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☆ UK PM Sunak under pressure to sack interior minister over police criticism
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-10 | by ( Andrew Macaskill | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/3] Home Secretary Suella Braverman with Prime Minister Rishi Sunak as he hosts a policing roundtable at 10 Downing Street, London, Britain October 12, 2023. Braverman, the home secretary responsible for policing and national security, has a long history of making controversial statements that have alienated her more moderate colleagues. Some Conservative Party politicians called for her to be moved or distanced themselves from her comments on Friday. Since the article was published, Braverman has not apologised. Britain's finance minister, Jeremy Hunt, was the most senior member of the government to distance himself from Braverman's comments on Friday.

Persons: Suella Braverman, Rishi Sunak, James Manning, Braverman, Geoffrey Clifton, Brown, Sunak, Downing, Keir Starmer, Jeremy Hunt, Andrew MacAskill, Jan Harvey Organizations: Downing, British, Conservative Party, BBC, Labour Party, Times, Thomson Locations: London, Britain, Braverman, Israel

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich attend an inauguration event for Israel's new light rail line for the Tel Aviv metropolitan area, in Petah Tikva, Israel, August 17, 2023. REUTERS/Amir Cohen/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsJERUSALEM, Nov 10 (Reuters) - Israel's finance ministry said on Friday it would divert to the war effort some 1.6 billion shekels ($440 million) this year out of billions earmarked for parties in Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's far-right coalition government. They expressed alarm last month at the government's plan to transfer 9 billion shekels ($2.2 billion) to ultra-Orthodox and far-right-wing pro-settler parties, as part of an agreement Netanyahu made with them to secure his ruling coalition. The finance ministry's proposal would cut around 70% of 2.5 billion shekels of funding for coalition partners still due to be paid in the current 2023 budget. Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich said in a letter on Friday that he planned to cut some 4 billion shekels ($1 billion) from the 2023 budget excluding war funding, and increase war funding by a further 9 billion, on top of 22 billion shekels already allocated.

Persons: Benjamin Netanyahu, Bezalel Smotrich, Amir Cohen, Benjamin Netanyahu's, Netanyahu, Maytaal, Peter Graff Organizations: Israeli Finance, Tel, REUTERS, Rights, Finance, Thomson Locations: Tel Aviv, Petah Tikva, Israel

☆ Apple’s fight against a $14 billion EU tax bill suffers a setback
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-09 | by ( ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

But Advocate General Giovanni Pitruzzella at the European Court of Justice (ECJ) — the EU’s highest court — disagreed, saying judges should set aside the General Court ruling and refer the case back to the lower tribunal. “The judgment of the General Court on ‘tax rulings’ adopted by Ireland in relation to Apple should be set aside,” he said in a non-binding opinion. He said the General Court had committed a series of errors in law. “It is therefore necessary for the General Court to carry out a new assessment,” Pitruzzella said. Her biggest legal victory to date came in September when the General Court upheld her decision against a €700 million ($749 million) Belgian tax scheme for 55 multinationals.

Persons: Margrethe Vestager, Apple, Giovanni Pitruzzella, —, ”, ” Pitruzzella, Michael McGrath, Court’s, Vestager Organizations: Apple, European Commission, European Court of Justice, Justice, Court, Ireland, Dublin, Stellantis, Starbucks, Belgian Locations: Luxembourg, Ireland

By law, an election needs to be held within 60 days of the publishing of the presidential decree dissolving parliament. "I hope that time, sooner rather than later, will allow us to clarify what happened," Rebelo de Sousa said. By calling the March election, Rebelo de Sousa also addressed the need of the PS to pick a new leader to run. Earlier, PS President Carlos Cesar said March would be the best timing, while other parties pointed to January or February. "It is urgent to reestablish trust and prestige in democratic institutions," the leader of the PSD, Luis Montenegro, said after the president announced the election.

Persons: Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, Rebelo de Sousa, Antonio Costa, illegalities, Costa, Rebelo, Mario Centeno, Filipe Garcia, Mercados, Carlos Cesar, Andre Ventura, Luis Montenegro, Catarina Demony, Sergio Goncalves, Andrei Khalip, Marguerita Choy, Alistair Bell Organizations: Lawmakers, Socialist, Socialist Party, of State, Prosecutors, Bank of Portugal, Social Democrats, PSD, Thomson Locations: LISBON, Portugal, Portuguese, Lisbon, Belem, Europe, Western, Montenegro

