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U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen attends a press conference after a meeting with Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng, ahead of a U.S.-hosted APEC (Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation) Summit in San Francisco, California, U.S., November 10, 2023. REUTERS/Carlos Barria Acquire Licensing RightsSAN FRANCISCO, Nov 10 (Reuters) - U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen on Friday said the ransomware attack on the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China that disrupted China's largest bank had not interfered with the market for U.S. government debt. "We have not seen an impact on the Treasury market," Yellen said, adding that she and China Vice Premier He Lifeng spoke about the issue during talks in San Francisco this week. The ICBC's access to an electronic settlement platform for U.S. Treasury securities remained suspended on Friday, a day after confirmation of the ransomware attack. "The Treasury Department and the United States has given "as much assistance as we possibly can to the firm in dealing with this issue," she said.

Persons: Janet Yellen, Lifeng, Carlos Barria, Yellen, David Lawder, Ann Saphir, Diane Craft Organizations: Treasury, APEC, Economic Cooperation, REUTERS, FRANCISCO, . Treasury, Industrial, Commercial Bank of, U.S, China, Treasury Department, Thomson Locations: U.S, Asia, San Francisco , California, Commercial Bank of China, San Francisco, United States

☆ US Treasury's Adeyemo Sees More Actions Against Hamas in Coming Days, Weeks
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-09 | by ( Nov. | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +3 min

"We're going to see actions taken by our allies and partners," Adeyemo said. Since the Palestinian militant group's deadly Oct. 7 attack on Israel, Washington has imposed two rounds of sanctions on Hamas. Nelson "pledged continued engagement with those who have taken proactive steps to investigate, identify, and disrupt Hamas-related activity," the Treasury said. Such transactions combining pools of assets or delaying transaction processing can hide the beneficial ownership of crypto assets, Adeyemo said. (Reporting by Andea Shalal in New York and Daphne Psaledakis in Washington; Writing by David Lawder, Editing by Howard Goller)

Persons: Andrea Shalal, Daphne Psaledakis NEW, Wally Adeyemo, Adeyemo, Brian Nelson, Nelson, doesn't, Andea Shalal, Daphne Psaledakis, David Lawder, Howard Goller Organizations: WASHINGTON, ., Reuters NEXT, Treasury, Terrorism, Financial Intelligence, FOCUS, USA Locations: Israel, Washington, Europe, New York

☆ Race to finish Indo-Pacific trade deals hit snags ahead of APEC summit
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-09 | by ( David Lawder | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

A sign advertising the upcoming APEC (Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation) Summit in see as the city prepares to host leaders from the Asia-Pacific region in San Francisco, California November 8, 2023. Instead it promised cooperation on supply chains and clean energy along with higher standards for labor, environment and regulatory practices and digital trade. Negotiations on digital trade standards -- once seen as a marquee feature of the IPEF trade pillar -- are largely frozen as the Biden administration has suspended discussions on key rules after reversing longstanding U.S. positions on e-commerce. By adopting these fringe views on digital trade, USTR really brings the main substance on digital trade to a halt," said John Murphy, senior vice president for international policy for the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. One of the sources familiar with the talks said that early enthusiasm on the IPEF trade pillar -- which excludes India -- has given way to frustration over the difficulty and complexity of issues involved.

Persons: Carlos Barria, Biden, Joe Biden, IPEF, Wendy Cutler, Cutler, Trump, USTR, John Murphy, David Lawder, Sharon Singleton Organizations: APEC, Economic Cooperation, REUTERS, FRANCISCO, Pacific, Prosperity, Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation, Asia Society Policy Center, Commerce Department, U.S . Trade, Big Tech, U.S . Chamber of Commerce, Thomson Locations: Asia, Pacific, San Francisco , California, San Francisco, U.S, China, Washington, IPEF, Australia, Brunei, Fiji, India, Indonesia, Japan, South Korea, Malaysia, New Zealand, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam, United States, TPP

☆ U.S. suspends Indo-Pacific talks on key aspects of digital trade -lawmakers
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-08 | by ( David Lawder | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

The halt comes after the U.S. Trade Representative's office last month reversed longstanding U.S. digital trade demands at the World Trade Organization -- no longer insisting on rules that protect free cross-border data flows and prohibit national requirements for data localization and reviews of software source code. The U.S. Trade Representative's office said it withdrew its position to give Congress room to enact stronger technology regulations. "We thank you for suspending negotiations on aspects of the IPEF digital text that can be used to frustrate privacy, AI, civil rights and liberties, anti-monopoly, gig worker and other digital safeguards that Congress and the administration seek," the lawmakers wrote. People familiar with the talks say that discussions on the digital trade chapter have largely ground to a halt because the U.S. position is now unclear and being reevaluated. A USTR spokesperson declined comment on the IPEF digital talks.

