WSJ Economy

Canadians resumed job hunting last month only to learn that finding work remains tough, sending the unemployment rate up sharply in the final month of 2025.

U.S. inflation data for December will likely be the highlight of the week as investors continue to gauge the likely timing and extent of further interest-rate cuts by the Federal Reserve.

Consumers’ mood improved slightly in January, yet Americans remain mired in anxiety about affordability and sluggish hiring, the University of Michigan’s latest survey indicated.

Sales volumes rose 0.2% in November, providing a boost for the economy in the final quarter of 2025.

Taiwan’s exports reached a record high in 2025, powered by robust demand linked to the global artificial-intelligence boom, after the island ended the year on a strong note.

Output unexpectedly rose for a third straight month in November, helped by a 7.8% uptick in car production.

Gross domestic product in Asia’s fourth-largest economy is projected to expand 2.0% in 2026, up from the government’s forecast of 1.8% in August.

China’s consumer inflation picked up modestly in December, while factory-gate prices remained in contraction.

Canada’s trade balance deteriorated slightly in October, swinging the country to an eighth deficit in the first 10 months of last year.

Inventories at merchant wholesalers increased 0.2% on month, after jumping by 0.5% in September, according to Commerce Department figures.

The October deficit was $29.4 billion, an imbalance nearly 40% smaller than September’s.

U.S. jobless claims edged slightly higher last week, but remained near the low end of levels seen over the past year.

The decline in a key indicator measuring attitudes of businesses across multiple sectors ends four consecutive months of rising sentiment.

The eurozone’s unemployment rate in November unexpectedly declined for the first time in seven months, showing the labor market’s resilience despite last year’s uncertain economic environment.

Total orders rose 5.6% in November, with large-scale orders once again boosting the factory sector as tariff headwinds subside.

A report covering October and November personal income, consumer spending and PCE inflation data will be published on Jan. 22. An initial estimate of GDP over the final three months of 2025 will follow on Feb. 20.

It isn’t clear whether congressional approval would be needed to institute such a ban.

U.S. natural gas futures rebounded from five straight sessions of losses as weather models added some cold into the outlook for the second half of January.

Businesses added a net 41,000 new employees last month, according to human-resources firm ADP.

Job openings and hiring declined in November, according to the Labor Department’s monthly job openings and labor turnover survey.