Finance & Economics

European Central Bank publishes Comprehensive Assessment Stress Test Manual

The European Central Bank (ECB) has published a manual detailing how it will incorporate findings from its AQR into stress test projections. It also describes the stress test quality assurance process, which is vital to ensuring that the exercise is robust and credible.

US Must Agree to Argentine Debt Lawsuit

Argentina sued the United States at the International Court of Justice Thursday, but for the suit to proceed the U.S. must grant jurisdiction to the court it withdrew from in 1986.

Bank Negotiates $150 million Energy Sector Recovery Program for Albania

The World Bank and the Government of Albania successfully completed negotiations for a $150 million Power Reform and Recovery Project.

The European Commission adopts a "partnership agreement" with France on using EU Structural and Investment Funds for growth and jobs over the period 2014‑2020

The European Commission has adopted a "partnership agreement" with France setting out the strategy for the optimal use of European Structural and Investment Funds in the country's regions and cities for 2014-2020. This agreement paves the way for France's return to recovery and growth, and its transformation into a productive economy. It sets out how a total of EUR 15.9 billion in Cohesion Policy funding (at current prices, including European Territorial Cooperation funding) and EUR 11.4 billion for rural development is to be invested in the country's real economy. France will receive EUR 588 million from the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund (EMFF).

UK set a flexible approach to benefit both employees and employers

Returning to work after having children can be difficult for women but sound advice and support make this easier.

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World Bank Negotiates $150 million Energy Sector Recovery Program for Albania

The World Bank and the Government of Albania successfully completed negotiations for a $150 million Power Reform and Recovery Project.

Mexican Senate Finalizes Historic Reforms of Oil Sector

Mexican lawmakers have approved legislation that will end the government's seven decade monopoly on the country's oil and gas sector.

ECON chairman Gualtieri wants "bolder action" for euro area

The Governing Council of the ECB met on Thursday and decided that the interest rate on the main refinancing operations and the interest rates on the marginal lending facility and the deposit facility will remain unchanged at 0.15%, 0.40% and -0.10% respectively.

Vietnam: World Bank approves US$500 million loan to improve electricity transmission

Investment aims to construct over 1,000 kilometers of transmission lines and implement Smart Grid technologies to improve reliability and quality of electricity supply

The World Bank’s Board of Executive Directors approved a loan of US$500 million to the Government of Vietnam to improve the capacity, efficiency and reliability of electricity transmission in areas that are key to the country’s economic development, including the Greater Hanoi Area, the Greater Ho Chi Minh City Area, the Mekong Delta, and the Central Region.

Poor policies Restrain Growth in Seven Middle East & North Africa Countries

Egypt, Tunisia, Iran, Lebanon, Jordan, Yemen and Libya are trapped in a “poor policy – poor growth” cycle, which prevents their economies from moving to a sustainable growth path, says the World Bank in the newly released Quarterly Economic Brief for the Middle East & North Africa region.