Employers in the United States added 217,000 jobs in May, slightly below what analysts had been expecting. The US non-farm payroll figure was well below April's revised number of 282,000 jobs, but it was still the fourth month in a row of solid gains. The unemployment rate in May remained at 6.3%.
The UK will continue to raise the issue of sovereignty of the Falkland Islands and the right of self determination of the Islanders with the United States administration at very senior levels, according to the UK government response to the House of Commons Foreign Affairs Committee.
The International Monetary Fund expressed “concern” on Thursday over the outcome of Argentina's 'vulture funds' case. The US Supreme Court is scheduled to consider on June 12 whether to hear Argentina's appeal of rulings requiring it to pay the holdout bondholders back in full.
The European Central Bank has introduced a raft of measures aimed at stimulating the Euro zone economy, including negative interest rates and cheap long-term loans to banks. It cut its deposit rate for banks from zero to -0.1%, to encourage banks to lend to businesses rather than hold on to money. The ECB also cut its benchmark interest rate to 0.15% from 0.25%.
Argentina confirmed on Thursday World Cup nationwide transmission free service both on television and radio. Channel 7, DeporTV and Radio Nacional will be responsible for delivering the service, thus fulfilling President Cristina Fernandez government’s promise of the ”World Cup for the whole country”.
Pope Francis sacked on Thursday the five-man board of the Vatican's financial watchdog, all Italians, in the latest move to break with an old guard associated with a murky past under his predecessor.
Argentina agreed to sign a one-year deal with Brazil to regulate vehicle trade between both countries, after a meeting held between Industry Minister Débora Giorgi and her Brazilian counterpart, Mauro Borges. The agreement will be signed on June 11 in Buenos Aires.
Drugs, prostitution and arms smuggling may not be legal, but it's all real economic activity, at least in Italy, which will now include illegal enterprises as part of its gross domestic product (a measure of the goods and services a nation produces). Italy has decided to boost the size of its economy by including the value of black market activities.
The Organization of American States, OAS, annual assembly unanimously approved on Thursday a resolution on the Malvinas Islands calling on Argentina and the UK to resume negotiations regarding the sovereignty dispute.
With the World Cup just eight days away, high inflation and unemployment is once again challenging Brazil’s economy, with the impact sure to influence this year’s election campaigns. Investors warned earlier this week that spending promises will undermine the fiscal discipline needed to restore confidence in the country and boost economic growth.