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

☆ Saudi Arabia to sign deals worth over $500 mln with African nations -minister
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-09 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Saudi Minister of Finance Mohammed al-Jadaan gestures during an interview with Reuters at the Ministry of Finance in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, December 12, 2021. REUTERS/Ahmed Yosri/File Photo/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsRIYADH, Nov 9 (Reuters) - The Saudi Fund for Development will sign agreements worth 2 billion riyals ($533 million) with African countries, Saudi Finance Minister Mohammed Al-Jadaan said on Thursday during the Saudi-Arab-African Economic Conference in Riyadh. Saudi Investment Minister Khalid Al-Falih later said at the same conference the kingdom's over $700 billion wealth fund, the Public Investment Fund, will make some "game changing" investments in Africa. Saudi Energy Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman, also at the conference, signed preliminary agreements with African countries including Nigeria, Senegal, Chad and Ethiopia on energy-related cooperation. ($1 = 3.7511 riyals)Reporting by Aziz El Yaakoubi; writing by Clauda Tanios and Yousef Saba; editing by Jason NeelyOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Mohammed, Ahmed Yosri, Mohammed Al, Jadaan, Khalid Al, Falih, Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman, Aziz El Yaakoubi, Clauda Tanios, Yousef Saba, Jason Neely Organizations: Reuters, Ministry of Finance, REUTERS, Rights, Saudi Fund, Development, Saudi Finance, African Economic Conference, Saudi Investment, Public Investment Fund, Saudi Energy, Thomson Locations: Saudi, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Rights RIYADH, Ghana, Africa, Nigeria, Senegal, Chad, Ethiopia

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

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

☆ 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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

☆ South Korea Finance Chief Defends Short-Sell Ban Ahead of Elections
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-07 | by ( Nov. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +3 min

By Cynthia Kim and Jihoon LeeSEOUL (Reuters) - South Korea's finance minister defended the government's ban on short-selling of stocks, an announcement that comes ahead of general elections next year and has drawn criticism from market players who say the move could hurt the country's global credibility. The financial regulator on Sunday reimposed a full ban on short-selling until the end of June 2024 to create a "level playing field" for retail and institutional investors. "The move completely thwarted Korea's plans to convince MSCI that it deserves a spot in the developed market status. The number of retail stock trading accounts has roughly doubled since 2017 to about 14 million, with about one in every five Koreans having an account. South Korea's Financial Supervisory Service in October said it would likely fine two Hong Kong-based investment banks it determined had engaged in naked short-selling transactions worth 40 billion won ($29.58 million) and 16 billion won respectively.

Persons: Cynthia Kim, Jihoon Lee SEOUL, Choo, Korea's, we're, Cho Jun, kee, Jihoon Lee, Tom Hogue, Navaratnam Organizations: MSCI Inc, SK Securities, Financial, Service, Credit Suisse Locations: Philippines, Korea, South Korea, Portugal, Hong Kong

And now Ben Hammou faces another blow as the German government moves to end pandemic-era tax breaks for the hospitality industry. The fiscally hawkish FDP party, which has control of the finance ministry in the three-way ruling coalition, backs letting the tax break expire, calculating that it would cost 3.3 billion euros ($3.5 billion) to keep it going in 2024. Many restaurants operate on tight margins, which makes them quite sensitive to tax increases. In Spain, Italy and France, the VAT on restaurants is at 10%, considerably lower than the expected 19% in Germany from 2024. The question is whether German restaurants are still struggling or have recovered well enough from the pandemic to withstand having the tax break removed, according to Tomas Dvorak, senior economist at Oxford Economics.

Persons: Omar Ben Hammou, Ben Hammou, Christian Lindner, Guido Zoellick, Thijs Geijer, Ingrid Hartges, DEHOGA, Steffen Marx, Tomas Dvorak, Maria Martinez, Christian Kraemer, Tanja Daube, Ulrike Heil, Belen Carreno, Giselda Vagnoni, Thomas Leigh, Matthias Williams, Hugh Lawson Organizations: Restaurant Association, ING, Reuters, Oxford Economics, Thomson Locations: Bavaria, BERLIN, Berlin, Russia, Ukraine, COVID, Spain, Italy, France, Germany, Munich, Madrid, Rome, Paris

☆ Ecuador's incoming president picks new finance chief
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-06 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Noboa, 35, has pledged to rebuild the South American country's ailing economy, create jobs and work to quell rising crime and violence largely blamed on organized crime. Moya will serve in a cabinet that the incoming president has pledged will feature an equal number of women and men. Noboa faces the challenge of a local economy that has struggled since the coronavirus pandemic, pushing thousands of Ecuadoreans to migrate. In October's run-off election, Noboa won about 52% of the vote, besting leftist adversary Luisa Gonzalez's 48% support. Reporting by Yury Garcia in Guayaquil; Editing by Sandra MalerOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Daniel Noboa, Guillermo Lasso, Noboa, Karen Toro, Sariha Moya, Moya, Luisa Gonzalez's, Yury Garcia, Sandra Maler Organizations: Ecuadorian, REUTERS, Rights, Thomson Locations: Quito, Ecuador, Rights GUAYAQUIL, Noboa, United States, Guayaquil

