Big Economic Reads: Beijing Steps Up Response to Virus Outbreak

(Bloomberg) -- The coronavirus continues to ripple through the world economy, prompting mounting fears over the outlook for the Chinese economy and beyond.

With Group of 20 finance minsters and central bankers convening for talks in Saudi Arabia on Friday, here’s a run down of this week’s best stories, enterprise and analysis from Bloomberg Economics.

• The Key Real-Time Charts to See Virus Impact on China’s Economy
• China’s Economy Strains Under Virus as Beijing Steps In
• China’s Economy Seen Growing Slowest Since 1990 Due to Virus
• Hong Kong Economy Heads for First Back-to-Back Annual Decline
• China’s Coffers Are Depleted Just as Virus Spurs Spending

China’s economy, the world’s second largest, continues to creak under the weigh of the virus. It’s now predicted to grow the least since 1990 and put its policy makers under pressure to deliver fresh fiscal and monetary stimulus.

• Trump Rebukes His Hardliners, Blocks Curbs on China Sales
• Boris Johnson’s 570 Billion Reasons for Wanting an EU Trade Deal
• Modi Backtracks on Free-Trade Vow With Import Curbs in India
• China Trade War Walloped More Than Half of U.S. States in 2019

Global trade tensions continue to bubble away although President Donald Trump rebuked some in his administration eyeing a tougher crackdown on China. The U.K. is seeking a post-Brexit trade deal with the European Union, while even India is pursuing new tariffs.

• Europe’s Rocky Road to Economic Recovery Just Got Even Longer
• Lagarde Confronts Political Cost of ECB’s Subzero Rate Policy
• Swedish Inflation Shock Drags Subzero Rates Back Into the Debate

Central bankers in Europe remain at risk of another slump in their economies. But for the European Central Bank and Sweden’s Riksbank, officials are also dealing with the fallout from the dive into negative interest rates.

Best of the Rest...

• Putin Wants to Start Spending Again. Here’s How He’ll Do It
• Virus Puts Brakes on a Pear-Export Deal 17 Years in the Making
• Mexico’s Finance Chief Confident of 2020 Economy Turnaround
• Argentina Gets IMF’s Seal of Approval to Hit Bondholders Hard
• No Detail Too Small for Saudi Prince as G-20 Offers Redemption
• In America’s Richest Town, $500k a Year Is Now Below Average

To contact the reporter on this story: Simon Kennedy in London at skennedy4@bloomberg.net

To contact the editors responsible for this story: Stephanie Flanders at flanders@bloomberg.net, Zoe Schneeweiss

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