A US government report on Friday is expected to show the economy stopped shedding jobs last month for the first time since it fell into recession.
Vanessa Baug knows as well as anyone how the recession has ushered in a new era of frugality for Americans.
The global crisis has hit African countries harder than initially anticipated and the continent will lag the rest of the world in recovery.
The United States unemployment rate surged to its highest level in nearly 16 years in December.
United States stocks rose on Friday amid optimism a White House-proposed mortgage assistance package could ease liquidity conditions. President George Bush set out measures to help homeowners with subprime mortgages refinance into new loans, but warned that the government’s job was not to bail out speculators.
South African Reserve Bank head Tito Mboweni said on Wednesday it would not struggle against inflation at all costs in what analysts saw as a sign another interest rate hike could be avoided later this month.
South Africa’s central bank is expected to raise its repo rate next week, probably for the last time this year, as it battles to curb rising inflation.
South African Finance Minister Trevor Manuel said on Thursday he was concerned about the use of higher interest rates as the only tool to fight soaring prices, and suggested that domestic inflation targets could be reviewed.