International

• Thursday, October 8th 2009 - 03:26 UTC

  Spanish Central bank warns about bulging budget deficit and unemployment

  

  Controversy sparked between Spain’s government and the governor of the Central Bank over the magnitude of the budget deficit and rising unemployment which threatens loans and consumers’ repayments plus the stability of some Spanish banks.

• Thursday, October 8th 2009 - 03:21 UTC

  Santander Brazil successfully completes biggest share offering

  

  The Brazilian unit of Spanish banking giant Santander has raised 14.1 billion Reais, approximately 8.1 billion US dollars) in the country's biggest share offering.

• Thursday, October 8th 2009 - 03:16 UTC

  Ex UK Army chief critical of Afghanistan policy to join Tories

  

  David Cameron is to unveil ex-army chief General Sir Richard Dannatt as the latest recruit to his team. Sir Richard - who has been embroiled in a bitter row with Downing Street over troop levels in Afghanistan - is expected to become an adviser to the party on defence issues.

• Thursday, October 8th 2009 - 02:22 UTC

  Argentina discussing details of IMF technical mission visit to the country

  

  Following his forty minutes Tuesday meeting with IMF head Dominique Strauss-Kahn, Argentine Economy Minister Amado Boudou said that ”the new relationship (Argentina is) building with the IMF is purely technical and numbers-related, but by no means does it mean an interference with Argentine policy.”

• Thursday, October 8th 2009 - 01:03 UTC

  Late bookings are making Gibraltar cruise season unexpected success

  

  The cruise sector in Europe seems to have shrugged off the economic crisis and Gibraltar, in common with many key Mediterranean passenger ports, is reaping the benefit, reports the Gibraltar Chronicle.

• Wednesday, October 7th 2009 - 10:10 UTC

  Peru’s Machu Picchu among list of world cultural sites threatened

  

  Peru's Machu Picchu ancient ruins, Antoni Gaudi's Sagrada Familia church in Barcelona and a New Orleans elementary school are among the cultural heritage sites threatened by neglect or overdevelopment, a preservationist group said.

• Wednesday, October 7th 2009 - 05:42 UTC

  Australia breaks G20 monetary trend and raises main interest to 3.25%

  

  Australia has raised its main interest rate to 3.25% from 3%, becoming the first G20 nation to do so as the global economy begins to recover. The move by its central bank was not unexpected as the Australian economy was the only one in the developed world to expand in the first half of 2009.

• Wednesday, October 7th 2009 - 05:38 UTC

  France and Arab countries deny ditching the US dollar in oil market

  

  France dismissed on Tuesday as “speculation” a British newspaper report that it was in secret talks with Gulf Arab states, Russia, China and Japan to replace the US dollar with a basket of currencies in trading oil.

• Wednesday, October 7th 2009 - 05:17 UTC

  Gold soars to new all-time record on fears of financial instability

  

  The price of gold has hit a new all-time high of 1,043.77 US dollars an ounce after a decline in the greenback boosted the attractiveness of metals to investors. Copper prices also rose above 6,000 USD a ton, as the weaker dollar made metals cheaper for non-US investors.

• Tuesday, October 6th 2009 - 11:39 UTC

  IT set to create 5.8 million new jobs and 75.000 new businesses by 2013

  

  Worldwide growth in the Information Technology sector will create 5.8 million new jobs and 75,000 new businesses in the next four years, research from Microsoft has forecast.