Jan 2, 2020

French government to meet transportation strikers next week

Courtenay Brown

Photo: Martin Bureau/AFP via Getty Images

French government officials will begin talks with labor unions on Tuesday to end the country's longest transport stoppage since the mid-1980s.

Why it matters: It's been 29 days since transportation workers in France started striking in protest of President Macron's proposal to overhaul the pension system.

  • Negotiations held before Christmas fell through. In a speech this week, Macron vowed to carry through his reforms, though he hinted that his plan could be further scaled back to appease workers.
  • Macron's concessions might not be enough for strikers, whose absence from work is hurting the country's economy. Most of them want the plan scrapped altogether.

Go deeper: French unions launch massive strikes to protest retirement reform

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Jacob Knutson

Macron and Trump call ceasefire on digital taxes and wine tariffs

Macron and Trump on Dec. 3, 2019. Photo: Ludovic Marin/POOL/AFP via Getty Images

French President Emmanuel Macron on Tuesday tweeted that he and President Trump held a “great discussion” on a tax on digital services considered by Paris and pledged to work on "a good agreement" with Washington "to avoid tariff escalation."

Why it matters: Macron and Trump agreed to avoid increasing tariffs and continue negotiations on the digital tax during until the end of the year, CNBC reports.

Go deeperArrowJan 20, 2020
Rebecca Falconer

Iran crisis: European leaders urge all sides to show restraint

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Emmanuel Macron at the G7 in Biarritz, France, on Aug. 24. Photo: Andrew Parsons - Pool/Getty Images

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Emmanuel Macron issued a joint statement Sunday night, calling for restraint following the killing of Iranian Gen. Qasem Soleimani in a U.S. airstrike in Iraq.

There is now an urgent need for de-escalation. We call on all parties to exercise utmost restraint and responsibility. The current cycle of violence in Iraq must be stopped."
— Statement by Johnson, Merkel and Macron
Go deeperArrowJan 6, 2020
Dion Rabouin

Unemployment fell to 50-year low in 2019 but wages stagnated

Data: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics; Chart: Axios Visuals

Friday's jobs report missed expectations, but still delivered solid numbers, showing the U.S. economy added well over 100,000 jobs and the unemployment rate remained near a 50-year low.

The big picture: BLS reported that the number of people who were employed part time but would rather be full-time employees declined by 507,000 over the year.

Go deeperArrowJan 13, 2020 - Economy & Business