Stories for September 2018

Friday, September 14th 2018 - 09:20 UTC
South Korea interested in becoming associate member of the Pacific Alliance

South Korea and Chile agreed on Wednesday to bolster substantive bilateral partnerships in various sectors on the basis of their free trade agreement (FTA). Korean foreign minister Kang Kyung-wha and his Chilean counterpart Roberto Ampuero held talks on the sidelines of a regional meeting of the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Hanoi, according to Kang's ministry.
Friday, September 14th 2018 - 09:18 UTC
Argentine inflation in August rose 3.9%, and 34.4% in twelve months

Argentina says consumer prices rose 3.9% in August, the highest rate so far this year. That brings the 12-month nationwide inflation rate to 34.4%, one of the world's highest.
Friday, September 14th 2018 - 09:11 UTC
A Judge in Andorra has charged 29 Venezuela chavista officials with corruption

A judge in Andorra has charged 29 Venezuelans with corruption - among them two former deputy ministers. Prosecutors allege that they were part of a network of corrupt officials who received US$ 2.3bn in bribes from companies in return for lucrative contracts with Venezuela's state-run oil company, PDVSA.
Friday, September 14th 2018 - 09:07 UTC
US, the world's top crude oil producer, but global geopolitical uncertainty prevails

The U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) said that the U.S. likely surpassed Saudi Arabia and Russia earlier this year to become the world’s top crude oil producer. The EIA based its disclosure on preliminary estimates in its Short Term Energy Outlook which is released every month.
Friday, September 14th 2018 - 09:01 UTC
Turkey property sales, rental contracts and leasing must be made in the Lira currency

Turkey ruled on Thursday that property sales, rental contracts and leasing transactions must be made in lira from now on, halting the use of foreign currencies for such deals in a fresh step to support the ailing local currency. All business deals inside the country should be conducted in lira, President Tayyip Erdogan said, adding that nobody apart from exporters and importers should cross paths with foreign currency.
Friday, September 14th 2018 - 08:54 UTC
Brazil's Bolsorano recovering but his presidential campaigning is over

Jair Bolsonaro, the Brazilian far-right frontrunner for president, on Thursday was recovering from emergency surgery with no complications, but his running mate said his return to campaigning would be further delayed.
Friday, September 14th 2018 - 08:50 UTC
Maduro in China after more financial support to prop Venezuela's collapsing economy and oil output

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro is travelling to China to discuss economic agreements, as the crisis-struck OPEC nation seeks to convince its key Asian financier to disburse fresh loans.
Friday, September 14th 2018 - 08:42 UTC
US comes out strongly in support of Taipei in its influence policy dispute with Beijing

The State Department announced last week that it would temporarily recall U.S. ambassadors to the Dominican Republic, El Salvador and Panama for consultations in Washington. The meetings will focus on recent decisions by Latin American countries to no longer recognize Taiwan and ways the U.S. can “support strong. independent, democratic institutions and economies throughout Central America and the Caribbean”
Friday, September 14th 2018 - 08:37 UTC
BoE and European central bank keep rates unchanged; Turkey hikes 625 points to 24%

Stocks in Europe reversed earlier gains by Thursday's close to finish lower, as investors digested fresh news out of the central banking sphere. The pan-European STOXX 600 closed down 0.15%, with the majority of sectors falling into negative territory. The U.K.'s FTSE 100 slipped 0.43% by the close, while France's CAC 40 ended a touch lower, off 0.08%, and Germany's DAX rose 0.19%.
Friday, September 14th 2018 - 08:28 UTC
Support for Brazilian proposal to safeguard whales in perpetuity: Japan and allies furious

Tempers flared at the International Whaling Commission (IWC) on Thursday as it voted to back a Brazilian proposal which would safeguard whales in perpetuity, after a bitter debate. The biennial meeting of the 89-nation body passed the host country's “Florianopolis Declaration” which sees whaling as no longer being a necessary economic activity.