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Heavy fighting broke out around the Indonesian Hospital, which has housed thousands of patients and displaced people for weeks. More than 250 patients with severely infected wounds or other urgent conditions remain stranded at Shifa Hospital days after Israeli forces entered the compound. Four other babies died in the two days before the evacuation on Sunday, according to Mohamed Zaqout, the director of Gaza hospitals. NETANYAHU EXTENDS CENTRAL BANK GOVERNOR’S TERMTEL AVIV, Israel — Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says he has decided to grant the country’s central bank chief a second term. Jordan will build the hospital in southern Gaza to help with the territory's health crisis.

Persons: Yemen’s, Egypt’s, ”, Mohamed Zaqout, “, Hirokazu Matsuno, Yemen’s Houthi, Abraham Ungar, Ungar, Matsuno, NYK, BILL, Itamar Ben, ” Gil Dikman, Gvir, Ophir Katz, Benjamin Netanyahu’s, Netanyahu, NETANYAHU, Benjamin Netanyahu, Amir Yaron, Yaron, Bezalel Smotrich, Israel —, Gila Gamliel, Gamliel, Israel’s, Gamliel’s, GAZA KHAN YOUNIS, JERUSALEM —, Elad Aderi, Aderi Organizations: Health Ministry, Indonesian Hospital, World Health Organization, Shifa, West Bank, Israel’s, Palestinian, Crescent, Galaxy Leader, Ray Car Carriers, Associated Press, Houthi, Galaxy Maritime Ltd, British military’s United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations, Israel Defense Forces, Firefighters, National, National Security, CENTRAL BANK, Gov, Finance, BE, Intelligence, Jerusalem Post, Palestinian Authority, Street Journal, Monday, Israel Democracy Institute Locations: Gaza, Gaza City, Israel, Gaza's, China, Pakistan, israel, EGYPT, Gaza’s, Egypt, Palestinian, JAPAN, Japan, Iran, Bahamas, Philippines, Bulgaria, Ukraine, Mexico, Romania, Gulf of Oman, Saudi Arabia, Oman, India, Hodeida, British, ISRAEL, Lebanon, Biranit, JERUSALEM, Israel’s, TEL AVIV, Israeli, GAZA, Jerusalem, United States, U.S, JORDANIAN, Jordanian, Rafah, Jordan

☆ Exclusive: Three Fed governors tell US senator there is room to reduce balance sheet
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-16 | by ( Michael S. Derby | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

"Under plausible assumptions the size of the balance sheet could decline considerably further before reserves reach the level consistent with the ample reserves operating framework," Jefferson wrote in response to a series of questions from Scott about the roughly $8 trillion balance sheet. The senator also wrote letters to Fed Governors Lisa Cook and Adriana Kugler at the same time. Fed officials who have spoken on the matter have said the balance sheet can be reduced for an extended period. Speaking after the central bank's Oct. 31-Nov. 1 policy meeting, Fed Chair Jerome Powell said it was "not considering changing the pace of balance sheet runoff. Many market participants are eyeing next year or maybe 2025 as a potential time to end the drawdown of the balance sheet.

Persons: Philip Jefferson, Jefferson, Rick Scott, Scott, Lisa Cook, Adriana Kugler, Cook, Kugler, Jerome Powell, Loretta Mester, General, Michael S, Dan Burns, Paul Simao Organizations: Federal, Republican U.S, Fed, Reuters, Federal Reserve, Cleveland Fed, Thomson Locations: Jefferson

☆ Ethio Lease set to wind down operations in Ethiopia
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-15 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

NAIROBI, Nov 15 (Reuters) - Equipment leasing company Ethio Lease, Ethiopia's only foreign-owned firm to obtain a financial services licence from the central bank, said on Wednesday it was winding down operations in the east African country. The National Bank of Ethiopia granted a financial services license to Ethio Lease in 2019 - the first such for a foreign firm - as part of the government's economic reforms aimed at opening up the economy. New York-based African Asset Finance Company, the owner of Ethio Lease, has instructed the company to begin the process of voluntary liquidation, Ethio Lease said in a statement. "Despite their sustained efforts, Ethio Lease and its investors have been unable to achieve resolution with the Ethiopian government." Ethio Lease's license enabled it to lease equipment such as MRI scanners, tractors and drilling rigs to companies that could not import such equipment themselves due to foreign exchange shortages.

