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MARRAKECH, Morocco, Oct 13 (Reuters) - After getting debt relief from China, Ethiopia is requesting similar treatment from other creditors, the International Monetary Fund's deputy director for Africa said on Friday. Ethiopian authorities said in August that China was allowing Ethiopia to suspend debt payments for the fiscal year running until July 7, 2024. "The Chinese authorities have already provided debt relief to Ethiopia and we understand that they're in the process of requesting a similar treatment from other creditors. "There is a debt service suspension with China, which is providing substantial relief," she said, adding that this was the agreement announced in August. Ethiopia regularly suffers from foreign exchange shortages and a wide gap between the official and black market currency exchange rates.

Persons: Africa's, Annalisa Fedelino, Fedelino, Rachel Savage, Dawit Endeshaw, Tannur Anders, Bhargav, Alexander Winning, Susan Fenton Organizations: Monetary, IMF, Boston University, birr, Thomson Locations: MARRAKECH, Morocco, China, Ethiopia, Africa, Marrakech, birr, Addis Ababa

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

☆ Oil price shock could spur another rate hike, European Central Bank member says
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-12 | by ( Jenni Reid | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

The latest euro zone inflation figures are "comforting" — but oil prices still pose a risk that could push the European Central Bank into another rate hike, Belgium's central bank governor said Thursday. "It is one of the factors that, you know, could push inflation higher ... inflation would be higher in a way that we will not meet our target in [2025], then I think would have to do more," Pierre Wunsch told CNBC's Joumanna Bercetche, referring to a persistent shock in the price of oil. "If inflation would be higher than our forecast, no more than marginally, then I think we have to do more," he also said. When asked whether this marked a change in approach for the ECB, many members of which in 2021 described inflation driven by energy markets as transitory, Wunsch said: "I think it's just our reading of the impact of a succession of shocks has changed." The last 23 years of observing and modeling inflation had led policymakers to believe "sustained inflation was becoming close to impossible," Wunsch said in an interview at the International Monetary Fund's annual meetings in Marrakech, Morocco.

Persons: Pierre Wunsch, CNBC's Joumanna, Wunsch Organizations: European Central Bank, ECB, International Monetary Locations: Marrakech, Morocco

☆ Money now, shares later: more IMF countries voice support for pragmatic IMF funding boost
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-11 | by ( David Lawder | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/2] The International Monetary Fund (IMF) logo is seen outside the headquarters building in Washington, U.S., September 4, 2018. IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva said the extra resources were needed to ensure the IMF can respond to another large-scale crisis. But with anti-China sentiment running high in the U.S. Congress, any IMF funding increase that increases Beijing's influence would face stiff opposition. U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen proposed the money now, shares later plan as a way to sidestep the China issue and speed resources to the IMF. A 50% quota increase would be equivalent to about $312 billion at current exchange rates.

Persons: Yuri Gripas, Fernando Haddad, Kristalina Georgieva, Janet Yellen, Ernest Addison, David Lawder, Alex Richardson, Andrea Ricci Organizations: Monetary Fund, REUTERS, Rights, U.S, Monetary, IMF, U.S . Congress, Treasury, International Monetary, Financial Committee, Thomson Locations: Washington , U.S, Rights MARRAKECH, Morocco, France, Britain, Ghana, Switzerland, Finland, Belgium, China, Brazil, U.S, Algeria, Iran, Libya, Pakistan, Tunisia

☆ European Central Bank member says more rate hikes still possible if new shocks emerge
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-10 | by ( Hannah Ward-Glenton | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Robert Holzmann, governor of Austria's central bank, speaks during an event in Vienna, Austria, on Tuesday, Sept. 26, 2023. Bloomberg | Bloomberg | Getty ImagesAustrian central bank Governor Robert Holzmann said the European Central Bank could implement one or two further interest rate increases, if there are "additional shocks" to the economy. watch nowThe European Central Bank opted to hike interest rates to a record in September, continuing a cycle that has lasted almost two years. In a market-moving statement in mid-September, the ECB also indicated that further hikes may be off the table for now. He added that there was a "clear downward trend" in prices, in an interview with franceinfo, as translated by CNBC.

