Bloomberg The Biden administration looks to launch a global infrastructure financing program, intended to counter China’s Belt and Road initiative, with between five and 10 flagship projects announced as soon as January, a senior US official said. The “Build Back Better World” program will look to counter Chinese influence by offering funding for projects with higher labour standards, a focus ...

Bloomberg Countries looking to perk up their economies when interest rates are already at rock bottom might learn something from Germany. Last year’s surprise value-added tax cut by the government in Berlin unleashed about 34 billion euros ($39.4 billion) of household spending while only resulting in about 7 billion euros of lost budget revenue, a working paper published by the ...

Bloomberg Norway’s new government is proposing to cut electricity charges to protect households from the effects of the energy crisis, while raising taxes on the wealthy, as it makes changes to a 2022 budget drafted by its predecessors. The Labour-Center minority coalition’s proposal includes a new, lower electricity tax rate for the winter months, it said. The budget, which the ...