DIRS.INFO The most relevant business & tech news

☆ Australia to End Daily Letter Delivery as Postal Service Pivots to Parcels
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-05 | by ( Dec. | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +2 min

By Lewis JacksonSYDNEY (Reuters) - Australia Post will soon end daily letter deliveries as part of a series of postal reforms announced on Wednesday designed to modernise the government-owned postal service and help it turn a profit. Australia Post will also have an extra day to deliver regular mail. Australia Post delivered half a billion parcels last financial year, or roughly 20 per person. Losses in the letter business rose 50% to A$384 million. Australia Post has applied to the competition regulator to increase the basic letter postage rate to A$1.50 from A$1.20 from early near year.

Persons: Lewis Jackson SYDNEY, Paul Graham, eCommerce, Graham, Lewis Jackson, Jamie Freed Organizations: Australia Post, Australia Locations: Australia

☆ Fiscal rules revamp may threaten calm in euro zone's fragile bond markets
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-04 | by ( Stefano Rebaudo | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

Analysts believe Germany's budget crisis will mean tougher fiscal policy in the largest euro zone economy in 2024, which could add to pressure on less wealthy members of the bloc to keep a tighter grip on their finances. Italian 10-year bonds currently yield around 173 basis points more than German debt , 38 bps less than a year ago, while the gap between Portuguese and German yields has narrowed by 34 basis points. French bonds meanwhile yield 58 bps more than German, 5 bps more than a year ago. Analysts argued the German public may be unwilling to accept a tightening of domestic fiscal policy without a blanket approach across Europe - meaning a tougher scenario for the periphery. Bondholders are meanwhile banking on the European Central Bank cutting interest rates in a few months, which should support euro zone peripheral debt.

Persons: Giorgia Meloni, Olaf Scholz, Fabrizio Bensch, Ruben Segura, BofA's Segura, Cayuela, Felix Hubner, Massimiliano Maxia, Stefano Rebaudo, Catherine Evans Organizations: Italian, REUTERS, Germany, Union, Northern, European Commission, UBS, Analysts, European Central Bank, JPMorgan, ECB, Allianz Global Investors, bps, Thomson Locations: Berlin, Germany, Italy, Cayuela, European, Greece, Spain, Europe

☆ Irish central bank: EU to adopt broader approach to boost capital market
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-30 | by ( Huw Jones | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

The bloc has introduced several "top down" reforms in a bid to boost its capital market, but progress has been modest and it continues to lag Wall Street in terms of breadth and depth, and company listings. Rowland said the push towards a deeper capital market would also focus on "bottom up" measures, such as steps taken at the national level, or initiatives by market participants. Speeding up EU capital market reforms has become more pressing since Brexit as Britain also eases capital market rules to become more globally competitive. They need to mobilise private capital," he said, adding that some bottom-up measures were already emerging, such as Italy's capital markets law, and a green industry law in France. Regulators in Britain and globally, however, have some concerns about whether assets in private markets have valuations that properly reflect the impact of higher interest rates and inflation.

Persons: Derville Rowland, Rowland, Huw Jones, Sharon Singleton, Bernadette Baum, Emelia Organizations: Central Bank of Ireland, European Commission, EU's, Markets Union, CMU, Publicly, EU, Regulators, Thomson Locations: Britain, France

☆ EU executive approves 900 mln euros in funds for Hungary
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-23 | by ( Gabriela Baczynska | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

EU support is crucial to Ukraine, which has been struggling to push back a full-scale Russian invasion since February 2022. EU officials said Hungary's amended recovery plan is worth a total of 10.4 billion euros over several years - or about 5% of Hungary's 2023 GDP - including 4.6 billion euros under RePowerEU: 0.7 billion euros in grants and 3.9 billion in loans. EU officials said Hungary would use the RePowerEU money to modernise its electricity sector through smart metres and digitalisation of energy companies. EU officials expected two payments of around 460 million euros each to follow next year. EU officials told Reuters last month that the bloc was considering unlocking aid for Hungary to win Budapest's support for Ukraine.