Persons: Elizabeth Warren, Julia Nikhinson, Biden, IPEF, Amy Klobuchar, Pramila Jayapal, David Lawder, Leslie Adler Organizations: Intelligence, U.S, Capitol, REUTERS, Rights, Democratic, U.S . Trade, World Trade Organization, Representatives, Commerce Department, Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation, Tech, Thomson Locations: Washington , U.S, U.S, Mexico, Canada, IPEF, San Francisco, Asia, China

☆ US finds no major trade partners manipulated currencies
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-07 | by ( David Lawder | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsWASHINGTON, Nov 7 (Reuters) - The U.S. Treasury on Tuesday said no major trading partners appeared to be manipulating their currencies, but it put Vietnam back onto a foreign exchange "monitoring list," while removing Switzerland and South Korea from the same scrutiny. The Treasury's semi-annual currency reportfor the four quarters ended June 2023 showed that Vietnam, China, Germany, Malaysia, Singapore, and Taiwan were included on its monitoring list. The Treasury said Vietnam was returned to the monitoring list after its global current account surplus shot up to 4.7% of GDP during the monitoring period. Switzerland and South Korea were taken off the monitoring list after they met only one criterion for two monitoring periods in a row. A U.S. Treasury official said that Vietnam does not appear to be "slipping" in its foreign exchange practices nor in its engagement with U.S. authorities on currency issues.

Persons: Kevin Lamarque, Donald Trump's, David Lawder, Paul Simao Organizations: Department of, U.S . Treasury, REUTERS, Rights, U.S, Treasury, Swiss, Thomson Locations: Washington , U.S, Vietnam, Switzerland, South Korea, China, Germany, Malaysia, Singapore, Taiwan, U.S, Japan

GAZA, Nov 6 (Reuters) - Having rebuffed calls for a ceasefire, Israel was set to come under sustained pressure on Monday to avoid civilian casualties during its assault on Gaza, while a U.S. diplomatic blitz in the region sought to reduce risks of the conflict escalating. But after Blinken repeated U.S. concerns that a ceasefire could aid Hamas, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ruled that out unless hostages held by Hamas were released. "We demand that you stop them from committing these crimes immediately," Abbas told Blinken, urging an "immediate ceasefire" from Israel. "Stop in the name of God," he said, calling for humanitarian aid and help for the injured to ease the "very grave" situation in Gaza. Instead, the U.S. wants localized pauses in fighting to allow in humanitarian aid and for people to leave Gaza.

Persons: Antony Blinken, Blinken, Mahmoud Abbas, Benjamin Netanyahu, Netanyahu, WAFA, we're, Jonathan Conricus, Conricus, William Burns, Burns, Lloyd Austin, Yoav Gallant, Austin, Kamala Harris, King Abdullah, Mohammed Shia, Al Sudani, Jonathan Ernst, Saeed al, Abbas, Israel, Mohammed al, Pope Francis, Nidal al, Ali Sawafta, Simon Lewis, Dan Williams, Costas Pitas, David Lawder, Lincoln, Simon Cameron, Moore Organizations: Sunday, West Bank, Palestinian, Israeli, Hamas, Paltel, CNN, U.S, CIA, Israel, New York Times, Times, Reuters, . Defense, Pentagon, U.S . Central Command, Baghdad International, REUTERS, Israel Defense Forces, United Arab Emirates, Thomson Locations: GAZA, Israel, Gaza, U.S, Ankara, Turkey, Gaza City, Palestinian, Jordanian, Ohio, Iran, Baghdad, Iraq, LEBANON, Lebanon, Kiryat Shmona, Qatar, Saudi, Egypt, Jordan, Amman, Ramallah, Jerusalem, Los Angeles, Washington

