Economics

• South Africa’s Reserve Bank Surveys Firms to Guide Rate Policy
  The South African Reserve Bank has begun using direct feedback from businesses to better gauge economic activity and help guide monetary policy.
• Bolsonaro Surge in Brazil Opens Door to Commodities Trade Shift
  A surprising first round in Brazil’s presidential election is raising the prospect of a recalibration in trade policy, with a possible Flávio Bolsonaro government likely to deepen ties with Washington while preserving much of the country’s push to diversify markets.
• Codelco Probes New Signs of Overstated Chile Copper Production
  Codelco is investigating fresh evidence that copper production may have been double counted in 2024 and 2025, raising further questions over output figures at the Chilean state-owned miner.
• An Ex-Lawyer Seeks to Defy History and Polls by Taking Quebec Out of Canada
  Quebec’s new leader, Paul St-Pierre Plamondon, says he won’t back down on his pledge to hold an independence referendum by 2030, despite polling that suggests most Quebecers aren’t on board.
• IEA to Meet Wednesday to Discuss Diesel, Crude Stocks Release
  The International Energy Agency is due to have talks Wednesday on plans for an emergency release of as much as 100 million barrels of diesel and crude inventories pledged by G7 leaders last week, according to people familiar with the matter.
• US Lawmaker Seeks Review of Hong Kong’s Access to Fed Facility
  A top Republican lawmaker has asked the Federal Reserve to review Hong Kong’s access to a dollar liquidity facility designed to ease market stresses during times of volatility.
• Mapping How South America’s Right-Wing Shift Has Reached Brazil
  Brazil’s presidential runoff is shaping up as an opportunity for the political right to cement its power across South America.
• Lo que debe saber sobre el presunto caso de peste en Siberia
• Why the Houthis Are So Hard to Defeat
  After four years of relative calm, the war pitting Yemen’s Houthi militia against the country’s internationally recognized government and its backer Saudi Arabia is back on. Announcing the start of a full-scale military campaign against the Houthis, the Saudi-led coalition supporting government forces said on social media on Oct. 4 that the goal is to “eliminate” the group.
• Why Americans Are Unhappy With an Economy That Looks Strong
  The US economic expansion is in its seventh year, and there is no recession in sight.
• How Total Return Swaps Pile on Risk For Bondholders
  Some governments in need of money have been turning to an obscure financial product typically used by hedge funds, exposing bond investors to new risks.
• Tesla to Showcase Its Cybercab Robotaxi at Paris Auto Show
  Tesla Inc. will display its Cybercab robotaxi at the Paris Motor Show that kicks off on Oct. 12, according to the event’s organizer.
• UK Tories Pledge Employer Tax Cut to Tackle Youth Unemployment
  The Conservatives pledged to halve the tax businesses pay on employees in their early 20s as the UK’s main opposition party seeks to restore its reputation for economic competence and tackle a rise in joblessness among young people.
• How a Russian Boxer With Kremlin Ties Came to Bankroll Trump Jr.’s Wedding
  Biker. Boxer. National Lottery czar. Business partner to Vladimir Putin’s chief bodyguard. And now: the man who helped pay for part of Donald Trump Jr.’s wedding celebration.
• Bessent's Plans to Rein In US Deficit Met With Skepticism
  Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent’s assurance that US economic growth combined with spending restraint can rein in the federal deficit met with skepticism by market strategists who highlighted the scale of current borrowing.
• Venezuelans Leave Chile, Easing Pressure on Depressed Job Market
  Venezuelans are leaving Chile by the thousands, slashing the rate of unemployment among foreigners, even as the jobless rate among locals reaches the highest in five years.
• Canadians Expect Higher Inflation as Bank of Canada Weighs Hikes
  A majority of Canadians expect the rate of inflation to increase over the next 12 months, a potentially worrying sign for the Bank of Canada as it weighs interest-rate hikes.
• Russia’s Oil-Export Boom Undercut by Payouts, Diesel Sales Ban
• Venture Global Is in Talks to Sell US LNG to More Chinese Buyers
  US liquefied natural gas exporter Venture Global Inc. is in talks to sell the fuel to additional Chinese buyers as the Iran war roils global shipments, spurring China to seek to diversify its sources of supply.