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☆ Ecuadorean Prosecutor Killed by Gang, Two Arrested -Police
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-18 | by ( Jan. | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +3 min

By Yury Garcia and Alexandra ValenciaGUAYAQUIL/QUITO (Reuters) -Two suspects have been arrested in connection with the murder of Ecuadorean prosecutor Cesar Suarez who was allegedly targeted by a gang, police said on Thursday, as security forces continued interventions in prisons. Incidents this month have included an attack by armed gunmen on the TC television station, the hostage-taking of more than 200 prison staff and the kidnapping of police officers. Suarez was in charge of investigating the television station attack, when journalists and others were briefly held hostage, as well as cases connected to corruption and drug trafficking, Herrera said. Police detained 13 people, including two minors, in connection with the television station attack. Ecuadorean bonds continued to rise on Thursday on views the crisis could become a catalyst for policy action.

Persons: Yury Garcia, Alexandra Valencia, Cesar Suarez, Daniel Noboa, Suarez, Victor Herrera, Herrera, Adolfo Macias, Ecuadorean, Rodrigo Campos, Julia Symmes Cobb Organizations: Alexandra, Alexandra Valencia GUAYAQUIL, TC, Police, Security Locations: QUITO, Ecuador, Guayas province, Guayaquil, America, Quito, New YorkWriting

It will see suspended payments repaid from 2027 to 2029 after a grace period from 2025 to 2026, the Paris Club said in a statement, noting that the deal was reached on Nov. 23. If Ethiopia does not get an IMF staff-level agreement by March 31, the official creditor committee "reserves the right to declare the suspension null and void", the Paris Club said. The Paris Club said 10 of its members were on Ethiopia's official creditor committee, which is co-chaired by France and non-Paris Club member China. Other non-Paris Club committee members are India, Kuwait, Poland, Saudi Arabia and Turkey. "We welcome the recent announcement of an interim standstill agreement with official creditors," the IMF spokesperson added.

Persons: Tellimer, Patrick Curran, Rachel Savage, Rodrigo Campos, Alex Richardson, Toby Chopra, Kirsten Donovan Organizations: International Monetary Fund, Paris Club, French Treasury, Ethiopian, IMF, Club, OCC, China, Thomson Locations: JOHANNESBURG, China, Addis Ababa, Tigray, Ethiopia, France, India, Kuwait, Poland, Saudi Arabia, Turkey

Argentine President-elect Javier Milei departs the Eisenhower Executive Office Building after meeting with Biden administration staff at the White House complex in Washington, U.S., November 28, 2023. His foreign policy, meanwhile, is unabashedly pro-United States and pro-Israel, with a cooler stance on top trade partners Brazil and China. 2 Gita Gopinath and other fund officials, the fund said separately. The IMF has said in the past that dollarization is not a substitute for sound macroeconomic policy. Milei and IMF officials had a first virtual meeting on Friday, which Georgieva called a "very constructive engagement".

Persons: Javier Milei, Kevin Lamarque, Milei, Jake Sullivan, Juan Gonzalez, Benjamin Gedan, Alberto Fernandez, Vladimir Putin, Kristalina Georgieva, Posse, Luis Caputo, Gita Gopinath, Georgieva, Jason Lange, Rodrigo Campos, Rosalba O'Brien, Christopher Cushing Organizations: Argentine, Biden, REUTERS, Rights, U.S, White, National Security, Western, United, Israel, America, Wilson, International Monetary Fund, IMF, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Washington , U.S, Washington, Argentina, United States, Brazil, China, U.S, Moscow, Ukraine, Beijing, Argentine, New York

[1/4] An illegal money changer checks old U.S. dollars at a marketplace in Harare, Zimbabwe, November 26, 2020. The government reintroduced the local currency in 2019, but it rapidly lost value. Zimbabwe's dollarization story is as full of warnings as it is with promise. During the five years before dollarization in 2000, the monthly measure of annualized inflation averaged 33% in Ecuador. "With our local currency we couldn't buy anything, it was very expensive to acquire things, so dollarization ... allowed people to have greater security in their purchases."

