VENTURE CAPITAL POST

Brazil's efforts to bring down its debt will translate into renewed investor confidence and additional room to continue poverty-reduction policies for the years to come, incoming Finance Minister Joaquim Levy said on Saturday.

Japan's annual core consumer inflation slowed for a third straight month in October due to falling oil prices, highlighting the economic gloom facing Premier Shinzo Abe as he campaigns for a new mandate to implement his stalled recovery plan.

Japanese Economics Minister Akira Amari said on Friday that consumer prices are basically flat as a decline in oil prices has been slowing inflation.

Subdued food price inflation in Europe is unlikely to pick up any time soon, adding to the pressure on mainstream grocers as they struggle with changing shopping habits and competition from discounters.

The countdown has begun to what threatens to be a missed opportunity to revive Europe's stalled economy. When European Union leaders meet on Dec. 18-19 under new management, they have a chance to launch a joint assault on the economic stagnation and high unemployment that are fuelling disenchantment and anti-EU protest among voters.

European Central Bank President Mario Draghi has moved closer to launching sovereign debt purchases and data this week will show just how dangerously low inflation has fallen in the $13 trillion euro zone economy.

China's leadership and central bank are ready to cut interest rates again and also loosen lending restrictions, concerned that falling prices could trigger a surge in debt defaults, business failures and job losses, said sources involved in policy-making.

Europe is not at risk of sliding into "full deflation" but the current rate of inflation is dangerously low, European Central Bank Vice President Vitor Constancio said on Saturday.

European Central Bank President Mario Draghi threw the door wide open on Friday for more drastic measures to prevent the euro zone from sliding into deflation, promising to use whatever means necessary as China also acted to boost its sagging economic growth.

Underlying inflation pressures rose in October, even as falling gasoline prices kept overall U.S. consumer prices in check, bolstering expectations of a mid-2015 interest rate hike from the Federal Reserve.

The U.S. 10-year inflation breakeven rate rose mid-afternoon Thursday after relatively strong demand at a $13 billion auction of 10-year Treasury Inflation-Protected Securities.

India's economy will accelerate in 2015 but will fail to attain the heady growth rates of the past decade without sweeping structural reforms, the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development said on Wednesday.

The Ministry of Finance (MOF) is considering increasing the issuance of 30- and 40-year Japanese government bonds by a total of 2 trillion yen ($17 billion) in the new fiscal year starting in April, government officials with knowledge of the matter said on Wednesday.

The Dow and S&P 500 closed at record highs on Tuesday, lifted by further gains in healthcare shares and hopes for a stronger global economy.

Most U.S. retailers reported strong sales in October, a sign American consumers were spending with more gusto and could help keep the economy growing at a brisk pace.