February 26, 2026
United States:
US Jobless Claims Edged Higher to 212,000 in Holiday Week
Applications for US unemployment benefits rose by less than expected last week, indicating that layoffs remain relatively low.
Initial claims increased by 4,000 to 212,000 in the week ended Feb. 21, according to Labor Department data released Thursday. The median forecast in a Bloomberg survey of economists called for 216,000.
Europe:
ECB Records Third Annual Loss in Worst Run Since Its Creation
The European Central Bank reported a third straight annual loss, its worst run on record, as the effects of crisis-era policies continue to weigh.
The 2025 shortfall amounted to €1.3 billion ($1.5 billion), the ECB said Thursday in a statement. The result was significantly below last year’s €7.9 billion loss — its highest ever.
Asia:
Japan Sees Interest Payments Doubling by 2029 as BOJ Hikes Rate
The Japanese government expects its interest payments on outstanding debt to roughly double over the next four years as the Bank of Japan’s gradual rate hikes push up borrowing costs.
Interest payments are projected at ¥21.6 trillion ($139 billion) in the year starting April 2029, up from the current year’s budgeted ¥10.5 trillion, according to a Finance Ministry document released Thursday. The projections assume annual nominal economic growth of 3%.
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