Brazil revealed mixed economic reports: record trade surplus, slight drop in unemployment and a stable industrial output. The July trade surplus was US$6.298, according to government data. Exports totaled US$18.769 billion and imports US$12.471 billion. This follows a surplus of US$7.195 billion in June.
Asian markets paused for breath Thursday after Wall Street smashed through 22,000 for the first time, with regional traders focused on fresh clues on the health of the US economy. Strong Apple earnings propelled the Dow above the barrier to mark its sixth straight record close — but the tech-heavy Nasdaq closed marginally lower.
With whisky boosting the UK economy by about £5 billion a year, Scottish Secretary David Mundell said ministers are keen to open up new markets around the world for the iconic drink. He spoke out ahead of a meeting on the island of Islay, in the Hebrides, which is home to several distilleries.
Argentine president Mauricio Macri received on Wednesday Chancellor of the Exchequer Philip Hammond, who had anticipated the purpose of the visit was to deepen UK-Argentine economic partnership and address political issues of common interest, such as the 2018 G20 summit and Argentina's aspiration to join OECD.
The unemployment rate in the Euro zone has fallen to its lowest since February 2009, according to the latest official figures. The rate dropped to 9.1% last month, from a downwardly revised 9.2% in May. Separately, inflation remained unchanged in July at 1.3%, according to a preliminary estimate from Eurostat, the European Union's statistics office.
Philip Hammond has been backed by former Tory leader Lord Hague amid ongoing Cabinet tensions about the approach to Brexit. The ex-foreign secretary said the Chancellor deserves credit for pushing for a transitional deal which preserves close ties to Brussels, giving time for a new trading relationship to be established and avoiding turning Brexit into a disaster.
The Buenos Aires Herald, a long established English-language newspaper lauded for its coverage of Argentina's 1976-1983 military dictatorship, will close after more than 140 years of publication, the newspaper said late on Monday.
The Chancellor of the Exchequer begins on Wednesday a round of trade, investment and political contacts in Argentina, following a two day visit to Brazil, as part of a tour of South America's biggest economy. It will be the most important visit of a British cabinet minister in over sixteen years to Argentina.
By Mike Gapes (*) For the future security and stability of our country, our continent and the world this is the worst possible moment for the UK to be leaving the European Union. Unfortunately, we are planning to leave our European partners at a time when there is going to be less and less agreement amongst the most important countries about how to deal with current and emerging global problems.
An estimated twenty European Union countries are expected to submit bids to provide a new home for two agencies that will be relocated from the UK after Brexit. The European Banking Authority (EBA) and European Medicines Agency (EMA), based in Canary Wharf in London, employ just over 1,000 staff between them.