German Factory Orders Slump Most Since 2009: Economy

German factory orders (GRIORTMM) plunged the most since 2009, underlining the risk of a slowdown in Europe’s largest economy.

World Bank cuts growth outlook as Ukraine crisis weighs

(Reuters) - The World Bank on Tuesday trimmed its global growth forecast, saying a confluence of events, from the Ukraine crisis to unusually cold weather in the United States, dampened economic expansion in the first half of the year.

IMF says sub-Saharan Africa faces heightened risk of capital outflows

(Reuters) - Investment in infrastructure and natural resources will continue to underpin economic activity in sub-Saharan Africa, although capital outflows sparked by tighter global financial conditions pose a risk to growth, the IMF said on Thursday.

Germany's current account surplus is a wider issue than it first appears

When the US treasury recently added its voice to the chorus of critics of Germany's chronic current account surplus, it underscored the deep disagreement over what, if anything, should be done about it.

Finance officials confident of global growth

WASHINGTON (AP) An ambitious goal to boost global growth by $2 trillion in the next five years is within reach, finance officials of the world's major economies believe, despite a variety of threats, including rising political tensions over Russia's actions in Ukraine.

Australia, India to push for IMF quota reforms at G20

Australia on Thursday said it will ‘actively lobby’ with the US to push through the International Monetary Fund quota reforms seeking to providing more voice to the developing countries.

China Reform Plan Sets Scene for Local Clampdown: Economy

China’s Communist Party signaled a bigger focus on fiscal concerns during President Xi Jinping’s tenure, setting the scene for a clampdown to control the finances of indebted regional authorities.

World Bank revamp: 'We're not cutting jobs out of spite,' insists president

When an organisation with more than 10,000 workers spread across 120 offices worldwide decides to streamline its operations to meet tough new targets and head off threats from rivals, it is bound to cause pain.

G20 gives U.S. a slap for the shutdown

The world’s top economic powers urged the U.S. to break its stalemate over the nation’s debt ceiling and budget, calling the standoff one of the world’s chief immediate economic risks.

G-20 Draft Says QE Withdrawal Volatility Poses ‘Important Risk’

The Group of 20 economies identified market turmoil from central banks’ withdrawal of monetary stimulus as a key risk to the global financial system, according to a draft communique for talks scheduled later this week.

East Asia growth forecast cut by the World Bank

The World Bank has cut its growth forecast for East Asia's developing countries from 7.8% to 7.1% for 2013.

Deep Thoughts by Alexander Mirtchev

Ashby Monk

For a variety of reasons, SWF employees are typically quite reserved and guarded when speaking to the press. Not so for Dr. Alexander Mirtchev, who is the Independent Director and a member of the Board of Directors of Kazakhstan’s $30 billion National Welfare Fund Samruk-Kazyna.

 

Alexander Mirtchev

Arabs offer Palestinians $100 million a month "financial safety net"

DOHA (Reuters) - Arab states agreed to provide the Palestinian Authority with a $100 million monthly "financial safety net" to help President Mahmoud Abbas's government cope with an economic crisis after the United Nations granted de facto statehood to Palestine

China's central bank governor to skip key meeting in Japan

The governor of China's central bank has pulled out of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and World Bank meetings being held in Japan.

World Bank urges East Europe to curb 'shadow economy'

BRUSSELS: Eastern Europe needs to curb its "shadow economy" to weather Europe's current financial crisis and promote growth, the World Bank said in a new report Monday.

World Bank race heating up

NEW YORK (CNNMoney) -- The World Bank will choose its next president in one week, and for the first time ever, it's got a competition on its hands.

World Bank race: Nigerian finance minister warns emerging economies will "lose interest" if voice not heard

Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, the Nigerian finance minister who wants to run the World Bank, has warned that emerging economies will lose interest in multi-lateral institutions if they are not given more of a voice at the top of them.

Arab economy ministers meet before Baghdad summit

Arab economy ministers opened talks in the Iraqi capital on Tuesday ahead of a regional summit, aiming to ramp up tourism in the region despite the bloody crackdown in Syria.

Momentum to drain from world economy in 2012: poll

LONDON (Reuters) - The world economy will lose momentum in 2012 but it will keep moving in the right direction, according to Reuters polls of around 600 economists who said crisis-hit Europe would drag on global growth.

G-20 Looks to Shore Up Sovereign Financing After Mexico Meeting

Jan. 20 (Bloomberg) -- The G-20 agreed on the need to do more to support indebted nations, Mexico’s Deputy Finance Minister Gerardo Rodriguez said.