THE BLACK EXECUTIVE: WEEKLY MARKET WATCH
The "Hold & Reassess" Week | Week of January 25 – January 31, 2026
– 6 min read
This week marks a critical convergence: the Federal Reserve holds steady while three African central banks take decisive action.
For Black executives, the narrative is bifurcated.
In the US, the Fed’s “pause” signals prolonged higher interest rates—a headwind for capital access.
In Africa, a disinflationary wave is opening windows for cheaper credit and accelerated investment.
The week also brings a pivotal policy inflection in Nigeria that may reshape the informal economy, home to 80% of Black African economic activity.
Black women’s unemployment rose to 7.3% in December.
Critically, an estimated minimum of 600,000 Black women left the workforce entirely in 2025
—a loss of labor force participation that will ripple through for years.