Persons: Laszlo Balogh, Viktor Orban, Orban, Gabriela Baczynska, Toby Chopra Organizations: Hungarian, European Union, National Bank of Hungary, REUTERS, Ukraine EU, European Commission, Ukraine, Kyiv, Fidesz, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Budapest, Hungary, Ukraine, BRUSSELS, Brussels, Russia, EU, Moscow

☆ Brazil highlights poverty, climate change as G20 priorities
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-23 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Brazil takes over the G20 presidency from India on Dec.1 and will hold the 2024 summit in Rio de Janeiro in November next year. "It is not possible for the Bretton Woods institutions, World Bank, IMF, and many other financial institutions to continue functioning as if nothing were happening in the world, as if everything had been resolved," he said. He complained the institutions often lend money to countries to pay off their debt, without any meaningful change. G20 foreign ministers will meet in Rio de Janeiro on Feb. 21-22 and finance ministers will gather in Sao Paulo over Feb. 28-29. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi hosted a virtual summit of G20 nations on Wednesday to review progress on policy goals set at the annual G20 summit in New Delhi in September.

Persons: Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, Ueslei Marcelino, Lula, Narendra Modi, Lisandra Paraguassu, Deepa Babington Organizations: Central Bank, REUTERS, Rights, United Nations, World Bank, International Monetary Fund, Security, Bretton Woods, IMF, Indian, Thomson Locations: Brasilia, Brazil, Rights BRASILIA, India, Rio de Janeiro, United, Sao Paulo, New Delhi

☆ France may sell real estate to cut deficit, review seniors' unemployment benefits
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-19 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

REUTERS/Johanna Geron Acquire Licensing RightsPARIS, Nov 19 (Reuters) - France wants to reduce government spending on office space and may consider real estate sales in a bid to reduce the state deficit, the budget and finance ministers said in a media interview on Sunday. The government also plans to review unemployment benefits for seniors, they said. Budget Minister Thomas Cazenave told La Tribune that the government wants to reduce the amount of office space occupied by the administration by 25%. "We may also consider real estate sales," he added. ($1 = 0.9168 euros)Reporting by Geert De Clercq; Editing by Hugh LawsonOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Digital Security Bruno Le Maire, Thomas Cazenave, Johanna Geron, Bruno Le Maire, Le Maire, Cazenave, Elisabeth Borne, Geert De Clercq, Hugh Lawson Organizations: Economy, Finance, Industry, Digital Security, French Junior, Public, REUTERS, Rights, Budget, La Tribune, Thomson Locations: Paris, France

U.S. Secretary of Treasury, Janet Yellen hosts a Finance Ministers? Meeting plenary at the APEC (Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation) Summit in San Francisco, California, U.S. November 13, 2023. "This is a decision I disagree with," she said at a news conference at the close of the APEC Finance Ministers' Meeting in San Francisco, California. The ratings agency on Friday lowered its outlook on the U.S. credit rating to "negative" from "stable," citing large fiscal deficits and a decline in debt affordability. The rise in long-term interest rates would create a challenge to debt sustainability if it lasts, Yellen acknowledged.

Persons: Janet Yellen, Carlos Barria, Yellen, Biden, David Lawder, Ann Saphir, Tom Hogue Organizations: Treasury, Ministers, APEC, Economic Cooperation, REUTERS, FRANCISCO, . Treasury, Monday, APEC Finance, Internal Revenue Service, House Republicans, Thomson Locations: Asia, San Francisco , California, U.S

☆ Yellen says APEC finance ministers agree to expand output sustainably
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-14 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen and Australian Treasurer Jim Chalmers (not pictured) hold a bilateral meeting during the APEC (Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation) Summit in San Francisco, California, U.S. November 12, 2023. REUTERS/Carlos Barria/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsSAN FRANCISCO, Nov 13 (Reuters) - U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said that finance ministers from Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation countries on Monday affirmed their desire to expand their economies' potential output in a sustainable manner. "APEC members have affirmed a shared interest in pursuing policies that expand the productive capacity of our economies while also achieving outcomes like reducing inequality and protecting the environment," Yellen said in prepared remarks following a meeting of the ministers ahead of the APEC leaders' summit in San Francisco. She said that APEC countries are pursuing similar policies to the Biden administration's recent legislation to promote investment in infrastructure, semiconductors and clean energy technologies and scientific research. Yellen also said that the Treasury is actively engaged in "ongoing work" to reach substantial conclusion of the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework talks with 13 other countries, most of them APEC member.

