News about Macroeconomics

Carbon Brief climatologists have warned that 2026 could be one of the hottest years on record due to an expected increase in global warming.

SANTIAGO – For decades, global power has come from Europe and the United States. At least that’s what I thought when I first set foot in the Northern Hemisphere as a graduate student at Cambridge University. But the management of Chile’s international economic relations under former President Gabriel Boric has shown how much power the Global South can wield if it so chooses.

BERLIN – What will Europe be like without the U.S. military and political presence? Europeans had better start preparing for this prospect, because it is no longer in doubt that U.S. President Donald Trump wants to end the North Atlantic Alliance and is well on his way to achieving this goal. The only question that remains is whether he will officially withdraw from NATO or simply devastate it with his disdain and contempt.

From 2018 to 2025, under current legislation, the tax burden on a Spanish worker’s salary increased from 39.7% to 41.1%, although the country still lags behind the three major European economies of Germany, France and Italy.

Business leaders do not expect a surge in business activity in the second quarter: the outlook is relatively stable, both in terms of price growth and sales revenue. Economic activity in the second quarter of 2026, according to surveys, will also be accompanied by a reduction in the number of employees in trade and services.

According to the authorities, there are about 3,400 prisoners in Moldova who are able to work, of whom only 1,200 were working in 2025. Another 2,000 would like to be employed, but there are regulatory restrictions. In some countries, such as the Netherlands or Germany, the employment rate of prisoners reaches 80%.

The union demanded “legislative predictability” and the urgent implementation of European norms that require the minimum wage to be 50% of the projected average wage.

The obligation to implement the reform of the wage system in the public sector from September 1, 2026 is maintained. In order to increase salaries, it is envisaged to implement tax measures aimed at expanding the tax base. This is stated in the response of the Ministry of Finance to the parliamentary inquiry of Angela Cutasevici, a member of the faction of the “Alternativa” bloc.

The European Union officially launches an internal procedure to unblock a 90 billion euro loan to Ukraine and a 20-pack of sanctions against Russia.

Italy has joined France on the list of EU nations whose public debt has exceeded 3 trillion euros.

According to Amnesty International’s 2025 report, impunity persists in Moldova, the media sector remains vulnerable and economic growth remains moderate. The organization states that the authorities arbitrarily restrict the rights to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly.

Economist Vladimir Golovatiuc notes that the active sale of foreign currency by the Moldovan population has recently become a significant support for the family budget. In his opinion, this indicates the forced use of currency receipts due to the fall in real incomes.

Moldova is preparing to strengthen control over the observance of the principle of equal pay. Within the framework of legislative changes aimed at transposing European Union directives, employers will be held liable for violations of the norms on equal pay for equal work or work of equal value.

Berlin has shifted its focus from the auto industry to armaments and is actually becoming a key production base for armaments in Europe.

According to the IMF’s April 2026 World Economic Outlook (WEO) report, Moldova ranks last in Europe in terms of GDP per capita at purchasing power parity (PPP).

The dollar, considered a defensive asset, rebounded amid renewed tensions between the US and Iran. Hopes for a peace agreement are fading as Iran has said it will not participate in the talks. The Strait of Hormuz in the spotlight: Iran has once again blocked this crucial waterway.

Artificial intelligence will not lead to instant job losses, despite growing fears. This is the conclusion reached by Morgan Stanley analysts in a new April report.

In March, according to the National Bank of Moldova (NBM) data, the trend of excess of cash withdrawals over cash inflows continued in the banking sector of Moldova. These indicators emphasize the continuing high demand of the population for cash.

The largest contribution to GDP growth in 2025 was made by information technology and communications. A 12.5% increase in gross value added contributed 0.9 percentage points to GDP growth.

Moldova plans to increase defense spending to 1% of GDP by 2030. They are now about 0.58% to 0.65% of gross domestic product, up from 0.3% in 2020.