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Lebanon appoints new central bank governor as it works to climb out of economic crisis

Lebanon appointed asset manager Karim Souaid to the post of central bank governor Thursday as the government tries to reform the economy after months of war and decades of mismanagement and corruption. The country's economy has been in crisis for five years and desperately needs reforms to unlock international aid, and on top of that, Israel’s 14-month war with Hezbollah caused what the World Bank estimates was $11 billion in damages and economic losses. The appointment was announced by Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, the International Court of Justice jurist who was named Lebanon’s premier in January following the election of President Joseph Aoun earlier that month.

IMF Says US Economy Slowing But Doesn’t Forecast Recession

(Bloomberg) -- The International Monetary Fund sees the US economy shifting into a lower gear this year as President Donald Trump pushes forward with aggressive tariffs but doesn’t see a recession on the horizon.Most Read from BloombergWhy Did the Government Declare War on My Adorable Tiny Truck?How SUVs Are Making Traffic WorseTrump Slashed International Aid. Geneva Is Feeling the Impact.These US Bridges Face High Risk of Catastrophic Ship StrikesAffordable Housing Developers Stalled by Blocked

US applications for unemployment benefits hold steady, remain in recent healthy range

U.S. applications for unemployment benefits held steady last week, a sign that the labor market remains healthy as companies continue to retain their employees. Jobless claim filings ticked down by 1,000 to 224,000 for the week ending March 22, the Labor Department said Thursday. Weekly applications for jobless benefits are considered a proxy for layoffs, and have remained mostly in a range between 200,000 and 250,000 for the past few years.

U.S. economy grew 2.4% in the 4th quarter after upgrade in final growth estimate

The U.S. economy expanded at a healthy annual 2.4% pace the final three months of 2024, supported by a year-end surge in consumer spending, the government said Thursday in a slight upgrade of its previous estimate of fourth-quarter growth. Growth in gross domestic product — the nation’s output of goods and services — decelerated from a 3.1% pace in July-September 2024, the Commerce Department said. Consumer spending rose at a 4% pace, up from 3.7% in third-quarter 2023.

Norway Delays First Rate Cut of Cycle After Inflation Pickup

(Bloomberg) -- Norway’s central bank delayed a long-communicated cut in borrowing costs until later this year as officials responded to a flare-up in inflation.Most Read from BloombergThey Built a Secret Apartment in a Mall. Now the Mall Is Dying.Why Did the Government Declare War on My Adorable Tiny Truck?How SUVs Are Making Traffic WorseTrump Slashed International Aid. Geneva Is Feeling the Impact.These US Bridges Face High Risk of Catastrophic Ship StrikesNorges Bank held the deposit rate at

Fed Urged to Explore Hedge Fund Bailout Tool for Basis Trade

(Bloomberg) -- The Federal Reserve should consider setting up an emergency program that would close out highly leveraged hedge-fund trades in the event of a crisis in the $29 trillion US Treasuries market, according to a panel of financial experts.Most Read from BloombergThey Built a Secret Apartment in a Mall. Now the Mall Is Dying.Why Did the Government Declare War on My Adorable Tiny Truck?How SUVs Are Making Traffic WorseTrump Slashed International Aid. Geneva Is Feeling the Impact.These US