Persons: Javier Milei, Milei, Zimbabwe's, Bongiwe Mudau, Dollarization, dollarization, Mudau, Moses Mhlanga, Nestor Cerneaz, Wilson Andrade, Juan Carlos Villota, Guido Puig, Tito Correa, Nyasha, Miguel Lo Bianco, Rodrigo Campos, Adam Jourdan, Karin Strohecker, Rosalba O'Brien Organizations: REUTERS, Philimon, Rights, U.S ., Reuters, International Monetary Fund, hawker, Reuters Graphics Reuters, dollarization, Thomson Locations: Harare, Zimbabwe, Philimon Bulawayo, Rights QUITO, HARARE, BUENOS AIRES, Zimbabwe's, Quito, Ecuador, Argentina, El Salvador, greenbacks, Buenos Aires, Argentine, New York

The economy is likely already in recession and is expected to contract again next year. Shortly after being sworn in as economy minister, Massa in August 2022 pledged to stop printing money to fight inflation. "Markets will likely prefer a Milei victory simply because he is more credible on delivering the fiscal adjustment." "Every investor understands that the macroeconomic adjustments that Argentina needs will inevitably translate into short-term pain." For investors, Argentine stocks traded in New York (.MIAR00000PUS) have been a beacon of hope, up near 15% year to date.

Persons: Sergio Massa, Javier Milei, Luis Robayo, Pilar Tavella, Alejo Czerwonko, Massa, Carlos de Sousa, UBS's, JPMorgan's Diego Celedon, Celedon, Rodrigo Campos, Adam Jourdan, Lisa Shumaker Organizations: por la Patria, La Libertad, University of Buenos, Law School, Global, Peronist, Barclays, Reuters Graphics Reuters, Argentina, Monetary Fund, Itau, IMF, Emerging, UBS Global Wealth Management, Vontobel Asset Management, Argentine, UBS, Thomson Locations: Argentina, University of Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires Argentina, New York, Argentine, outperforming

☆ MSCI announces results of quarterly index review
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-14 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

REUTERS/Thomas White/Illustration/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsNov 14 (Reuters) - Index provider MSCI (MSCI.N) said on Tuesday that 46 securities will be added to and 69 deleted from its widely-followed MSCI ACWI stock index, while 14 will be added and two deleted from its frontier markets stock index. Changes will be implemented as of the market close on Nov. 30, MSCI announced in its quarterly index review. The three largest additions to the MSCI ACWI from developed markets will be Vertiv Holdings (VRT.N) and Celsius Holdings (CELH.O) from the United States, and Italy’s Leonardo (LDOF.MI). It will also add 16 and delete 25 securities from the MSCI China All Shares Index. The largest additions will be these same companies.

Persons: Thomas White, MSCI, Italy’s Leonardo, Rodrigo Campos, Chris Reese Organizations: Vertiv Holdings, Holdings, Tata Motors, Indonesia’s Amman Mineral, Frontier, Stock Commercial Bank, Oman International Development & Investment Company, Banque Marocaine pour, CGN, Co, Shanghai United Imaging Healthcare, Empyrean Technology, Thomson Locations: United States, Indonesia’s Amman, China, Vietnam, Oman, Banque Marocaine pour le, Shanghai

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

[1/3] A state oil company PDVSA's logo is seen at a gas station in Caracas, Venezuela May 17, 2019. The restrictions were removed in response to a deal reached between the country's government and opposition parties for the 2024 election. JPMorgan's index team, which has made no statement as yet on the future treatment of the Venezuelan bonds, has reached out informally to investors to discuss the topic, the sources said. Venezuela and PDVSA have around $60 billion of international bonds outstanding, which are in default. The decision on index membership and weighting is taken by JPMorgan, though any changes usually follow consultations with investors.

Persons: Ivan Alvarado, Rodrigo Campos, Jorgelina, Rosario, Karin Strohecker, Christina Fincher, Nick Zieminski Organizations: REUTERS, JPMorgan, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Caracas, Venezuela, United States, PDVSA, Washington

Investors arrive to the election looking at an economy in recession as a crippling drought hit the key agricultural sector. The gap to the official rate is above 150%. On the line is the survival of the country's $43 billion program with the International Monetary Fund and the possibility that Argentina defaults on its debt for a 10th time. "Dollarization would not cure the main issue in Argentina, which is a really large fiscal problem." "Debt does not need to be an immediate priority," said Khan, who doesn't expect dollarization to top the near-term list either.

