Morocco’s Budget Deficit Reaches $3bn in August

 Morocco recorded a budget deficit of 30.4 billion dirhams by late August 2022. (Reuters)
Morocco recorded a budget deficit of 30.4 billion dirhams by late August 2022. (Reuters)
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Morocco’s Budget Deficit Reaches $3bn in August

 Morocco recorded a budget deficit of 30.4 billion dirhams by late August 2022. (Reuters)
Morocco recorded a budget deficit of 30.4 billion dirhams by late August 2022. (Reuters)

Morocco’s Ministry of Economy and Finance said Monday that the situation of the Moroccan Treasury's expenses and resources indicated a budget deficit of 30.4 billion dirhams ($3 billion) by August 31, against 43.3 billion dirhams ($4.3 billion) a year earlier.

Also, tax revenues showed a good overall performance, with an increase of 19.8%, recording a realization rate of 75.1% despite the increase in refunds, rebates and tax refunds, which have amounted to 9.4 billion dirhams.

The non-tax revenues amounted to nearly 23.4 billion dirhams.

Revenues from public institutions and companies reached 7.1 billion dirhams, including four billion dirhams paid by OCP Group, 2.2 billion dirhams by the National Agency of Land Conservation, Cadaster and Cartography (ANCFCC) and 505 million dirhams by Bank Al-Maghrib.

The other revenues amounted to 16.3 million dirhams, including 10.2 million dirhams from innovative financing.

Expenditure on goods and services also increased by 1.9 billion dirhams for “other goods and services” and 3.3 billion dirhams for personnel costs.

Interest on debt rose by 940 million dirhams to 23.4 million dirhams, reflecting an increase in interest on domestic debt (+1 million dirhams) and a slight decline in interest on foreign debt (-61 million dirhams).



Turkish Annual Inflation Falls More Than Expected to 44.38%

A shopkeeper uses his mobile phone as he waits for customers at a popular middle-class shopping district in Istanbul, Türkiye March 4, 2024. REUTERS/Murad Sezer/File photo
A shopkeeper uses his mobile phone as he waits for customers at a popular middle-class shopping district in Istanbul, Türkiye March 4, 2024. REUTERS/Murad Sezer/File photo
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Turkish Annual Inflation Falls More Than Expected to 44.38%

A shopkeeper uses his mobile phone as he waits for customers at a popular middle-class shopping district in Istanbul, Türkiye March 4, 2024. REUTERS/Murad Sezer/File photo
A shopkeeper uses his mobile phone as he waits for customers at a popular middle-class shopping district in Istanbul, Türkiye March 4, 2024. REUTERS/Murad Sezer/File photo

Turkish annual consumer price inflation fell more than expected to 44.38% in December, official data showed on Friday, with education, housing and restaurant prices leading the rise.

Month on month, inflation was 1.03%, the Turkish Statistical Institute said, compared with 2.24% in November. Annual consumer price inflation (CPI) was 47.09% in November.

Furniture prices rose 2.78% from the previous month, data showed, while telecoms-related prices gained by 1.82%.

In a Reuters poll, the annual inflation rate was expected to fall to 45.2%, with the monthly figure seen at 1.61%, owing to easing food price inflation and a limited rise in energy prices.

The latest inflation print was close to the central bank's midpoint prediction of 44% for the end of 2024.

The bank, having kept its main interest rate steady at 50% since March, launched an easing cycle last week, cutting the policy rate by 250 basis points to 47.5%.

The bank said it will set policy "prudently" meeting by meeting with a focus on the inflation outlook while responding to any expected "significant and persistent deterioration".

The Turkish lira was little changed after the data at 35.3850 to the dollar, hovering around the record lows.

The domestic producer price index was up 0.4% month on month in December for an annual rise of 28.52%, the data showed.