The Fed bought 46% of the $3.4 trillion in debt securities issued by the Treasury in the first half of 2020, with private investors scooping up the rest.

The US borrowed $3 trillion during the first half of 2020 amid the pandemic. We look at where the money was spent and who bought the debt securities.

The euro has gained on the dollar as the 27 members of the European Union agreed for the first time to collectively bear the credit risk of a debt issuance.

The Fed has paused its asset purchases to evaluate its policy initiatives to underpin the financial system as the pandemic forced shutdowns globally.

The Fed's asset purchases have had a range of effects on fixed-income markets, including raising expectations for rates to remain low for a long while.

New Zealand's economy has quietly outpaced growth in neighboring Australia over the last five years. We look at the key factors driving both economies.