Spain, Morocco hold first summit in eight years Relations long strained by illegal migration issue Expected to sign up to 20 accords on trade, investment RABAT, Feb 2 (Reuters) – Spain and Morocco have agreed to set aside their differences, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said on Thursday, as they seek to repair a relationship … Read more
Weekly jobless claims drop 3,000 to 183,000 Continuing claims decrease 11,000 to 1.655 million Productivity accelerates at a 3.0% rate in the fourth quarter Unit labor costs grow at 1.1% pace WASHINGTON, Feb 2 (Reuters) – The number of Americans filing new claims for unemployment benefits dropped to a nine-month low last week as the … Read more
Feb 2 (Reuters) – Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell had a clear message on Wednesday: as “gratifying” as it is that inflation has begun to slow, the central bank is nowhere near reversing course or declaring victory. “It’s going to take some time” for disinflation to spread through the economy, Powell said in a news … Read more
WASHINGTON, Jan 31 (Reuters) – The United States and its allies imposed further sanctions on Myanmar on Tuesday, marking the two-year anniversary of a military coup with curbs on energy officials and junta members, among others. Washington imposed sanctions on the Union Election Commission, mining enterprises and energy officials, among others, according to a Treasury … Read more
Reform would raise retirement age to 64 from 62 Schools, transport networks, refinery deliveries affected Macron: Reform vital to ensure pension system’s viability PARIS, Jan 31 (Reuters) – Striking workers disrupted French refinery deliveries, public transport and schools on Tuesday in a second day of nationwide protests over President Emmanuel Macron’s plan to make people … Read more
UK lags behind peers for growth, investment and trade Many economists say Brexit contributes to underperformance Polls show Britons increasingly regret leaving the EU Pro-Brexit economist Lyons: UK problems have long roots LONDON, Jan 31 (Reuters) – Three years after its departure from the European Union, Britain is yet to benefit from the Brexit dividend … Read more
Fourth-quarter GDP forecast to increase at a 2.6% rate Strong consumer spending seen; other sectors to contribute Weekly jobless claims expected to rise moderately WASHINGTON, Jan 26 (Reuters) – The US economy likely maintained a strong pace of growth in the fourth quarter as consumers boosted spending on goods, but momentum appears to have slowed … Read more
Jan 25 (Reuters) – Tesla Inc’s (TSLA.O) aggressive price cuts have ignited demand for its electric vehicles, Chief Executive Elon Musk said on Wednesday, playing down concerns that a weak economy would throttle buyers’ interest. The company slightly beat Wall Street targets for fourth-quarter revenue and profit earlier on Wednesday despite a sharp decline in … Read more
STOCKHOLM, Jan 24 (Reuters) – Swedish and Finnish hopes of quickly joining NATO have run into an obstacle in the form of objections by Turkey, which holds veto powers over accession to the military alliance. The three nations reached an agreement on how to proceed in Madrid last June, but Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan has … Read more
China offers debt service relief in 2022, 2023 Sri Lanka sources unclear if China letter will be enough for IMF Broad agreement between IMF, China on Zambia could provide clues NEW DELHI/COLOMBO, Jan 24 (Reuters) – The Export-Import Bank of China has offered Sri Lanka a two-year moratorium on its debt and said it would … Read more