Finance & Economics | WPN World People News

On September 10, 2018, the Executive Board of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) concluded the Article IV consultation with Austria.

Austria is a rich, equitable and stable country. The social safety net is ample; thus, poverty and income inequality are low, contributing to strong social cohesion and security.

On September 7, 2018, the Executive Board of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) concluded the Article IV consultation with Portugal.

Following robust growth in 2017, driven by investment and exports, activity is expected to moderate in 2018. Nevertheless, unemployment continues to fall on the back of sustained employment growth; and the output gap is estimated to turn positive this year.

In its journey towards achieving greater economic progress, Malaysia could take further steps to unlock the full potential of its digital economy says a new World Bank report launched here, on September 12. The report, ‘Malaysia’s Digital Economy: A New Driver of Development,’ summarizes the work of a program managed by the World Bank Group Global Knowledge and Research Hub in Malaysia in collaboration with the Malaysian Ministry of Finance and other partners.

Republicans on Capitol Hill have introduced a package of three bills that would extend provisions of last year’s Tax Cuts and Jobs Act while providing additional tax relief for families and small businesses. The National Taxpayers Union applauds these efforts and NTU President Pete Sepp has offered the following comments in support of the legislation:

The US decision to quit key international deals and start a trade war harms EU-US ties; but the EU should not give up on the transatlantic bond, said MEPs on Wednesday.

The World Bank (International Bank for Reconstruction and Development, IBRD, Aaa/AAA) has launched a new series of bonds in Switzerland that directly link investors to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Returns are linked to the performance of companies advancing global development priorities set out in the SDGs, including climate, gender, and health.

On September 7, 2018, the Executive Board of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) concluded the Article IV consultation with the Russian Federation.

The Agriculture Bill sets out how farmers and land managers will in future be paid for “public goods”, such as better air and water quality, improved soil health, higher animal welfare standards, public access to the countryside and measures to reduce flooding.

Parliament has asked EU member states to determine, in accordance with Treaty Article 7, whether Hungary is at risk of breaching the EU´s founding values.

The World Bank’s Board of Executive Directors has considered the Inspection Panel’s investigation of the Second Additional Financing for the Democratic Republic of Congo’s (DRC) High-Priority Roads Reopening and Maintenance Project (ProRoutes) and approved the Management Action Plan presented in the Management Response, on September 11.