Ecuador says could restructure debt at any moment

(Reuters) - "The government at any moment could decide on a proposal on
debt," Economy Minister Ricardo Patino said minutes before the
naming of the commission to audit the debt. "But only the
government will decide on the right time."




The commission would seek to determine "illegitimate" debt,
or credits acquired by corrupt past administrations and which
leftist President Rafael Correa has threatened not to repay.


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U.S. home builder woes reach into other industries

(Reuters) - Still, several investors remain positive about the long-
term outlook for U.S. home builders, although a rebound may be
years away.




"It won't really be until 2010 before we start seeing
normal levels of activity in most parts of the country," said
Mark Zandi, chief economist of Moody's Economy.com.


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Chile Peso Strengthens Against Dollar After Copper Jumps on Supply Concern

(Bloomberg) -- Chile's currency strengthened after
prices for copper, the country's biggest export, jumped as
miners plan to strike at state-owned Codelco mine.

``The price of copper has been very strong, and it appears
will continue to remain that way,'' said Alfredo Coutino, senior
Latin America economist at Moody's Economy.com.


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Ivory Coast Raises Cocoa Production Forecast by 3.7 Percent, Ministry Says

(Bloomberg) -- Ivory Coast, the world's biggest
cocoa grower, increased its forecast for this year's harvest of
the chocolate ingredient by 3.7 percent, the Economy and Finance
Ministry said.

Cocoa production may be 1.40 million metric tons in the
year to Dec. 31, up from a previous estimate of 1.35 million
tons, according to a document handed to Bloomberg News yesterday
by a ministry official who asked not to be identified. The west
African nation produced 1.36 million tons of cocoa last year.


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WRAPUP 1-US jobless claims fall 4,000, less than expected

(Reuters) - In a separate report, the New York-based Conference Board said the U.S. Composite Index of Leading Economic Indicators rose 0.1 percent in March, as expected, after declining 0.6 percent in February and 0.3 percent in January.

The index, a key forecasting gauge for the U.S. economy, suggested slow economic growth is likely to continue in the near term, the private research group said.


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WRAPUP 1-China's economy accelerates in Q1, more tightening see

(Reuters) - BEIJING, April 19 - China's economy grew at a blistering 11.1 percent annual pace in the first quarter on the back of booming investment and exports, fuelling speculation that interest rates would need to rise again soon.

The growth rate announced on Thursday was broadly in line with the 11.0 percent forecast by economists in a Reuters poll but it marked an acceleration from 10.4 percent in the fourth quarter of 2006.


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IMF sees Liberia growth surge, urges debt relief

(Reuters) - Liberia's economic growth, already motoring at nearly 8 percent thanks to reconstruction after a civil war, will surge above 11 percent on average in the coming five years, the International Monetary Fund said.

In a statement released late on Monday, an IMF team which visited earlier this month said however the West African country could not sustain its huge foreign debt, which totals nearly $4 billion, and needed comprehensive debt relief.


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UPDATE 1-Rail strike hampers Canada Feb factory shipments

(Reuters) - Analysts surveyed by Reuters had expected a 0.5 percent rise in shipments, but the government agency said the strike had hampered the supply chain of manufacturers of chemicals, transportation equipment and nonmetallic minerals.

Chemicals fell 2.0 percent. The transportation equipment sector rose by 0.6 percent, but could risen more following down time for auto plant maintenance in January. However, the subcomponent of aerospace shipments fell 2.4 percent.


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Spain regulator chief to appear in Congress

(Reuters) - Earlier this month, Conthe became involved in a bizarre stand-off with the government when he said he wanted to resign but would only do so if he was allowed to explain his reasons in Congress.




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HSBC Says It Advised on $30 Billion of Middle East Projects During 2006

(Bloomberg) -- HSBC Holdings Plc, Europe's biggest bank by market value, said it won advisory mandates for Middle East projects worth over $30 billion in 2006, as the region became the world's largest market for project finance.

Water, power and petrochemical projects in Saudi Arabia, Oman and the United Arab Emirates led regional demand for long- term funding, the London-based lender said in an e-mailed statement today.


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Retail sales rise in March

(Reuters) - Retail sales rose by 0.7 percent as warmer weather and an earlier-than-usual Easter holiday encouraged shoppers in March. Excluding automobiles and parts, sales were up a somewhat smaller-than-expected 0.8 percent, according to the Commerce Department report.

"Consumer spending has rebounded quite nicely and that may lead to a better than expected first-quarter growth rate," said Joel Naroff, economist at Naroff Economic Advisors in Holland, Pennsylvania.


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UPDATE 1-US net long-term capital inflows fall in Feb vs Jan

(Reuters) - February foreign purchases of long-maturity securities such as equities, notes and bonds fell short of the upwardly revised $98.8 billion in net purchases recorded for January.

U.S. agency bonds, principally backed by home mortgages, saw their lowest net purchases by foreigners in nearly three years in February, as news of troubles in the subprime mortgage sector increased.


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UPDATE 1-N.Y. Fed manufacturing index edges higher in April

(Reuters) - The New York Fed's "Empire State" general business conditions index for the factory sector edged up to 3.80 in April from 1.85 in March. Economists polled by Reuters had expected an April reading of 7.50.

The new orders component rose to 3.94 in April from 3.14 in March, while the prices paid component rose to 40.48 in April, its highest level in eight months, from 30.23.


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REFILE-Infl targets boost cenbank credibility-Fed's Plosser

(Reuters) - Plosser did not specifically address the U.S. economy or monetary policy in remarks to a conference on EU expansion.

"Policy-makers have come to accept the fact that price stability is and should be the primary focus of monetary policy," he said.


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