Persons: Patricia Bullrich, Martin Cossarini, Javier Milei, Sergio Massa, Alejandro di Bernardo, Bernardo, Milei, Massa, Gabriel Rubinstein, Elijah Oliveros, Rosen, Zulfi Ali, Shamaila Khan, Khan, Hans Humes, Humes, Rodrigo Campos, Karin Strohecker, Susan Fenton Organizations: el Cambio, REUTERS, NEW, International Monetary Fund, Jupiter Asset, Bullrich, WE, JPMorgan, China, Institute of International Finance, IMF, America, PGIM, Oxford Economics, Reuters, Emerging Markets, Asia Pacific, UBS Asset Management, Massa, Greylock Capital Management, Thomson Locations: Buenos Aires, Argentina, Washington

☆ Take Five: Another curve ball for markets
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-20 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

The European Central Bank looks set to sit tight after a string of interest rate hikes, while there's a slew of U.S. earnings and Argentina's presidential election. ECB chief economist Philip Lane says the central bank was still "quite some distance" from easing monetary policy. Canada's central bank, meeting on Wednesday, is tipped to leave rates steady as inflation eases. 2 economy, property turmoil threatens China's 5% growth target - even after a consensus-smashing 4.9% quarterly expansion. Milei, surprise victor in the August primary election, has pledged to dollarise the economy and get rid of the central bank.

Persons: Brendan McDermid, Amanda Cooper, Naomi Rovnick, Kevin Buckland, Lewis Krauskopf, Rodrigo Campos, Philip Lane, hasn't, Javier Milei, Sergio Massa, Patricia Bullrich, Vineet Sachdev, Sumanta Sen, Dhara Ranasinghe, Simon Cameron, Moore Organizations: New York Stock Exchange, REUTERS, European Central Bank, Hamas, ECB, Reuters Graphics Reuters, Microsoft, Apple, Nvidia, Tesla, General Motors, Merck, United Parcel Service, Investors, International Monetary, Massa, Thomson Locations: New York City, U.S, London, Tokyo, New York, Israel, Palestinian, Russia, Ukraine, China, Beijing, ARGENTINA, Argentina, Pasir Kongkunakornkul

REUTERS/Leonardo Fernandez Viloria/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsNEW YORK/CARACAS, Oct 19 (Reuters) - Venezuela's sovereign bonds rallied on Thursday, a day after the United States lifted its ban on secondary market trading of some of the country's eurobonds, with investors eyeing a debt restructuring on some $60 billion of defaulted debt. "Prices have almost doubled in the past 24 hours but are still well below the pre-sanctioned levels," said Edward Cowen, CEO of Winterbrook Capital, who has co-invested in a fund to buy Venezuelan debt. Cowen added that a return to Venezuela's regular weighting on global indexes like JPMorgan's would give the prices further support. "I think the market was caught by surprise as the ban on secondary trading of bonds was not expected to be removed this early in the negotiation," said Armando Armenta, senior economist for global economic research at AllianceBernstein. Small funds and investors outside the United States had looked to increase their exposure to Venezuelan bonds on the expectation of debt renegotiations.

Persons: Leonardo Fernandez Viloria, PDVSA, Edward Cowen, Cowen, Armando Armenta, Maria Corina Machado, Rodrigo Campos, Mayela, Marc Jones, Corina Rodriguez, Christina Fincher, Will Dunham Organizations: REUTERS, South, Winterbrook, U.S . Treasury Department, Petroleum, Venezuelan, U.S . State Department, Mayela Armas, Thomson Locations: Bolivar, Caracas, Venezuela, CARACAS, United States, South American, U.S, Venezuela's, Venezuelan, New York, London, Madrid

☆ Businessman Noboa to face economic, security hurdles as Ecuador president
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-16 | by ( Alexandra Valencia | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

"We do not anticipate the Noboa administration will be in the position to carry out deep structural reforms." Noboa is set to take office in December and complete the current administration's term through May 2025. Noboa will need to ensure some quick security wins during his first 90 days in office to appease social and political pressures, JPMorgan added. Noboa, Ecuador's youngest president in recent history, would be able to run again in the regularly scheduled 2025 contest. Noboa made a special point to woo young people, with some supporters touting his victory as a fresh start for the country's politics.

