Thai cabinet approves handouts, minimum wage increase and tax breaks, PM says
BANGKOK (Reuters) – Thailand’s cabinet on Tuesday approved new minimum wage increases from January, tax breaks to boost spending and the second phase the government’s signature handout scheme, the prime minister said. Paetongtarn Shinawatra also told reporters she hoped for…
Taiwan warns defence could suffer under opposition’s funding laws
TAIPEI (Reuters) – Taiwan’s cabinet warned on Monday the island’s security might be at risk after opposition parties passed laws that will require cuts in government spending, including defence, at a time when China has ramped up military activity nearby….
Markets in 2024: Wall Street’s high-octane rally keeps investors captive to the US
By Naomi Rovnick, Dhara Ranasinghe and Rodrigo Campos LONDON (Reuters) – Markets that began the year with investors expecting a global stock rally to fizzle, swift U.S. interest rate cuts to boost Treasuries and soften the dollar and emerging market…
Singapore Nov core inflation at 1.9% y/y, lowest in almost 3 years
By Bing Hong Lok SINGAPORE (Reuters) – Singapore’s key consumer price gauge rose 1.9% in November on a yearly basis, lower than economists’ forecasts and the smallest rise in nearly three years, official data showed on Monday. The core inflation…
Inflation, elections and war dominated 2024
By Simon Robinson (Reuters) – Inflation dropped in most economies around the world in 2024, but voters didn’t care. Angered by the hefty ramp-up in prices for everything from eggs to energy over the past few years, they punished incumbent…
Lagarde says ECB very close to reaching its inflation goal, FT reports
(Reuters) -European Central Bank (ECB) President Christine Lagarde said the euro zone was getting “very close” to reaching the central bank’s medium-term inflation goal, according to an interview published by the Financial Times on Monday. Earlier in December, Lagarde had…