Finance & Economics | WPN World People News

The Norwegian economy is performing well, despite low oil prices. Further reforms will be needed to diversify the economy, improve public spending efficiency and ensure that the high levels of income, well-being and equality are passed on to future generations, according to a new report from the OECD.

Economic growth in China has remained strong in 2017, supported by rising household incomes and improving external demand. Growth is projected at 6.8 percent in 2017, exceeding initial expectations, according to the World Bank’s Update released on December 19.

More than 3 million people living in the metropolitan area of Salvador, in Brazil’s Northeast, will benefit from a US$125 million loan approved by the World Bank Board of Executive Directors, on Decemberj 19. The Salvador Social Project will improve service delivery in the state of Bahia’s capital with actions focused on health care system efficiency, education quality and social assistance effectiveness.

On December 18th , 2017, Tens of thousands of people gathered to attend the “Movement to stop the evil hands that manipulate Taiwan’s finance and taxation” at the Ketagalan Boulevard for the Taxpayers Rights.

One of the victims carries the yellow board accuses the illegal tax bill and restriction of personal freedom. Taiwan’s victims of unlawful taxation cry out their stories of suffering from the illegal tax bill. The victims from all over Taiwan tearfully accuse the National Taxation Bureau of Taiwan abusing its power. Organizing the movement, the Tax and Legal Reform League hopes that fair tax, the Taxpayer’s Human Rights and righteousness can be fully accomplished.

An International Monetary Fund (IMF) team led by Mohammed El Qorchi visited Baku from November 30 to December 14 to hold discussions in the context of the 2018 Article IV Consultation.

The World Bank has updated its 2017 growth projection for the Philippines, as part of its quarterly forecast exercise to reflect recent economic trends.

Recent reforms of Italy’s education system (“Buona Scuola”), labour market (“Jobs Act”) and industrial policy (“Industria 4.0”) have clear synergies and could reduce worrying imbalances between the supply and demand of skills on the Italian labour market, according to the new OECD report Getting Skills Right: Italy.

On December 15, 2017, the Executive Board of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) completed the third review under the Extended Credit Facility (ECF) arrangement for the Central African Republic. The completion of the review enables a disbursement of SDR 28.41 million (about US$40.2 million).