Persons: Robert Holzmann, Holzmann, Holzmann's, Francois Villeroy de Galhau, franceinfo Organizations: Bloomberg, Getty, European Central Bank, CNBC, International Monetary, Bank, ECB Locations: Austria's, Vienna, Austria, Marrakech

How the $13 trillion economy's slowdown will affect other emerging markets is still an unanswered question for investors. "Lower for longer Chinese growth is shaping a new regime of investments," Amundi's head of emerging markets Yerlan Syzdykov told Reuters. The World Bank trimmed its 2024 China growth forecast to 4.4% from 4.8%. 6/DEVELOPING REFORMThe World Bank, IMF and other multilateral development banks are under pressure to boost lending to poorer countries to fund development and tackle climate change. China and other large emerging economies have long demanded a greater say in the global financial architecture, which is still dominated by parameters set out by the 1944 Bretton Woods meeting, where the IMF and World Bank were established.

Persons: Abdelhak, Joseph Cuthbertson, Syzdykov, Anna Gelpern, Gregory Smith, Smith, Mehmet Simsek, Tayyip Erdogan, Erdogan, drubbing, Timothy Ash, Jorgelina, Rosario, Rachel Savage, Marc Jones, Karin Strohecker, Christina Fincher Organizations: International Monetary Fund, World Bank, Palais des, REUTERS, Federal Reserve, International Monetary, PineBridge Investments, Reuters, Bank, Ukraine, U.S, Kyiv, Paris Club, IMF, American, London, G Investments, JPMorgan, Egypt IMF, Fitch, Reuters Graphics Reuters, Finance, BlueBay Asset Management, Thomson Locations: Palais, Palais des Congres, Marrakech, Morocco, Argentina, Pakistan, Kenya, Egypt, CHINA, China, UKRAINE, Ukraine, Zambia, Sri Lanka, Ghana, Georgetown, Nigeria, TURKEY, Ankara, New York, Washington, London, Woods

A participant stands near a logo of IMF at the International Monetary Fund - World Bank Annual Meeting 2018 in Nusa Dua, Bali, Indonesia, October 12, 2018. U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen has said China, the world's largest sovereign creditor, has been a roadblock to debt relief. IMF member countries will discuss the crisis lender's shareholding structure at annual meetings in Morocco next week. The U.S. is pushing instead for IMF member countries to agree to contribute more funds to boost lending firepower, but keeping the U.S.-dominated shareholding structure unchanged. Without naming China, he said this would include doing more on debt relief and providing more exchange rate transparency -- longstanding Treasury criticisms of Beijing.

Persons: Johannes P, Nancy Lee, Janet Yellen, Lee, Jay Shambaugh, Shambaugh, Andrea Shalal, David Lawder, Andrea Ricci Organizations: IMF, International Monetary Fund, REUTERS, Rights, International Monetary, U.S, Treasury, Center for Global Development, U.S . Treasury, Thomson Locations: Nusa Dua, Bali, Indonesia, U.S, China, Morocco, India, Brazil, Beijing

☆ Choppy waters as Europe navigates China-US rivalry
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-04 | by ( Mark John | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +6 min

The fracturing of the rules and bonds tying the global economy together - so-called "geo-economic fragmentation" - seemed implausible only a few years ago. Nowhere is it more pressing than for Europe, whose wealth has always relied on trade, from its rapacious colonial history through to its reinvention as self-styled champion of WTO rules. Both the United States and Europe have been hardening their stance towards Beijing while stressing the rules of world trade must be fairly applied. The main EU concern is that the U.S. proposals could break WTO rules by discriminating against third parties. "And we really hope ... that after the election in the United States this is going to continue."

Persons: Jon Nazca, Gordon Brown, Brown, Brad Setser, Biden, Joe Biden, Donald Trump, Trump, Wang Huiyao, Petra Sigmund, Philip Blenkinsop, Joe Cash, Belen Carreno, Mark John, Catherine Evans Organizations: Triple, Majestic, APM, REUTERS, Trade Organization, USA, International Monetary, European, Reuters, for, Thomson Locations: Algeciras, Spain, China, Europe, America, American, United States, Moroccan, Marrakech, Beijing, Washington, Brussels, U.S, EU, for China, IMF, Madrid

☆ IMF chief says new Biden-backed economic corridor should not exclude any countries
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-10 | by ( Clement Tan | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

A more fragmented global economy though, has limited global trade growth — which now lags global economic growth. "What is important is to do it for the benefit of everybody, and not for exclusion of others," she said. "In that sense, I would encourage all countries working collaboratively with each other to do so in the spirit of integrated economy." Virtuous cycleIn reality, this Biden-backed economic corridor would add to existing infrastructure investment for the regions involved. "And I call on our members to strengthen the global financial safety net," Georgieva separately said Sunday in a press release, released shortly after the G20 summit formally ended.

