Economy

• Thursday, March 9th 2017 - 11:28 UTC

  Brazilian economy two-year contraction is slowing

  

  Brazilian services activity contracted at the slowest pace in two years in February, contributing to signs that Latin America's economy may soon turn the corner on a deep recession. The Purchasing Managers Index (PMI) for Brazilian services, compiled by research firm Markit, rose to 46.4 in February from 45.1 in January, hitting its highest mark since March 2015.

• Wednesday, March 8th 2017 - 12:08 UTC

  UK has made a “bad choice at a bad time” with Brexit, argues Hollande

  

  Britain will not be able to hang on to the benefits of European Union membership once it has left, French president Francois Hollande has warned. Hollande, who leaves office in May, said the UK had made a “bad choice at a bad time” in voting for Brexit.

• Wednesday, March 8th 2017 - 10:39 UTC

  Falklands' population better off, healthier and happier than when the 2012 Census

  

  The Falklands population continues to grow, is generally better off, healthier and happy with the roof over their heads, than four years ago when the last Census was conducted. Maeve Daly, Statistics and Performance Officer of FIG’s Policy Unit presented the ‘headlines’ of the latest Census, at a Public Meeting last week.

• Wednesday, March 8th 2017 - 10:32 UTC

  UK will prioritize a Brexit safety net fund in the budget, says Chancellor Hammond

  

  United Kingdom Chancellor of the Exchequer Philip Hammond has signalled he will prioritise building up a Brexit safety net fund ahead of launching a spending spree in Wednesday’s Budget.

• Wednesday, March 8th 2017 - 10:12 UTC

  Brazil's worst-ever recession continued during 2016, GDP drops 3.6%

  

  Brazil’s economic woes continue as the country’s worst-ever recession unexpectedly deepened at the end of last year. Gross domestic product contracted by 0.9% between October and December. For all of 2016 it dropped by 3.6%; almost as bad as in 2015 with a 3.8% slump. It was the eighth straight quarter of contraction.

• Wednesday, March 8th 2017 - 09:42 UTC

  Argentina: “The honeymoon with the Macri administration is over” warns analyst Fraga

  

  “The honey moon is over” and the government of President Mauricio Macri must rapidly reconsider its strategy since public opinion is no longer responsive to the expectations of the first fourteen months, according to Argentine political analyst Rosendo Fraga. His analysis was also supported by another political commentator Carlos Pagni, who said all opinion polls indicate a sliding drop in expectations.

• Tuesday, March 7th 2017 - 09:19 UTC

  Lords again challenge PM May on Brexit plan: they insist with greater say on final terms

  

  United Kingdom ministers are at risk of a second defeat in the House of Lords over the bill paving the way for Brexit talks. Peers may back calls for a “meaningful vote” on the final terms of the UK's withdrawal from the EU and its future relations during a debate on Tuesday.

• Monday, March 6th 2017 - 17:53 UTC

  General Motors abandons Europe: sells Opel and Vauxhall to Peugeot

  

  United States General Motors is dropping its unprofitable European car business to the French maker of Peugeot, marking the American company's retreat from a major market and raising concerns of job cuts in the region.

• Monday, March 6th 2017 - 17:41 UTC

  The Economist Argentina summit: Reemerging on the global stage

  

  The Economist’s Argentina Summit taking place in Buenos Aires on Wednesday, 8th March, will bring together more than 200 government and business leaders to evaluate Argentina's progress over the last year and to discuss the country's social, political and economic future in the year ahead.

• Monday, March 6th 2017 - 10:47 UTC

  China lowers growth target to 6.5% and pledges to tackle “zombie enterprises”

  

  The Chinese growth target for this year has been cut to around 6.5%, down from 6.5 to 7% last year, Premier Li Keqiang has announced addressing the country's rubber-stamp parliament, the National People's Congress (NPC), which has gathered in Beijing for its annual session. The Chinese economy expanded at its slowest pace in 26 years in 2016.