BOJ’s Kuroda: there’s room for policy response if tax hike hurts economy – minutes
TOKYO (Reuters) – The Bank of Japan has room to respond with monetary policy if a proposed sales tax hike hurts the economy, Governor Haruhiko Kuroda told a government panel on the tax, according to minutes released on Friday.
UK industrial output flat in July, trade deficit widens sharply
LONDON (Reuters) – British industrial output was flat in July and there was a marked deterioration in the trade balance, official data showed on Friday, taking some of the shine off recent strong economic data.
French consumer confidence, trade point to improving outlook
PARIS (Reuters) – French consumer confidence improved slightly more than expected in August and imports rebounded in July, signs that domestic demand in the euro zone’s second biggest economy is perking up.
Spain industrial output falls for 23rd month in July
MADRID (Reuters) – Spain’s industrial output fell for the 23rd straight month in July but an economist said he still sees potential for a weak recovery in the recession-hit economy before the end of the year.
Ireland to seek 10 billion euro credit backstop, minister says
DUBLIN (Reuters) – Ireland will seek a 10 billion euro ($13.1 billion) credit line when its EU-IMF bailout expires later this year, which it will draw on only if needed, Finance Minister Michael Noonan said.
India may announce steps to cut fuel use this month
NEW DELHI (Reuters) – India could announce steps to curb fuel consumption on September 16, Foreign Minister Salman Khurshid said on Friday, in a bid to cut the biggest item in the country’s import bill and help support a rupee skittering just above rec…
UK house prices rise at fastest annual rate since 2010: Halifax
LONDON (Reuters) – British house prices rose 5.4 percent in the three months to August from a year earlier, the biggest annual rise since June 2010, mortgage lender Halifax said on Friday.
Vodafone ready to target Italy for ‘Project Spring’ spend: report
MILAN (Reuters) – Vodafone is ready to direct a large part of its “Project Spring” investment spend on Italy, Chief Executive Vittorio Colao said in a newspaper interview published on Friday.
Volkswagen denies that Piech is to resign as chairman
FRANKFURT (Reuters) – Volkswagen has denied a newspaper report that its 76-year-old chairman, Ferdinand Piech, plans to step down from his post in the coming months for health reasons.
Suntory closing in on deal to buy GSK drinks brands: sources
LONDON (Reuters) – Japan’s Suntory Beverage & Food Ltd is in advanced talks to buy the Lucozade and Ribena brands from GlaxoSmithKline for more than 1 billion pounds ($1.6 billion) in a deal that would pre-empt an auction of the iconic British drinks, two people close to the process said.
