Key Events Around the Globe: March 06

EU Trade Head Says Us Has Given Assurance It Will Honor Trade Deal

European Union Commissioner for Trade and Economic Security Maros Sefcovic said on Thursday he believed the U.S. would respect the terms of the trade deal signed with the EU last year after receiving assurances from his American counterparts.

“I believe that the United States will honor the deal because this was the reassurance I got from my American partners,” he said. Trump and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen concluded a deal at Trump’s Turnberry golf course in Scotland last July which set a broad 15% U.S. tariff for most EU exports.

Trump on Rising Gas Prices During Iran Operation: ‘If They Rise, They Rise’

President Donald Trump said on Thursday he was not concerned about rising U.S. gas prices driven by the widening Iran conflict, telling Reuters in an exclusive interview that the U.S. military operation was his priority.

“I don’t have any concern about it,” he said, when asked about the higher prices at the pump. “They’ll drop very rapidly when this is over, and if they rise, they rise, but this is far more important than having gasoline price go up a little bit.”

Us Labor Market Holding Steady; Worker Productivity Still Strong in Q4

The number of Americans filing new applications for unemployment benefits was unchanged last week andlayoffs dropped sharply in February, consistent with stable labor market conditions.

While other data from the Labor Department on Thursday showed worker productivity slowed in the fourth quarter, the trend remained strong, helping to curb growth in labor costs in 2025. Labor market stability and rising inflation risks from the U.S.-Israeli war with Iran reinforced economists’ views that the Federal Reserve was in no rush to resume cutting interest rates.

Weekly U.S. Initial Jobless Claims Stand at 213,000

The number of Americans filing for first-time unemployment benefits stood at 213,000 last week, equaling the prior week’s total and less than expectations, potentially indicating some stability in the U.S. labor market at the end of February. Economists had estimated that the figure from the Labor Department would come in at 215,000 in the week ended on February 28. For the week until February 21, the jobless claims number was 213,000.

UK Construction Sector Contracts Further

The UK construction sector contracted for the fourteenth consecutive month in February, survey data from S&P Global showed Thursday. The construction Purchasing Managers’ Index dropped to 44.5 from January’s seven-month high of 46.4. The score signalled a solid reduction in overall business activity

Source: HSL Prime Daily, 06 March 2026