Persons: Abiy Ahmed, Bhargav Acharya, Duncan Miriri, Jason Neely, Alexander Winning, Nellie Peyton, Sharon Singleton Organizations: Equipment, Ethio, National Bank of, Lease, African Asset Finance Company, Ethio Lease, birr, Ethiopian, Thomson Locations: NAIROBI, National Bank of Ethiopia, New York, birr, Johannesburg, Nairobi

☆ 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

☆ Portuguese Central Bank to Assess Governor's Conduct - Local Media
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-11 | by ( Nov. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +2 min

LISBON (Reuters) - The Bank of Portugal's ethics committee will meet on Monday to evaluate the conduct of governor Mario Centeno, whose independence came into question after the departing prime minister proposed him as a potential replacement, local media said. Local media reported that Centeno had agreed to let his name go forward, raising concerns that his links to the PS remained strong and calling into question his independence if he remained central bank governor. Rebelo de Sousa rejected Costa's proposal and called the election instead. Centeno's quick move from the finance ministry to the central bank in July 2020, during Costa's second term, had previously raised eyebrows. A central bank spokesperson said it was up to the committee to comment on the matter.

Persons: Mario Centeno, Antonio Costa, illegalities, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, Costa, Rebelo de Sousa, Centeno, Costa's, Joaquim Miranda Sarmento, Negocios, Catarina Demony, Sergio Goncalves, Kevin Liffey Organizations: Bank, Socialist, European Central Bank policymaker, Local, Social Democrats, Eco, Jornal Locations: LISBON

The top appeals court, or Yargitay, took the unprecedented step of making a criminal complaint against Constitutional Court judges on Wednesday, arguing that their ruling last month in favour of releasing Atalay was unconstitutional. "The Court of Cassation (Yargitay) has committed a crime by not recognising the Constitutional Court decision. He called for compliance with the Constitutional Court ruling and said the Yargitay appeals court judges should be put under investigation. The Istanbul Bar Association said on Thursday it had filed a criminal complaint against the Yargitay judges involved in the case on the grounds of misconduct and "depriving a person of liberty". Rule of law, predictability and trust are fundamental for investors and Turkey’s record in this front was and still is miserable."

Persons: Erkan, Sera Kadigil, Ahmet Sik, Umit, Osman, Tayyip Erdogan, Ozgur Urfa, Erdogan, Mehmet Ucum, Mehmet Simsek, Central Bank Governor Hafize Gaye Erkan, Wolfango Piccoli, Daren Butler, Alex Richardson Organizations: Workers ' Party of Turkey, Turkish, REUTERS, Rights, Constitutional, Cassation, Twitter, Istanbul Bar Association, Central Bank Governor, Ece, Thomson Locations: Ankara, Turkey, Rights ANKARA, Istanbul

Brazil's central bank Governor Roberto Campos Neto, speaks at the ReutersNEXT Newsmaker event in New York City, New York, U.S., November 9, 2023. REUTERS/Brendan McDermid Acquire Licensing RightsNEW YORK, Nov 9 (Reuters) - Brazil's central bank chief Roberto Campos Neto on Thursday said any change to the country's fiscal target would raise concerns, following comments by President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva casting doubt on the government's vow to erase a budget deficit. Since then, Finance Minister Fernando Haddad has broadly reaffirmed Brazil's commitment to "fiscal balance," but lawmakers involved in next year's budget bill are hinting heavily that they aim to loosen the zero-deficit target. In Thursday's interview, Campos Neto highlighted that Brazil has approved important reforms since the COVID pandemic, including an overhaul on consumption taxes, which passed the Senate on Wednesday, but acknowledged the uncertainty on fiscal policy. "And that influences a lot of the variables that are important for us when you make decisions in monetary policy," he reinforced.

Persons: Roberto Campos Neto, Brendan McDermid, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, Campos Neto, Lula, Fernando Haddad, Rodrigo Campos, Dan Burns, Marcela Ayres, Mark Porter, Brad Haynes, Nick Macfie Organizations: REUTERS, Reuters NEXT, Finance, Thomson Locations: New York City , New York, U.S, New York, Brazil

This means there are practically no workers left in the economy, the situation with personnel is really very acute," Nabiullina said. "For further growth of the Russian economy, increased labour productivity is needed." Inflation pressure peaked in the third quarter of this year, Nabiullina said, but annual inflation will only start decreasing next spring. The central bank's forecasts suggest that reaching the 4% target by end-2024 will be a tough ask. Nabiullina said another rate hike may be required before the bank can start reducing borrowing costs again.

