Economy

• Saturday, January 9th 2016 - 11:26 UTC

  Brazil' inflation hit a 13-year high in 2015, and double the government's target

  

  Brazil's inflation rate hit a 13-year high in 2015, in what analysts called the result of years of economic mismanagement, worsened by a political crisis in Latin America's biggest economy. Annual inflation reached 10.67% in 2015, the government said Friday, the highest rate since 2002 and more than double the government's 4.5% target.

• Saturday, January 9th 2016 - 07:47 UTC

  A robust US economy keeps adding jobs: 284.000 a month in the fourth quarter

  

  United States jobs growth remained solid in December as the economy added 292,000 jobs, beating expectations. The Bureau of Labor Statistics data also showed the jobless rate held at its seven-and-a-half year low of 5%.

• Friday, January 8th 2016 - 20:02 UTC

  FAO: major food commodities prices declined in 2015 for the fourth year running

  

  Prices of major food commodities declined for the fourth year in a row in 2015, averaging 19.1% below their previous-year's levels, as the dwindling global economy also triggered sharp price falls from metals to energy markets.

• Friday, January 8th 2016 - 18:13 UTC

  Macri's Argentina forecasted to grow 0.7% this year and rebound to 1.9% in 2017

  

  The World Bank lowered its forecast for Argentine growth for the next two years, noting it expected the economy to see a large rebound in 2018 thanks to the monetary and fiscal policies implemented by President Mauricio Macri’s administration.

• Friday, January 8th 2016 - 11:46 UTC

  Venezuela's problems are because it's “too capitalist” says new Economy czar

  

  President Nicolas Maduro is doubling down on his existing economic policies with the appointment of a young leftist hardliner to head the country's dilapidated economy, setting the stage for confrontation between the ruling socialist party and the newly powerful opposition.

• Thursday, January 7th 2016 - 08:46 UTC

  World bank slashes 2016 global economy growth forecast; points to disappointing “China and Brazil”

  

  World Bank slashed its growth forecast for the global economy in 2016, citing “disappointing” growth in major emerging market economies like China and Brazil. The bank has cut its previous June forecast for global economic expansion in 2016 by 0.4 percentage point to 2.9%, though that is still faster than 2015's sluggish 2.4%, which itself missed an earlier prediction.

• Thursday, January 7th 2016 - 08:42 UTC

  Fed minutes show concern with global economy and US low inflation persists

  

  The United States Federal Reserve's decision to raise interest rates in December was a “close call”, according to minutes from the Fed's December meeting. Fed members voted unanimously to raise its key interest rate by 25 basis points to between 0.25% and 0.5%. a move widely expected.But some members were cautious, because of global concerns and low inflation.

• Thursday, January 7th 2016 - 08:17 UTC

  Macri will become first Argentine president to attend Davos forum in twelve years

  

  For the first time in twelve years and Argentine president will be attending the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland that runs between January 20-23. President Mauricio Macri will be present together with ally Sergio Massa, leader of dissident Peronist Renewall Front, in order to attract investment.

• Thursday, January 7th 2016 - 08:08 UTC

  Rousseff's unaccomplished promise of no recession or retrocession

  

  On 2 February 2015, Brazilian president Dilma Rousseff sent the Executive message to Congress with her government's plan and promising she would not promote “recession or retrocession.” However eleven months later, Brazil is undergoing full recession and faces retrocession in several areas, having been downgraded by two credit risk agencies.

• Tuesday, January 5th 2016 - 08:57 UTC

  Chinese markets recover after Monday's trading suspension; central bank injects funds

  

  Mainland Chinese shares recovered early losses amid volatile swings, following Monday's suspension of trading which led to a global equities sell-off. The Shanghai Composite was up 0.8% at 3,324.27 after opening more than 3% lower, while the Hang Seng also changed direction to head up 0.1% to 21,342.09.