Reuters US Economy

By Clyde Russell LAUNCESTON, Australia (Reuters) -China’s imports of iron ore and seaborne coal are on track for a soft start to the year, with January arrivals declining to multi-month lows. However, the price trends for the two key bulk commodities are divergent, with iron ore holding up while thermal coal slides to the weakest …

China’s iron ore and coal imports ease in January, but prices diverge: Russell Read More »

By Karen Braun NAPERVILLE, Illinois (Reuters) -With global corn supplies set for decade lows later this year, Brazil’s corn harvest cannot afford a mishap. Brazilian corn stocks are particularly tight heading into 2024-25, and planting of the second corn crop, which accounts for almost 80% of the country’s corn production, is off to a slow …

Brazil’s slow corn planting may further squeeze tight world stocks -Braun Read More »

By Maria Martinez BERLIN (Reuters) – The German economy contracted more than expected in the final quarter of last year, reigniting recession fears as Europe’s biggest economy is beset by political uncertainty ahead of a snap election. Germany’s gross domestic product fell by 0.2% in the fourth quarter compared with the previous three-month period, preliminary …

Germany’s recession fears return ahead of election Read More »

By Jesus Calero (Reuters) -Finnish lender Nordea Bank reported fourth-quarter operating earnings slightly above estimates on Thursday, saying that while lower interest rates did help the housing market, the Nordic mortgage and corporate lending markets remained “slow”. Having previously benefited from high rates across the region, Nordea now faces a shifting landscape as central banks …

Finland’s Nordea Bank just beats Q4 estimates on “slow” lending market recovery Read More »

By Karen Lema and Mikhail Flores MANILA (Reuters) -The Philippine economy expanded a lower than expected 5.2% in the fourth quarter from a year earlier, official data showed on Thursday, weighed down by weaker consumption and weather disruption that squeezed farm output. The reading matched the previous quarter’s 5.2% expansion but was below the median …

Philippines Q4 GDP grows 5.2% y/y, below expectations Read More »

By Marcela Ayres BRASILIA (Reuters) – Brazil’s central bank raised its benchmark interest rate by 100 basis points for the second straight meeting on Wednesday and signaled another hike of that size in March, leaving the door open for subsequent moves amid mounting inflationary pressures. The bank’s rate-setting committee, known as Copom, lifted the Selic …

Brazil central bank hikes rates by 100 bps, confirms same in March Read More »

By Ana Mano SAO PAULO (Reuters) -A cargo of Louis Dreyfus Company soymeal destined for export from the southern Brazilian port of Paranagua was returned for reprocessing at one of the company’s local plants, the grain processor told Reuters on Wednesday. LDC declined to provide details such as the timeline of the refusal, the size …

LDC says Brazil soymeal cargo returned from port for reprocessing Read More »