Switzerland's annual inflation rate stood at 0.6% in May, unchanged from the previous month, according to data from the country's Federal Statistical Office published Thursday.
The consensus estimate for the month was 0.8%.
On a monthly basis, consumer prices were 0.2% higher, compared with the prior and expected 0.3% gain.
China criticized an OECD report that claimed the country had an unfair advantage when it comes to state subsidies.The report from the OECD, or the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development, said Beijing's support for Chinese firms across 15 key industries was three to eight times higher than the support levels found within OECD member nations.During a Thursday press conference, a spokesperson from the Ministry of Commerce said the report lacked "unified measurement standards" and is biased, one-sided, and arbitrary."China's industrial subsidy policies strictly adhere to WTO rules and earnestly fulfill its transparency obligations," the spokesperson said.
Reserve Bank of Australia Governor Michelle Bullock said on Thursday that the Middle East conflict's economic impact would vary across countries, but for Australia, she expected it to weigh modestly on growth, worsening the trade-off between inflation and economic activity.In a statement before the Senate Economics Legislation Committee, Bullock said the rate increases delivered so far in the year were necessary to tighten financial conditions and cool demand, and that early signs suggested the tightening was beginning to take effect, though the full impact would take one to two years to flow through the economy.The central bank expects gross domestic product growth to slow this year under the weight of higher interest rates and the Middle East conflict, with unemployment forecast to rise over the coming year but remain below pre-pandemic levels.Bullock noted investment had been a recent bright spot, with growth expected to continue in areas with strong structural tailwinds, such as software, data centers, and renewable energy.
Taiwan's stock exchange said at COMPUTEX 2026 exposition that the island's market capitalization has surpassed $5 trillion, making it the world's fifth-largest market, driven by strong momentum from the artificial intelligence sector.The exchange said about 40% of 2026 IPO applicants are linked to AI-related industries, highlighting rising capital market activity around the technology supply chain, according to a Wednesday press release by the bourse.It added that 2025 IPO applications reached a multi-year high, with fundraising nearly doubling from 2024, reflecting renewed investor appetite for technology listings.Foreign investors accounted for 49.4% of total market capitalization and 35.5% of average daily trading value as of April 2026, underscoring strong global participation in Taiwan's equity market.The exchange said it is strengthening initiatives in corporate governance, ESG, and cross-border market connectivity to support AI-driven growth and help companies scale internationally.