International

• Friday, June 4th 2010 - 05:07 UTC

  G-20 challenge: how to reduce deficits and not kill incipient economic recovery

  

  Disagreements over how quickly to reduce inflated budget deficits and restore balance to the global economy risk will be one of the main issues to be addressed at the high-level Group of 20 talks this week in South Korea.

• Friday, June 4th 2010 - 05:02 UTC

  France’s iconic Le Monde prepares to receive new owners

  

  French newspaper Le Monde is to take its controlling ownership stake out of the hands of editorial staff and sell it to an outside buyer. The paper, which has a centre-left political bent, was created after France was freed from Nazi rule in 1944 and is one of the country's most respected publications.

• Thursday, June 3rd 2010 - 06:28 UTC

  Argentina unable to lift Chinese ban on soy-oil imports in first round of talks

  

  The Argentine trade mission sent to Beijing was unable to lift the ban on soy-oil imports imposed by China on Argentina. The Argentine delegation returned with the promise that further talks will be taking place but no dates were revealed.

• Thursday, June 3rd 2010 - 06:26 UTC

  Evo Morales hopeful of restabilising full relations with Washington

  

  Bolivian president Evo Morales said he was hopeful an agreement could be reached for the full reestablishment of diplomatic, trade and investment relations with Washington.

• Thursday, June 3rd 2010 - 06:16 UTC

  Spanish unemployment slightly down at start of summer season

  

  Spanish registered unemployment declined for a second month in May as the start of the tourist season spurred hiring. The number of people registering for unemployment benefits fell by 76,223, or 1.84%, from April to 4.07 million, the Labor Ministry said Wednesday.

• Thursday, June 3rd 2010 - 06:02 UTC

  EU plans for financial markets watchdog to regulate credit rating agencies

  

  Plans for a European Union-wide financial markets watchdog have been put forward by the European Commission. The proposed “European Security Markets Authority” would initially regulate credit rating agencies, but could be given broader powers at a later date.

• Thursday, June 3rd 2010 - 05:55 UTC

  Euro zone unemployment reaches all-time high in April, 10.1%

  

  The Euro zone (EZ16) seasonally-adjusted unemployment rate was 10.1% in April 2010, compared with 10.0% in March. It was 9.2% in April 2009. The EU 27 unemployment rate was 9.7% in April 2010, unchanged compared with March while a year ago it stood at 8.7% (April 2009).

• Thursday, June 3rd 2010 - 05:47 UTC

  Canada, first G7 member to raise basic interest rate

  

  Canada has become the first member of the G7 group of industrialised nations to raise interest rates since the global financial crisis. The Bank of Canada has increased its key lending rate by one quarter of a percentage point to 0.5%.

• Wednesday, June 2nd 2010 - 03:36 UTC

  China’s manufacturing expansion slows prompting world markets’ reaction

  

  China’s manufacturing expanded at a slower pace than estimated in May, prompting stock declines across Asia. The Purchasing Managers’ Index fell to 53.9 from 55.7 in April, the Federation of Logistics and Purchasing said in an e-mailed statement on Tuesday.

• Tuesday, June 1st 2010 - 05:04 UTC

  Roubini warns Brazil about asset-bubble; recommends limiting Real appreciation

  

  Nouriel Roubini, the New York University professor who predicted the global financial crisis before markets peaked, said the Brazilian, Chinese and Indian economies may be overheating and developing asset bubbles.