The death toll from last weekend's earthquake in Indonesia, has risen to over 6,000. Indonesia's Social Affairs Ministry reported that apart from the loss of lives massive, 67,000 homes have been destroyed and a further 72000 homes have been severely damaged. The Asian Development Bank has offered the Indonesian government financial assistance of $60 million. The Indonesian government said the economic loss is around $100 million.
Bank Negara Malaysia's Governor, Tan Sri Zeti Akhtar Aziz, said the central bank expects inflation to moderate in the second half of the year. Malaysia's inflation rate during the first four months has been 4%, in the upper range of the targeted forecast of 3.5 to 4%.
Poland’s 2006 budget deficit will amount to 2.8% of GDP at most, said deputy finance minister Jaroslaw Pietras on Thursday. According to the recently updated Polish euro zone convergence programme, the budget deficit in 2007 will be 2.2%, but after excluding pension funds from the public sector, the deficit will reach 4.1%, exceeding the EU limit of 3%.
The International Monetary Fund expressed its concern over the insufficient control on money laundering in Argentina in a statement before the internal security commission of the Argentine Senate on Wednesday.