 2.75% rate is still holding back the euro zone economy, ECB board member Isabel Schnabel said.

Business • 25 Feb

The price of cabbage in Japan almost tripled in January as last year's record summer heat and heavy rain ruined crops

Japan's core inflation rate hits 19-month high

Japanese inflation accelerated in January, further pressuring households as prices excluding fresh food rose 3.2% on-year, government data showed today.

Business • 21 Feb

The price of two litres of full fat milk is up 18c while the price of a pound of butter is up 55 cent

Price of milk, butter and potatoes up in last 12 months

The price of household staples such as millk, butter and potatoes have risen in the last 12 months, new figures from the Central Statistics Office show.

Business • 20 Feb

The US Federal Reserve kept its benchmark interest rate in the current 4.25%-4.5% range at its meeting last month

Impact of Trump policies stirring Fed inflation concerns

President Donald Trump's initial policy proposals have raised concern at the Federal Reserve about higher inflation, with firms telling the Fed they generally expected to raise prices to pass along the cost of import tariffs.

Business • 20 Feb

ECB getting closer to rate cut pause, Schnabel says

The European Central Bank is getting closer to a pause in interest cuts since it is no longer clear that policy remains restrictive and energy price surges raise inflation risks, ECB board member Isabel Schnabel has said.

Business • 19 Feb

British inflation sped up to an annual rate of 3% in January from 2.5% in December

UK inflation increases to 3% in January - ONS

British inflation sped up by more than expected to hit a 10-month high of 3.0% in January and is likely to rise further soon, testing the Bank of England's confidence that price pressures will ease over the longer term.

Business • 19 Feb

Reserve Bank of Australia Governor Michele Bullock

Australia cuts rates for first time since 2020

Australia's central bank cut its key interest rate today for the first time in more than four years, but warned global turmoil could derail further easing.

Business • 18 Feb

The US consumer price index jumped 0.5% last month after gaining 0.4% in December, new figures show today

US consumer prices increase more than expected in January

US consumer prices increased more than expected in January, reinforcing the Federal Reserve's message that it was in no rush to resume cutting interest rates amid growing uncertainty over the economy.

Business • 12 Feb

US Federal Reserve Board Chairman Jerome Powell testifies in front of a Senate Banking Committee in Washington

Fed's Powell, quizzed about trade, Musk, and bank safety

US Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell, in his first appearance before Congress since the inauguration, yesterday vouched for the strength of the economy President Donald Trump inherited.

Business • 12 Feb

China's consumer price index (CPI), a key measure of inflation, rose 0.5% last month, up from a 0.1% rise in November

China inflation picks up after Lunar New Year spend boost

Inflation picked up in China last month, official figures showed over the weekend, as the Lunar New Year holiday boosted January spending.

Business • 10 Feb

The Reserve Bank of India said the benchmark repo rate, the level at which it lends to commercial banks, would be reduced by 25 basis points to 6.25%

India's central bank delivers first rate cut since 2020

India's central bank cut interest rates today for the first time in nearly five years, as concerns over a growth slowdown in the world's fifth largest economy outweighed inflation risks.

Business • 07 Feb

The report indicates some variation across the regions over the last six months.

Commercial construction inflation stabilising

A new report reveals that commercial construction costs continue to rise, but the rate of increase has remained stable over the last 18 months.

Business • 06 Feb

The Bank of England has today lowered interest rates by a quarter of a percentage point to 4.5%

Bank of England cuts interest rates to 4.5%

The Bank of England has today lowered interest rates by a quarter of a percentage point, judging a sharp upward revision to its inflation forecasts for this year will prove temporary.

Business • 06 Feb

ECB board member Piero Cipollone has warned the US administration's trade war with China could have a detrimental impact on the euro zone

Europe could be a big loser in US-China trade war - ECB

European Central Bank interest rates have room to fall further as inflation moderates, ECB board member Piero Cipollone said, warning that the US administration's trade war with China could have a detrimental impact on the 20-member euro zone.

Business • 06 Feb

Euro zone inflation reached its lowest level in three and a half years in September, at 1.7%, but has since climbed back up above the 2% target set by the ECB

Euro zone inflation edges up in January to 2.5%

Euro zone inflation ticked up slightly in January to 2.5%, edging higher for a fourth consecutive month driven by energy price increases, official data shows.

Business • 04 Feb

Central Bank governor Gabriel Makhlouf said the ECB would approach further rate cuts on a 'meeting by meeting' basis

Central Bank governor warns of risks to economic growth

The Governor of the Central Bank of Ireland has warned that the risks to economic growth among countries which use the euro are "firmly to the downside".

Business • 31 Jan

German inflation remained at 2.8% this month preliminary data showed today

German inflation holds steady at 2.8% in January

Germany's annual inflation rate held steady in January but core inflation eased markedly, keeping intact expectations of further interest rate cuts from the European Central Bank.

Business • 31 Jan

The US personal consumption expenditures (PCE) price index rose 0.3% last month after an unrevised 0.1% gain in November, new figures show today

US inflation rising, consumer spending accelerating

US prices increased in December while consumer spending surged, suggesting that the Federal Reserve could delay cutting interest rates for some time this year.

Business • 31 Jan

Inflation rose by 1.5% year-on-year in January compared to 1% a month earlier, a flash estimate of the Harmonised Index of Consumer Prices from the CSO Office show

Inflation increases to 1.5% in January - flash estimate

Consumer prices rose by 1.5% year-on-year in January compared to 1% a month earlier, a flash estimate of the Harmonised Index of Consumer Prices from the Central Statistices Office show today - the highest level in five months.

Business • 31 Jan

US Federal Reserve chief Jerome Powell said there would be no rush to cut US rates again until inflation and jobs data made it appropriate

Fed leaves rates unchanged, sees no hurry to cut again

The US Federal Reserve held interest rates steady last night and Fed Chair Jerome Powell said there would be no rush to cut them again until inflation and jobs data made it appropriate.

Business • 30 Jan

Christine Lagarde, president of the European Central Bank (ECB)

ECB cuts rates and leaves room for more easing

The European Central Bank has cut interest rates and kept the door open to further policy easing as concerns over lacklustre economic growth supersede worries about persistent inflation.

Business • 30 Jan

The Bank of Canada today cut its key lending rate 25 basis points to 3%

Canada central bank cuts key interest rate to 3%

The Bank of Canada has today cut its key lending rate 25 basis points to 3%, noting that US tariff threats are creating uncertainty for the economy.

Business • 29 Jan

Sweden's central bank cuts rates to 2.25% from 2.5%

Sweden's central bank cut its key policy rate to 2.25% from 2.5% as expected today to boost sluggish economic growth and said its forecast for interest rates held though it stood ready to act if the outlook for prices and activity changed.

Business • 29 Jan

Today's data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics showed the consumer price index rose 0.2% in the fourth quarter, less than forecasts of a 0.3% increase

Australia inflation cools in Q4, opens door to rate cut

Australian consumer prices rose at the slowest pace in almost four years in the December quarter, while a pullback in housing costs helped cool core inflation and open the door to a cut in interest rates as early as next month.

Business • 29 Jan

The Bank of Japan has raised its short-term policy rate from 0.25% to 0.5% - a level Japan has not seen in 17 years

Bank of Japan ups interest rates to highest in 17 years

The Bank of Japan raised interest rates today to their highest since the 2008 global financial crisis and revised up its inflation forecasts, underscoring its confidence that rising wages will keep inflation stable around its 2% target.

Business • 24 Jan