EconoTicker

Brazil’s latest foreign exchange flows data showed an outflow of $0.708 billion, an improvement from the previous $3.897 billion outflow. The smaller deficit suggests pressure on cross-border currency flows eased compared with the prior reading, but the balance remained negative. In practical terms, capital flow conditions improved, though Brazil has not yet returned to a net inflow position.

Source: Banco Central do Brasil

South Africa’s retail sales rose 4.2% year-on-year in January, accelerating from 2.5% previously. The stronger reading suggests consumer demand improved meaningfully at the start of the year and that household spending was firmer than in the prior month. For the broader economy, the data offers a constructive signal from the consumer side.

Source: Statistics South Africa

South Africa’s February inflation data showed a softer annual trend but firmer monthly momentum. Headline CPI slowed to 3.0% YoY from 3.5%, while Core CPI also eased to 3.0% YoY from 3.4%. At the same time, monthly price pressure strengthened, with CPI rising 0.4% MoM versus 0.2% previously and Core CPI accelerating to 0.7% MoM from 0.3%. The data suggests inflation is still moderating on an annual basis, but short-term price momentum picked up in February.

Source: Statistics South Africa

South Korea’s labor-market data showed a modest improvement in February, with the unemployment rate falling to 2.9% from 3.0% previously. The decline suggests employment conditions improved slightly and that the labor market remained relatively stable despite broader global uncertainty. While the change is small, it still points to a firmer jobs backdrop in the latest reading.

Source: Statistics Korea

Israel’s February trade figures showed a weaker external balance. Exports fell to 4,458.6 million dollars from 5,162.5 million dollars, while imports rose to 8,812.2 million dollars from 8,201.9 million dollars. As a result, the trade deficit widened to 4,353.6 million dollars, compared with 3,039.4 million dollars previously. The numbers suggest external demand softened while import costs or volumes increased, putting more pressure on the trade position.

Source: Israel Central Bureau of Statistics

Brazil’s IGP-10 inflation index fell 0.2% month-on-month in March, remaining in negative territory but showing a smaller decline than the previous 0.4% drop. The data suggests price pressures are still soft, although the pace of deflation has eased somewhat compared with the prior reading. That points to a slightly less negative inflation backdrop, but not yet a return to firm price growth.

Source: Fundação Getulio Vargas (FGV)

South Korea’s latest trade-price data pointed to stronger external price pressure in February. The Export Price Index rose 10.7% YoY, accelerating from 7.8% previously, while the Import Price Index climbed 1.2% YoY after a 0.9% decline in the prior reading. The sharp pickup in export prices suggests stronger pricing power or currency-related effects in outbound trade, while the turnaround in import prices signals that external cost pressures may be building again.

Overall, the data suggests South Korea is facing a firmer trade inflation backdrop, with both export and import price trends moving higher.

Source: Bank of Korea

Brazil’s IBC-Br economic activity index rose 0.80% in January, returning to positive territory after a 0.20% decline previously. But the reading still came in slightly below the 0.85% market forecast. The data points to a rebound in economic activity at the start of the year, although the recovery was a touch softer than expected. For markets, the release suggests Brazil’s economy regained some momentum, but not strongly enough to fully beat expectations.

Source: Central Bank of Brazil

Turkey’s budget balance posted a 24.40B surplus in February, a sharp improvement from the previous -214.50B deficit. The turnaround points to a much stronger monthly fiscal position and suggests a meaningful easing in near-term budget pressure compared with the previous month. While one month does not define the full fiscal trend, the latest figure indicates that public finances recovered strongly on a sequential basis.

Source: Republic of Türkiye Ministry of Treasury and Finance

Based on your data block, Mexico’s industrial production fell 1.1% year-on-year and 1.1% month-on-month in January, pointing to a weak start to the year for the production side of the economy. The move suggests Mexico’s factory sector lost momentum again after a softer late-2025 trend. INEGI publishes the IMAI as the country’s official industrial-activity indicator.

Source: INEGI.

Brazil’s services sector rose 0.3% month-on-month in January and 3.3% year-on-year, marking the 22nd straight annual increase and bringing activity back to the record level previously reached late last year. IBGE said the sector now stands 20.1% above its pre-pandemic level, reinforcing the view that services remain a key pillar of Brazilian domestic activity.

Source: IBGE, Monthly Survey of Services (PMS).

Turkey’s year-end CPI forecast in the CBRT Survey of Market Participants rose to 25.38% in March, up from 24.11% in February. The move shows inflation expectations are drifting higher again, a notable signal for policy and markets as Turkey tries to keep disinflation on track.

Source: Central Bank of the Republic of Türkiye, Survey of Market Participants.