Persons: Janet Yellen, Jim Chalmers, Carlos Barria, Yellen, Biden, David Lawder, Sandra Maler Organizations: Treasury, APEC, Economic Cooperation, REUTERS, FRANCISCO, . Treasury, Thomson Locations: Asia, San Francisco , California, U.S, San Francisco

☆ Factbox-Seven Turbulent Years: British Ministerial Churn Since the Brexit Vote
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-13 | by ( Nov. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +4 min

PRIME MINISTERCameron served as prime minister until July 13, 2016, three weeks after the Brexit vote on June 23. She holds the record for Britain's shortest-serving prime minister after she quit after 49 days, having triggered a financial market meltdown. Philip Hammond was foreign secretary from July 2014 until three weeks after the Brexit vote in 2016. INTERIOR MINISTERBritain's interior ministry has changed leadership eight times since the Brexit vote, including Cleverly who stepped into the role on Monday. There have been 13 housing ministers since the Brexit vote, including six since Feb. 8, 2022.

Persons: Sarah Young, Rishi Sunak, David Cameron, Cameron, Theresa May, Boris Johnson, Liz Truss, Sunak, James, Dominic Raab, Jeremy Hunt, Johnson, Philip Hammond, Suella Braverman, Grant Shapps, Truss, Hunt, Kwarteng, Victoria Atkins, Monday, Steve Barclay, Gillian Keegan, Kate Holton, Alex Richardson Organizations: Sarah Young LONDON, British, European Union, Conservative Party, FINANCE, National Health Service Locations: Westminster, Britain, European, Truss, Crete, Kabul, Cameron

☆ Yellen calls on APEC finance ministers to boost growth potential sustainably
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-13 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen called on Pacific Rim finance ministers on Monday to boost the productive capacity of their economies while working to finance the transition to low-carbon energy and provide more opportunities for the poor. Opening a meeting of finance ministers of Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation countries, Yellen said the group's economic dynamism meant that the actions they take matter for addressing global challenges. A day after the APEC Secretariat issued new forecasts for slowing growth next year amid a continued inflation fight and U.S.-China tensions, Yellen said the group needed to increase potential output. And we need to leverage emerging technologies to drive innovation while maintaining safe financial markets," Yellen added. The APEC finance ministers meeting comes just ahead of the APEC leaders' summit later this week and a high-stakes meeting between U.S.-President Joe Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping aimed at easing tensions between the world's two largest economies.

Persons: Janet Yellen, Yellen, Joe Biden, Xi Jinping Organizations: Treasury, APEC, Economic Cooperation, Pacific Rim, Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation Locations: U.S, Asia, San Francisco , California, Pacific, China, Ukraine, Vietnam, Indonesia

☆ Centeno says outgoing Portugal PM only invited him to ponder on premiership
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-13 | by ( Sergio Goncalves | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

LISBON, Nov 13 (Reuters) - Bank of Portugal Governor Mario Centeno, who is under fire from the opposition over an invitation by the outgoing prime minister to replace him as premier, said on Monday he never accepted the offer but was just asked to ponder on the matter. Portuguese opposition parties on Friday argued that such an invitation compromised the political independence of a central bank governor. The Bank of Portugal's ethics committee is expected to meet on Monday to evaluate his conduct. Prime Minister Antonio Costa stepped down on Tuesday over an investigation into alleged illegalities in his government's handling of lithium and hydrogen projects and a large-scale data centre. Centeno announced his departure from the finance ministry in June 2020, during Costa's second term, and was nominated to head the bank a month later.

Persons: Mario Centeno, Antonio Costa, illegalities, Costa, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, Centeno, Rebelo de Sousa, Olli Rehn, Balazs Koranyi, Francesco Canepa, Andrei Khalip, Bernadette Baum Organizations: Bank of Portugal, Socialist, European Central Bank policymaker, Bank of, ECB, Thomson Locations: LISBON, Portuguese, Bank of Portugal, ECB's, Finland, Frankfurt

Their last meeting was at the Group of 20 summit in Indonesia last fall. The U.S. has consistently viewed military relations with China as critical to avoiding any missteps and to maintaining a peaceful Indo-Pacific region. Sullivan also said there were other areas where U.S. and Chinese interests overlap, particularly on the effort to combat fentanyl trafficking. The White House announced Monday that Biden would also meet with Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador later this week. Associated Press Writers Janie Har in San Francisco and Lolita C. Baldor and Didi Tang in Washington contributed to this report.

