China has increased its main interest rates for the third time this year to try to curb inflation. Chinese central bank, the People's Bank of China, said its one-year lending rate would rise to 6.56% from 6.31% and its one-year deposit rate to 3.5% from 3.25%.
Uruguay consumer prices increased 0.35% in June, completing 8.61% in the last twelve months, which remains above the Central bank target of 4% to 6%, and the latest estimate of 7.8% presented last week by the Executive in its additional budget report to Congress.
Fresh evidence shows that Chinese local governments commit the same sins as their counterparts in South America and even Spain, where most provinces, states and regional autonomies traditionally pile billions of dollars in debt that following some political arrangement are finally bailed out by the central government.
Central banks need to start raising interest rates to control inflation and may have to act faster than in the past according to the Bank of International Settlements.
Inflation in Argentina reached 0.7% in May compared to the volume reported in the previous month, the Indec national statistics bureau announced on Wednesday. The official rate is less than half what was presented on Tuesday by opposition lawmakers, which they assured reached 1.5% and 23% in the last twelve months.
Argentine opposition lawmakers reported Tuesday that the inflation rate reached 1.5% in May, according to the estimates provided by eight censored economic consultants. They added it was their duty to inform about data which “the government tries to hide from public opinion”.
The candidacy of Argentine President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner “is headed towards a predictable scenario” assured Buenos Aires province Governor Daniel Scioli in an interview he granted to Ambito Financiero's new TV show, “Ambito de debate”.
The European Central Bank (ECB) has signalled that it will raise interest rates next month, from 1.25%. Earlier on Thursday, the ECB kept rates unchanged for the second month in a row, after increasing them in April for the first time in almost two years.
Argentina’s organized labour leader Hugo Moyano admitted Wednesday that “inflation in Argentina is a problem”. He also said that, despite the several criminal cases open against him, he is not afraid of going to jail.
Brazilian inflation slowed to its lowest level in eight months in May as fuel costs dropped. The sharp drop in the monthly inflation reading provided relief to policymakers who have battled surging prices this year with three interest rate hikes, public spending cuts and steps such as credit curbs to take steam out of the economy.