Stories for May 24th 2018

Thursday, May 24th 2018 - 08:44 UTC
Dollar/Peso challenge: Argentina offers to swap one-month Lebacs for long term papers

Argentina’s central bank moved on Wednesday to improve its debt profile by offering to swap some of its one-month Lebac securities for paper of longer duration, the bank said in a statement.
Thursday, May 24th 2018 - 08:35 UTC
Six out of ten voters said UK's exit from EU increased prospect of splitting up

Most voters are in favor of the Union but believe Brexit has made the break-up of the United Kingdom more likely, polling has found. In England, 68% of adults backed the UK status quo followed by 66% in Wales, 59% in Northern Ireland and 52% in Scotland, according to the ICM research. But across the four nations, up to six out of 10 voters said Britain’s exit from the European Union had increased the prospect of the UK splitting up.
Thursday, May 24th 2018 - 08:31 UTC
Manchester United the most valuable European football club, says KPMG

Manchester United has again been named most valuable European football club, being worth about €3.25bn (£2.9bn) says business services group KPMG. The English club tops KPMG's study of top sides' “enterprise value”, ahead of Real Madrid and Barcelona.
Thursday, May 24th 2018 - 07:55 UTC
Boris Johnson highlights Chile as one of the great global countries for free trade

British Foreign Secretary highlighted the close political links with Chile and commercial opportunities for UK companies during his brief visit to the country, as part of a more ambitious tour of other South American countries, Peru and Argentina.
Thursday, May 24th 2018 - 07:32 UTC
China expected to import record volumes of US oil and soy, to help ease trade tensions with the US

China will import record volumes of U.S. oil and is likely to ship more U.S. soy after Beijing signaled to state-run refiners and grains purchasers they should buy more to help ease tensions between the two top economies, trade sources said on Wednesday.
Thursday, May 24th 2018 - 07:20 UTC
Brazil lowers diesel prices 10%, but truckers' strike continues threatening grain exports

Petrobras on Wednesday temporarily cut diesel prices by 10% in order to help the Brazilian government and truck drivers resolve a protest crippling highways.
Thursday, May 24th 2018 - 07:12 UTC
May Fed minutes suggest a rate hike would soon be appropriate; next meeting in mid-June

Federal Reserve officials earlier this month suggested that another rate hike was on the way soon, while also noting several risks facing the economy, ranging from rising wage pressures to potential harm from the Trump administration's trade policies.
Thursday, May 24th 2018 - 07:03 UTC
UN denies Lula's request for emergency action against his imprisonment

The United Nations Human Rights Committee has denied a request by Brazil's ex-president Lula da Silva seeking emergency action against his imprisonment, a spokeswoman said on Wednesday. Lula, currently serving a 12-year sentence over corruption, asked the committee to impose so-called “interim measures” -- a step the UN panel only takes when there is evidence an accused person is facing grave, irreparable harm.
Thursday, May 24th 2018 - 06:49 UTC
Italian president gives his blessing to the new populist coalition government

Italy's president Sergio Mattarella accepted a political novice Giuseppe Conte, a populist coalition's candidate, as prime minister on Wednesday in a bid to forge a functioning government and end the nation's weeks-long political deadlock.
Thursday, May 24th 2018 - 06:31 UTC
Boris Johnson interested in a trade agreement with Chile and the Pacific Alliance

Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson concluded a five-day charm offensive in South America on Wednesday by expressing interest in a trade agreement with Chile and other countries in the so-called Pacific Alliance. Johnson extended a trip to a G20 foreign ministers’ meeting in Buenos Aires to include a tour of Peru, Argentina and Chile, seeking closer ties with all three countries.