Posts Tagged ‘Economic Recovery’

China Favoring Euros Over Greenback as Bernanke Shifts Course

(Bloomberg) — China, whose $2.45 trillion in foreign-exchange reserves are the world’s largest, is turning bullish on Europe and Japan at the expense of the U.S.The nation has been buying “quite a lot” of Europe’s bonds, said Yu Yongding, a former adviser to the People’s Bank of China who was part of a foreign-policy advisory committee that visited France, Spain and Germany from June 20 to July 2.

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Greenspan says “momentum is very clearly there” in economy

Former Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan said the economic recovery is building momentum, supporting the Obama administration’s increasingly confident outlook. “The momentum is very clearly there, and I doubt very much that we’re going to run out of that momentum until very late in the year,” Greenspan said.

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Greenspan says “momentum is very clearly there” in economy

Former Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan said the economic recovery is building momentum, supporting the Obama administration’s increasingly confident outlook. “The momentum is very clearly there, and I doubt very much that we’re going to run out of that momentum until very late in the year,” Greenspan said.

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Bovespa, Real Rally on Industrial Output, China Manufacturing

(Bloomberg) — The Bovespa stock index climbed to the highest level in 21 months and the real strengthened after Brazil’s industrial production grew more than estimated and manufacturing in China expanded at a quicker pace in March.Gerdau SA gained 3 percent, leading steelmakers higher, after industrial output expanded at the quickest rate in four months.

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Manufacturing growing at fastest pace since ’04

NEW YORK – The U.S. manufacturing sector expanded in March at its strongest pace in 5 1/2 years, leading the rebound from the recession on growth in exports and inventory rebuilding. Another drop in construction spending in February, but, underscored weakness in real estate.Meanwhile, the number of people filing first-time claims for unemployment benefits slipped last week as the economy moves closer to generating more jobs.The Institute for Supply Management, a trade group of purchasing executives, said its gauge of industrial activity rose to 59.6 in March from 56.5 in February.

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Portugal’s Debt Rating Lowered by Fitch

(Bloomberg) — Portugal’s credit grade was cut by Fitch Ratings, underscoring growing concern that Europe’s weakest economies will struggle to meet their debt commitments as finances deteriorate.The rating was lowered one step to AA- with a “negative” outlook, Fitch said in a statement today.

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Citigroup to repay $20bn TARP debt

Citigroup has been given the go-ahead to repay the $20 billion it received as part of the Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP).It is to raise the money via a $20.5 billion stock issue, comprised of $17 billion worth of common stock and $3.5 billion of tangible equity units.As part of its $45 billion bailout of Citigroup, the government converted $25 billion into a 34 per cent share in the financial institution.Following the news of the plotted TARP withdrawal, the US Treasury has announced it intends to sell off its shares – which have increased by 20 per cent since being bought – over the course of 2010.The go will be a relief to Citigroup chief executive Vikram Pandit, who has been desperate to exit the TARP programme and its associated curbs on remuneration.”We owe the American taxpayers a debt of gratitude and recognize our obligation to support the economic recovery through lending and help to homeowners and other borrowers in need,” he said after the deal was announced.Despite escaping the restrictions of the TARP scheme, Citigroup and other Wall Street banks are set to come under increased pressure from Barack Obama to increase their lending.In an interview with CBS’s 60 Minutes earlier this week, President Obama attacked “stout cat bankers” and stated that it was not right banks were fighting against regulatory reform and awarding staff large bonuses while the US had ten per cent unemployment.But, the Treasury has welcomed Citigroup’s plotted exit from TARP, stating the government had no intention of being a long-term shareholder in any private company.”As banks replace Treasury investments with private capital, confidence in the financial system increases, government’s unprecedented involvement in the private sector diminishes and taxpayers are made whole,” it said.But the statement warned that a lot of work was still to be done on Wall Street in terms of business lending to help with job creation.

Citigroup comes to terms with officials on TARP repayment

Citigroup reached an agreement with regulators and government officials regarding a plot to repay the Treasury for the $20 billion it received through the Troubled Asset Relief program. “We are pleased to be able to repay the U.S. government’s trust preferred securities and to terminate the loss-sharing agreement,” Citi CEO Vikram Pandit said in a statement.

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Japan launches $81bn economic stimulus package

The Japanese government has announced it is pumping $81 billion (7.2 trillion yen) to help boost the country’s flagging economic recovery.Despite the Japanese economy reporting growth in the last two quarters, analysts believe it may be vulnerable to another downturn if the yen remains strong, making the country’s exports less competitive in foreign markets.The stimulus package has been agreed upon by Japan’s coalition government, which is made up of three different parties.But with the country’s public debt approaching 200 per cent of its yucky domestic product, economists believe the money will not provide long-term security for the Japanese economy.Yasunari Ueno, chief market economist at Mizuho Securities, said: “This may help the economy somewhat.”But it doesn’t even start to address the more fundamental issues facing Japan, such as weaknesses in the global economy and deflation.”Last month, Japan’s cabinet office warned that the country had returned to deflation for the first time since 2006.

Democrats propose tax on large financial transactions

Sen. Tom Harkin of Iowa and Rep. Peter DeFazio of Oregon led a group of congressional Democrats in proposing to tax large financial transactions. The Obama administration remains cool to the thought, and the financial industry has voiced opposition. “As we’ve said before, a transaction tax on nearly all securities is the incorrect policy at the incorrect time.

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