The IMF released its April 2026 World Economic Outlook on April 14, and the headline number told a clear story. Global growth for 2026 is now projected at 3.1%, down from 3.3% in the January forecast and down from the 3.4% that had been expected before the
The Reserve Bank of India took an unusual step this week, quietly easing some restrictions on how Indian banks can participate in the foreign exchange market. The RBI had tightened those rules significantly in recent years as part of one of its most aggressive efforts in decades to stabilise the
Nigeria spent most of 2025 celebrating a rare streak of falling inflation. After 11 consecutive months of declining prices, the number finally turned upward in March 2026. Headline inflation rose to 15.38%, up from 15.06% in February, according to the National Bureau of Statistics. The monthly rate was
For anyone hoping to buy a home in the United States this spring, there is some genuine good news. The 30-year fixed mortgage rate fell to 6.3% as of April 16, down from a recent high of 6.57% at the end of March and down for two
Something unusual happened in US markets over the past few trading days. Stocks did not just recover from their war-related lows. They went past them entirely. The S&P 500 closed above 7,100 points for the first time in history on Friday April 18, capping its third
China's National Development and Reform Commission confirmed in January 2026 that the government would front load 295 billion yuan ($42 billion) into strategic national initiatives, combined with a further $9 billion in direct consumer subsidies, a total package of roughly $51 billion deployed early in the year. The
Ghana is preparing to exit a $3 billion IMF bailout programme by August 2026, and it is doing so from a position that would have seemed unimaginable during the country's 2022 debt crisis. At that time, inflation was above 54%, the cedi had lost most of its value,
Germany's decision to borrow over €180 billion in 2026, with €83 billion earmarked for defence alone, is not just a German story. It is reshaping the fiscal and industrial logic of the entire European Union. The move has created a precedent that other EU countries are watching closely.
At the April 9 Spring Meetings curtain raiser in Washington, IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva delivered the clearest guidance to central banks that the fund has issued in years. Her message was precise: stay on hold for now, but have a clear trigger ready for action. There is value in
At the IMF and World Bank Spring Meetings opening in Washington this week, World Bank President Ajay Banga delivered a stark message. The global economy's ability to absorb shocks has deteriorated. Anti recession safeguards, including fiscal buffers, central bank room to cut rates, and multilateral lending capacity, are
China's leaders began 2026 with an unusual resolution. The Politburo, led by President Xi Jinping, declared that domestic demand must become the main driver of growth, replacing the country's traditional reliance on exports. Beijing committed $51 billion in front loaded spending and unveiled a consumer subsidy
While media attention has concentrated on the Middle East crisis and its consequences for large economies, East Africa has been quietly generating some of the strongest growth numbers on the continent and in some cases in the world. Uganda's economy expanded 8.5% year on year in the