Strategic Rebalancing: US Grants Temporary Reprieve for Russian Oil Amid Middle East Crisis
Mar 20, 2026 04:34 am UTC| Insights & Views
On March 12, 2026, in response to a volatile worldwide energy market, the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) of the US Treasury released General License 134, thereby enacting a crucial but transient relaxation of...
ECB Holds Rates at 2.00% as Middle East Energy Shocks Cloud Inflation Outlook
Mar 19, 2026 16:03 pm UTC| Central Banks Insights & Views
At its March 19, 2026 meeting, the European Central Bank chose to hold all key interest rates steady, maintaining the deposit facility at 2.00%, the main refinancing rate at 2.15%, and the marginal lending facility at...
BoE Holds Rates at 3.75% as Middle East Energy Shocks Stall Disinflation
Mar 19, 2026 15:14 pm UTC| Central Banks Insights & Views
At its March 19, 2026, policy meeting, the Bank of England (BoE) maintained its restrictive monetary attitude, choosing to keep the Bank Rate at 3.75% in a move consistent with overwhelming market expectations. The...
ECB Holds Rates Steady at 2.00% as Middle East Energy Shocks Cloud Inflation Outlook
Mar 19, 2026 11:56 am UTC| Central Banks Insights & Views
At its March 19, 2026, policy meeting, the European Central Bank (ECB) kept its wait-and-see attitude by opting not to change any of the main interest rates. In a move reflecting a neutral attitude against a complicated...
SNB Holds at 0% and Flags FX Intervention to Curb Franc Strength
Mar 19, 2026 11:04 am UTC| Central Banks Insights & Views
At its March 19, 2026, policy meeting, the Swiss National Bank (SNB) stayed course and maintained the headline policy rate at 0.00%. Consistent with market expectations, the central bank maintained its sight deposit...
UK Jobs Market Cools as Unemployment Hits Post-Pandemic High of 5.2%
Mar 19, 2026 08:43 am UTC| Insights & Views
According to the most recent figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS), the labour market in the United Kingdom has clearly slowed down for the time running to January 2026. At 5.2%, the headline unemployment...
Energy Warfare Ignites: Israel Strikes Iran’s South Pars Gas Field
Mar 19, 2026 08:15 am UTC| Insights & Views
The Middle East war started an unstable new stage on March 18, 2026 as Israeli airstrikes attacked South Pars, Irans largest natural gas reserve in the world. Significantly large fires and a partial production freeze of...