Persons: Joe Biden, Xi Jinping, The, Biden, Xi, Jake Sullivan, ” Sullivan, “, Sullivan, Andrés Manuel López Obrador, Janet Yellen, ___ Madhani, Janie Har, Lolita C, Baldor, Didi Tang Organizations: WASHINGTON, —, Economic Cooperation, The Biden, Group, Biden, White House, U.S . Navy, Air Force, Disease Control, Drug Enforcement Administration, U.S, Democratic, White, Moscone Center, APEC, Finance, San Francisco Police Department, Union Square, Associated Press Locations: Asia, San Francisco, Indonesia, China, U.S, Pacific, Washington, Mexico, Iran, Taiwan, Beijing, Taipei, Taiwan Strait, Tehran, Israel, Union

A panel displays the Hang Seng Index during afternoon trading, in Hong Kong, China May 4, 2020. Other economic and policy highlights across the continent this week include preliminary Japanese third-quarter GDP, Indian inflation, and a policy decision from the Philippine central bank on Thursday. Some, like the China and aggregate emerging market indexes, last week fell to their lowest in three months. Perhaps the most interesting of all Goldman's FCIs is its Japanese index. Citi's economic surprises index for Japan turned negative last week and is now the lowest since June.

Persons: Tyrone Siu, Jamie McGeever, Wall, Goldman, Joe Biden, Xi Jinping, Diane Craft Organizations: REUTERS, Nasdaq, Bank of Japan, Mizuho, Mitsubishi UFJ, Sumitomo, Economic Cooperation, China's, Tencent Holdings, Alibaba, Lenovo, APEC, Thomson, Reuters Locations: Hong Kong, China, U.S, Philippine, Asia, Japan, San Francisco, India

☆ Germany's Scholz backs Spain's Calvino for EIB presidency
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-11 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

REUTERS/Susana Vera/ File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsFRANKFURT, Nov 11 (Reuters) - German Chancellor Olaf Scholz on Saturday backed the candidacy of Spanish acting Economy Minister Nadia Calvino for the post of president of the European Investment Bank (EIB). "I think she will be a very good president of the EIB," Scholz said in an address to a weekend congress of the Party of European Socialists (PES) in Malaga, Spain. He added that they had worked well together in the past when they headed their respective countries' finance ministries. The EIB is currently led by German Liberal Democratic Party (FDP) politician Werner Hoyer. They do not reflect the views of Reuters News, which, under the Trust Principles, is committed to integrity, independence, and freedom from bias.

Persons: Nadia Calvino, Susana Vera, Olaf Scholz, Scholz, Werner Hoyer, Andreas Rinke, Vera Eckert, Kirsten Donovan Organizations: Monetary, Financial, International Monetary Fund, World Bank, REUTERS, Rights, Saturday, European Investment Bank, Party of European Socialists, European Union, Berlin, German Liberal Democratic Party, Thomson, Reuters Locations: Marrakech, Morocco, Malaga, Spain, Germany, France

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — World leaders, CEOs, protesters and thousands of others will soon descend on San Francisco for a global trade summit that could give the battered city a chance to reverse its image of an economic powerhouse now in decline. As host, San Francisco and the city's partners are polishing sidewalks, scrubbing away graffiti and moving homeless people to accommodations indoors. “It shows that San Francisco isn’t dead,” he said, adding he believes “there's an appetite for things to change” despite negative media narratives. This month, Air China resumed direct flights between San Francisco and Beijing after suspending flights just before the pandemic. —-Associated Press journalists Haven Daley in San Francisco and Huizhong Wu in Bangkok contributed to this report.