Persons: Daniel Noboa, Noboa, Luisa Gonzalez, Rafael Correa, Ecuadorean, Goldman Sachs, Fernando Villavicencio, Alvaro, Guillermo Lasso, Lasso, Alexandra Valencia, Rodrigo Campos, Julia Symmes Cobb, Gerry Doyle, Jonathan Oatis Organizations: Wall Street, JPMorgan, El, National Democratic Action, Thomson Locations: QUITO, American, Ecuador, Quito, Ecuador's

QUITO/GUAYAQUIL, Oct 15 (Reuters) - Business heir Daniel Noboa on Sunday won Ecuador's presidential election, vowing to rebuild the South American country, which is struggling with a weak economy and rising crime and violence. "From tomorrow Daniel Noboa starts work as your new president," he added. "Daniel Noboa, our profound congratulations, because this is democracy," Gonzalez told supporters in Quito, calling on Noboa to fulfill his promises to students and the elderly. [1/16]Ecuadorian presidential candidate Daniel Noboa and his wife Lavinia Valbonesi celebrate his win in the presidential election, in Santa Elena, Ecuador. Analysts have said a Noboa victory initially could be perceived as positive by investors, but longer-term outlook will depend on his cabinet appointments.

Persons: Daniel Noboa, Noboa, Fernando Villavicencio, Alvaro, Luisa Gonzalez, Gonzalez, Rafael Correa, Lavinia Valbonesi, Santiago Arcos, Eduardo Chavez, Diana Atamaint, Correa, Guillermo Lasso, Alexandra Valencia, Yury Garcia, Tito Correa, Rodrigo Campos, Julia Symmes Cobb, Diane Craft, Bill Berkrot, Deepa Babington, Gerry Doyle Organizations: Sunday, Ecuadorian, Santiago, National Democratic, Thomson Locations: QUITO, GUAYAQUIL, American, Ecuador, Olon, Quito, Santa Elena, Guayaquil, Sucumbios, Nicaragua, Russia, Belarus, Israel, Canuto, New York

☆ Ecuadoreans weigh economic, security pledges in presidential ballot
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-15 | by ( Alexandra Valencia | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

The violence, which the outgoing government blames on drug gangs, reached a crescendo during the campaign with the murder of anti-corruption candidate Fernando Villavicencio, who was shot dead while leaving a Quito campaign event in August. He is the son of multimillionaire banana magnate Alvaro Noboa, who himself ran unsuccessfully for president numerous times. "So while the first reaction is positive, because he's a pro-business candidate, pro-business and pro-markets can mean two different things." Both have pledged to beef up security at ports and airports, hot spots for drug smuggling. About a quarter of the 13 million Ecuadoreans obliged to vote are between the ages of 18 and 29.

Persons: Ecuadoreans, Fernando Villavicencio, Daniel Noboa, Luisa Gonzalez, Rafael Correa, Gonzalez, Alvaro Noboa, Guillermo Lasso, Zulfi Ali, Ali, he's, Correa, Noboa, Alexandra Valencia, Rodrigo Campos, Julia Symmes Cobb, Diane Craft Organizations: Voters, PGIM, Correa's Citizens, National Democratic, Thomson Locations: QUITO, Quito, Guayaquil, New York

REUTERS/Susana Vera Acquire Licensing RightsMARRAKECH, Morocco, Oct 13 (Reuters) - The International Monetary Fund's engagement with El Salvador has been "very productive" following a recent visit from a negotiating team, but an agreement is "not there yet" for a new financing program, an IMF official said on Friday. "The engagement with El Salvador has been very productive," Rodrigo Valdes, director of the IMF's Western Hemisphere Department, told Reuters. "We just had a mission there, a negotiating mission, but we knew that it would be a first step," he said. The IMF said in late September that it was working with El Salvador on "technical issues" and on minimizing the risks from the country's adoption of bitcoin as legal tender. "In other countries fragmentation, low popularity, are constraints for policy actions and here they have a very valuable opportunity," the IMF official said.

