Inflation, as measured by the Consumer Price Index, is expected to run above 4% for the first time in three years because of the Iran war’s oil price shock.

The Middle East conflict has given China's economy a reflationary boost as energy and raw material disruptions deepened.

China’s factory-gate inflation accelerated in May as the ongoing conflict in the Middle East kept fueling higher energy and commodity costs.

The South African rand held steady in early trade on Wednesday as markets stayed on ​edge over the latest U.S.-Iran clashes and awaited crucial ‌U.S. inflation data for clues on the Federal Reserve's rate path.

China’s annual consumer inflation held steady at 1.2% in May 2026, coming in slightly below market expectations of 1.3%. Core inflation, which excludes volatile food and energy costs, eased to 1.1% from April’s 1.

Chinas inflation data for May 2026 highlighted continued weakness in consumer spending, while factory-gate prices climbed at their fastest pace in nearly four years due to rising energy costs linked to ongoing Middle