Persons: Central Bank Governor Elvira Nabiullina, Nabiullina, Yevgeny Prigozhin, Prigozhin, Elena Fabrichnaya, Alexander Marrow, Alison Williams, Gareth Jones Organizations: Central Bank Governor, State Duma, Thomson Locations: Russia, Ukraine MOSCOW, Moscow, Ukraine, State, Russian, London

☆ Fed's Powell resumes speech at IMF after climate activists' protest
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-09 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

[1/2] Climate protesters interrupt an event with Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell at the International Monetary Fund, in Washington, DC, U.S., November 9, 2023. REUTERS/Howard Schneider Acquire Licensing RightsCompanies International Monetary Fund FollowNov 9 (Reuters) - Climate activists on Thursday took over a stage inside the secured headquarters of the International Monetary Fund where Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell and Israeli central bank Governor Amir Yaron were speaking at a research conference. "End fossil finance," the protesters shouted as Powell was ushered off the stage by security. It was the second time in weeks that an event attended by the Fed chief was disrupted by climate activists. A group took over the stage at an event featuring Powell in New York on Oct. 24.

Persons: Jerome Powell, Howard Schneider, Amir Yaron, Powell, Yaron, Powell's, Spokespeople, Ann Saphir, Mark Porter, Andrea Ricci, Paul Simao Organizations: Federal, International Monetary Fund, REUTERS, International Monetary, Fed, IMF, Thomson Locations: Washington , DC, Israeli, New York

China inflation data released on Thursday showed that October CPI fell 0.2% year on year, while PPI data fell 2.6% year on year. Earlier this week, customs data showed that China's total exports of goods and services contracted faster than expected, although the country's crude imports in October were robust. On the plus side for oil demand, China's central bank governor, Pan Gongsheng, said the country is expected to achieve its annual growth target of 5% for this year. U.S. crude oil inventories increased by 11.9 million barrels over the week to Nov. 3, sources said, citing American Petroleum Institute figures. The U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA), however, has delayed release of weekly oil inventory data until Nov. 15 for a system upgrade.

Persons: Dun Jiao, Tatiana Meel, Brent, Pan Gongsheng, Andrew Hayley, Tom Hogue Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, PPI, Reuters, American Petroleum Institute, U.S . Energy Information Administration, Barclays, Thomson Locations: Nakhodka, Russia, Rights BEIJING, China, United States, Venezuela, American

☆ Russian state won't take part in organising frozen asset 'exchange'
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-09 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Nov 9 (Reuters) - Russia's finance ministry on Thursday said the state would not take part in organising frozen asset 'exchanges', instead leaving that up to financial market players. International sanctions against Moscow over its invasion of Ukraine have blocked many Russian investors' access to securities held in jurisdictions outside the country, while Russian countermeasures have frozen Western funds within. "The decree ... creates legislative opportunities for conducting the "exchange" of frozen assets, the state will not take part in organising the exchange itself," the finance ministry said. Organising exchanges was down to brokers and other securities market participants, it said. "The decree refers to the use of foreign investors' funds in type-C accounts."

Persons: Vladimir Putin, Central Bank Governor Elvira Nabiullina, Nabiullina, Anton Siluanov, Siluanov, Darya Korsunskaya, Alexander Marrow, Toby Chopra, Bernadette Baum Organizations: Wednesday, Moscow, Central Bank Governor, Finance, Thomson Locations: Moscow, Russia, Ukraine

The sun is seen behind a crude oil pump jack in the Permian Basin in Loving County, Texas, U.S., November 22, 2019. Also weighing on prices, U.S. crude oil stocks rose by almost 12 million barrels last week, market sources said late on Tuesday, citing American Petroleum Institute figures. Data from China, the world's biggest crude oil importer, showed its total exports of goods and services contracted faster than expected, feeding worries about the energy demand outlook. Analysts from Goldman Sachs estimated seaborne net oil exports by six countries from oil producer group OPEC will remain only 600,000 bpd below April levels. The government eased restrictions on Oct. 6, allowing diesel exports by pipeline, but kept measures on gasoline exports.