Persons: Joe Biden, Xi Jinping, London Breed, Breed, —, ”, Gavin Newsom, Newsom, Janet Yellen, Karl Kramer, LaunchSquad, Gilbert Manirakiza, Chotto Matte, Kurt Zdesar, San Francisco isn’t, “, Azalina Eusope, ” Eusope, Jennifer Friedenbach, San Francisco, Emily Cohen, Malcolm Yeung, Haven Daley, Huizhong Wu Organizations: FRANCISCO, Economic Cooperation, Francisco's, United Nations, London, Associated Press . California Gov, San Francisco, Fox, Treasury, San, APEC, San Francisco Living Wage Coalition, San Francisco Giants, dreamers, Coalition, Homelessness, city's Department of Homelessness, Air China, Chinatown Community Development Center, Associated Press Locations: San Francisco, Asia, United, Francisco, San, U.S, Israel, Kenya, Chinatown, Malaysian, Tenderloin District, Beijing, Tourism, China, Bangkok

And tensions between the countries heightened earlier this year when a Chinese surveillance balloon was spotted traveling over sensitive U.S. airspace. The U.S. military shot down the balloon off the Carolina coast after it traversed sensitive military sites across North America. With all of the tensions, the two nations have worked to smooth economic ties. Xi similarly met with Blinken in June when the secretary of state traveled to Beijing for talks with Wang. In January, she had her first face-to-face meeting with former Vice Premier Liu He in Zurich.

Persons: Janet Yellen, Joe Biden, Xi Jinping, Nicholas Szechenyi, ”, Biden, Shou Zi Chew, Wang Yi, Antony Blinken, Jake Sullivan, Xi, Wang, Yellen, Liu, “, Colleen Long, Aamer Madhani Organizations: WASHINGTON, —, Economic Cooperation, Center for Strategic, International Studies, APEC, Chinese Foreign, White, U.S, White House, Blinken, U.S . Treasury Department, China’s Ministry of Finance, Associated Press Locations: San Francisco, Asia, United States, China, U.S, Carolina, North America, Washington, Beijing, Zurich

Gloom over worse-than-expected export data offset any positive momentum from an upgrade to China's growth forecast by the International Monetary Fund. It raised its GDP growth forecast for 2023 to 5.4% from 5% but forecast that growth will slow next year. Earlier in the summer, a swift rise in Treasury yields sent the stock market reeling. High rates and yields hurt stock prices, slow the economy and raise the pressure on the entire financial system. In currency trading, the U.S. dollar edged up to 150.69 Japanese yen from 150.37 yen.

Persons: Joe Biden, Xi Jinping, Janet Yellen, Korea’s Kospi, Australia's, TripAdvisor Organizations: TOKYO, Economic Cooperation, White, Treasury, APEC, International Monetary Fund, Nikkei, Moody’s, Service, Big Tech, Dow Jones, Nasdaq, Emerson, Federal, Federal Reserve, New York Mercantile Exchange, Brent, U.S Locations: China, U.S, Asia, San Francisco, Shanghai, Japan, Israel

☆ Morning Bid: Waiting for word from the Fed chief
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-08 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Federal Reserve Board Chair Jerome Powell answers a question at a press conference following a closed two-day meeting of the Federal Open Market Committee on interest rate policy at the Federal Reserve in Washington, U.S., November 1, 2023. Last week's surprisingly soft jobs data heightened expectations that interest rates had peaked, but Fed commentary since then has warned against complacency in the fight against inflation. For now, investors have dialled up wagers on near-term rate cuts, with the Fed funds rate showing better than 50/50 odds for one as early as May. In Asia time, long-term Treasury yields are stuck around 4.58% and the dollar is biding its time around $1.07 per euro. While the Fed outlook dominates investors' attention, there is plenty of central bank speak in store from Europe as well.

Persons: Jerome Powell, Kevin Lamarque, Kevin Buckland, Jay Powell, Christine Lagarde, Philip Lane, Joachim Nagel, Pablo Hernandez de Cos, Andrew Bailey, Fed's Powell, Lagarde, BoE's Bailey, Edmund Klamann Organizations: Federal, Committee, Federal Reserve, REUTERS, Kevin, Kevin Buckland Markets, Reuters Graphics, Bank of Spain, Bank of England, Adidas, Airbus, Bayer, Continental, Credit Agricole, Federal Reserve Division of Research, Statistics, Thomson Locations: Washington , U.S, Asia, Europe, Germany, Brussels, Irish

☆ Morning Bid: Oil-fueled rally turns to Powell
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-08 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

[1/2] Federal Reserve Board Chairman Jerome Powell answers a question during a press conference following a closed two-day meeting of the Federal Open Market Committee on interest rate policy at the Federal Reserve in Washington, U.S., November 1, 2023. And that's hit home by dragging U.S. pump prices down to levels not seen since March. Overall, U.S. 10-year yields remained on the back foot at 4.57% first thing and ahead of Wednesday's auction. Although Asian and European stocks fell back a bit, Wall St stock futures were unchanged before the bell. They do not reflect the views of Reuters News, which, under the Trust Principles, is committed to integrity, independence, and freedom from bias.

