S&P affirms New Zealand’s ‘AA’ credit rating, keeps outlook stable

Jan 20, 2017 06:02 am UTC| Economy Commentary

The Standard Poors, credit rating agency affirmed New Zealands AA foreign currency rating and AA+ local currency long-term sovereign credit rating and said its outlook remains stable. The Standard Poor said in an...

ECB maintains stimulus program unchanged, remains dovish despite higher inflation

Jan 20, 2017 05:15 am UTC| Economy Commentary Central Banks

The European Central Bank in its first monetary policy meeting of 2017 on Thursday maintained interest rates and its bond-buying program unchanged, as expected. Also, the European Central President Mario Draghi concluded...

Chart of the Day Series

Chart of the Day: Fraudsters

Jan 19, 2017 19:42 pm UTC| Commentary Economy

This chart shared by Financial Times shows a glimpse from business investigation firm Krolls annual global fraud report that speaks of a business trouble in China in 2016; frauds. More than 80 percent of the Chinese...

UK to explore options to stay competitive, says Finance minister Philip Hammond

Jan 19, 2017 16:04 pm UTC| Commentary Economy

The UK Finance Minister Philip Hammond, speaking at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, said that in the absence of a comprehensive trading relationship after Brexit, UK could explore options to stay...

Central Banking Series

Feds Jan Beige Book report highlights jump in manufacturing, tight labor markets, pricing pressures

Jan 19, 2017 15:24 pm UTC| Commentary Central Banks Economy

Januarys Federal Reserve Beige Book, released Wednesday carried a more upbeat tone than recent beige books. The report which comes two weeks before the Federal Reserves next scheduled policy meeting (Jan. 31-Feb. 1)...

China's holdings of U.S. Treasuries decline for 6th straight month in November

Jan 19, 2017 15:08 pm UTC| Commentary Economy

Data from the U.S. Treasury Department showed on Wednesday that China reduced holdings of U.S. Treasuries for a sixth straight month in November. Data showed Chinas holdings declined to $1.049 trillion, a drop of about $66...

Global Geopolitics Series

Global cooperation is at risk just when our economies need it most

Jan 19, 2017 13:06 pm UTC| Insights & Views Economy

The world economy is fragmenting. We have seen the election of a crude mercantilist president in the US, the Brexit vote in the UK, protracted pain in the euro zone and the slowdown of growth in China. The immediate...