Persons: Narendra Modi, Kristalina, Evan Vucci, The, Kristalina Georgieva, Joe Biden's, Georgieva, CNBC's Martin Soong, Biden, Modi Organizations: India's, Monetary Fund, Bharat, Afp, Getty, The Biden, International Monetary Fund's, Indian, European Union and, United Arab Emirates, Biden, CNBC, IMF Locations: New Delhi, India, Israel, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, U.S, Covid, Ukraine, Delhi

☆ UN chief says global finance system fragmenting; Myanmar crisis worsens
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-07 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/4] UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres speaks during his bilateral meeting with Indonesian President Joko Widodo on the sidelines of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit in Jakarta, Indonesia, Thursday, Sept. 7, 2023. In a wide-ranging speech that touched on geopolitical tension, multilateral development finance and climate change, Guterres called on world leaders to find peaceful and inclusive solutions to the challenges facing the world. He also voiced support for re-channelling an additional $100 billion of International Monetary Fund's Special Drawing Rights through multilateral development banks to increase liquidity and support developing economies' needs. At a Paris summit in June this year, world leaders backed a push for multilateral development banks like the World Bank to put more capital at risk to boost lending. ASEAN leaders are set to hold talks with the United Nations later on Thursday.

Persons: General Antonio Guterres, Joko Widodo, Tatan, António Guterres, Rich, Ajay Banga, Guterres, Stanley Widianto, Kanupriya Kapoor, Robert Birsel Organizations: UN, Association of Southeast Asian Nations, ASEAN, REUTERS Acquire, Rights, Monetary, Bank, World Bank, United Nations, Thomson Locations: Jakarta, Indonesia, Rights JAKARTA, China, United States, Paris, Myanmar, ASEAN

☆ Morning Bid: Early Labor Day for markets
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-01 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

REUTERS/Brendan McDermid/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsSept 1 - A look at the day ahead in U.S. and global markets from Mike DolanLabor Day comes a bit earlier for markets this year, with Friday's release of the critical August jobs report coming just ahead of Monday's end-of-season U.S. holiday. A series of updates showed private sector hiring slowing in August, while job openings fell back in July and layoffs jumped. On the flipside, more up-to-date weekly jobless claims fell again and the consensus payrolls estimate has ticked higher from 150,000 only last week. Going into Friday's report, futures markets remain split and stand 50-50 on the chances of another hike by November. And whatever they think about peak rates, markets are also grappling with the prospect of rates staying up here for some time.

Persons: Brendan McDermid, Mike Dolan, JP Morgan, Saola, Gita Gopinath, Loretta Mester, Raphael Bostic, Alexander Smith Organizations: New York Stock Exchange, REUTERS, Mike Dolan Labor, JP, Atlanta, HK, European Central Bank, Broadcom, Treasury, P Global, Cleveland Federal, Atlanta Fed, Reuters Graphics, United States Reuters Graphics Reuters, Reuters, Thomson Locations: New York City, U.S, Hong Kong, Europe

Former Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan pauses as he speaks with Reuters during an interview, in Lahore, Pakistan March 17, 2023. REUTERS/Akhtar Soomro/File PhotoISLAMABAD, Aug 7 (Reuters) - Lawyers for Pakistan's jailed former prime minister Imran Khan will be allowed to meet him on Monday before they file an appeal against a graft conviction that has landed the former cricket star in jail, one of his lawyers said. "The jail authorities have given us a time to meet Imran Khan at 12:30 p.m. (0730 GMT). We've reached Attock jail," one of his lawyers, Naeem Panjhuta, said, adding that an appeal against the graft conviction would be filed after Khan completed paperwork. Khan's legal team is also appealing to authorities to secure him better conditions in jail, Panjhuta told reporters in Islamabad earlier.

