Economy

• Thursday, January 10th 2019 - 08:28 UTC

  World Bank lowers Brazil tepid growth estimates both in 2018 and 2019

  

  The World Bank lowered its growth estimates for Brazil both in 2018 and this year. Last June the multilateral organization bi-annual report indicated that Latin America's largest economy would advance 2.4%, but it has now reduced that to 1.2%, one of the greatest falls for any country in the report.

• Wednesday, January 9th 2019 - 19:01 UTC

  US government shutdown leaves farmers and markets with no reports on world crops

  

  The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) delayed several major U.S. and world crop reports because of the two-week-old partial government shutdown, the agency said on Friday. New release dates for the monthly World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates report and other data originally scheduled for Jan. 11 will be set once government funding is restored, USDA said.

• Wednesday, January 9th 2019 - 14:49 UTC

  Brazil's Bovespa closes above 92.000 points for the first time ever

  

  Latin American stocks in the region's main markets closed on Tuesday at new highs on the positive outlook for the ongoing US/China trade talks in Beijing. Brazil's Bovespa index ended trading above 92,000 points for the first time ever after hitting several record highs last week.

• Wednesday, January 9th 2019 - 08:45 UTC

  Domestic car sales in Brazilian domestic market in line with expectations

  

  Car and light truck sales in Brazil went up 13.6% in 2018 from the previous year, cementing the industry’s gradual recovery from a deep recession. Brazil was one of the world’s five biggest auto markets until a recent downturn and, despite last year’s growth, numbers remain lower than at their peak in 2012.

• Wednesday, January 9th 2019 - 08:41 UTC

  Brexit plan's five-day debate takes off; Westminster shuts off “no-deal option”

  

  MPs will begin debating Theresa May's Brexit plan again on Wednesday, nearly a month after she postponed the crunch Commons vote on her agreement. There will be five days of discussion on the terms of the UK's withdrawal and future relations with the EU ahead of an expected vote next Tuesday.

• Wednesday, January 9th 2019 - 08:40 UTC

  World Bank says global economy is “soft landing”, so far “orderly”

  

  The World Bank is warning of increasing risks, or what it calls “darkening skies”, for the world economy. In its annual assessment of global prospects the Bank predicts continued, though somewhat slower, growth this year and next.

• Wednesday, January 9th 2019 - 07:00 UTC

  Volatile cruise market: regular lines with rebates of up to 19%, but premiums can be 60% higher

  

  Good news: prices for many cruises in January 2019 are significantly lower than they were a year ago. However, there are major differences by cruise line. While the analysis found that the average cruise price per day actually increased by around 3% – from US$ 397 to US$ 407 per person per night – it also showed substantial price discounts for certain cruise lines.

• Tuesday, January 8th 2019 - 10:11 UTC

  Financial sector leading firms plan to launch an equities exchange: “Members Exchange”

  

  A group of nine leading retail broker-dealers, banks, financial services firms, and global market makers, have agreed to launch an equities exchange, MEMX, or Members Exchange. The new exchange will be owned entirely by its founding members and will seek to deliver benefits to retail and institutional investors by introducing greater competition to the marketplace. MEMX will file an application with the Securities and Exchange Commission in early 2019 for approval to operate as a national securities exchange.

• Tuesday, January 8th 2019 - 09:25 UTC

  US taxpayers will receive refunds, pledges Trump despite government shutdown

  

  Millions of US taxpayers will still receive refunds despite an ongoing partial government shutdown, the White House has said. The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has previously delayed tax refunds during a government shutdown.

• Tuesday, January 8th 2019 - 08:42 UTC

  First Minister Sturgeon: Brexit has strengthened the case for Scottish independence

  

  Brexit has “materially strengthened” the case for Scottish independence, Nicola Sturgeon has said. The First Minister said Scotland’s interests are being “completely ignored and sidelined” and that what has happened in the last two years has reinforced the case for it to leave the UK.