COGNICURRENT

The Bank of Greece has downgraded its growth rate forecasts for the Greek economy in 2026 and 2027 following the European Central Bank's recent downward revision for the eurozone.

The report from China's Government Work Report indicates that the country's GDP has consistently surpassed significant milestones, achieving a notable annual growth rate.

The European Central Bank has downgraded its growth forecast to 0.9% while maintaining the interest rate at 2%, citing increased uncertainty due to the Middle Eastern conflict.

The European Central Bank has kept its key interest rate unchanged at 2% amid rising inflation concerns linked to the war in the Middle East.

Businesses in Norway expect a wage growth of 4.2% in 2026, which may influence interest rate policies according to economic forecasts.

The Riksbank has decided to keep the interest rate unchanged at 1.75%, while significantly lowering its growth forecast due to uncertainties linked to the Iran war.

Sweden's Riksbank has decided to keep the interest rate unchanged at 1.75 percent while significantly lowering growth forecasts for the year.

Wage growth in the UK has decreased significantly, hitting the lowest rate in over five years, while unemployment remains stable at 5.2%.

The U.S. Federal Reserve has decided to maintain short-term interest rates as concerns rise about inflation tied to the ongoing conflict in Iran, while still projecting a future rate cut.

Luminor's chief economist warns that while Estonia's economy has returned to modest growth, various uncertainties could hinder significant recovery, with consumer behavior and policy decisions playing critical roles.

South Korea's employment figures for February showed a significant increase of over 200,000 jobs, marking the largest rise in five months, although youth unemployment reached a five-year high of 7.7%.

Argentina's pork industry is experiencing rapid growth but faces challenges from a fixed exchange rate and increasing imports from Brazil.

In 2025, costs for social security contributions in Spain increased by 4.5%, exceeding the growth rate of salaries, amidst a strong economic growth and record business margins.

Fukuoka's official land prices have risen for twelve consecutive years, with a shrinking growth rate but continued demand for high-end housing.

Concerns grow that persistently high oil prices, exacerbated by the US-Iran conflict, could drive South Korea's economic growth rate down to 0% if such conditions continue for over a year.

Chopin Airport in Warsaw saw a significant increase in passenger traffic in February 2026, with over 1.6 million travelers, marking an 8.5% rise compared to the previous year.

In Argentina, five agricultural export sectors outperformed the average growth rate of 9.1% in 2025, particularly the beef sector, which saw a 22.9% increase year-on-year.

The Mexican peso is closing the week on a positive note, appreciating against the dollar amid lower-than-expected U.S. GDP growth.

The American economy's growth rate at the end of the year dropped significantly, only achieving half of the anticipated results.

Industrial production in the EU fell by 1.6% in January compared to the previous month, with Ireland experiencing the largest decrease.

The article discusses the increasing rate of immigration to Finland, highlighting the growing percentage of foreign-born residents, particularly from Asia.

The growth rate of wages for workers in South Korea has lagged behind nominal GDP growth for two consecutive years, contrasting sharply with previous trends.

Japan's GDP for the October-December 2025 period has been revised to reflect an annual growth rate of 1.3%, showing positive growth compared to the previous quarter.

Poles' creditworthiness is improving due to a recent interest rate cut, allowing for larger mortgage loans amid slow housing price growth.

Citi's chief economist for Latin America, Ernesto Revilla, highlights Argentina's fiscal adjustments but warns of the exchange rate's impact on growth amid global uncertainties including the Iran conflict.

The article discusses Estonia's low birth rate and suggests that more than just financial support is needed to encourage higher fertility.

China has announced its lowest economic growth target in over 30 years, aiming for a growth rate of 4.5% to 5% for 2026 during the annual session of its National People's Congress.

China's defense budget for 2026 is set to increase by 7.0%, totaling approximately 43 trillion yen, amid a slowdown in national GDP growth.

Australia's economy grew at an annual rate of 2.6 percent in the December quarter, the fastest growth in nearly three years, exceeding expectations.

The Brazilian Ministry of Finance indicates that high-interest rates have significantly slowed GDP growth, projecting a modest increase of 2.3% in 2026.

Danfoss reported stagnant sales in 2025, with a slight organic growth despite negative impacts from a weakened dollar.

Nigerian banks extended N36.39 trillion in credit to the trade sector in the first nine months of 2025, indicating a modest increase amid calls for more private sector funding.

Analysts express disappointment over Estonia's economic growth rate of 0.6% for 2025, which fell short of expectations.

Economists Lucas Llach and Pablo Gerchunoff argue that a higher real exchange rate is essential for accelerating Argentina's economic growth while addressing historical tensions between growth and equality.

Brazil's technical education enrollments rose by 4% in 2025, according to recent government data, a slower growth rate compared to the previous year's increase.

The Latvian Ministry of Economics predicts that the country's GDP growth could reach between 2.5% and 3% this year, driven by increased investments and a recovery in internal consumption.

India's economy showed remarkable resilience with a GDP growth rate of 7.8% in the third quarter, exceeding estimates amidst global uncertainties.

Finland's economy experienced a growth rate of 0.4% in the last quarter of 2025, which was lower than previously anticipated, leading to revised growth forecasts.

Despite the fact that deaths in France surpassed births in 2025, the French still express a desire to have children, reflecting a complex societal attitude toward family growth amid demographic concerns.

Korea's total fertility rate has increased to 0.8 in 2025, marking the second consecutive year of growth attributed to rising marriage rates and changing parental attitudes.

The Bank of Korea has revised its GDP growth forecast for the year to 2% while keeping interest rates steady at 2.50%, amid concerns over increasing economic polarization.

Finland experienced an increase in birth rates last year, with a notable 4.8% rise between 2024 and 2025.

The Kainuu region's economy is growing at a faster rate than the national average, driven by significant industrial investments and strong growth in the metal and forestry sectors.

The Bank of Korea has revised its economic growth forecast for the country from 1.8% to 2.0% for this year.

Finland's government, led by Prime Minister Petteri Orpo, is set to prepare new measures for employment and growth in light of the country's high unemployment rate.

A recent spike in Britain's unemployment rate alongside weak economic growth indicators suggests deeper underlying issues in the UK's economic recovery.

South Korea's total fertility rate has risen to 0.8 in 2023, marking two consecutive years of growth due to increased marriages and changing perceptions about childbirth.

The EKRE political party held a torch march at Freedom Square in Tallinn, emphasizing the theme of preserving Estonia and addressing national birth rates.

São Paulo recorded its lowest unemployment rate since 2012 at 5%, outperforming both national and regional averages.

In January, the number of land transaction permit applications in Seoul surged by 34% from the previous month, although the rate of price increases has slowed.