July 27, 2026

The US Federal Reserve meets July 28-29 with markets expecting a fifth straight hold at 3.50%-3.75%, though rising oil prices tied to the Middle East conflict have lifted the odds of a rate hike later in the year.

Wall Street opened the week higher as oil prices sank following a weekend pause in US-Iran fighting, with investors bracing for a packed run of Big Tech earnings and the Federal Reserve's rate decision.

UnitedHealth Group reported second-quarter revenue of about $112 billion and raised its full-year profit outlook, even as it forecast the loss of ACA and Medicare Advantage members amid affordability pressures.

US auto insurer Progressive reported second-quarter net income of about $3.3 billion, up 4% year-on-year, with net premiums written rising 5% even as its combined ratio edged slightly higher.

The Monetary Authority of Singapore surprised markets by very slightly steepening the appreciation path of the Singapore dollar policy band, its second tightening in 2026, citing firmer growth and persistent inflation.

The Bank of Japan is expected to maintain its warning over the risk of inflation overshooting its 2% target at its July 30-31 meeting, while signalling that those risks have not materially increased.

Germany's closely watched Ifo business climate index rose to 86.6 in July, its highest since February and a third consecutive monthly gain, as companies grew less pessimistic despite Middle East risks.

France's BNP Paribas reported second-quarter net profit up about a third to €3 billion and its strongest revenue growth in ten years, reaching its capital target 18 months early and signalling bigger shareholder payouts.

Applications for UAE financial-services roles rose in July, restoring the country to the top of a global ranking of finance job destinations, as banks resumed recruitment deferred during the regional conflict.

Despite an above-average area burned and hundreds of active fires, Canada's 2026 wildfire season is not expected to be a major loss event for insurers, as blazes concentrate in remote, sparsely insured regions.

The Financial Conduct Authority has published a package establishing the UK's regulatory framework for cryptoasset firms, which from October 2027 will need authorisation and must meet capital, market-integrity and stablecoin rules.

India has launched a centralized portal under its 'Your Money, Your Right' campaign to help citizens locate and reclaim unclaimed financial assets, from dormant bank deposits to lapsed insurance and mutual fund holdings.

The Financial Conduct Authority says a package of measures to streamline its rulebook for asset managers will cut industry costs by about £128 million a year, part of a broader drive to reduce regulatory burden.

The Bank of Korea raised its benchmark rate to 2.75%, its first hike in three and a half years, and flagged further increases as inflation, housing prices and household debt stay elevated, jolting Korean stocks.

The Bank of Canada kept its policy rate at 2.25% in mid-July amid trade tensions and Middle East uncertainty, leaving borrowers navigating elevated fixed mortgage rates and a heavy wave of 2026 loan renewals.