Brazil posts slightly wider-than-expected February budget deficit
BRASILIA -Brazil’s central government recorded a slightly wider-than-expected primary budget deficit in February, Treasury data showed on Thursday, although the result improved sharply from a year earlier, mainly due to lower expenditures. Latin America’s largest economy posted a deficit, excluding…
TSX ends flat as auto tariffs deter investor moves
Canada’s main stock index steadied on Thursday as an expanding global trade war discouraged investors from making new bets on the market, with gains for gold miners offsetting losses for auto parts and technology shares. Toronto Stock Exchange’s S&P/TSX composite…
Trade war’s impact on growth extremely detrimental, ECB says
BRUSSELS – A trade war with the United States could have a fleeting impact on euro zone inflation but a far more detrimental effect on economic growth, European Central Bank Vice President Luis de Guindos said on Thursday. The euro…
Italy is concerned but not ‘terrified’ by potential Trump wine tariffs, minister says
ROME – Italy is concerned but not “terrified” of any new tariffs the United States could impose on wine, the country’s agriculture minister said on Thursday, adding he hoped diplomatic efforts could avert damage to a key industry. U.S. President…
EU Commission looks to cut overlap in tech directives -Virkkunen
AMSTERDAM – The European Commission is looking at ways to cut overlap in tech rules in response to complaints from business about the flood of new EU regulations in recent years, digital chief Henna Virkkunen said on Thursday. Outside a…
DOJ launches deregulatory task force
The U.S. Department of Justice launched a deregulatory task force on Thursday to advocate against regulations that could harm competition, especially in markets that affect consumers such as agriculture, housing, transportation, healthcare and energy. The DOJ’s Anticompetitive Regulations Task Force…
US natgas prices climb 2% on decline in daily output, record LNG flows
U.S. natural gas futures climbed about 2% on Thursday on a decline in daily output, record flows to liquefied natural gas (LNG) export plants and forecasts for more demand this week than previously expected. On its last day as the…
US goods trade deficit narrows in February
WASHINGTON – The U.S. trade deficit in goods narrowed in February amid a rise in exports, which could temper economists’ expectations for a sharp slowdown in economic growth in the first quarter. The goods trade deficit contracted 4.9% to $147.9…
Factbox-Energy assets affected by Russia-West standoff and sanctions
The United States reached separate deals on Tuesday with Ukraine and Russia to halt attacks at sea and against energy targets, with Washington agreeing to push to lift some sanctions against Moscow. The potential easing of U.S. and EU sanctions…
Ferrari says U.S auto tariffs will not impact 2025 financial targets
ROME – Italian luxury sports carmaker Ferrari said on Thursday its financial targets for this year will remain unchanged despite the new auto tariffs imposed by the United States. The U.S. on Wednesday announced a 25% tariff on auto imports…
Exclusive-Energy trader Vitol eyes $3 billion sale of US shale producer, sources say
NEW YORK – Global commodities trader Vitol is exploring a sale of its VTX Energy Partners business, in a deal that could value the U.S. shale oil and gas producer at as much as $3 billion, including debt, people familiar…
Exclusive-IAG will consider selling 20% stake in Air Europa, CEO says
BRUSSELS -British Airways-owner IAG will consider selling its 20% stake in Air Europa as the Spanish airline’s owner continues talks with Air France-KLM and Lufthansa to sell a stake in the company, IAG’s CEO told Reuters. The move comes as…
US corporate profits hit record high before Trump’s tariffs
WASHINGTON – U.S. corporate profits surged to a record high in the fourth quarter amid strong demand and pricing power, but an uncertain economic outlook due to tariffs is creating a challenging environment for businesses that economists say could force…
Wolfspeed names chip industry veteran Robert Feurle as CEO
Chipmaker Wolfspeed said on Thursday it appointed industry veteran Robert Feurle as its CEO, months after its board ousted former top boss Gregg Lowe. Feurle, who has previously spent a decade in executive roles at Micron Technology, will succeed Thomas…
Argentina targets $20 billion IMF deal to bolster markets, FX
BUENOS AIRES – Argentina is targeting a $20 billion deal with the International Monetary Fund, Economy Minister Luis Caputo said on Thursday, formally putting a figure on the long-mooted program for the first time as he looks to calm local…
Walmart Mexico to invest $6 billion in 2025