☆ U.S. Treasury's Yellen to meet Chinese vice premier ahead of APEC summit
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-06 | by ( David Lawder | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/2] U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen discusses "U.S.-China Economic Relationship" during a forum hosted by the Johns Hopkins University at the Nitze Building in Washington, U.S., April 20, 2023. REUTERS/Sarah Silbiger/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsWASHINGTON, Nov 6 (Reuters) - U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen will meet with Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng in San Francisco this week to try to deepen a fledgling economic dialogue between the world's two largest economies ahead of a U.S.-hosted summit of Pacific Rim leaders. The Treasury said the Nov. 9-10 meetings will also convene the new economic and financial forums launched in October by the Treasury and China's finance ministry and central bank. Yellen also is keen to discuss what steps Chinese officials are contemplating to support their flagging economic growth, and what circumstances might change their policy path. Instead, Yellen said she was "focusing on specific, high-priority economic topics on which we can make tangible progress."

Persons: Janet Yellen, Sarah Silbiger, Yellen, Joe Biden, Xi Jinping, David Lawder, Simon Cameron, Moore Organizations: . Treasury, Johns Hopkins University, REUTERS, Rights, Pacific Rim, Treasury, San, Biden, Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation, U.S, Washington Post, Thomson Locations: China, Washington , U.S, San Francisco, U.S, Beijing

☆ Yellen: Indo-Pacific allies should not have to choose between US, China
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-02 | by ( David Lawder | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

Janet Yellen, United States Secretary of Treasury, participates in global infrastructure and investment forum in New York, Thursday, Sept. 21, 2023. Yellen said the U.S. instead was pursuing the "de-risking and diversifying" of its economic ties to China, by investing in manufacturing at home and by strengthening linkages with allies and partners around the world, including Indo-Pacific countries. TRADE, INVESTMENT LINKSYellen said the Biden administration was committed to expanding trade and investment with Indo-Pacific countries, emphasizing the region's strategic importance ahead of the APEC gathering. The Indo-Pacific is a dynamic and rapidly growing region. "And achieving resilience through partnering with Indo-Pacific countries means gains for Indo-Pacific economies as well," Yellen said.

Persons: Janet Yellen, Seth Wenig, Yellen, White, Joe Biden, Xi Jinping, Biden, Donald Trump, David Lawder, Diane Craft Organizations: Treasury, Rights, . Treasury, Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation, Asia Society, APEC, Prosperity, Thomson Locations: United States, New York, U.S, China, San Francisco, IPEF, Vietnam

☆ Africa unlikely to follow East Asia's manufacturing growth path -study
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-30 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

The study's authors say that China will continue to dominate global manufacturing, moving into higher-value segments. The study projects global growth through the year 2050 and models changes in the economies of 59 countries accounting for about three quarters of the world’s GDP and population. Across all low-income countries, manufacturing jobs are projected to hold steady at below 8% of total employment, the study finds. It projects the share of manufacturing jobs in high-income countries will continue to fall, to 8.3% by 2050 from 11.4% currently. It said that private service sector jobs will make up roughly 37% of global jobs by 2050, and 26% in today’s low-income countries, up from about 12% currently.

Persons: CGD, Charles Kenny, Ranil, that’s, Kenny, David Lawder, Simon Cameron, Moore Organizations: Center for Global Development, Thomson Locations: China, Africa, Southeast Asia, Latin America, Agriculture, Bangladesh, Ethiopia, Asia

Some pictures posted online also appeared to show Israeli soldiers waving an Israeli flag deep inside Gaza. Israel has accused Hamas of locating command centres and other military infrastructure in Gaza hospitals, something the group denies. Israel has tightened its blockade and bombarded Gaza since Hamas gunmen stormed across the border into Israel on Oct. 7. CALLS FOR A PAUSEThe stepped-up attacks by Israel coincided with a mounting international outcry for a "humanitarian pause" to allow aid in. [1/5]Plumes of smoke rise during Israeli strikes, amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and Palestinian Islamist group Hamas, in Gaza City, October 29, 2023.

