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☆ IMF: Banking crisis boosts risks and dims outlook for world economy
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-11 | by ( Julia Horowitz | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

“Uncertainty is high, and the balance of risks has shifted firmly to the downside so long as the financial sector remains unsettled,” the organization said in its latest report. Changing forecastsInvestors are looking for additional pockets of vulnerability in the financial sector. The “fog around the world economic outlook has thickened,” it said. Looking ahead to 2028, global growth is estimated at 3%, the lowest medium-term forecast since 1990. The body’s forecast for global growth this year is now closer to that from the World Bank.

☆ IMF's Georgieva sees global growth below 3% in 2023, says robust recovery remains 'elusive'
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-06 | by ( Andrea Shalal | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

That is the global lender's lowest medium-term growth forecast since 1990, and well below the average growth of 3.8% seen in the past two decades. Georgieva said strong and coordinated monetary and fiscal policy actions to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic and Russia's invasion of Ukraine had prevented a much worse outcome in recent years, but growth prospects remained weak in both the near- and medium-term given persistently high inflation. "With rising geopolitical tensions and still-high inflation, a robust recovery remains elusive. She said India and China would account for half of global growth in 2023, but about 90% of advanced economies would see a decline in their growth rate this year. Recent bank failures in Switzerland and the United States had exposed risk management failures at specific banks and supervisory lapses.

☆ Food inflation to weigh on MENA growth this year - World Bank
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-06 | by ( Lisa Barrington | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Average year-on-year food inflation across 16 MENA economies between March and December 2022 was 29%, which was higher than the headline inflation of 19.4% year-on-year during that period, the World Bank said. "Bold policies are needed in a region where young people make up more than half of the population," said World Bank MENA Vice President Ferid Belhaj. The World Bank sees GDP per capita growth, a proxy for living standards, slowing to 1.6% in 2023 from 4.4% in 2022. "Close to one out of five people living in developing countries in MENA is likely to be food insecure this year," said World Bank MENA Chief Economist Roberta Gatti. The World Bank forecast 3.1% growth across the region in 2024.

☆ The 10 worst US cities for job growth and earning potential in 2023
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-06 | by ( Aaron Mok | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

HR firm Checkr ranked the worst US cities for employment opportunities and earning potential. Cities based around agriculture and manufacturing have seen slower job growth and lower salaries. Earning potential was based on each city's real per capita personal income, 10-year income growth, and percentage of households that make over $200,00 a year. "The findings show that the current state of the US job market varies in big and small cities," Korelevich said. Jackson, Toledo, El Paso, and Lakeland also have a "less healthy job market," per US News.

Now is the time to buy shares of Sealed Air , according to UBS. He maintained his price target of $59 per share, suggesting a 28.8% rally for the stock from Tuesday's close price. Shares have tumbled 30% during the past 12 months, as the company struggled with supply chain issues, a post-pandemic demand reset and industrial destocking. Roughly three-fifths of analysts covering Sealed Air rate it a hold, Refinitiv data shows. The average price target on shares, however, implies 24.5% upside over the next 12 months.

Summary Fossil fuel-fired power output rises fastest in nearly 3 decadesEmissions from power gen rose nearly a sixth to 1.15 bln tonnesCoal-fired power output up 12.4%, gas-fired output down 29%Share of coal in overall power output rose to 73.1%Renewables output rose 21.7%, share up to 11.8%SINGAPORE, April 5 (Reuters) - India's power generation grew at the fastest pace in over three decades in the just-ended fiscal year, a Reuters analysis of government data showed, fuelling a sharp surge in emissions as output from both coal-fired and renewable plants hit records. In the new fiscal year that began April 1, Indian power plants are expected to burn about 8% more coal. That is 3.4% of the International Energy Agency's estimate of annual global emissions of 33.8 billion tonnes in 2022. The government has defended India's high coal use citing lower per capita emissions compared with richer nations and rising renewable energy output. The green energy output helped prevent as much as 32.5 million tonnes of CO2 emissions from power that would otherwise likely have been produced with coal, calculations show.

After missing a target to install 175 GW in renewable energy capacity by 2022, India is now trying to boost non-fossil capacity - solar and wind energy, nuclear and hydro power, and bio-power - to 500 GW by 2030. Its renewable energy capacity, excluding big hydro and nuclear power, exceeds 122 GW, while non-fossil capacity currently stands at more than 175 GW, according to government data as of February 28. Coal currently accounts for over half of India's 412.2 GW power generation capacity. Out of the targeted 50 GW in new green energy tenders every year, 10 GW will be for installation on wind turbines, according to the memo. Solar currently makes up over half of India's renewable energy capacity, while wind energy accounts for nearly a third.