Persons: Imran Khan, Akhtar Soomro, Pakistan's, Khan, Naeem Panjhuta, Panjhuta, Shehbaz Sharif, Asif Shahzad, Robert Birsel Organizations: Pakistani, Reuters, REUTERS, Police, Monetary, Thomson Locations: Lahore, Pakistan, ISLAMABAD, Attock district, Islamabad, We've, Attock

Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, addresses the 23rd Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Summit, hosted virtually by India, in Islamabad, Pakistan July 4, 2023. Press Information Department (PID)/Handout via REUTERS /File PhotoISLAMABAD, Aug 4 (Reuters) - Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has proposed that parliament be dissolved on Aug. 9, three days before the end of its term, political sources said on Friday, paving the way for a general election by November. Parliament's five-year term is set to expire on Aug. 12. Sharif's coalition came to power after former cricket star Khan was ousted in a vote of no confidence in April 2022. The military, which has ruled Pakistan for about half its history, denies that.

Persons: Shehbaz Sharif, Imran Khan, Khan, Asif Shahzad, Robert Birsel Organizations: Pakistan's, Shanghai Cooperation Organization, SCO, Summit, Press Information Department, REUTERS, Pakistani, Sharif, Thursday, Reuters, Information, Monetary, Thomson Locations: India, Islamabad, Pakistan, ISLAMABAD

☆ China should act decisively to pull 'sputtering' economy back from the brink, says Cornell professor
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-01 | by ( Sumathi Bala | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

A Nanjing Road pedestrian street on October 1, 2022 in Shanghai, China. Yan Daming | Visual China Group | Getty ImagesChina's authorities need to take decisive policy action to pull its "sputtering" economy back from the brink, according to Eswar Prasad, an economics professor at Cornell University. Last week, China hinted at moves to "adjust and optimize" policy measures in what the leadership acknowledged as a "torturous" economic recovery. watch now"It certainly looks like the Chinese economy is sputtering after roaring back to life," following the easing of Covid restrictions, said Prasad, a former head of the International Monetary Fund's China division. The unemployment rate among young people between the ages of 16 to 24 was 21.3% in June — a fresh record.

Persons: Yan Daming, Eswar Prasad, Prasad, CNBC's, — Organizations: Visual China, Getty, Cornell University, Beijing, International Monetary, Reuters Locations: Nanjing, Shanghai, China

☆ China's economy is losing momentum, while Russia's recovery is accelerating, IMF says
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-25 | by ( Filip De Mott | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

China's economy is losing momentum, after an initial post-COVID bounce, the IMF said. That's due to continued weakness in the real estate sector and softness in foreign demand. Meanwhile, the IMF raised its forecast on Russia's 2023 GDP growth to 1.5% from a prior view of 0.7%. "Following a reopening boost, China's recovery is losing steam," the IMF said. By contrast, the IMF held more positive outlooks on Russia's economy, boosting its forecast for 2023 GDP growth to 1.5% from a prior view of 0.7%.

Organizations: Service, International Monetary, IMF Locations: Wall, Silicon, China, Ukraine, Moscow, Russia

Brent futures rose $1.13, or 1.4%, to settle at $79.63 a barrel, while U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude rose $1.60, or 2.2%, to settle at $75.75. Higher interest rates increase borrowing costs and can slow economic growth and reduce oil demand. Energy traders expect "the oil market will remain tight as Russian shipments drop and as China prepares to provide more support to households," said Edward Moya, senior market analyst at data and analytics firm OANDA. Looking ahead, the oil market is waiting for U.S. oil inventory data from the American Petroleum Institute (API), an industry group, on Tuesday and the EIA on Wednesday. Analysts in a Reuters poll forecast a 2.4-million barrel draw from U.S. crude stocks during the week ended July 14.

Persons: Edward Moya, Kristalina Georgieva, Gelber, Natalie Grover, Stephanie Kelly, Andrew Hayley, David Holmes, Jan Harvey, Jonathan Oatis Organizations: . Federal, U.S, West Texas, ING, Energy, Monetary, U.S . Energy Information Administration, American Petroleum Institute, Associates, World Meteorological Organization, Thomson Locations: China, U.S, Europe, Asia, London, New York, Beijing

LONDON, July 14 (Reuters) - An accelerating dollar slide could be a U.S. gift to its allies by helping them catch up with its impressive disinflation. A dollar slide of this size and speed has typically elicited yelps of pain from U.S. trading partners. Euro zone headline inflation - which peaked about one percentage point above and three months later than the U.S. equivalent last year - was still 2.5 points above it last month. The ECB will likely stay shy of peak Fed rates, but an expected move to 4.0% policy rates by year-end will involve two quarter point hikes after the Fed has stopped. A time-limited dollar drop now may be more benign than a simple reversion to a new 'currency war'.