Persons: Angus Mordant, Goldman Sachs, Warren Patterson, Ewa Manthey, Phil Flynn, Nikolai Shulginov, Brent, Stephanie Kelly, Paul Carsten, Muyu Xu, Marguerita Choy, David Gregorio Our Organizations: REUTERS, bbl, YORK, Brent, ING, American Petroleum Institute, U.S . Energy Information Administration, Price Futures, Goldman, OPEC, Barclays, Thomson Locations: Loving County , Texas, U.S, Russia, China, Israel, Gaza, Beijing, OPEC, Moscow

The sun is seen behind a crude oil pump jack in the Permian Basin in Loving County, Texas, U.S., November 22, 2019. U.S. crude oil stocks rose by almost 12 million barrels last week, market sources said late on Tuesday, citing American Petroleum Institute figures. Data from China, the world's biggest crude oil importer, showed its total exports of goods and services contracted faster than expected, feeding worries about the energy demand outlook. Tempering supply concerns, analysts from Goldman Sachs estimated seaborne net oil exports by six countries from oil producer group OPEC will remain only 0.6 million bpd below April levels. In more bullish news for crude prices, OPEC expects the global economy to grow and drive fuel demand despite economic challenges including high inflation and interest rates.

Persons: Angus Mordant, Goldman Sachs, Warren Patterson, Ewa Manthey, Phil Flynn, Stephanie Kelly, Paul Carsten, Muyu Xu, David Goodman, David Gregorio Our Organizations: REUTERS, Brent, ING, U.S . Energy Information Administration, EIA, American Petroleum Institute, Price Futures, Goldman, OPEC, Thomson Locations: Loving County , Texas, U.S, United States, China, Israel, Gaza, Beijing

☆ China expected to achieve 2023 GDP growth target -c.bank governor
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-08 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

People's Bank of China (PBOC) Vice Governor Pan Gongsheng speaks at a news conference in Beijing, China March 3, 2023. FollowBEIJING, Nov 8 (Reuters) - China is expected to achieve its annual gross domestic product growth target of 5% this year and will maintain prudent monetary policy to revive real economic growth, the central bank governor was quoted saying by state media on Wednesday. Beijing has set an economic growth target of around 5% for this year. China is scrambling to revive growth after a brief post-COVID-19 bounce faltered amid a protracted property market slump and local government debt risks. Economic indicators released on Tuesday showed imports unexpectedly swung to growth in October while exports contracted at a quicker pace.

Persons: Pan Gongsheng, Florence, Pan, Liangping Gao, Ellen Zhang, Ryan Woo, Tom Hogue, Sam Holmes Organizations: People's Bank of China, REUTERS, Rights Companies Shenzhen Securities Times Co, Securities Times, Thomson Locations: People's, Beijing, China, BEIJING, Pan

☆ Nigeria's naira firms on black market, central bank settles FX forwards
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-06 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

The naira has hit successive record lows on the black market, where it trades freely, as excess demand on the official market gets funnelled to the unofficial market. The naira crossed the 1,000 naira mark on the black market on Sept. 26, the day newly-appointed central bank governor Olayemi Cardoso appeared before the Nigerian senate for his confirmation hearing. The central bank has not intervened on the official market since October, helping accelerate the naira's slide on the black market. The currency hit a record low of 1,300 naira per dollar on the black market, a month after it crossed the 1,000 naira mark, amid thin trading volumes on the parallel market and dollar shortages on the official market. On the official market, the naira was trading at 884.53 to the dollar at 1200 GMT.

Persons: Afolabi, firmed, Olayemi Cardoso, Cardoso, Wale Edun, Chijioke, Mark Potter Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, Finance, Thomson Locations: Rights ABUJA, Nigeria

☆ 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

☆ Mexico throws troops, aid into Acapulco as hurricane death toll rises
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-29 | by ( Josue Decavele | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

ACAPULCO, Mexico, Oct 29 (Reuters) - Mexico's government on Sunday intensified efforts to get the stricken coastal city of Acapulco back on its feet as the toll of dead and missing from a record-breaking hurricane that ravaged the iconic beach resort continued to rise. POLITICAL FALLOUT[1/7]Damaged boats are seen at the Caleta beach in the aftermath of Hurricane Otis, in Acapulco, Mexico, October 29, 2023. Former President Felipe Calderon, a longstanding adversary of Lopez Obrador, accused his administration of trying to exploit the situation by "rebranding" boxes of private aid contributions to Acapulco as "government" donations. Lopez Obrador said he expected electricity to be fully restored in the city by Tuesday. Reporting by Josue Decavele, Jose Cortes and Alexandre Meneghini in Acapulco; Daina Beth Solomon in Mexico City; Editing by Dave Graham, Marguerita Choy and Lisa ShumakerOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Hurricane Otis, Otis, Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, Lopez Obrador, Blanca Estela Morales, Quetzalli, Lopez, Felipe Calderon, Jesus Ramirez, Calderon, Guerrero, Evelyn Salgado, Luis Cresencio Sandoval, Sandoval, Josue Decavele, Jose Cortes, Alexandre Meneghini, Beth Solomon, Dave Graham, Marguerita Choy, Lisa Shumaker Organizations: REUTERS, . Defense, National Guard, Thomson Locations: ACAPULCO, Mexico, Acapulco, Hurricane, Mexican, Mexico's, Guerrero, Mexico City