Persons: Biden, Netanyahu, Khan Younis, Crescent, Israel, Yasser Qudih, U.N, Joe Biden, Benjamin Netanyahu, Abdel Fattah al, Sisi, Elad Goren, COGAT, Nidal al, James Mackenzie, Dan Williams, Jonathan Landay, David Lawder, Stephen Coates Organizations: Palestinian, Reuters, Paltel, Hamas, REUTERS, Rights, United Nations Security, General Assembly, Sunday, Israeli Defence Ministry, Russia's, Thomson Locations: Israel, Gaza, Gaza Gaza, GAZA, Al, Quds, Khan, Palestinian, Gaza's, Iranian, al, Shifa, Gaza City, Rights Qatar, Lebanon, Beirut, Russia's Dagestan, Makhachkala, Moscow, Russia

The projections prompted U.S. Treasury debt yields to fall slightly, with the benchmark 10-year yield last at 4.88%. "Interest in today's borrowing projections have been higher than normal," said Thomas Simons, money market economist at Jeffries in New York. Investors awaited the Treasury's quarterly refunding statement on Wednesday for details on which maturities will be increased as the department pursues record borrowing levels. QUARTERLY RECORDSThe reduced $776 billion borrowing estimate would still be a record for any October-December period, exceeding the $689 billion in the 2021 quarter boosted by high COVID-19 relief outlays. In the third calendar quarter of 2023, the Treasury said it borrowed $1.01 trillion and ended that period with a cash balance of $657 billion.

Persons: Rick Wilking, Thomas Simons, Jeffries, Steven Zeng, Wednesday's, Zeng, Karen Brettell, David Lawder, Daniel Burns, Davide Barbuscia, Andrea Ricci, Richard Chang Organizations: REUTERS, U.S . Treasury, Treasury, Investors, Deutsche Bank, Thomson Locations: Westminster , Colorado, U.S, California, New York

☆ Yellen says US GDP is a 'good strong number', may keep bond yields higher
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-26 | by ( David Lawder | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

"It's a good strong number and shows the economy is doing well," Yellen said at a Bloomberg live interview event. She dismissed suggestions that higher bond yields may be due to worries about rising U.S. deficits or worries about a recession. Yellen said that the U.S. debt servicing burden would be a "bigger challenge if the interest rate path stays higher." She has maintained that the real interest rate costs for the federal government have remained close to 1% of GDP, a manageable level. "The higher the interest rate path, the more that we need to do" on deficit reduction, she said.

Persons: Janet Yellen, Amit Dave, Yellen, Joe Biden's, David Lawder, Daniel Burns, Franklin Paul, Jonathan Oatis Organizations: Treasury, Central Bank governors, REUTERS, Rights, . Treasury, Bloomberg, Commerce Department, Social Security, Thomson Locations: Gandhinagar, India, U.S

☆ Biden officials set $3 bln bank deposit, procurement goals to boost minority firms
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-25 | by ( David Lawder | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris delivers remarks during the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation Phoenix Awards Dinner at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Washington, U.S., September 23, 2023. REUTERS/Elizabeth Frantz/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsWASHINGTON, Oct 25 (Reuters) - The Biden administration on Wednesday urged big companies to deposit another $2 billion into U.S. community lenders to boost loans to minority and underserved businesses, and asked them to devote 15% of their procurement budgets to such firms. Alphabet Inc's Google (GOOGL.O) will commit to spending at least $1 billion annually with "diverse-owned suppliers" in the United States, the Treasury said. The Treasury had previously invested nearly $9 billion into Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs) and minority-owned banking firms to make more capital available to minority firms. "In order for these minority owned banks and CDFIs to lend that money, they need deposits," Deputy Treasury Secretary Wally Adeyemo told reporters.

Persons: Kamala Harris, Walter E, Elizabeth Frantz, Biden, Harris, Wally Adeyemo, David Lawder, Sonali Paul Organizations: Congressional Black Caucus Foundation, Washington Convention Center, REUTERS, Rights, Wednesday, Micron Technology, Air Products, Xcel Energy, Treasury Department, Treasury, Freedman's Bank, Community Development Financial, Management, Internal Revenue Service, Thomson Locations: Washington , U.S, United States

☆ US drops digital trade demands at WTO to allow room for stronger tech regulation
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-25 | by ( David Lawder | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai speaks during the Axios BFD event in New York City, U.S., October 12, 2023. REUTERS/Brendan McDermid/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsWASHINGTON, Oct 25 (Reuters) - U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai has dropped longstanding U.S. digital trade demands in World Trade Organization talks in order to give Congress room to regulate big tech firms, her office said on Wednesday. USTR spokesman Sam Michel said many countries were examining their approaches to data and source code, and how trade rules can affect them. "We need to make clear that digital rules favoring Big Tech monopolies are a non-starter for the U.S. in any trade agreement, including IPEF,” she said. "These digital trade rules prevent countries around the world from using regulation to lock out American companies and their workers from their markets," said John Murphy, the Chamber's senior vice president for international policy.

