News about Macroeconomics
Retail turnover in Ukraine in the first quarter of 2026 increased by 11.2% compared to the same period of 2025. In March, the growth accelerated to 12.8 percent in annual terms, the State Statistics Service of Ukraine said.
Global wine consumption in 2025 has fallen to its lowest level since 1957.
Russia, the world’s largest wheat exporter, may not have enough wheat to harvest this year. This is due to abnormally cold weather and heavy rains, which led to the worst start to the spring sowing season in Russia in many years.
This question has been worrying investors since the events of February. After several years of rapid growth, Dubai’s real estate market has begun to slow down. Homeowners are increasingly going for discounts, and sales are sagging, especially in the segment of properties under construction.
On Friday, the Romanian leu weakened by 0.2% to 5.2035 per euro ahead of the central bank’s interest rate decision, which took place on the same day but later. This fall was due to investors’ concerns about the central bank’s further policy and the tense economic situation.
In January, year-end inflation in Ukraine was forecasted at 7.5 percent. However, already in the April forecast it reaches 9.4%. However, the projected long-term trend is moderately positive, then inflation at the end of next year will be 6.5%, and in 2028 – 5%.
The conflict in the Middle East, now in its 11th week, has led to the closure of a crucial shipping channel and a spike in energy prices.
The prospects of Moldova’s future membership in the European Union have long been at the center of discussions – both political and “kitchen” discussions.
In the first quarter of 2026, exports of goods amounted to 848.5 million euros, up 10.2% compared to the corresponding period of 2025, the National Bureau of Statistics said.
Last year, 22.1 thousand children were born in Moldova – this is about 1.5 thousand less (or 6.6%) compared to 2024. The share of children born in marriage amounted to 61.5% (or 13.6 thousand children), i.e. every third child was born out of wedlock.
The quality of the Moldovan stratum called “elite society” is deteriorating year by year.
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) will send its staff to Ukraine in the coming weeks to check on progress in the implementation of economic reforms under the new 4-year, $8.1 billion Extended Fund Facility (EFF) program.
Since 2022, the total amount of support provided by the French Development Agency (AFD) to the Republic of Moldova has exceeded 300 million euros.
The National Energy Regulatory Agency (NERA) has set new maximum fuel prices that will be in effect tomorrow, May 15.
Natural gas prices in Europe posted moderate gains on Thursday amid expectations of new signals from international politics and talks between the U.S. and China.
The National Bank of Moldova (NBM) has revised upward its inflation forecast, which will rise from to 8.6% in the last quarter of 2026 against the backdrop of the situation in the Middle East. According to the central bank’s previous official forecast, inflation in Q4 should have amounted to 5.0%, while in the forecast a year earlier (in May 2025) – 4.0%.
In 2025, European businesses are facing the need to cut back on investment, causing the level of business investment in the EU to fall to its lowest level in 11 years. This fell to 21.8% by the end of 2025 (Q4).
Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s calls to cut fuel consumption and stop buying gold have heightened nervousness in India’s financial markets, raising fears the government may revert to tight import restrictions amid mounting pressure over the energy crisis.
On May 13, the Senate in the United States confirmed as head of the Federal Reserve System (Fed) Kevin Warsh, who was personally proposed for the position by President Donald Trump.
Latvian Prime Minister Evika Silinja, representing the New Unity party, submitted her resignation to the Saeima on May 14. Together with her, the entire government will resign.