Persons: Jerome Powell, Kevin Lamarque, Mike Dolan, who's, Christine Lagarde, Andrew Bailey, Michelle Bowman, Austan Goolsbee, Christopher Waller, BoE, Ping, Donald Trump, White, Philip Jefferson, Michael Barr, Lisa Cook, John Williams, Joachim Nagel, Walt Disney, Ralph Lauren, Toby Chopra Organizations: Federal Reserve, Federal, Committee, REUTERS, Mike Dolan Wall, European Central Bank, Bank of England, Atlanta, Fed, Chicago Fed, St, Reuters, Ping An Insurance, HK, New York Fed, Warner Bros Discovery, MGM Resorts, Biogen, Energy, Treasury, Federal Reserve Bank of New, Thomson Locations: Washington , U.S, U.S, Gaza, Tokyo, Ohio, Kentucky, Brussels, Federal Reserve Bank of New York

☆ Singapore Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong to lead ruling party before general election
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-05 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Singapore's Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Lawrence Wong attends the Singapore-India Hackathon ahead of the G20 Finance Ministers, Central Bank Governors (FMCBG) and Finance & Central Bank Deputies (FCBD) meetings in Gandhinagar on July 16, 2023. (Photo by Sam PANTHAKY / AFP) (Photo by SAM PANTHAKY/AFP via Getty Images)Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said on Sunday that Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong will take over from him as leader of the ruling People's Action Party before the next general election due by November 2025. With the PAP widely expected to continue dominating elections, Wong is likely to become Singapore's next prime minister. Lee, who has served as prime minister since 2004, is the eldest son of Singapore's founding father, Lee Kuan Yew. He announced last year that Finance Minister Wong, 50, would be his successor and promoted him to be his deputy.

Persons: Lawrence Wong, Sam PANTHAKY, Lee Hsien Loong, Wong, Lee, Singapore's, Lee Kuan Yew, DPM Lawrence Organizations: Finance, G20, Ministers, Central Bank Governors, Finance & Central Bank Deputies, SAM PANTHAKY, Getty Images, Singapore, Party Locations: Singapore, India, Gandhinagar, AFP, Lawrence

☆ Ex-VP of China's ICBC being probed by anti-graft body
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-04 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

Senior Executive Vice President of the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China (ICBC) Zhang Hongli attends a meeting of Group of 20 leading economies' finance ministers and central bankers in Mexico City February 24, 2012. REUTERS/Tomas Bravo/ File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsSHANGHAI, Nov 4 (Reuters) - The former vice president of the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China (ICBC) (601398.SS), Zhang Hongli, is being probed by the anti-graft body, the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection said on Saturday. Reporting by Shanghai Newsroom; Editing by William MallardOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Zhang Hongli, Tomas Bravo, William Mallard Organizations: Industrial, Commercial Bank of China, REUTERS, Rights, Central Commission, Shanghai, Thomson Locations: Mexico City

☆ Canada says Alberta leaving CPP would add to economic uncertainty
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-03 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

REUTERS/Susana Vera/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsOTTAWA, Nov 3 (Reuters) - If the Canadian province of Alberta carries out a threat to withdraw from the Canada Pension Plan (CPP) it would add to economic uncertainty and hurt everyone in the country, federal Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland said on Friday. The so-called Alberta Pension Protection Act would require Albertans to vote in favor of a pension plan for the province during a public referendum before the provincial government would seek to withdraw assets, said the statement. But when asked whether she found it realistic that Alberta was entitled to 53% of CPP assets in 2027, according to a study commissioned by the Alberta government, Freeland said she did not. Freeland also cautioned that the Alberta government would need to negotiate how Canadians could live and work anywhere in Canada without jeopardizing their retirement. "Alberta would need to negotiate complex time-consuming portability agreements with the CPP and with the Quebec pension plan," she said.