Persons: Katherine Tai, Brendan McDermid, Trump, Biden, Ron Wyden, ", Wyden, Sam Michel, Michel, Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts, Tai, ”, USTR, John Murphy, David Lawder, Diane Craft Organizations: Trade, REUTERS, Rights, . Trade, Trade Organization, U.S, Reuters, Prosperity, WIN, Oregon Democrat, Senate Finance Committee, Congress, Intel, Democratic, Big Tech, . Chamber, Commerce, Thomson Locations: New York City, U.S, Geneva, CHINA, China, Australia, Japan, Korea, Oregon, United States, Mexico, Canada

☆ US 'frankly raised' disagreements with China at first financial working group meeting
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-25 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration/File photo Acquire Licensing RightsOct 25 (Reuters) - U.S. officials "frankly raised areas of disagreement" with China at the first meeting of a new financial working group, where financial stability, supervision and regulation were discussed, the U.S. Treasury said on Wednesday. Attendees included senior officials from China's central bank and the U.S. Treasury Department, according to a Treasury statement. "The two-hour virtual meeting included a substantive and wide-ranging discussion on domestic and global financial stability, financial supervision and regulation, sustainable finance, and anti-money laundering and countering the financing of terrorism," the Treasury said. The financial working group and a parallel economic working group were launched last month after U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen's visit to Beijing in July aimed at fostering regular communications between the world's two largest economies. The economic working group, led by senior officials from the Treasury and China's Finance Ministry held its first meeting on Monday.

Persons: Dado Ruvic, Janet Yellen's, Yellen, Pan Gongsheng, Ismail Shakil, Costas Pitas, David Lawder, Paul Grant, Diane Craft Organizations: REUTERS, U.S . Treasury, U.S . Treasury Department, Treasury, U.S, China's Finance Ministry, People's Bank of China, International Monetary Fund, Bank, Reuters, Thomson Locations: China, China's, Beijing, Marrakech, Morocco, U.S

☆ US budget gap soars to $1.7 trillion, largest outside COVID era
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-20 | by ( David Lawder | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

The Treasury Department said the deficit was the largest since a COVID-fueled $2.78 trillion gap in 2021. For September, the final month of the fiscal year, the deficit fell to $171 billion from $430 billion in September 2022. The fiscal 2023 deficit would have been $321 billion larger, but was reduced by this amount because the Supreme Court struck down Biden's student loan forgiveness program as unconstitutional. Reuters GraphicsRECORD INTEREST COSTSThe 2023 deficit marks an abrupt end to two years of falling deficits for Biden as COVID-19 spending faded. Fiscal 2023 outlays fell $137 billion, or 2% from the prior year to $6.134 trillion.

Persons: Elizabeth Frantz, Joe Biden's, Biden, Donald Trump, Kevin McCarthy, Biden's, Janet Yellen, Shalanda Young, outlays, Gross, David Lawder, Dan Burns, Andrea Ricci Organizations: U.S, Capitol, REUTERS, Rights, Social Security, Treasury Department, Representatives, . House, Management, Treasury, Reuters Graphics, Federal, Federal Reserve, Thomson Locations: Washington , U.S, Ukraine, Israel, U.S

☆ U.S. budget deficit jumps 23% to nearly $1.7 trillion as Social Security, health costs rise
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-20 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

The U.S. Capitol building is seen in Washington, U.S., April 6, 2023. REUTERS/Elizabeth Frantz Acquire Licensing RightsWASHINGTON, Oct 20 (Reuters) - The U.S. government on Friday posted a $1.695 trillion budget deficit in fiscal 2023, a 23% jump from the prior year as revenues fell and outlays for Social Security, Medicare and interest costs on the federal debt rose significantly. The Treasury Department said the deficit was the largest since a COVID-fueled $2.78 trillion gap in 2021 and marks a major return to ballooning deficits after back-to-back declines during President Joe Biden's first two years in office. The deficit comes as Biden is asking Congress for $100 billion in new foreign aid and security spending, including $60 billion for Ukraine and $14 billion for Israel, along with funding for U.S. border security and the Indo-Pacific region. Reporting by David Lawder and Dan Burns; Editing by Andrea RicciOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Elizabeth Frantz, Joe Biden's, Biden, Donald Trump, Kevin McCarthy, David Lawder, Dan Burns, Andrea Ricci Organizations: U.S, Capitol, REUTERS, Rights, Social Security, Treasury Department, Representatives, . House, Thomson Locations: Washington , U.S, Ukraine, Israel, U.S

IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva did not mention the new conflict at opening events. The inability to respond extended to chair's statements issued by the Group of 20 major economies and the IMF and World Bank steering committees, which failed to mention the conflict. "You know, without peace, it's hard for people to get stability, growth, look after their children, get jobs," he said. But conflicts remain the biggest challenge to the global economy, said Josh Lipsky, a former IMF official who directs the Atlantic Council's GeoEconomics Center. "Geopolitical shocks are economic shocks now and economic shocks are geopolitical shocks - and they're trying to detach the two."

Persons: Kristalina Georgieva, that's, Rachel Nadelman, Joe Biden, China's Xi, Ajay Banga, Josh Lipsky, Andrea Shalal, David Lawder, Giles Elgood Organizations: Global, International Monetary Fund, World Bank, IMF, West Bank, Reuters, Research Center, Group, GeoEconomics, Thomson Locations: MARRAKECH, Morocco, Israel, Gaza, Lebanon, Ukraine, United States, China, Bali, Africa

The Group of 20 major economies did reach consensus on an official communique but omitted any mention of the Israel-Hamas war. Senior World Bank Group officials were more pointed in a statement to staff, saying they were "shocked and appalled by the unprecedented escalation of violence in Israel and Gaza." "We condemn terrorism in all forms, including the abhorrent targeting of innocent civilians and kidnapping," the leaders of the World Bank, the International Finance Corp and the Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency, said in an internal statement seen by Reuters. "Geopolitical shocks are economic shocks now and economic shocks are geopolitical shocks - and they're trying to detach the two." Reporting by Andrea Shalal and David Lawder; Editing by Giles Elgood and Stephen CoatesOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Kristalina Georgieva, that's, Rachel Nadelman, Joe Biden, China's Xi, Ajay Banga, Josh Lipsky, Andrea Shalal, David Lawder, Giles Elgood, Stephen Coates Organizations: Global, International Monetary Fund, World Bank, IMF, West Bank, Reuters, Research Center, U.S, Treasury, Bank Group, International Finance Corp, Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency, GeoEconomics, Thomson Locations: MARRAKECH, Morocco, Israel, Gaza, Lebanon, Ukraine, United States, China, Africa

☆ IMF steering committee calls for new funds, share plan by June 2025
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-14 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

International Monetary and Financial Committee (IMFC) chair Nadia Calvino leaves after a press conference during the annual meeting of the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank, following last month's deadly earthquake, in Marrakech, Morocco, October 14, 2023. A statement issued by the Fund's steering committee chair, Spanish economy minister Nadia Calvino, also called for proposals to change the Fund's shareholding formula by June 2025. The statement did not specify any funding amounts but left the door open to a potential near-term funding increase without changes in near-term shareholding. "In order to maintain the Fund’s current resource envelope until a quota increase becomes effective, we call on the Executive Board to propose transitional arrangements," the statement said. Reporting by David Lawder; editing by Diane CraftOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Nadia Calvino, Susana Vera, David Lawder, Diane Craft Organizations: Monetary, Financial, International Monetary Fund, World Bank, REUTERS, Rights, Monetary Fund, Thomson Locations: Marrakech, Morocco, Rights MARRAKECH

☆ Key takeaways from the IMF/World Bank meetings
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-14 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

Global inflation is seen dropping from 6.9% this year to a still-high 5.8% next. Italian central bank governor Ignazio Visco said there was an impression markets were "reevaluating the term premium" as investors become more nervous about holding longer term debt. One debt restructuring deal emerged: Zambia finally agreed a debt rework memorandum of understanding with creditors including China and France. Sri Lanka said on Thursday it reached an agreement with the Export-Import Bank of China covering about $4.2 billion of debt, while talks with other official creditors are stalling. There was much talk ahead of Marrakech on revamping the IMF and World Bank to better reflect the emergence of economies like China and Brazil.

