The sudden eruption of an al Qaeda-linked militant insurgency in northern Iraq last week triggered the biggest oil price spike in almost a year, as traders feared a civil war that might also draw in oil-rich neighbors.
Business
World Bank cuts 2014 global growth estimate to 2.8%
The World Bank cut its global economic growth forecast for 2014 to 2.8 per cent from 3.2 per cent because of a harsh US winter and the impact of the Ukraine crisis.
Pact to halt forced labor snubbed by Thailand, Gulf – ILO
Perpetrators of forced labour, which affects 21 million people globally, will be punished in most countries under a U.N. treaty , despite being snubbed by Thailand and nearly all Gulf countries. The new treaty, a protocol to the ILO’s Forced Labour Convention of 1930, aims to halt the practice by requiring countries ratifying it to identify and release victims, ensure them access to compensation and punish perpetrators.
Ukraine faces gas cut threat as talks with Russia fail
(Reuters) – Ukraine faces the threat of Russia cutting off gas supplies when a 0600 GMT deadline passes on Monday after talks on a long-running gas pricing dispute failed. Russian natural gas producer Gazprom said it was not extending the deadline for Ukraine to start paying off its gas debts after the discussions ended in the early hours of the morning in Kiev, raising the prospect of disruptions to gas flows to the European Union […]
POEA imposes total ban on OFW deployment in Iraq except for one region
MANILA, June 16 (PNA) — The Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) has issued a resolution imposing a total deployment ban on the processing and deployment of all Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) bound for Iraq except for the Iraqi Kurdistan Region which “remains calm and stable” as per the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) advisory. POEA issued the ban until such time when the condition in the said country is normalized after due consultation with the […]
Asian shares slip, crude firms as market eyes Iraq
(Reuters) – Asian shares got off on the back foot on Monday, as crude extended gains and tested nine-month highs on fears the insurgency in Iraq could spread – disrupting oil exports. Sunni insurgents seized a mainly ethnic Turkmen city in northwestern Iraq on Sunday, while the United States boosted security for its diplomatic staff in Baghdad and said some personnel had evacuated from the embassy. Brent LCOc1 rose about 0.5 percent to $113.07 per barrel, after touching $114.69 […]
Japan’s workforce shortage
Japanese firms are taking matters into their own hands to address a labor shortage that’s an unwelcome side effect of the country’s revival. Dennis Lu reports.
Asia stocks rise on brightening U.S. economic prospects
(Reuters) – Asian stocks basked in the glow of a record close on Wall Street after bright U.S. jobs data pointed to improving economic momentum, while the dollar gained on Monday on rising U.S. Treasury yields. U.S. jobs data on Friday showed that nonfarm payrolls increased by 217,000 last month, bringing employment back to its pre-recession level and validating the view that labor conditions are improving. The unemployment rate held steady at a 5-1/2 year […]
New bugs found in software that caused ‘Heartbleed’ cyber threat
(Reuters) – Security researchers have uncovered new bugs in the Web encryption software that caused the pernicious “Heartbleed” Internet threat that surfaced in April. Experts said the newly discovered vulnerabilities in OpenSSL, which could allow hackers to spy on communications, do not appear to be as serious a threat as “Heartbleed.” The new bugs were disclosed on Thursday as the group responsible for developing thatsoftware released an OpenSSL update that contains seven security fixes. Experts said that websites […]
Asian shares steady, rising U.S. yields bolster dollar
(Reuters) – Asian shares were steady on Wednesday and the dollar benefited from rising U.S. Treasury yields, while the euro remained under pressure ahead of expected easing steps from the European Central Bank. ‘s broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan .MIAPJ0000PUS was flat in early trade, not far from last week’s one-year high. Japan’s Nikkei stock average .N225 rose 0.1 percent, getting a lift from a weaker yen, and building on Tuesday’s 2-month closing […]
Japan retail sales show sales tax beginning to bite
Japan retail sales data disappoints, posting the biggest drop in three years. But policymakers won’t panic, expecting the fallout from a controversial tax hike to be short-lived. Dennis Lu reports from Japan
Asian shares ride Wall Street optimism, dollar slips
(Reuters) – Asian shares edged higher on Friday, catching a lift from another record close on Wall Street, while the dollar groaned under the pressure of slumping U.S. yields. The S&P 500 index .SPX posted its third record closing high in four sessions, as investors shrugged off the first quarterly contraction of the U.S. economy in three years and focused on signs of a strengthening labor market. MSCI’s broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan […]