☆ British fiscal headroom an 'illusion' that will not leave room for tax cuts, report says
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-06 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

REUTERS/Hannah McKay/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsLONDON, Nov 6 (Reuters) - Extra fiscal headroom as a result of higher inflation is illusory and will not give any space for tax cuts when British Finance Minister Jeremy Hunt gives a fiscal update later this month, a think tank report said on Monday. The Resolution Foundation's analysis said that higher tax receipts and lower borrowing - both a result of sticky inflation - would increase Britain's fiscal headroom by 13 billion pounds ($16.09 billion), but added this was based on "implausible" public spending plans. That higher inflation is affecting public spending. Public spending will also have to increase more than is currently forecast to protect the budgets of some ministries in real terms in the coming years, the think-tank said. "It's increasingly clear that spending plans pencilled in for after the next election cannot be delivered," Smith said.

Persons: Jeremy Hunt, James, Suella Braverman, Hannah McKay, Hunt, James Smith, Smith, Alistair Smout, Sharon Singleton Organizations: Conservative, REUTERS, British, The Bank of England, Foundation, Thomson Locations: Manchester, Britain

☆ France says Ariane 6 accord calls for public aid, 11% cost cuts
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-06 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/2] General view of Ariane 6, Europe's next-generation space rocket, production line of Ariane Group in Bremen, Germany, February 19, 2019. The deal between Europe's three leading launch nations also clarifies usage of the European spaceport in French Guiana and opens up competition to future launchers, Le Maire said. A separate statement by France, Germany and Italy said Avio's (AVI.MI) Vega C would receive up to 21 million euros in public support. "This is a major success and a decisive point in European space history. It preserves European unity on the question of access to space," Le Maire told reporters following talks between members of the 22-nation European Space Agency (ESA).

Persons: Europe's, Fabian Bimmer, Bruno Le Maire, Le Maire, Safran, Avio's, Vega, Tim Hepher, Charlotte Van Campenhout, Mark Potter Organizations: Ariane, REUTERS, Rights, French Finance, Airbus, European Space Agency, ESA, Thomson Locations: Bremen, Germany, France, Italy, Guiana

☆ 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

☆ A top German politician blasted the 4-day workweek, saying no society has ever increased prosperity 'by working less'
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-06 | by ( Huileng Tan | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Christian Lindner, the German finance minister, panned the concept of a four-day workweek. 50 German companies are set to trial a four-day workweek starting February. AdvertisementAdvertisementA top politician in Germany has panned the concept of a four-day workweek for full pay, saying it's a hindrance to prosperity. Just 8% would accept lower wages, while 17% rejected a four-day workweek altogether. Workers, too, felt the benefits of a four-day workweek — about 70% reported lower levels of burnout.

Persons: Christian Lindner, Lindner, —, It's, Hans Organizations: Service, Bloomberg, Free Democratic Party, Böckler, ZDF, Workers Locations: Germany, Switzerland, Europe's

☆ Many Israelis Are Refugees From Arab Lands
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-05 | by ( Edward Meir | ) www.wsj.com time to read: +1 min

Review and Outlook: The Secretary-General abandons Israel, a state the U.N. helped to create. Images: Zuma Press/AP/Getty Images Composite: Mark KellyAs people around the world demonstrate for Palestinian rights, we shouldn’t overlook another group of Middle Eastern refugees who also have suffered for decades but whose plight is seldom discussed: the displaced Jewish refugees from Arab lands. By 1948 an estimated 135,000 Jews lived in Baghdad, comprising one-third of the city’s population—more Jews by proportion than Warsaw or New York at the time. Iraq’s first finance minister, Sassoon Eskell , was Jewish. He insisted that the British pay for Iraq’s oil in gold rather than pounds sterling, a prescient move that salvaged the country’s finances after sterling crumbled.

