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Mon, Apr 13, 2026 09:47 AM All times are UTC

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Daily outlook for NZ rates

May 19, 2015 20:40 pm UTC| Commentary

Westpac Research notes:NZ swap yields 1 day: Given the movements in interest rates in key markets overnight, the NZ 2yr should open up 1bp at 3.44% while the 10yr should open up 3bp at 4.02%.NZ swap yields 1-3 month: Short...

U.S. housing starts surged twenty percent in April

May 19, 2015 19:08 pm UTC| Commentary

U.S. housing starts surged twenty percent in April, the highest since Nov 2007, and the biggest percent increase since 1991. Housing is a significant driver of jobs with its multiplicative impact on consumer discretionary...

UK households well-placed to endure renewed fiscal squeeze

May 19, 2015 18:54 pm UTC| Commentary

UK households have rarely had it so good - no inflation, strong jobs growth, reviving earnings, a breather from austerity and falling borrowing costs. As a result, Capital Economics expects that real household spending...

Australia Westpac consumer confidence index to gauge households’ reaction to the Federal Budget

May 19, 2015 18:25 pm UTC| Commentary

The Australia Westpac consumer confidence index (01.30 BST) will be one of the first opportunities to gauge households reaction to the Federal Budget.The small business package in particular appears to have been well...

Fall in ZEW investor sentiment dents Germany's economic outlook

May 19, 2015 18:02 pm UTC| Commentary

Mays fall in German ZEW investor sentiment, from +53.3 to +41.9, suggested that growing fears over Greece together with the recent rise in bond yields and appreciation of the euro exchange rate have damaged the economic...

Price pressures remain extremely weak in the euro-zone

May 19, 2015 17:47 pm UTC| Commentary

Marchs euro-zone trade data suggest that the weakness of the euro has still had little impact on net exports.Although exports rose by 1.7% m/m, this was offset by a 3.9% m/m increase in imports. This brought the...

US natural gas prices set to rise further

May 19, 2015 17:27 pm UTC| Commentary

The price of US natural gas has risen sharply since the end of last month and is now back above $3 per mBtu for the first time since the start of March. This is mainly due to slightly colder weather in the US recently...

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Economy

Iran War Fallout: How Sri Lanka, Pakistan, and Egypt Are Struggling With Rising Energy Costs

Sri Lankas tourism industry was hoping 2025 would finally mark a full recovery from years of economic hardship. Instead, the outbreak of war involving Iran sent oil prices surging 40%, forcing the government to raise fuel...

Italy's Bond Market Under Pressure as Middle East Conflict Exposes Economic Fragility

Italys financial vulnerabilities have come into sharp focus amid ongoing conflict in the Middle East, with surging energy costs and mounting political uncertainty weighing heavily on Italian government bonds. In March,...

Asia FX Slides as Dollar Surges Amid U.S.-Iran Tensions and Inflation Fears

Asian currencies broadly declined on Monday as the U.S. dollar attracted safe-haven demand following the collapse of U.S.-Iran peace negotiations and mounting concerns over a potential American blockade of Iranian ports....

Oil Prices Surge as U.S. Imposes Blockade on Iranian Shipping Amid Ongoing Middle East Tensions

Global financial markets were rattled Monday after the United States announced a blockade on Iranian shipping following the breakdown of weekend peace negotiations. The decision has renewed fears over Middle East energy...

Bank of Korea Governor Nominee Warns of Action if Korean Won Weakens Further

South Koreas Bank of Korea governor nominee, Shin Hyun-song, signaled on Monday that policymakers stand ready to intervene should the Korean won experience excessive depreciation. In written statements submitted to...

Politics

U.S. Blockade of Iran Begins as Nuclear Talks Collapse in Islamabad

Tensions between the United States and Iran have sharply escalated after weekend diplomatic talks in Islamabad ended without an agreement, prompting Washington to announce a full naval blockade of Iranian ports and coastal...

U.S., Australia, and Philippines Conduct Joint South China Sea Military Drills Amid Rising Tensions With China

The United States, Australia, and the Philippines wrapped up their second trilateral maritime exercises of 2025 in the South China Sea, reinforcing their collective commitment to freedom of navigation and regional security...

South Korea and Poland Forge Comprehensive Strategic Partnership Centered on Defence

South Korean President Lee Jae-myung and Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk formally elevated bilateral ties to a comprehensive strategic partnership on Monday, placing defence cooperation at the heart of the upgraded...

Taiwan Insists Government Must Lead Cross-Strait Engagement Amid China's New Incentives

Taiwans top security official has made clear that any response to Chinas latest proposed trade and tourism measures must be government-led, not driven by opposition party diplomacy. National Security Bureau chief Tsai...

Spain's Sanchez Urges China to Take Greater Global Leadership Role During Beijing Visit

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez called on China to assume a more meaningful role in addressing pressing global challenges, including climate change, international security, defense, and the fight against inequality....

Science

China vs. NASA: The New Moon Race and What's at Stake by 2030

The space race is back and this time, its a direct competition between the United States and China for dominance on the lunar surface. NASAs Artemis II mission recently made history when four astronauts flew farther into...

NASA Artemis II: First Crewed Moon Mission Since Apollo Takes Four Astronauts on 10-Day Lunar Journey

NASAs Artemis II mission launched Wednesday, marking humanitys return to crewed lunar exploration for the first time since the Apollo era. Carrying four astronauts aboard the Orion spacecraft, this historic 10-day mission...

NASA's Artemis II Mission: First Crewed Lunar Journey Since Apollo

NASA's Artemis II Crew Arrives in Florida for Historic Moon Mission

The four astronauts chosen for NASAs Artemis II mission have touched down at Kennedy Space Center in Florida, marking the beginning of final launch preparations for the first crewed lunar journey in over 50 years. NASA...

SpaceX Pivots Toward Moon City as Musk Reframes Long-Term Space Vision

SpaceX CEO Elon Musk has revealed a significant shift in the companys near-term space exploration strategy, announcing that SpaceX is now prioritizing the development of a self-growing city on the Moon rather than focusing...

Technology

AI Deradicalization Tools: How Chatbots Could Help Combat Violent Extremism Online

As artificial intelligence platforms become more deeply embedded in daily life, concerns about their role in enabling dangerous behavior continue to grow. A New Zealand startup is now developing a groundbreaking tool that...

Meta Is Building an AI Version of Mark Zuckerberg to Interact With Employees

Meta Platforms is reportedly developing a photorealistic artificial intelligence version of its CEO, Mark Zuckerberg, designed to engage directly with employees on his behalf. According to the Financial Times, which cited...

TSMC Posts Record Q1 2026 Profits Driven by Surging AI Chip Demand

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (TSMC) is on track to deliver its fourth straight quarter of record-breaking earnings, with analysts forecasting a 50% jump in net profit for the first quarter of 2026. The surge is...

OpenAI Addresses Security Vulnerability in macOS App Certification Process

OpenAI disclosed a security concern on Friday involving a third-party developer tool known as Axios, which is connected to the process used to verify the authenticity of its macOS applications. The company confirmed it has...

San Francisco Suspect Arrested After Molotov Cocktail Attack on OpenAI CEO Sam Altman's Home

San Francisco police arrested a 20-year-old suspect Friday following a pre-dawn attack on OpenAI CEO Sam Altmans residence in the citys North Beach neighborhood. According to the San Francisco Police Department, an...