Weekly Briefing
Weekly Briefing - Germany's economy stalls as the Fed meets under a cloud
No recording for this one yet - EconReader can read it aloud for you.
Here is the week in economics, explained without the jargon.
Germany’s business confidence collapsed
A closely watched survey of German business sentiment fell to its lowest reading since May 2020 - the depths of the pandemic shutdowns. In response, German officials cut their 2026 growth forecast in half, down to just 0.5%. Germany is Europe’s largest economy, so weakness there tends to weigh on the wider region.
The Fed met amid change
The Federal Reserve held its regular meeting this week and again kept interest rates unchanged. The meeting drew extra attention amid speculation about upcoming leadership changes at the central bank - a reminder that who sits on a rate-setting committee, not just the economic data, can shape market expectations.
Oil ticked back up
Reports of ceasefire violations tied to the ongoing Middle East conflict pushed oil prices back above $105 a barrel, denting European stocks even as US energy companies benefited from the higher prices.
What it means for you
Germany’s sharp confidence drop is a useful reminder that “the global economy” is not one single story - individual countries can be under real strain even while others, including the US, are posting solid data.