Persons: Western Hemisphere Department Rodrigo Valdes, Susana Vera, El Salvador, Rodrigo Valdes, Valdes, we're, Nayib Bukele, El, Bukele, Jorgelina, Rodrigo Campos, Nelson Renteria, Paul Simao Organizations: International Monetary Fund, Western Hemisphere Department, Reuters, IMF, World Bank, REUTERS, Rights, Monetary, El, Salvadoran, Thomson Locations: Marrakech, Morocco, Rights MARRAKECH, El Salvador, Salvadoran, Rosario, New York, San Salvador

While most traders are waiting on the sidelines, anxious about the election and unsure of libertarian frontrunner Javier Milei, some daring bond investors are moving in. "There has been a lot of pain from being invested in Argentina over the past decade," Reed said. Rob Citrone, founder of U.S.-based hedge fund Discovery Capital Management, said Argentina presented one of the best opportunities in emerging markets. The depressed values offer another reason to be bullish on Argentina's debt, said Thomas Haugaard, a portfolio manager on the emerging markets debt hard currency team at Janus Henderson Investments in Copenhagen. Armando Armenta, an analyst for Latin American fixed-income and currency markets at AllianceBernstein in New York, said it was a mixed picture.

Persons: Javier Milei, Cristina Sille, Milei, Patricia Bullrich, Sergio Massa, Christine Reed, Reed, Bullrich, Mauricio Macri's, Massa, Rob Citrone, Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner, Fernandez de Kirchner, Thomas Haugaard, Janus Henderson, Haugaard, Morgan Stanley, Armando Armenta, Milei's, Rodrigo Campos, Carolina Mandl, Adam Jourdan, Paul Simao Organizations: Argentine, REUTERS, Peronist, International Monetary Fund, U.S, Discovery Capital Management, Reuters Graphics Reuters, BancTrust, Reuters, Janus, Janus Henderson Investments, Thomson Locations: Buenos Aires, Argentina, New York, Ghana, Sri Lanka, Copenhagen, Congress, AllianceBernstein

☆ JPMorgan adding India local govt bonds to index to trigger higher inflows
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-22 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

India's local bonds will be included in the Government Bond Index-Emerging Markets (GBI-EM) index and the index suite, benchmarked by about $236 billion in global funds according to JPMorgan. JPMorgan said 23 Indian Government Bonds (IGBs) with a combined notional value of $330 billion are eligible. "India's weight is expected to reach the maximum weight threshold of 10% in the GBI-EM Global Diversified (.JPMGBIEMGD), and approximately 8.7% in the GBI-EM Global index," said JPMorgan. Foreign investor buying in Indian bonds has remained tepid with net purchases of $3.4 billion so far in 2023. The Indian rupee rose 0.3% in offshore trade before local markets opened while traders expected local bond yields to fall sharply.

Persons: Thomas White, ”, Sanjeev Sanyal, Aftab Ahmed, Rodrigo Campos, Sarita Singh, Chris Reese, David Gregorio, Christian Organizations: REUTERS, JPMorgan, Government Bond, Global, Council, Securities, DBS, Thomson Locations: India, Egypt, New Delhi, New York

The financial services trade group said in a report that global debt in dollar terms had risen by $10 trillion in the first half of 2023 and by $100 trillion over the past decade. It said the latest increase has lifted the global debt-to-GDP ratio for a second straight quarter to 336%. Prior to 2023, the debt ratio had been declining for seven quarters. Slower growth, alongside a deceleration in price increases, were behind the debt ratio rise, the report said. "As higher rates and higher debt levels push government interest expenses higher, domestic debt strains are set to increase," the IIF said.

