U.S. December deficit quadruples as outlays grow, debt ceiling nears
WASHINGTON, Jan 12 (Reuters) – The U.S. government’s December budget deficit quadrupled from a year earlier to $85 billion as receipts shrank slightly and outlays grew to a new December record, the Treasury Department said on Thursday as it neared the $31.4 trillion federal debt limit.The results confirmed forecasts that revenues would start to ease […]
Crypto crime hits record $20 bln in 2022, report says
LONDON, Jan 12 (Reuters) – Illicit use of cryptocurrencies hit a record $20.1 billion last year as transactions involving companies targeted by U.S. sanctions skyrocketed, data from blockchain analytics firm Chainalysis showed on Thursday.The cryptocurrency market floundered in 2022, as risk appetite diminished and various crypto firms collapsed. Investors were left with large losses and […]
China consumer inflation accelerates in Dec; PPI falls with soft demand
BEIJING, Jan 12 (Reuters) – China’s annual consumer inflation rate accelerated in December, driven by rising food prices even as domestic demand wavered amid restrained economic activity.Economists expect inflation to continue to pick up in the first quarter of 2023.The consumer price index (CPI) in December was 1.8% higher than a year earlier, rising faster […]
More than half of German companies report labour shortages
BERLIN, Jan 12 (Reuters) – More than half Germany’s companies are struggling to fill vacancies due to a lack of skilled workers, the German Chambers of Commerce and Industry (DIHK) said on Thursday, in the latest sign of growth headwinds belabouring Europe’s largest economy.The proportion of companies facing difficulties hiring was at its highest ever […]