Tag: economic policies

UK Government ‘Too Slow’ to Recover Fraud Losses Following COVID-19 Pandemic: Report

MPs have said the government needs to learn how to better manage crises like the COVID-19 pandemic in order to tackle fraud and error, which cost taxpayers billions of pounds. The Committee of Public Accounts (CPA) has issued a report looking into the challenges and opportunities across Whitehall during the period that Britain opened up…


Wall Street Opens Lower as Mixed Data Fuels Fed Policy Uncertainty

Wall Street’s main indexes opened slightly lower on Tuesday as investors assessed chances of the Federal Reserve holding interest rates at its meeting next week, with mixed data adding to uncertainty around the policy outlook. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 15.19 points, or 0.05 percent, at the open to 33,547.67. The S&P 500 opened…


Aussie Jumps on RBA Hike, US Dollar Steady

LONDON—The Australian dollar jumped to its highest since mid-May on Tuesday after the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) raised interest rates, in a decision that many analysts had said would be a close call between a hike and a pause. The U.S. dollar was steady, below last week’s 2–1/2-month highs versus major peers, after unexpectedly…


Oil Falls as Economic Fears Overshadow Saudi Output Cut

LONDON—Oil prices tumbled more than $1 a barrel on Tuesday, after a strong rally in the previous session as worries about the global economic growth outweighed Saudi Arabia’s pledge to deepen output cuts. Brent crude futures were down $1.33, or 1.73 percent, to $75.38 a barrel by 0923 GMT. U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude fell…


World Stocks Tread Water as Traders Eye Fed Pause Prospects

LONDON—European stocks started Tuesday mixed, as soft U.S. economic data reinforced expectations the Federal Reserve may skip an interest rate hike when it meets next week. The pan-European STOXX 600 index was up 0.1 percent to 460.40 at 0830 GMT. In the previous session, the index dropped as data pointing to tepid U.S. business activity…


No End to Price Shocks: Think Tank Warns Against Closing Australia’s Largest Power Station

The New South Wales (NSW) Labor government must do everything it can to stop the closure of the Eraring Power Station, with one think tank warning its shutdown could trigger major energy shortages and price hikes.  Eraring’s seemingly inevitable closure will follow that of Liddell Power Station, Australia’s second-largest power plant, which supplied power to…


Lawsuit Filed Against Australia’s Environment Minister for Not Considering ‘Climate Risk’

A legal challenge has been lodged against Australia’s environment minister, Tanya Plibersek, claiming she did not adequately consider climate risks when approving two new coal mining projects. The action, filed in the Federal Court of Australia, seeks a judicial review of the minister’s decision, arguing there were legal errors because Plibersek did not consider the…


[Premiering 6/6, 7:30PM ET] David Stockman: Debt Default, the ‘Doomsday Budget Machine,’ and Failed Fiscal Restraint Explained

“For capitalism to work, you have to have effectively functioning, solid capital markets. And in order to do that, you need savings—real savings, not money printed by a central bank, but real savings from businesses and households,” says David Stockman, who served as budget director for President Ronald Reagan. “Back then, the public debt was 30-40…


Spotify to Lay Off 200 Workers in Podcast Division

Spotify Technology SA said on Monday it would cut 200 jobs from its podcast unit in its second round of layoffs, as the company restructures the business after years of heavy investment. The move affects about 2 percent of the music-streaming giant’s workforce and aligns Spotify with the likes of Meta Platforms and Roku, which…


Wall Street Opens Muted as Investors Weigh Chances of June Rate Pause

Wall Street’s main indexes opened subdued on Monday after a solid rally last week, as investors assessed chances of the Federal Reserve pausing interest rate hikes at its upcoming policy meeting. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 8.37 points, or 0.02 percent, at the open to 33,771.13. The S&P 500 opened higher by 0.62 points,…