February's Market Pulse webinar: There may be trouble ahead
Market Pulse Webinar
February brought a mix of stabilising activity, stubborn inflation, and rising political uncertainty—leaving central banks cautious and markets sensitive to shifting headlines. In this month’s Market Pulse session, Neil Parker (Head of Economics & Market Strategy) breaks down the latest signals across PMIs, labour markets, interest‑rate expectations and global politics, translating an increasingly complex macro backdrop into clear implications for organisations managing cross‑border risk and FX exposure.
Webinar date: February 26, 2026
Key takeaways
In this February Market Pulse webinar, Neil explores the shifting global landscape, covering PMIs and early signs of activity stabilization, the slow grind lower in inflation, central bank pause dynamics across the US, Canada and Mexico, diverging labor‑market trends, rising political risks, and the latest FX outlook, followed by a live Q&A.
PMIs
Manufacturing PMIs show early signs of improvement, supported by defense‑related orders, while services PMIs remain mixed but continue to anchor Western economic activity.
Inflation
Inflation continues to edge lower, but the decline is too slow to justify early rate cuts, with energy prices stabilizing and policy implications varying across the US, Europe, Mexico and Japan.
Interest rates
The Fed, Bank of Canada and Banxico remain on hold, with softening labor data narrowing the path to future cuts and Europe risking policy misalignment if inflation undershoots further.
Labor markets
Employment signals are diverging globally, with rising labor costs squeezing margins, demographic pressures intensifying in parts of Asia, and AI emerging as a potential productivity lever.
Politics
Political risk is rising, from US legal challenges, tariff uncertainty and declining approval ratings, to Euro Area instability ahead of key leadership changes and France’s turbulent run‑up to 2027 elections.
FX outlook
USD resilience may be tested by legal rulings and political noise, safe‑haven demand is likely to benefit CHF and gold, while MXN strength and CAD headwinds remain tied to central‑bank pauses.
Stay ahead with the Market Pulse
The Market Pulse is your go-to daily briefing for global economic developments, currency movements, and central bank updates. Curated by experts, each edition delivers sharp, actionable insights to help you navigate the financial landscape with confidence.
💡 What you’ll get:
- Key economic headlines from the US, UK, Eurozone, and beyond
- Currency trends and rate expectations
- Central bank commentary and policy signals