Vahia is one among India’s young and aspirational 1.4 billion population, whose propensity for online spending has attracted global companies and digital platforms. And as private consumption underpins economic growth in India, financial investors are targetting new ways to tap into it. India's per capita consumption of food was at $314 in 2020 compared to $884 for China, while that of clothing stood at $53.9 versus $212.9 for China, data from CLSA showed. FOREIGN INVESTORS JUMP INWith private consumption accounting for 60% of India's $3.5 trillion GDP, foreign portfolio investors have been quick to latch on. To be sure, it has not been all smooth sailing for investors as they chased India's consumption boom.

☆ Viral fast-food hacks, like the Chipotle 'fajita quesadilla,' prove American appetites haven't caught up to the climate crisis
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-03 | by ( Catherine Boudreau | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +12 min

The TikTok creator, known for reviewing fast-food staples, posted last summer about leveling up Chipotle's steak quesadilla with fajita veggies. Nathan Llorin, another popular TikToker, told Insider that it wasn't until he started eating and reviewing fast food that his videos took off. A climate message for menusIn January, research showed that labeling fast-food menus with their climate impacts swayed people away from red meat. But about 10% of customers now choose a meatless option, including Sofritas, the chain's plant-based mainstay made from tofu. Frost, the TikToker, told Insider that of all the things viewers attack her for on the platform, the environmental impact of fast food isn't among them.

☆ Some of Florida's cities don't want spring breakers. With the state's economy booming, many don't need them.
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-01 | by ( Jacob Zinkula | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +9 min

Miami Beach's mayor recently said officials "don't want spring break in our city." Spring break is among the reasons the state generates billions of dollars in tax revenue per year from tourism. But there are signs that booming population growth, which Florida's Office of Economic and Demographic Research has described as the state's "primary engine of economic growth," could help diversify the state's economy. The number of arrests in the city during spring break more than doubled in 1986 from the same period in 1985. While thousands of college students still frequent Fort Lauderdale during spring break, the city's current mayor, Dean Trantalis, described them as "very well behaved."

☆ Australia passes tougher emissions reduction law that hits gas investments
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-30 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

SYDNEY, March 30 (Reuters) - New rules that cap total Australian greenhouse gas emissions and curb some new gas and coal investments in the country will come into effect on 1 July after parliament passed an upgraded emissions reduction plan on Thursday. Negotiations with the Greens, who wanted a ban on all new fossil fuel investments, resulted in a law including a hard total emissions cap, ministerial review for projects that raise total emissions and compulsory disclosures for polluters that rely heavily on carbon offsets to meet their targets. Under the revised legislation, projects such as the massive Browse field that Woodside Energy (WDS.AX) wants to develop would have to have carbon capture and storage to achieve net zero. The legislation also requires all new gas projects in the Beetaloo Basin to have net zero carbon emissions and new gas fields supplying existing liquefied natural gas (LNG) plants to have net zero reservoir emissions, imposing new costs. Reporting by Lewis Jackson; Editing by Michael PerryOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Private jet flights in Europe soar to record levels — and most were ultra-short journeys
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-30 | by ( Sam Meredith | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

A private jet is landing over the snowy mountains of St. Moritz in Switzerland. Private jet emissions, which have a disproportionate impact on the environment, were found to have more than doubled in Europe in 2022. Analysis published Thursday by environmental campaign group Greenpeace showed the number of private jet flights in Europe last year rose by a whopping 64% to reach a record high of 572,806. The analysis found that the countries with the most private jet flights in Europe last year were the U.K., France and Germany. The most popular destinations for private jet flights in Europe in 2022 were the French Riviera city of Nice, France's capital of Paris and Switzerland's second-most populous city of Geneva.

Sheikh Mohammed, who became president and Abu Dhabi ruler last year after running the U.S.-allied OPEC oil producer for years, named his brother Sheikh Mansour as UAE vice president, alongside Dubai ruler Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum. This appeared to further centralise power in Abu Dhabi, which is the political capital by virtue of its immense oil wealth, of the UAE federation of seven emirates. Abu Dhabi has held the presidency since the founding of the UAE federation by Sheikh Mohammed's father in 1971. Sheikh Mohammed, known as MbZ, had been grooming his son in positions of authority in security - including intelligence - economy and governance, analysts say. Earlier this month, Sheikh Tahnoun was named chair of Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, among the world's largest sovereign wealth funds.