Persons: Israel, Mark Kelly, Cyrus the Great, Iraq’s, Sassoon Organizations: Zuma Press Locations: Baghdad, Iraq, Warsaw, New York

☆ China to accelerate issuance of government bonds, finance minister says
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-05 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

A woman walks in the Central Business District (CBD) on a hazy morning in Beijing, China, October 25, 2021. REUTERS/Thomas Peter/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsBEIJING, China, Nov 5 (Reuters) - China will accelerate the issuance and use of government bonds, state-run news agency Xinhua reported on Sunday citing an interview with new finance minister Lan Foan. "The Ministry of Finance will continue to implement a proactive fiscal policy, focus on improving efficiency, and better play the effectiveness of fiscal policy," said Lan, who also noted the "complex domestic and international situation". Some new local government debt quotas for 2024 have been issued in advance to reasonably ensure local financing needs, he said. The top parliamentary body last month approved the issuance of 1 trillion yuan ($137 billion) in sovereign bonds in the fourth quarter to fund rebuilding of areas affected by floods, state media reported.

Persons: Thomas Peter, Lan Foan, Lan, Liu Kun, Martin Quin Pollard, Wang Shuyan, William Mallard, Christopher Cushing Organizations: Central Business, REUTERS, Rights, Xinhua, Ministry, Finance, Communist Party, Thomson Locations: Beijing, China, Rights BEIJING, Shanxi

Singapore's Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance Lawrence Wong delivers the Singapore Energy Lecture during the 15th Singapore International Energy Week, in Singapore October 25, 2022. REUTERS/Isabel Kua/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsSINGAPORE, Nov 5 (Reuters) - Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong on Sunday said he will hand leadership of the ruling People's Action Party to Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong as soon as the party's 70th anniversary in November 2024, a year before an election is due. He has served as party secretary-general and prime minister since 2004 and last year chose Wong, who is also finance minister, as his successor. Therefore, I intend to hand over to DPM Lawrence before the next general election," Lee said at an annual party conference. He served as Lee's principal private secretary from 2005 to 2008 and led the education and national development ministries before becoming finance minister in 2021 and deputy prime minister last year.

Persons: Finance Lawrence Wong, Isabel Kua, Lee Hsien Loong, Lawrence Wong, Wong, Lee, Lee Kuan Yew, DPM Lawrence, Walid Jumblatt Abdullah, Chong Ja Ian, Chen Lin, Michael Perry, Christopher Cushing Organizations: Finance, Singapore Energy, Singapore International Energy, REUTERS, Rights, Singapore Prime, Party, Monetary Authority of, Nanyang Technological University, Still, National University of Singapore, Thomson Locations: Singapore, Rights SINGAPORE, Lawrence, Monetary Authority of Singapore

☆ War with Hamas to cost Israel above $50 billion, Calcalist reports
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-05 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Palestinians search for casualties, at the site of Israeli strikes on houses, amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and Palestinian Islamist group Hamas, at the Magazi Refugee Camp, in central Gaza Strip, November 5, 2023. REUTERS/Mohammed Salem Acquire Licensing RightsJERUSALEM, Nov 5 (Reuters) - Israel's war with Hamas in the Gaza Strip will cost as much as 200 billion shekels ($51 billion), the Calcalist financial newspaper reported on Sunday, citing preliminary Finance Ministry figures. Calcalist described the ministry as deeming 200 billion shekels an "optimistic" estimate. Calcalist said half of the cost would be in defence expenses that amount to some 1 billion shekels a day. Another 40-60 billion shekels would come from a loss of revenue, 17-20 billion for compensation for businesses and 10-20 billion shekels for rehabilitation.

Persons: Mohammed Salem, Lebanon's, Calcalist, Bezalel Smotrich, Benjamin Netanyahu, Moody's, Fitch, Steven Scheer, David Evans Organizations: Hamas, REUTERS, Rights, Ministry, Lebanon's Hezbollah, Thomson Locations: Israel, Palestinian, Gaza, Iran, Yemen

SINGAPORE (AP) — Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said Sunday he planned to bow out and hand over power to his deputy, Lawrence Wong, late next year, before the 2025 general election. He has served as head of the long-ruling People's Action Party, or PAP, and as prime minister since 2004. Therefore, I intend to hand over to DPM (Deputy Prime Minister) Lawrence before the next general election,” Lee said at a party conference. I will do my best to help him fight and win the next GE (general election),” Lee added. Lee is the eldest son of Lee Kuan Yew, who became Singapore's first prime minister and built the resource-poor city-state into one of the world’s richest nations during 31 years in office.

Persons: Lee Hsien Loong, Lawrence Wong, Lee, Wong, “, Lawrence, ” Lee, PAP's, Heng Swee Keat, Heng, Lee Kuan Yew Organizations: SINGAPORE, — Singapore, Party, GE, COVID, Finance, PAP Locations: Lawrence

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

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

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

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

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

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

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