☆ China's Sept industrial profits extend gains helped by policy support
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-27 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

REUTERS/Gabriel Crossley/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsBEIJING, Oct 27 (Reuters) - Profits at China's industrial firms extended gains for a second month in September, adding to signs of a stabilising economy as the authorities launched a burst of supportive policy measures. For the first nine months, profits slid 9% from a year earlier, narrowing from a 11.7% decline in the first eight months, data from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) showed on Friday. A fall in producer prices last month indicated that some industrial firms were still cutting prices to promote sales, putting a drag on overall industrial revenues and profits, Zhou said. The improvement in industrial profits is expected to sustain in the coming months, partly due to the lag effect in domestic macro pump-priming, he added. Industrial profit numbers cover firms with annual revenues of at least 20 million yuan ($2.73 million) from their main operations.

Persons: Gabriel Crossley, Yu Weining, Zhou Maohua, Zhou, Pan Gongsheng, Qiaoyi Li, Ryan Woo, Jacqueline Wong Organizations: II, REUTERS, Rights, National Bureau of Statistics, Graphics, NBS, China Everbright Bank, Thomson Locations: Jiujiang, Jiangxi province, China, Rights BEIJING

☆ Explainer: What is pushing the Nigerian naira to record lows?
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-27 | by ( Chijioke Ohuocha | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

Investors cheered when Tinubu lifted the currency controls, hoping a unified exchange rate would make it easier to access foreign currency, but that is yet to happen. Banks then repaid foreign credit lines with their own funds when the central bank did not pay out. New central bank governor Yemi Cardoso said clearing the backlog was a priority but he gave no timeline for how long it would take. The country's forex reserves fell to $33.5 billion in September from $37 billion in January, central bank data shows. Banks use their open net positions on foreign currency to finance short-term trade lines without resorting to the central bank for bidding.

Persons: Bola Tinubu, Tinubu, corporates, Banks, Yemi Cardoso, Chijioke Ohuocha, MacDonald Dzirutwe, Hugh Lawson Organizations: JPMorgan, FX, National Economic Council, BANK, Thomson Locations: ABUJA, Nigeria

☆ Turkey's central bank hikes key interest rate to 35%
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-26 | by ( Jenni Reid | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Turkish Central Bank Governor Hafize Gaye Erkan answers questions during a news conference for the Inflation Report 2023-III in Ankara, Turkey on July 27, 2023. Turkey's central bank on Thursday hiked its key interest rate from 30% to 35%, in an ongoing bid to rein in inflation. The turnaround began in June, when Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan — who spearheaded the controversial policy stance — appointed former Wall Street banker Hafize Gaye Erkan as new central bank governor. The key interest rate has been hauled up from 8.5% since then, and economists argue it needs to go further. Inflation is forecast by the central bank to reach just over 60% by the end of 2023, while the Turkish lira has plummeted, making imports more expensive.

Persons: Turkish Central Bank Governor Hafize Gaye Erkan, Recep Tayyip Erdogan —, —, Hafize Gaye Erkan Organizations: Turkish Central Bank Governor, Reuters, Wall Street Locations: Ankara, Turkey, Turkey's

☆ Nigerian naira hits record black market low -abokiFx
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-26 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

ABUJA, Oct 26 (Reuters) - Nigeria's naira hit a record low of 1,300 per dollar on the black market on Thursday, online platform abokiFX showed, driven by thin trading volumes on the parallel market and dollar shortages on the official market. The naira has been in free fall on the unofficial market, where it trades freely, after currency restrictions were lifted on the official market. Last month, the currency slid past 1,000 naira per dollar on the black market and has continued to weaken. On the official market, the naira recovered to 775 to the dollar from a record low of 999 it touched last week. It kept losing ground, however, on the black market due to thin trading.

