Advertisement
UK markets closed

  • FTSE 100

    8,213.49
    +41.34 (+0.51%)
     

  • FTSE 250

    20,164.54
    +112.21 (+0.56%)
     

  • AIM

    771.53
    +3.42 (+0.45%)
     

  • GBP/EUR

    1.1652
    -0.0031 (-0.26%)
     

  • GBP/USD

    1.2546
    +0.0013 (+0.11%)
     

  • Bitcoin GBP

    50,880.12
    +688.89 (+1.37%)
     

  • CMC Crypto 200

    1,322.52
    +45.54 (+3.57%)
     

  • S&P 500

    5,127.79
    +63.59 (+1.26%)
     

  • DOW

    38,675.68
    +450.02 (+1.18%)
     

  • CRUDE OIL

    77.99
    -0.96 (-1.22%)
     

  • GOLD FUTURES

    2,310.10
    +0.50 (+0.02%)
     

  • NIKKEI 225

    38,236.07
    -37.98 (-0.10%)
     

  • HANG SENG

    18,475.92
    +268.79 (+1.48%)
     

  • DAX

    18,001.60
    +105.10 (+0.59%)
     

  • CAC 40

    7,957.57
    +42.92 (+0.54%)
     
MONEY:

Best savings accounts that offer above inflation rates

Where to find a top-rated deal that works for you

Italy cuts deficit goal, says expects positive response - PM

Reuters
FILE PHOTO: Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte holds a news conference on the final day of the G20 leaders summit in Buenos Aires, Argentina December 1, 2018. REUTERS/Agustin Marcarian/File Photo (Reuters)

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - Italy has lowered its deficit target for next year to 2.04 percent of output and expects the European Commission to accept its new 2019 budget proposal, Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte said on Wednesday.

"We were able to come down to 2.04 percent (of GDP)," Conte told reporters after meeting with commission President Jean-Claude Juncker. "In its first evaluation, the commission judged (the proposal) as significant," he added, saying he expected a "positive" response.

Conte flew to Brussels to try to head off disciplinary measures for Italy's expansionary draft budget, which originally proposed a deficit of 2.4 percent of gross domestic product, and which the commission rejected as too high.

(Reporting by Francesco Guarascio, writing by Steve Scherer)