Economy : Page 900

Emerging market economies look the most vulnerable

March 5, 2016 Strong dollar, low commodity prices and slower-growing China pose threats to some large emerging markets, warn PwC economists.

Deficit in Canada widens, exports bright spot in economy

March 4, 2016 Momentum in Canada's export sector continued in January. The volume of exports expanded 8.8 percent in the past year.

U.S. added 242,000 jobs, December and January were revised up

March 4, 2016 Employers added 242,000 jobs in February as the labor market bounced back from a short-lived slowdown, and the unemployment rate was unchanged at 4.9%, the Labor Department said.

Unemployment rate in France lowered to 10 percent in Q4

March 4, 2016 Jobless rate in France inched down by 0.1 percentage point to 10 percent during the last quarter of 2015 compared to a quarter earlier.

Czech economy continues to grow, GDP 4% higher

March 4, 2016 The Czech economy continued to grow in the end of 2015, however, with a lower growth rate than in the preceding quarters.

Solid German service sector activity growth maintained

March 4, 2016 February data signalled a continuation of the upturn in Germany’s service sector that started in June 2013.

Downturn in South Africa’s private sector extends to nine months

March 4, 2016 February data signalled a continuation of the downturn in South Africa’s private sector that started last June.

Brazil leaves key interest rate at 14.25% for the fifth time

March 4, 2016 Brazil's central bank kept interest rates on hold on Wednesday as widely expected, opting to avoid inflicting more harm on an economy mired in its worst recession in decades despite a surge in inflation.

Service sector in Japan growth slows to seven-month low in February

March 4, 2016 February survey data painted an underwhelming growth picture for the Japanese service sector.

Volume of retail trade up 0.4% in euro area

March 4, 2016 In January 2016 compared with December 2015, the seasonally adjusted volume of retail trade increased by 0.4% in the euro area (EA19) and by 0.8% in the EU28.

U.S. factory orders increased to their best in 7 months

March 3, 2016 Orders to U.S. factories increased in January by the most in seven months. A key category that tracks business investment plans rose by the largest amount in 19 months.

Eurozone economic growth at 13-month low as France contracts

March 3, 2016 February saw a broad-based slowdown of the eurozone private sector economy. Rates of output expansion eased across Germany, Italy, Spain and Ireland, while France fell back into contraction for the first time in 13 months.