President Donald Trump criticized the Federal Reserve’s approach to interest rates during a speech at the Detroit Economic Club on Tuesday.

U.S. new-vehicle sales totaled 16.2 million units in 2025, marking a 2.4% increase from 2024, according to the NADA. The gain came despite major policy disruptions, including tariffs on imported vehicles and parts and the expiration of federal electric vehicle tax credits.

U.S. consumer prices increased in December, lifted by higher costs for rents and food as some of the distortions related to the government shutdown that had artificially lowered inflation in November unwound, cementing expectations the Federal Reserve would leave interest rates unchanged this month.

The global economy is proving more resilient than expected, with 2026 GDP growth expected to improve slightly over forecasts from last June, the World Bank said on Tuesday while warning that growth is too concentrated in advanced countries and overall too weak to reduce extreme poverty.

Oil prices paused their run of gains on Wednesday, slipping after four days of increases, as Venezuela resumed exports, but fears of Iranian supply disruptions following deadly civil unrest in the major Middle Eastern producer loom over the market.

Britain's consumers reined in their spending in December by the most in almost five years, according to debit and credit card data from Barclays published on Tuesday, adding to other signs of household caution before Christmas.