Persons: Ajay Banga, Mercy Tembon, Finance Serhiy Marchenko, Ceda Ogada, Kristalina Georgieva, Pierre, Olivier Gourinchas, Ignazio Visco, Joyce Chang, Vitor Gaspar, Mehmet Simsek, Murat Ulgen, Kate Donald, Ahmed El Jechtimi, Andrea Shalal, David Lawder, Leika Kihara, Elisa Martinuzzi, Rachel Savage, Jorgelina, Rosario, Balazs Koranyi, Mark John, Christina Fincher Organizations: Bank, Finance, International Monetary Fund, Emerging, Research, HSBC, Reuters, Export, Import Bank of, World Bank, Oxfam International's Washington DC Office, Thomson Locations: Ukraine, MARRAKECH, Morocco, Moroccan, Marrakech, Israel, Central, United States, China, Italy, Italian, Turkey, Kenya, Zambia, France, Sri Lanka, Import Bank of China, Brazil, U.S

China, whose economy is now three times the size it was in 2010, continued to push for more IMF shares. IMFC members agreed to add a third IMF Executive Board chair to represent African countries, a key sweetener for the U.S. "equi-proportional quota plan. Pan said China supported this move but it was a separate issue from the shareholding formula. It also called for the IMF's Executive Board to propose options for changes to the shareholding formula by June 2025. This would accelerate the next five-year review of quotas and meet IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva's call for a deadline on adjusting its shareholding to preserve its credibility.

Persons: Nadia Calvino, Kristalina Georgieva, Pan Gongsheng, Pan, Kristalina, Georgieva, David Lawder, Andrea Shalal, Sharon Singleton, Christina Fincher, Franklin Paul, Diane Craft Organizations: Monetary, Financial, International Monetary Fund, World Bank, Monetary Fund, IMF, Fund, The U.S . Treasury, People's Bank of China, Beijing, IMF's, U.S . Treasury, United Arab, Thomson Locations: Marrakech, Morocco, MARRAKECH, U.S, China, CHINA, The U.S, India, Ukraine, Israel, Gaza, United Arab Emirates

☆ IMF Has Reached Goal to Add $3 Billion to Trust Fund for Poorest Countries-Georgieva
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-14 | by ( Oct. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +1 min

MARRAKECH, Morocco (Reuters) - The International Monetary Fund has met its fundraising target to increase concessional trust fund resources for the world's poorest countries by $3 billion, IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva said on Saturday. She said that PRGT lending has increased five-fold to $30 billion since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, with about 30 countries still with loan programs. Demand for the trust's resources is expected to reach $40 billion through 2024, about five times the historical average. The IMF had urged member countries to fill a $1.2 billion gap in the $3 billion subsidy account endorsed by the membership in 2021. Georgieva said 40 countries had stepped up to contribute, and one-third were emerging-market economies.

Persons: Kristalina Georgieva, Georgieva, David Lawder, Sharon Singleton Organizations: Monetary Fund, IMF, World Bank Locations: MARRAKECH, Morocco

Janet Yellen, United States Secretary of Treasury, participates in global infrastructure and investment forum in New York, Thursday, Sept. 21, 2023. Seth Wenig/Pool via REUTERS/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsMARRAKECH, Morocco, Oct 13 (Reuters) - U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen told Reuters on Friday that she still believes U.S. shelter inflation will continue to ease despite new consumer price data on Thursday showing a jump in housing costs, but the process may take some time. "We do definitely believe that's coming down over time," Yellen said in an interview on the sidelines of the International Monetary Fund and World Bank meetings in Morocco. Yellen has long said that housing costs, will ease over time, helping to bring down core inflation, and said Thursday's CPI report has not deterred her from that view. "I think we have very good reason to believe, with lags, that will come down, and I don't think there's anything in the report that would cause us to think that's a mistake in judgment," Yellen said.

Persons: Janet Yellen, Seth Wenig, Yellen, David Lawder, Andrea Ricci, Marguerita Choy Organizations: Treasury, Rights, . Treasury, Reuters, International Monetary Fund, World Bank, Federal Reserve, CPI, Thomson Locations: United States, New York, Rights MARRAKECH, Morocco

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