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Health insurance premiums in New Zealand have risen almost 75 percent over the past five years, prompting many households to scale back coverage or drop their policies altogether. The trend reflects growing pressure from the cost of living on household health spending.
The US producer price index was flat in July, well below the 0.2% increase economists had expected, according to Dow Jones consensus estimates.
President Javier Milei's government faces a familiar Argentine trade-off between reactivating growth and keeping the peso-dollar exchange rate stable. The debate's early emergence, more than 16 months before elections, reflects growing market anxiety over a potential reelection bid.
US annual inflation eased to 3.4% in July as food and energy costs cooled from June's pace, according to newly released data. Housing remained the main category still pushing the index higher.
The Reserve Bank of Australia's governor said the central bank believes it has finished raising interest rates, if its current economic forecasts hold true. Officials cautioned, however, that the risk of forecasts proving wrong is skewed toward another hike.
Australia's corporate regulator ASIC has criticized major car insurers for failing to explain why customers' premiums are rising faster than inflation. The watchdog said insurers are also not adequately rewarding long-term customer loyalty.
Argentina's currency has stabilized under President Javier Milei, but economists say that alone is not resolving deeper strains in the economy. Sectors of the real economy continue to slump, while informal work, unemployment and debt delinquency are on the rise.