Economy : Page 884

South Africa PMI drops to 20-month low, signalling deepening recession

April 8, 2016 The downturn in South Africa’s private sector that started last summer intensified in March, with output and new orders falling at sharper rates and companies cutting jobs at a record pace.

Borrowing by U.S. consumers increased a bit in February

April 7, 2016 Borrowing by U.S. consumers picked up a little in February, a sign steady job creation is helping underpin household finances.

U.S. jobless claims fall 9,000 to 267,000

April 7, 2016 The number of Americans who applied for unemployment benefits last week fell by 9,000 to 267,000, keeping initial claims near the lowest level in decades.

Draghi: We will do 'whatever is needed' to raise inflation

April 7, 2016 European Central Bank head Mario Draghi has said the monetary authority will do "whatever is needed" to push up inflation from its dangerously low levels.

Albania cuts key rate to historic low

April 7, 2016 The Bank of Albania cut the key interest rate by 25 basis points to a historic low of 1.50 percent, the bank said.

Cyprus reports dramatic drop in unemployment

April 7, 2016 Unemployment in Cyprus fell by 4 percentage points to 12.6 percent in February relative to the same month last year.

Retail price deflation in Britain eases in March

April 7, 2016 Retail prices fell 1.7% in March, completing three years of deflation as retailers wage war on the pricing front, but easing off from the fall the month before.

Seasonally adjusted PMI in Lebanon falls to 26-month low

April 7, 2016 At 45.0, down from February’s 47.4, the headline seasonally adjusted BLOM Lebanon PMI signalled the sharpest deterioration in overall private sector business conditions for over two years in March.

Downturn in Nigerian private sector eases during March

April 7, 2016 The contraction of Nigeria’s private sector persisted in March, albeit at a weaker pace. Business conditions worsened only slightly, with the speed of downturn restricted by slower declines in output and new work.

Hong Kong PMI declines to seven-month low in March

April 7, 2016 March survey data indicated the quickest deterioration in Hong Kong private sector operating conditions for seven months.

Construction activity in Germany rounds of best quarter in five years

April 7, 2016 Building activity in Germany continued to rise at a solid pace during March, with growth reported across all three categories of construction activity covered by this survey.

March Bureau of Labor data shows temporary employment growth

April 7, 2016 Temporary help services employment increased by 0.14% in March, adding 4,000 jobs during the month, according to seasonally adjusted data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.