Economics
US Mortgage Rates Rise to Highest Level Since May 2025
The average contract rate for a 30-year fixed mortgage in the US rose to 6.97% in the week ended September 11, its highest level since May 2025, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association. The increase followed a rise in Treasury yields, with the 10-year note briefly touching 5% and approaching its highest level since 2007, […]
by Currency Hedger
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- 1 month ago
Ireland Trade Surplus Widens to 10-Month High
Ireland’s trade surplus widened significantly to EUR 5.3 billion in July 2026 from EUR 4.1 billion in the same month a year earlier. This marked the largest surplus since September 2025, as exports jumped 12.5% year-on-year to EUR 18.9 billion, lifted by higher shipments of live animals except fish (+30.0%) and mineral fuels, lubricants, and […]
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- 1 month ago
Israel Q2 GDP Growth Revised Lower in 2nd Estimates
Israel’s economy grew at an annualized rate of 14.9% in the second quarter of 2026, rebounding sharply from an upwardly revised 1.7% contraction in the first quarter as the impact of the war with Iran eased. The reading was slightly below the first preliminary estimate and market expectations of 15.9%. The downward revision mainly reflected […]
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- 1 month ago
Euro Area Industrial Production Falls Less than Expected
Euro Area industrial production declined 0.1% in July 2026, matching the fall recorded in June but performing slightly better than the 0.2% contraction expected by markets. The monthly decline reflected weaker output of non-durable consumer goods, which fell 1.6% (vs 1.8% in June) while energy production growth slowed to 0.9% from 1.4%. In contrast, production […]
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- 1 month ago
Italian August Inflation Confirmed at 3-Year High
The annual inflation rate in Italy rose to 3.3% in August 2026 from 2.9% in July, confirming the preliminary estimate and marking the highest reading since September 2023. The main upward contribution came from higher energy prices, with regulated energy inflation rising to 18.6% from 14.8% and non-regulated energy inflation increasing to 17.0% from 11.4%, […]
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- 1 month ago
South Africa Inflation Expectations Soften to 4% in Q3
South Africa’s one-year-ahead inflation expectations among households eased to 4% in Q3 2026 from 4.2% in the previous period, when the oil shock caused by the Middle East conflict pushed expectations higher. Average inflation expectations two years ahead, a measure the central bank closely tracks in setting interest rates, also edged down to 3.8% from […]
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- 1 month ago