Persons: Goldman Sachs, Mike Dolan, Josie Kao Organizations: Reserve, Monetary, Sterling, Bank of England, European Central Bank, ECB, Fed, Transatlantic, Reuters, Twitter, Thomson Locations: U.S, Europe, Britain, Swiss

☆ IMF approves $189 mln payment to Zambia after first programme review
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-13 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

JOHANNESBURG, July 13 (Reuters) - The International Monetary Fund's executive board has approved an immediate $189 million disbursement to Zambia following its first review of a $1.3 billion loan programme, the IMF said on Thursday. "Timely implementation of this agreement, together with agreements with private creditors on comparable terms, should restore Zambia's debt sustainability over the medium term," she added. Zambia was the first African country to default on its sovereign debt during the COVID-19 pandemic and faced lengthy delays in restructuring negotiations. The IMF said that Zambia's performance under the support programme had been strong, and that all quantitative performance criteria for the first review had been met. Reporting by Nellie Peyton Additional reporting by Anait Miridzhanian Editing by Alexander WinningOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Africa's, Swift, Kristalina Georgieva, Nellie Peyton, Anait, Alexander Winning Organizations: Monetary Fund's, IMF, OCC, Thomson Locations: JOHANNESBURG, Zambia, China

NEW DELHI, July 13 (Reuters) - Global finance chiefs will meet in India next week to discuss increasing loans to developing nations from multilateral institutions, reforming the international debt architecture and regulations on cryptocurrency, Indian officials said. The finance ministers and central bank governors from the Group of 20 (G20) nations will also discuss a multilateral agreement on taxing conglomerates with cross-border operations, while the Russian war in Ukraine was also bound to come up, they said. Senior treasury officials from Russia and China are also expected to attend, according to two Indian officials, who did not want to be named. The finance ministers and treasury heads will also attempt to bring agreement on the principles of managing cryptocurrencies in their respective geographies. Additional reporting by Maria Martinez and Leigh Thomas; Editing by Raju GopalakrishnanOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Janet Yellen, Ajay Banga, Kristalina Georgieva, Lawrence Summers, N.K, Singh, Ajay Seth, Maria Martinez, Leigh Thomas, Raju Gopalakrishnan Organizations: Global, Treasury, International Monetary Fund's, Economic, IMF, Organisation for Economic Co, Development, OECD, Thomson Locations: DELHI, India, Ukraine, Gandhinagar, Gujarat, New Delhi, U.S, Russia, China, Zambia, Ghana

☆ Ukraine to receive $1.5 bln from World Bank to support reconstruction
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-30 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

KYIV, June 30 (Reuters) - Ukraine will receive $1.5 billion from the World Bank to support reconstruction and recovery, Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said on Friday. "In particular, the loan will help support subsidies for internally displaced people and pension payments," Shmyhal said. Ukraine relies on financial aid from its foreign partners to be able to cover its budget deficit. On Thursday, the International Monetary Fund's board completed its Ukrainian loan review, allowing Kyiv to immediately withdraw $890 million for budget support. Reporting by Anna Pruchnicka, Writing by Olena Harmash, Editing by Timothy HeritageOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Denys Shmyhal, Shmyhal, Anna Pruchnicka, Olena Harmash, Timothy Organizations: World Bank, Monetary, Timothy Heritage, Thomson Locations: Ukraine, Russia, Kyiv

WASHINGTON, June 29 (Reuters) - The International Monetary Fund's executive board on Thursday completed its first review of Ukraine's $15.6 billion loan program, allowing Kyiv to immediately withdraw $890 million for budget support as it mounts a major offensive against Russia's invasion. The IMF said Ukrainian authorities have made "strong progress" toward meeting reform commitments under "challenging conditions," meeting quantitative performance criteria through April and structural benchmarks through June. IMF Ukraine mission chief Gavin Gray told reporters the IMF is continuing to study the social, environmental and economic impacts of the destruction of the Kakhovka Dam earlier this month, which caused widespread flooding in southern Ukraine. The IMF expects to carry out its next review of Ukraine's program in late November or early December, the official added. Gray said Ukrainian authorities also needed to continue work on strengthening governance and fighting corruption, with new legislation passed by the end of September.