Persons: Florence Lo, Rodrigo Campos, Karin Strohecker, Alexander Smith Organizations: U.S, REUTERS, Institute of International Finance, Reuters, Federal, Thomson Locations: United States, Japan, Britain, France, China, India, Brazil, Korea, Thailand, U.S

An investor looks at an electronic board showing stock information at a brokerage house in Shanghai, China July 6, 2018. A monthly report from the Institute of International Finance showed non-residents funneled $14.9 billion out of China stocks, the largest monthly outflow on records back to 2015, while Chinese debt saw $5.1 billion in outflows. The broad MSCI stock and currency emerging market indexes posted in August their largest monthly drops since February. Equities fell across all geographical regions while debt posted inflows in Asia, Latam and emerging Europe. Year-to-date numbers through August show a $13.1 billion outflow from China while emerging markets ex-China has seen $139.5 billion in non-resident portfolio inflows.

Persons: Aly, Jonathan Fortun, Fortun, Rodrigo Campos, Chizu Organizations: REUTERS, China, EMs, Institute of International Finance, China's, Reuters Graphics Equity, Emerging, Thomson Locations: Shanghai, China, outflows, Emerging Asia, Latin, Africa, Middle East, Asia, Europe

The payout includes the approximately $8.4 billion of damages Burford sought plus about $7.6 billion of 8% prejudgment interest running from May 3, 2012, about 2-1/2 weeks after the seizure. Argentina, which is in dire financial straits including a scarcity of foreign exchange reserves, pledged an immediate appeal. Shareholders' $8.43 billion damages estimate was based on Argentina's seizure of the YPF shares on April 16, 2012, which they said transferred "control." But the judge found it "telling" that Argentine officials treated April 16 as the seizure date, which stripped Repsol of its power to run YPF and distribute capital. The judge also called 8% interest "appropriate and equitable," and "well within the range" imposed by Argentine courts.

Persons: Loretta Preska, Burford, Preska, Axel Kicillof, Gabriela Cerruti, Cerruti, Nate Raymond, Jonathan Stempel, Adam Jourdan, Rodrigo Campos, Mark Porter, Will Dunham, Richard Chang Organizations: YPF, U.S, District, Burford Capital, Petersen Energia Inversora, Eton Park Capital, Jefferies, Petersen, Eton Park, Argentina, International Monetary Fund, IMF, Argentine, Thomson Locations: Argentina, U.S, Manhattan, Burford, London, New York, Buenos Aires, Qatar, China, Boston

El Salvador's President Nayib Bukele speaks during a ceremony to lay the first stone of a new public hospital, in San Salvador, El Salvador June 15, 2023. El Salvador's debt repurchases last year and a still-light payments calendar were behind a rally that shrank the premium to hold Salvadoran government debt (.JPMEGDELSR) from above 3,200 basis points in July last year to about 1,000 a year later. Katrina Butt, a senior economist at AllianceBernstein, said that even as the size of the investment is yet to be made public, "Google Cloud's announcement could significantly improve macro fundamentals in El Salvador over time". "Though outperformance of El Salvador has been impressive we think the carry is still attractive given the low default risk." BNP's Marshik said the next leg of the rally could come from good news on El Salvador's relationship with the International Monetary Fund - where the United States is the largest shareholder.

Persons: Nayib Bukele, Jose Cabezas, Nathalie Marshik, Katrina Butt, Shamaila Khan, BNP's Marshik, Siobhan Morden, Rodrigo Campos, Nelson Renteria, Angus MacSwn Organizations: El, San Salvador , El, REUTERS, SALVADOR, Reuters, BNP Paribas, Google, United States, U.S . Embassy, Peace Corps, Central American, U.S, Asia Pacific, UBS Asset Management, International Monetary, IMF, Santander US Capital Markets, Thomson Locations: San Salvador ,, San Salvador , El Salvador, El Salvador, America, Peace, El Salvador's, Asia, United States

☆ Better policy could unlock growth in Latam - G30 think tank
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-07 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

The report's recommendations include getting the region's macroeconomic framework in shape, investing better in infrastructure, and strengthening political parties. The Group of 30's think tank working group on Latin America said the region suffers a "governance deficit" that will require "deep and ambitious" political reforms, including at the center of government and legislative power. Mexico and Brazil are treated individually, with the former locked in a "growth paradox" where decades of macroeconomic stability and a sophisticated manufacturing sector have not yielded economic growth. Reuters GraphicsThe working group agreed there is no one action that could unlock output across the region, as even the countries that have a strong macro setup are suffering stagnant growth. Andres Velasco, project director of the G30 Working Group on Latin America, said "the opportunities are obvious" for the region as Latam can provide the world with water, food and clean energy.

