BUSINESS

Despite the Reserve Bank of New Zealand initiating an interest - rate - cutting cycle in August 2024 and the continuous decline in mortgage rates, risks in the housing loan sector are steadily mounting. As of March 2025, the total amount of non - performing housing loans reached NZ$2.412 billion, an increase of NZ$249 million (11.5%) from the beginning of the year.

Canada's manufacturing sector is mired in a deep slump, with the April Manufacturing PMI dropping to 45.3, a new low since May 2020, shrinking for 11 consecutive months. The output index plunged to 42.7 and the new orders index to 41.2, hitting capital goods producers particularly hard. Uncertainties in US tariff policies have led companies to postpone decisions, and 75% of Canadian exports to the US (steel, aluminum, autos) are facing a 25% tariff shock. Retaliatory measures have exacerbated supply - chain disruptions.

The UK economy is displaying divergent signals, with the housing market and manufacturing sector showing contrasting trends. In March, mortgage lending in the UK increased by £12.963 billion, reaching a new high since June 2021. This was driven by homebuyers rushing to take advantage of the first - time buyer tax - break before it ended on April 1st. However, the housing market cooled rapidly after the policy ended.

The FTSE 100 index has witnessed a remarkable 13 - day consecutive gain, reaching a seven - year high. On May 2nd, it edged up 0.02% to 8,229.97. However, individual stocks showed a significant divergence. Rolls - Royce saw a 1.7% increase after confirming that tariff - relief measures would safeguard its annual targets.

A study released by France’s National Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies (l'Insee) on Tuesday, July 8, reveals that a quarter of French households reside in severely under-occupied homes—defined as having at least three more rooms than actually needed. This phenomenon affects 7.6 million primary residences, 93% of which are single-family houses, with three-quarters of these under-occupied homes exceeding 100 square meters in size.

On May 2nd, the S&P/TSX Composite Index in Canada rose 1% to 25,031.51, hitting a one - month high with a weekly gain of 1.3%. The market was boosted by the better - than - expected US employment data, which alleviated recession concerns. Coupled with the easing of trade tensions between China and the US, risk appetite recovered

London is facing a worsening housing crisis. In the first quarter of 2025, the number of rough sleepers reached 4,427, an 8% year - on - year increase, hitting a new record high. The government spends £4 million daily to accommodate 183,000 homeless people, including 90,000 children.

The UK's FTSE 100 index climbed 1.2% on May 2nd, registering its 15th consecutive daily gain and setting a new record for the longest streak of rises in its history. It is now just 3% below its March peak. Global trade tensions have eased, with signs of the US and China reopening negotiations on tariffs, and better - than - expected corporate earnings have boosted market sentiment and risk appetite.

Australia's retail sales in March increased by 0.3% month - on - month and 4.3% year - on - year, expanding for the third consecutive month, indicating the resilience of household consumption. Food retail led the growth with a 0.7% increase, mainly due to the fact that families in Queensland stocked up on necessities in response to Hurricane Alfred, which significantly drove up the transaction volume of this category. However, catering services and department store sales declined by 0.5%, reflecting that non - essential spending is still restrained. There is obvious regional differentiation.

As winter approaches, New Zealand's real estate market is tilting further towards buyers. In April, the national average asking price for residential properties dropped for the second consecutive month to NZ$851,746, a 3.8% decrease from the peak in February. Major cities like Auckland and Wellington have seen significant declines. The surge in housing supply is the main pressure point, with the number of houses for sale doubling to 35,924 in four years. Although inventory has decreased slightly recently, sales activity has not picked up correspondingly.

In France, on May 3rd, Prime Minister Bérut stated that in order to defuse the social backlash caused by large - scale fiscal austerity, he is considering holding a referendum on the national budget, claiming that debt reduction is crucial for the "future of the country" and requires a decision from the entire population.

On May 5, the Canadian stock market experienced a slight pullback. The S&P/TSX composite index on the Toronto Stock Exchange dropped 27.99 points, or approximately 0.3%, closing at 24,953.52, bringing an end to the previous day's upward trend.

On May 5th, Japanese Finance Minister Katsunobu Kato clarified in Milan, Italy, that Japan will not use the sale of its $1.3 trillion in US Treasuries as a bargaining chip in US trade negotiations, retracting his previous controversial remarks.

The latest data from the UK's Office for National Statistics on May 2nd shows that, after inflation adjustment, the median disposable income of UK households remained at £36,700 for the fiscal year 2024 (from April 2023 to March 2024), returning to the pre - pandemic level. However, the wealth gap continues to widen. The median income of the poorest one - fifth of households decreased by 2.6% to £16,800, 4.9% lower than before the pandemic.

On May 5, the UK stock market was closed due to a holiday. On Monday, the pound rose against the weakening US dollar. With the UK public holiday causing a lull in market news, all eyes are on the upcoming Bank of England's monetary policy decision later this week. There are no major domestic events before Thursday's Bank of England meeting.

On May 5, the ANZ Bank lowered its economic growth forecast for Australia in 2025 to 2.0%. The main reasons are the slowdown in global demand and geopolitical risks weighing on exports. With the growth rate of CPI in the first quarter falling, the market expects that the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) may cut interest rates by 25 basis points ahead of schedule this month,