Economy

• Friday, May 30th 2014 - 05:06 UTC

  Stanley Fischer sworn in as member of the US Federal Reserve

  

  Former Bank of Israel Governor Stanley Fischer was sworn in as a member of the Federal Reserve's board this week, buttressing the U.S. central bank's depleted policymaking ranks as officials map out plans to exit from their extraordinary stimulus.

• Friday, May 30th 2014 - 04:59 UTC

  Cold weather shrinks US economy growth in the first quarter

  

  The US economy shrank by an annualized 1% in the first three months of 2014, official estimates have shown. It is the worst economic performance since the first quarter of 2011 and a big fall on the 2.6% rise in economic output in the final quarter of last year.

• Thursday, May 29th 2014 - 06:07 UTC

  Buenos Aires City households need 1.300 dollars per month; 25% don't make that sum

  

  A family living in Argentina's capital, Buenos Aires needs 10.454 Pesos to make it to the end of the month, according to the city's stats and census office. The average household refers to a couple with two children, that pays rent and does not include transport, private education or health care.

• Thursday, May 29th 2014 - 06:00 UTC

  US Lower House approves legislation to impose sanctions on Venezuela

  

  The US House of Representatives passed legislation on Wednesday, to impose sanctions on Venezuelans responsible for human rights abuses during anti-government protests, despite Obama administration worries that they could threaten talks seeking to ease the unrest.

• Thursday, May 29th 2014 - 05:51 UTC

  Brazil's central bank opted to leave rate unchanged at 11%, “at this moment”

  

  Brazil left its benchmark interest rate unchanged on Wednesday. In a unanimous decision, the central bank's monetary policy committee, Copom, kept the Selic rate at 11%, breaking a streak of nine consecutive hikes as expected by a majority of analysts and market traders.

• Thursday, May 29th 2014 - 05:37 UTC

  Argentina announces an understanding with the Paris Club on defaulted debt

  

  Following twelve hours of discussions the Argentine delegation headed by Economy Minister Axel Kicillof managed on Wednesday to agree the main points for Argentina to overcome the approximately 9.5bn dollars default with countries that make up the Paris Club, according to late reports from the French capital.

• Wednesday, May 28th 2014 - 00:19 UTC

  Venezuela airline tickets to rise 350% beginning July first; part of a deal to pay pending debt

  

  As airlines cut service to Caracas and Venezuela struggles with a continuing debt crisis, the government of President Nicolás Maduro revealed that it would raise all international airline ticket prices by 350%. The measure should allow to pay part of the 4 billion dollars owed to foreign airlines, according to the government.

• Tuesday, May 27th 2014 - 11:01 UTC

  Brazil considering proposals to open operatorship of pre-salt projects

  

  Brazil's government is considering proposals to open operatorship of its pre-salt projects to companies other than state-run Petrobras and this change might be made, Mayer Brown partner Alexandre R. Chequer told the law's firm's annual energy conference in Houston last week.

• Tuesday, May 27th 2014 - 09:49 UTC

  Brazil central bank at a cross road: fosters growth or combats inflation

  

  Analysts forecast Brazil's central bank will leave its benchmark interest rate unchanged at 11% this week, with the world's seventh-largest economy caught between rising inflation and sluggish growth. But given the persistence of inflation it should not come as a surprise if the monetary policy committee raises Selic to 11.25% after its two-day meeting this week.

• Tuesday, May 27th 2014 - 09:33 UTC

  IMF Lagarde calls on central banks to cooperate on policy moves

  

  As the United States Federal Reserve debates the timing of its first interest rate hike since 2006, International Monetary Fund (IMF) Managing Director Christine Lagarde is urging central banks to cooperate on policy moves.