☆ How Ukraine's closest allies turned the tide on sending advanced tanks, and could do the same for military jets
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-28 | by ( Sinéad Baker | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +10 min

Their success, an expert told Insider, shows how Europe's balance of power has shifted eastwards since Russia's invasion in February 2022. Sergei Grits/APEstonian Foreign Minister Urmas Reinsalu told Insider that Ukraine's allies had been "too slow" when deciding to send weapons to Ukraine. AP Photo/Martin Meissner, FileReinsalu, Estonia's foreign minister, told Insider that he had repeatedly engaged with his German counterpart about the decision. Kallas and Šimonytė, the two prime ministers, both told Insider that they support Ukraine getting military jets. "Ordinarily, on less critical matters, peer pressure happens but the public sees very little of it or none of it," he told Insider.

SYDNEY, March 27 (Reuters) - Australia's lower house on Monday passed an emissions reduction plan with curbs on some new gas and coal investments and a cap on total greenhouse gas emissions from the country's biggest polluters after a key deal with the Greens Party. The updated legislation also requires all new gas projects in the Beetaloo Basin to have net zero carbon emissions and new gas fields supplying existing liquefied natural gas (LNG) plants to have net zero reservoir emissions, imposing new costs. "Today, we are a step closer to achieving net zero by 2050," Energy Minister Chris Bowen said. Under the revised legislation, projects such as the massive Browse field that Woodside Energy (WDS.AX) wants to develop would have to have carbon capture and storage to achieve net zero. The government said it would tip in A$400 million ($266 million) to help the cement, steel and aluminium industries decarbonise.

☆ Club Med owner is bullish on China's reopening, says resort is ‘definitely not for sale'
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-27 | by ( Goh Chiew Tong | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

In this picture taken on October 12, 2016 a general view shows the Club Med resort in Sanya. Nicolas Asfouri | Afp | Getty ImagesClub Med is "very optimistic" about China's reopening, an executive from Fosun Tourism Group told CNBC Monday, adding that the luxury resort chain is "definitely not for sale." Bloomberg reported in November that Fosun International is exploring "strategic options" for Club Med as a means to reduce debt. "We are actually happy to see if … partners in different parts of the world can give synergy for us, but definitely Club Med is not for sale," said Xu, who is also the CEO of Club Med China. Hong Kong-listed shares of Fosun Tourism Group rose 0.93% while shares of Fosun International were 3% lower on Monday, marking the lowest levels it's seen since December.

☆ Cold, remote and short of women: A portrait of life on the Faroe Islands
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-23 | by ( Oscar Holland | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

CNN —In her striking images of the Faroe Islands, a remote archipelago between Iceland and her native Norway, photographer Andrea Gjestvang depicts islanders and livelihoods that are as tough and unforgiving as the windswept landscape. Visiting several times annually over the course of six years, Gjestvang trained her lens on the lives and communities of the islands’ unmarried men. Young women, meanwhile, often choose to study or work in Copenhagen (the Faroe Islands are part of the Kingdom of Denmark) or elsewhere in Europe. Gjestvang also captured the rugged geography of the Faroe Islands. “I think this has, of course, affected society, even though I will say that Faroese women are also very strong — they are tough, too.”“Atlantic Cowboy,” published Gost Books, is available now.

Persons: Andrea Gjestvang, I’m, ” Gjestvang, “, Hjalmar, Gjestvang, Young, Aksel V, Johannesen, ”, Firouz Gaini Organizations: CNN, World Bank, University of, Faroe Islands Locations: Faroe Islands, Iceland, Norway, Faroe, Kaldbaksbotnur, Copenhagen, Kingdom of Denmark, Europe, United States, Tórshavn

☆ Analysis: Credit Suisse collapse threatens Switzerland's wealth management crown
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-22 | by ( John Revill | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +6 min

[1/3] Logos of Swiss banks UBS and Credit Suisse are seen in Zurich, Switzerland March 20, 2023. Switzerland's credibility as a stable, predictable country had been upended by moves like the decision to wipe out the holdings of Credit Suisse bondholders, he said. Under the takeover deal, holders of Credit Suisse AT1 bonds will get nothing, while shareholders, who usually rank below bondholders in compensation terms, will receive $3.23 billion. "In that sense I also see a prosperous future for the financial centre because we have hundreds of very well capitalised banks and very successful wealth management and asset management banks." Reuters Graphics Reuters GraphicsReuters GraphicsOthers were more skeptical about the future, highlighting a reluctance to confront mistakes at Credit Suisse or take responsibility for the aftermath.

