BLOOMBERG Brazil raised its estimate for this year’s budget gap to account for rising government spending and declining revenue amid a weakening economy. The primary fiscal deficit, which doesn’t take into account interest payments, will reach 177.4 billion reais ($36.1 billion) this year, compared with a previous forecast of 141.4 billion reais, according to an official report. Public expenses were …

BLOOMBERG Stocks in Europe struggled for traction on Thursday as activity surveys showed a recession in the euro area is looking increasingly likely. S&P Global’s purchasing managers’ index was in contraction again in November, hitting 47.1, data showed. While that’s a bigger uptick than anticipated by economists, it marks the sixth consecutive month below the 50 level that indicates expansion. …

ABU DHABI / WAM In a global competition for students and educators that saw hundreds of entries from 43 countries, a five-member student team from GEMS Our Own English High School, Dubai, is among the finalists in the student category. An educator from Cambridge High School, Abu Dhabi, is a top contender in the teacher category. The young people and …