Bloomberg Higher spending by households and governments helped propel the euro-area to its 11th successive quarter of growth even as net trade suffered amid a slowdown in China and other emerging markets. Consumption in the private sector rose 0.2 percent in the three months through December, while that of the public sector expanded 0.6 percent, the European Union’s statistics office …

The annual meeting of China’s National People’s Congress kicked off in Beijing this weekend, highlighted by Premier Li Keqiang’s government work report on Saturday. The NPC always finalizes China’s targets, goals, and areas of emphasis for the coming year. This year’s session, however, will see the final adoption of China’s next Five Year Plan, which will cover the period from …

The two clashing readings on the US economy and the appropriate monetary policy are quite interesting. Two of the central bank’s most influential policymakers differ over the best options to stimulate the growth of US economy. Fed Governor Lael Brainard, who has emerged as a leader of the Fed’s dovish faction, argued for “patience” in raising interest rates. “Given weak …