Persons: Finance Chrystia Freeland, Susana Vera, Chrystia Freeland, Freeland, Danielle Smith's, Smith, Justin Trudeau, Pierre Poilievre, Maiya Keidan, David Ljunggren, Kirsten Donovan Organizations: Finance, IMF, World Bank, REUTERS, Rights OTTAWA, Canada, federal, Conservative Party, Thomson Locations: Marrakech, Morocco, Canadian, Alberta, Canada, Quebec, Toronto, Ottawa

☆ Canada warns of economic uncertainty if Alberta quits national pension plan
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-03 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

REUTERS/Susana Vera/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsOTTAWA, Nov 3 (Reuters) - Canada will face rising economic uncertainty if the province of Alberta carries out a threat to withdraw from the Canada Pension Plan (CPP), federal Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland said on Friday. Alberta Finance Minister Nate Horner later on Friday said the province would not leave fellow Canadians without a stable pension and its associated benefits. "For the past several weeks, Alberta has been having an open discussion about the possibility of establishing an Alberta Pension Plan that will benefit our seniors and workers," he said. The so-called Alberta Pension Protection Act would require Albertans to vote in favor of a pension plan for the province during a public referendum before the provincial government would seek to withdraw assets, the statement said. "Alberta would need to negotiate complex time-consuming portability agreements with the CPP and with the Quebec Pension Plan," she said.

Persons: Finance Chrystia Freeland, Susana Vera, Chrystia Freeland, Freeland, Nate Horner, Justin Trudeau's, Danielle Smith's, Smith, Trudeau, Pierre Poilievre, Maiya Keidan, David Ljunggren, Kirsten Donovan, Paul Simao Organizations: Finance, IMF, World Bank, REUTERS, Rights OTTAWA, Canada, federal, Alberta, Liberal, Danielle Smith's United Conservative Party, Conservative Party, Thomson Locations: Marrakech, Morocco, Canada, Alberta, Quebec, Toronto, Ottawa

☆ Europe is at an impasse over fiscal reform — and Italy's bond market may have the most to lose
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-01 | by ( Silvia Amaro | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

The 27 member states of the EU have been at odds over new debt rules for several months. "Higher perceived risk of a return to old, stringent fiscal rules forcing a faster deficit reduction would worsen medium-term growth expectations for the EU, weighing on the euro. The old rulesEuropean member states have had to comply with fiscal rules that require they respect a 60% debt-to-GDP threshold and a public deficit of 3%. In 2020, the fiscal rulebook was frozen so member states could deviate from their fiscal targets and spend on pandemic-related matters, such as protecting jobs. And with Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022, the fiscal rules were kept on hold because governments were faced with new energy costs and inflationary pressures.

Persons: Giorgia Meloni, Antonio Masiello, Davide Oneglia, Oneglia, Goldman Sachs Organizations: Italian, Getty, European Union, Lombard, Goldman, European Commission Locations: Italy, Ukraine

☆ Israel's defence and finance ministers clash over Palestinian tax payout
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-01 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

JERUSALEM, Nov 1 (Reuters) - Israel's defence and finance ministers clashed on Wednesday over whether some West Bank tax revenues should be transferred to the Palestinian Authority, underlining the tensions straining the government as Israeli forces push on with the war in Gaza. Defence Minister Yoav Gallant called for tax revenues collected by Israel on behalf of the Palestinians in parts of the West Bank under direct Israeli control, to be disbursed without delay. "I think it is only appropriate to uphold the decision of the cabinet as decided several days ago," he said. Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, whose hardline religious nationalist party has strong support among Jewish settlers in the West Bank responded that Gallant was making a "serious mistake" in demanding the release of the funds. "I do not intend to let the State of Israel finance our enemies in Judea and Samaria who support the terrorism of Hamas and finance the 7/10 terrorists who murdered and massacred us," he said in a statement.

Persons: Yoav Gallant, Gallant, Bezalel Smotrich, Smotrich, Benjamin Netanyahu, James Mackenzie, Steve Scheer, Sandra Maler Organizations: West Bank, Palestinian, Gaza ., Hamas, Palestinian Authority, Thomson Locations: Gaza, Israel, Judea, Samaria

Search resuls for: "Finance Ministers"

25 mentions found