☆ Deposit insurance is addiction not medication
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-16 | by ( John Foley | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +7 min

NEW YORK, March 16 (Reuters Breakingviews) - Deposit insurance is as American as apple pie, and twice as unhealthy. Bank deposits in the United States are guaranteed up to $250,000, and over 90% of SVB’s accounts held more than that sum. Alternatively, regulators could invite the market to provide a solution – say, with privately funded insurance for deposits over the guaranteed limit. The trouble is that deposit insurance is like Novocaine – the higher the dose, the more the patient becomes numb. For that reason the best option is probably to do nothing – or better still, lower the deposit insurance limit.

Now overseas demand is slumping amidst a local credit crunch and a corruption crackdown. A trade agreement and warmer relations with Washington spared its manufacturers from tariffs and sanctions applied to its northern neighbour. Now overseas demand is stuttering. Vietnam's exports of goods and services have been slowingFollow @KatrinaHamlin on TwitterCONTEXT NEWSVietnam's economy grew 8.02% in 2022, the fastest annual pace since 1997, according to data released by the country’s General Statistics Office on Dec. 29. Vietnamese exports were flat in February and fell 23.4% in January compared to a year earlier, according to Refinitiv data released on March 9.

☆ Why Everyone Is Moving to Florida: Jobs, Economy, Cost of Living, Taxes
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-09 | by ( Emil Skandul | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +12 min

For other states to compete, they will need to pay attention to what Florida is doing right. Floridians pay no income tax and fewer taxes overall than people in states like New York, California, or Massachusetts. But a low tax rate isn't the only thing people care about. Despite having a budget half the size of New York's and a larger population, Florida, by many metrics, is able to do significantly more with the taxes it collects. Florida is also outshining New York and other major population centers in tackling the soaring cost of housing.

[1/3] Sales representatives stand outside their kiosks inside a luxury residential project by Indian property developer DLF in Gurugram, India, February 28, 2023. Many people want to upgrade their homes after the COVID-19 pandemic confined them indoors, industry executives say. "I haven't seen such a mad rush in a decade," said Prashant Thakur, head of research at real estate consultant Anarock. Mercedes sold a record number of high-end cars in India last year and luxury goods are in high demand too. So far, around 160 people were invited for a viewing and 17 of 46 flats sold in the eight-storey project.

☆ In pivot away from China, iPhone supplier to build factory in India: Report
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-03 | by ( Rohan Goswami | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Foxconn , one of Apple' s largest suppliers and a major manufacturer of iPhone components, will invest around $700 million to build a new plant in India's Karnataka state, Bloomberg reported Friday. Bloomberg, citing people familiar with the matter, said Foxconn will build an iPhone parts plant on a 300-acre site near Bengaluru's Kempegowda International Airport. The effort will be one of the largest investments by Foxconn in India, Bloomberg reported. Those lockdowns prompted widespread national dissent, and videos of Foxconn employees fleeing the company's iPhone manufacturing facility spread widely on Western social media. Foxconn already maintains a presence in India through a Chennai-proximate factory in eastern India.

[1/4] A worker walks across a construction site in the Central Business District, ahead of the opening of the National People's Congress (NPC) in Beijing, China, February 28, 2023. Nearly 3,000 delegates will gather in the Great Hall of the People west of Tiananmen Square for the first National People's Congress (NPC) of the post-zero-COVID era, although some precautions remain including testing and quarantine for journalists. It will also discuss Xi's plans for an "intensive" and "wide-ranging" re-organisation of state and Communist Party entities, state media reported on Tuesday, after a three-day meeting of the party's central committee. China's economy grew just 3% last year, one of its worst showings in nearly half a century. "We will strive to spur growth and have policy tools to do that, mainly by channelling money into big projects," Xu Hongcai, deputy director of the economic policy commission at the state-backed China Association of Policy Science, told Reuters.

☆ China's President Xi, poised for third term, urges 'intensive' state and party revamp
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-28 | by ( Ryan Woo | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

BEIJING, Feb 28 (Reuters) - Chinese President Xi Jinping envisages "intensive" and "wide-ranging" re-organisation of state and Communist Party entities, with part of the plan to be presented to the annual meeting of parliament, state media said on Tuesday . At the October congress, the party made clear that reforms of institutions were needed, including reforms to the financial system, Xi said. The overall reform plan will be "targeted, intensive and wide-ranging, touching on deep-rooted interests", Xi was quoted as saying in a speech before the Central Committee. 'REJUVENATION'China's "rejuvenation" must be guided by Xi and the Central Committee as national governance is "modernised", the Central Committee said in a communique but it offered no details. China's development still faces triple pressures including a demand contraction, supply shocks and weakened expectations, the Central Committee said in its communique.

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