Persons: naira, Yemi Cardoso, Wale Edun, Chijioke, Tomasz Janowski Organizations: Finance, Thomson Locations: ABUJA, Nigeria

☆ 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

☆ Nigeria expects $10 bln in forex inflows in weeks - finance minister
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-23 | by ( Chijioke Ohuocha | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

ABUJA, Oct 23 (Reuters) - Nigeria expects $10 billion in foreign currency inflows in the next few weeks to ease liquidity in a foreign exchange market that has cramped growth in Africa's biggest economy, finance minister Wale Edun said on Monday. The West African country has faced chronic dollar shortages after foreign investors exited local assets during a period of low oil prices. Since then, investors are yet to return and the central bank has not yet settled outstanding demand for dollars from foreign investors seeking to repatriate funds or airlines seeking to send money from ticket sales abroad. Edun said President Bola Tinubu on Thursday signed two executive orders to allow domestic issuance of instruments in foreign currency and also allow all cash outside the banking system to be brought into the banks. He added that liquidity would also come from state-oil firm crude sales and foreign investment firms willing to invest in Nigeria.

Persons: Wale Edun, Edun, Bola Tinubu, Tinubu, Chijioke, MacDonald Dzirutwe, Bernadette Baum, Mark Potter Organizations: Thomson Locations: ABUJA, Nigeria, Africa's

A man is reflected on an electric stock quotation board outside a brokerage in Tokyo, Japan April 18, 2023. REUTERS/Issei Kato Acquire Licensing RightsOct 23 (Reuters) - A look at the day ahead in Asian markets from Jamie McGeever, financial markets columnist. The ICE BofA Treasuries index fell 1.4% last week, its biggest fall since May, and is at an eight-year low. Perhaps ominously, however, Friday's bond market relief didn't ease the pressure elsewhere - Wall Street's three main indices still closed 0.9%-1.5% lower. According to Goldman Sachs, financial conditions in emerging markets and globally are the tightest in almost a year.

Persons: Issei Kato, Jamie McGeever, Treasuries, That's, Goldman Sachs, Pan Gongsheng, September's, Diane Craft Organizations: REUTERS, ICE, Traders, Bank of Japan, Australian PMI, PMI, Thomson, Reuters Locations: Tokyo, Japan, U.S, South Korea, Australia, Singapore, Asia, China, Australian

☆ Who is in Putin's delegation to China - and who stayed in Moscow?
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-18 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/2] Russian President Vladimir Putin arrives for the opening ceremony of the Belt and Road Forum in Beijing, China, October 18, 2023. Sputnik/Dmitry Azarov/Pool via REUTERS Acquire Licensing RightsMOSCOW, Oct 18 (Reuters) - Russian President Vladimir Putin is currently on a visit to China, his second only trip outside the former Soviet Union since the February 2022 invasion of Ukraine. Who is in the Russian delegation with Putin - and who stayed in Russia? Before Putin left for China, he was shown at a meeting with defence and spy chiefs at his Novo-Ogaryovo residence outside Moscow. The following top officials are thought to be in Russia.

Persons: Vladimir Putin, Dmitry Azarov, Alexander Novak, Sergei Lavrov, Yuri Ushakov, Maxim Oreshkin, Dmitry Peskov, Central Bank Governor Elvira Nabiullina, Anton Siluanov, Maxim Reshetnikov, Dmitry Shugaev, Yuri Chikhanchin, Dmitry Chernyshenko, Igor Morgulov, Igor Sechin, Alexei Miller, Alexei Likhachev, Andrei Kostin, Igor Shuvalov, Leonid Mikhelson, Oleg Belozyorov, Kirill Dmitriev, Putin, Sergei Shoigu, Nikolai Patrushev, Alexander Bortnikov, Dmitry Medvedev, Anton Vaino, Sergei Kiriyenko, Mikhail Mishustin, Viktor Zolotov, Sergei Naryshkin, Guy Faulconbridge, Muralikumar Organizations: Forum, Sputnik, REUTERS Acquire, Rights, Soviet Union, Putin, Kremlin, Central Bank Governor, Federal Service for Military, Gazprom, VEB, Russian, Russian Direct Investment, Russia Security, Federal Security Service, Russia's Foreign Intelligence, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Beijing, China, Ukraine, Russia, CHINA, North Korea, China BUSINESSPERSONS, Moscow, Russian

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