By Gertrude Chavez-Dreyfuss NEW YORK (Reuters) – The euro hit a 15-year peak against the yen and a five-week high against the dollar on Thursday after the European Central Bank raised interest rates for the eighth straight time and signaled further tightening to bring euro zone inflation to its medium-term target of 2%. The ECB…
By Lucia Mutikani WASHINGTON (Reuters) – U.S. retail sales unexpectedly rose in May as consumers stepped up purchases of motor vehicles and building materials, which could help to stave off a dreaded recession in the near term. While other data on Thursday showed first-time applications for state unemployment benefits holding steady last week at more…
By Roberto Samora SAO PAULO (Reuters) – Top food producer Brazil will start stocking up on food staples, a government agency said on Thursday, as the leftist administration of President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva makes good on last year’s campaign trail promise to curb food inflation. In a bid to increase public storage capacity,…
ACCRA (Reuters) – The International Monetary Fund (IMF) said on Thursday that Ghana’s economy is showing signs of stabilization, with softening inflation, an increase in international reserves and a less volatile exchange rate. The IMF statement was issued at the end of a week-long visit to the country as part of regular engagements under Ghana’s…
By Emilio Parodi MILAN (Reuters) – Italy’s cabinet on Thursday approved a justice reform aimed at strengthening the rights of defendants, measures long advocated by former Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi who died this week after years of legal battles with prosecutors. The bill, which Giorgia Meloni’s rightist government dedicated to Berlusconi, curbs the use of…
By Antonio Bronic ZADAR, Croatia (Reuters) – Croatian tourism officials are anticipating a record year for the sector after the country joined Europe’s free-movement Schengen zone in January, which has boosted the number of visitors to its picturesque Adriatic coast. Tourism accounts for 20% of Croatia’s economy and following a slump during the COVID-19 pandemic,…
By Scott DiSavino NEW YORK (Reuters) -Oil prices gained about 3% to a one-week high on Thursday on a weaker U.S. dollar and a jump in refinery runs in top crude importer China. Brent futures rose $2.47, or 3.4%, to settle at $75.67 a barrel, while U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude rose $2.35, or…
By Saqib Iqbal Ahmed NEW YORK (Reuters) – Shares of U.S.-listed Chinese exchange traded funds edged higher on Thursday, tracking gains in the Chinese markets after the central bank cut borrowing costs to aid a shaky economic recovery and as investors pinned hopes on further stimulus. China’s stock markets rose on Thursday, with the benchmark…
By Ross Kerber (Reuters) – Top asset manager BlackRock on Thursday named outside executive John Kelly to a newly created role overseeing its public policy, philanthropy, communications and branding, at a time the firm needs to balance its message among competing constituencies. Kelly’s appointment as global head of corporate affairs, described in a memo provided…
By Jeffrey Dastin and Anna Tong SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) – Alphabet Inc is cautioning employees about how they use chatbots, including its own Bard, at the same time as it markets the program around the world, four people familiar with the matter told Reuters. The Google parent has advised employees not to enter its confidential…