Persons: Leonardo Fernandez Viloria, Andres Velasco, we're, Rodrigo Campos, Chizu Organizations: REUTERS, America, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Caracas, Venezuela, Argentina, Ecuador, Chile, Colombia, Peru, Uruguay, Mexico, Brazil, America, West

Below are five charts showing what's been moved and/or shaken:1/SHOCK FOR THE STOCKSMSCI's 24-country emerging markets (EM) stocks index (.MSCIEF) is down 6% this month. It is still up for the year, though well below the 13.5% gain this year for MSCI's main global index, which has benefited from a boom in U.S. "mega-cap" stocks. "The markets that have underperformed are the lower-yielding markets like Asia," Mike Arno, a portfolio manager at Brandywine Global, said. "The market doesn't seem to think that China is a major threat," said Aegon Asset Management's head of EM debt, Jeff Grills. Reuters Graphics5/OUT OF AFRICAThe other big trouble spot has been Africa, where debt markets have seen a sharp pullback.

Persons: Jason Lee, what's, Tayyip Erdogan's, Katherine Marney, Mike Arno, Jeff, Erdogan, Van Eck's, Eric Fine, Viktor Szabo, Szabo, Marc Jones, Rodrigo Campos, Alex Richardson Organizations: REUTERS, Reuters, JPMorgan, Brandywine, FX, HK, EMBI, abrdn, Thomson Locations: Beijing, China, Africa, MIWD00000PUS, Hungary, America, Brazil, Argentina, Asia, TURKEY, Gabon, Niger, JPMorgan's Africa, London, New York

☆ Argentina's Massa expects IMF board OK for $7.5 bln payout
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-22 | by ( Jason Lange | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Argentine Economy Minister Sergio Massa speaks to the media on the day of Argentina's primary elections, near a polling station in Tigre, on the outskirts of Buenos Aires, Argentina August 13, 2023. REUTERS/Mariana Nedelcu/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsWASHINGTON, Aug 22 (Reuters) - Argentine Economy Minister Sergio Massa said on Tuesday that he expects the International Monetary Fund (IMF) board to approve the latest reviews of its huge loan program on Wednesday, unlocking $7.5 billion the embattled country desperately needs. The board green light would come after the South American nation reached a staff-level agreement with the IMF in July to unlock the funds and complete the combined fifth and sixth reviews of its struggling $44 billion loan program. "We are convinced that tomorrow the fifth and sixth reviews will be approved, which will allow us to access a disbursement for Argentina of $7.5 billion," he told reporters at an event in Washington. Reporting by Jason Lange; additional reporting by Rodrigo Campos; Writing by Adam Jourdan; Editing by Sandra MalerOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Sergio Massa, Mariana Nedelcu, Massa, Jason Lange, Rodrigo Campos, Adam Jourdan, Sandra Maler Organizations: Argentine, REUTERS, Rights, Argentine Economy, International Monetary Fund, IMF, Thomson Locations: Tigre, Buenos Aires, Argentina, Argentine, American, Washington

☆ Cryptoassets increase risk in developing economies, study says
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-22 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

The report's guidelines for regulating and supervising cryptoasset markets include bans, containment and regulation. "Given the offshore and pseudo-anonymous nature of cryptoasset markets, an outright ban might not prove enforceable," read the BIS paper. "On the contrary, policymakers would lose all sight of these markets, making these markets even less transparent and predictable. In addition, all potential innovation gains from cryptoasset markets would be lost." Keeping control on the flows between traditional financial systems and cryptomarket assets, or containment, hits similar hurdles as a ban as "controlling funds might not be feasible in practice."

Persons: Dado Ruvic, Rodrigo Campos, Nick Zieminski Organizations: REUTERS, Bank for International, BIS, European Union, Thomson

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