MEXICO CITY -Walmart’s Mexico unit said on Thursday it would invest more than $6 billion in the country this year, around triple its planned spending from the year before. The funds will go toward opening new stores and to continue…
Bank bosses call for softer rules, Trump-nominated regulators listen
NEW YORK – U.S. banking giants are pushing for a swath of lighter regulations from President Donald Trump’s administration, and say they are heartened by signals that regulators are listening. Bank bosses want to cut reporting requirements on some transactions,…
US pending home sales rebound in February
WASHINGTON – Contracts to buy U.S. previously owned homes rebounded marginally in February amid a decline in mortgage rates but rising economic uncertainty could limit momentum. The National Association of Realtors (NAR) said on Thursday its Pending Home Sales Index,…
S&P 500 ends lower as investors digest Trump’s auto tariffs
The S&P 500 ended lower on Thursday, as investors grappled with U.S. President Donald Trump’s latest trade tariff announcement that hit shares of General Motors and Ford. Trump unveiled on Wednesday his plan to implement a 25% tariff on imported…
Zimbabwe president fires army chief ahead of planned protests
HARARE – Zimbabwe President Emmerson Mnangagwa acted to consolidate his hold on power with Tuesday’s dismissal of a senior general, political analysts say, amid growing fears of a possible coup by former allies. Mnangagwa, who took charge after a military…
Mass Russian drone attack on Ukraine’s Kharkiv, nine injured
Russian forces launched a mass drone attack on Kharkiv, Ukraine’s second largest city, late on Wednesday, injuring nine people and causing considerable damage, emergency services and officials said. Emergency services, posting on the Telegram messaging app, said the attacks started…
Rubio says US will evaluate Russian demands for Black Sea ceasefire
KINGSTON – The United States will evaluate demands made by Russia after Moscow had agreed “in principle” to a U.S.-brokered ceasefire with Ukraine in the Black Sea to allow safe navigation, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Wednesday….
Kenyan MSS soldier reported missing after gang-linked incident in Haiti
PORT-AU-PRINCE -An officer from the Kenyan multinational security support (MSS) mission was reported missing in Haiti on Tuesday after an incident involving gangs, the MSS said in a statement. Gang members attacked the MSS forces as they were helping a…
Brazil Supreme Court to put Bolsonaro on trial for alleged coup attempt
BRASILIA -Former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro will stand trial for allegedly conspiring to overthrow the government after he lost a 2022 election, the Supreme Court ruled on Wednesday, moving swiftly in a case that could reshape the political landscape. A…
Hamas spokesperson Qanoua killed in Israeli airstrike, Hamas media say
CAIRO -Hamas spokesperson Abdel-Latif Al-Qanoua has been killed in an Israeli airstrike in northern Gaza, Hamas-affiliated media said early on Thursday, the latest group figure to be killed since Israel resumed its operations in the enclave. Al-Qanoua was killed when…
AirAsia flight to China turns back due to engine fire, lands safely
KUALA LUMPUR – An AirAsia flight bound for China returned to Kuala Lumpur due to an engine fire shortly after takeoff and landed safely with no injuries reported, Malaysian authorities said on Thursday. Flight AK128 on an Airbus A320, was…
South Korea wildfires kill at least 24, pilot killed as firefighting helicopter crashes
UISEONG COUNTY, South Korea -The death toll in the wildfires raging across South Korea’s southeastern region rose to 24 and the pilot of a firefighting helicopter was killed when the aircraft crashed on Wednesday, as the country battles some of…
Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh fear aid cuts will deepen crisis
KUTUPALONG REFUGEE CAMP, Bangladesh – Majuna Khatun sat cradling her six-month-old baby at a rehabilitation centre for Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh, worried her child would be without critical healthcare due to funding cuts from the United States and some European…
US federal immigration agents detain doctoral student at University of Alabama
WASHINGTON – U.S. federal immigration agents detained a doctoral student at the University of Alabama, the university said in a statement to media on Wednesday. The university did not identify the student but records on the website of the U.S….
Appeals court won’t pause ruling that forced US to reinstate federal workers
A U.S. appeals court on Wednesday refused to pause a judge’s ruling requiring the administration of President Donald Trump to reinstate more than 17,000 workers at six agencies who lost their jobs as part of Trump’s purge of the federal…