French nationwide strike to extend as pension reform fight intensifies
Protests against plans to raise pension age to 64Majority of voters reject reformGovernment, unions determined to stand their groundPARIS, March 7 (Reuters) – France’s nationwide strike against a planned pension reform, which disrupted train services, shut schools and halted fuel deliveries, will spill into Wednesday as unions seek to force a government retreat on the […]
China says U.S. should change attitude or risk conflict
BEIJING, March 7 (Reuters) – The United States should change its “distorted” attitude towards China or “conflict and confrontation” will follow, China’s foreign minister said on Tuesday, while defending its stance on the war in Ukraine and defending its close ties with Russia.The U.S. had been engaging in suppression and containment of China rather than […]
Argentine savers ‘drown’ under spiraling prices as inflation hits 99%
BUENOS AIRES, Feb 14 (Reuters) – Argentina’s inflation rate has hit just shy of 100%, the government said on Tuesday, with savers feeling more pain from some of the world’s fastest rising prices and workers’ budgets straining as costs outstrip salaries.The South American country, which has battled spiraling prices for years, saw monthly inflation speed […]
U.S. posts $39 billion January deficit after pension fund bailout
WASHINGTON, Feb 10 (Reuters) – The U.S. government posted a $39 billion budget deficit for January after a $119 billion monthly surplus a year earlier, as revenues dipped and one-time costs, including the bailout of a union pension fund, pushed outlays sharply higher, the Treasury Department said on Friday.The report, which comes as Treasury employs […]
In State of the Union speech, Biden challenges Republicans on debt and economy
WASHINGTON, Feb 7 (Reuters) – President Joe Biden challenged Republicans to lift the U.S. debt ceiling and support tax policies that were friendlier to middle class Americans on Tuesday in a State of the Union speech that served as a blueprint for his 2024 re-election campaign.Assailing oil companies for making high profits and corporate America […]
McCarthy to discuss debt limit, spending with Biden
Biden, McCarthy set for high-stakes debt talks on WednesdayRepublican leader says U.S. default will not happenWhite House dubious on Republican plan for MedicareWASHINGTON/WILMINGTON, Del., Jan 29 (Reuters) – President Joe Biden and House of Representatives Speaker Kevin McCarthy will meet at the White House on Wednesday for talks in the standoff over the federal debt […]
Analysis: Wall Street heavyweights warn of pain ahead despite market’s recent reprieve
NEW YORK, Jan 25 (Reuters) – Some of Wall Street’s biggest names are throwing cold water on expectations that the U.S. economy will scrape through 2023 without a recession, even as hopes of easing inflation and resilient growth propel stocks higher.Banks and asset managers that have reiterated recession calls include BlackRock, Wells Fargo and Neuberger […]
Household wealth optimism collapses, global survey shows
Jan 16 (Reuters) – Barely two in five people believe their families will be better off in the future, according to a regular global survey that also identified growing levels of distrust in institutions among low-income households.The Edelman Trust Barometer, which for over two decades has polled the attitudes of thousands of people, found that […]
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 […]