Persons: Kristalina Georgieva, Georgieva, Gavin Gray, Gray, David Lawder, Andrea Shalal, Leslie Adler, Deepa Babington, Richard Chang Organizations: Monetary Fund's, IMF, Thomson Locations: Kyiv, Ukraine, IMF Ukraine

[1/2] The German share price index DAX graph is pictured at the stock exchange in Frankfurt, Germany, June 26, 2023. Asian shares received a boost from Chinese Premier Li Qiang saying Beijing will roll out policies to boost China's economy. But the positive market sentiment faded in early European trading, with the pan-European STOXX 600 down 0.4% by 1149 GMT (.STOXX). MSCI's Europe index (.MSER) was down 0.1%, London's FTSE 100 lost 0.3% and Germany's DAX declined 0.1% (.GDAXI). It hit a seven-month high against China's yuan as investors braced for the possibility of China doing more to support the currency.

Persons: Li Qiang, Germany's DAX, Hani Redha, Christine Lagarde, Analysts, Wagner, Vladimir Putin's, Michael Hewson, Shunichi Suzuki, Elizabeth Howcroft, Ed Osmond, Mark Heinrich Our Organizations: REUTERS, Staff LONDON, PineBridge Investments, U.S . Federal Reserve, Nasdaq, Monetary, European Central Bank, Wagner Group, CMC Markets, U.S, ECB, U.S ., Finance, Thomson Locations: Frankfurt, Germany, Europe, United States, Beijing, Russia, U.S, China

June 27 (Reuters) - A look at the day ahead in Asian markets from Jamie McGeever, financial markets columnist. Wall Street closed in the red on Monday - the Nasdaq shed more than 1% for the third trading day in four - and the U.S. yield curve inversion accelerated to near-historic levels. But inflation and policy concerns are driving sentiment more than geopolitical fears. The Bank for International Settlements on Sunday called for more rate hikes, warning the world economy is at a crucial juncture in the fight against inflation. The International Monetary Fund's Gita Gopinath said on Monday investors may be overly optimistic on the speed and cost of taming inflation.

Persons: Jamie McGeever, Gita Gopinath Organizations: Kremlin, Nasdaq, Swiss, Bank for International, U.S, JSR, Japan Investment Corp, ECB, Thomson, Reuters Locations: Russian, U.S, Japan, Canada, Sintra, Portugal

[1/2] Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif meets with managing director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), Kristalina Georgieva, in Paris, France June 22, 2023. Press Information Department (PID)/Handout via REUTERSJune 22 (Reuters) - Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday briefed International Monetary Fund's managing director Kristalina Georgieva on the economic outlook of the cash-strapped South Asian nation, hoping for the release of critical stalled funds. Under the $6.5 billion EFF's 9th review, concluded earlier this year, Pakistan has been trying to secure $1.1 billion of funding that has been stalled since November. "The Prime Minister expressed the hope that the funds allocated under the IMF's EFF would be released as soon as possible," said a statement from his office. Pakistan has defended the budget, but at the same time offered to review it in any further talks with the IMF.

Persons: Shehbaz Sharif, Kristalina Georgieva, Sharif, Asif Shahzad, Shilpa Jamkhandikar, Sudipto Ganguly, Christina Fincher Organizations: Pakistan, International Monetary Fund, Press Information Department, REUTERS, Pakistan's, Monetary, Global Financing, EFF, Thomson Locations: Paris, France, Pakistan, Islamabad

☆ Russia's economy will shrink again this year as Putin's war on Ukraine worsens inflation and labor shortages, ratings agency says
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-20 | by ( Filip De Mott | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Scope Ratings sees a 0.8% contraction in Russia's economy this year, Reuters reported. This is as the country's average inflation sits at 6%, made worse by a serious labor shortage. That's as the Kremlin has turned to a total war economy: it has spent around 5% of Russia's GDP on the Ukraine war, while pushing for increased military production. Meanwhile, the agency also warned that Russia's war will prevent it from addressing pre-existing problems with the economy, such as weak investing, low productivity growth, and a declining population. Meanwhile, the Russian government is projecting 1.2% growth, an estimate recently outpaced by President Vladimir Putin's own forecasts of 2%, Reuters reports.

Persons: —, Vladimir Putin's Organizations: Reuters, Service, Kremlin, International Monetary Locations: Ukraine, Russian

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