The FINANCIAL -- The U.S. Chamber of Commerce on Nocemver 18 released public opinion polls in seven key states – Alaska, Arkansas, Indiana, Louisiana, Nebraska, North Carolina, and Virginia – all of which showed voters in those states oppose current health care reform legislation, with substantial majorities saying it will increase the federal deficit and raise the cost of their health care. 

The FINANCIAL -- In a meeting of the European Bank Coordination Initiative Group, held on November 18 in Brussels, the parent banks of the nine largest banks operating in Romania reaffirmed their commitment to maintain their exposure to the country and ensure adequate capital levels over 10 percent for their affiliates, and in line with the results of stress tests conducted by the National Bank of Romania (NBR).

The FINANCIAL -- The Executive Board of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) completed on November 18 the first review of Cote d’Ivoire’s economic performance under a three-year Poverty Reduction and Growth Facility (PRGF) arrangement.

The FINANCIAL -- ICC on November 18 hailed the success of a recent United Nations Convention Against Corruption (CAC) conference after it agreed on a new monitoring mechanism to determine whether the 142 signatory states are complying with their commitment to fight corruptive business practices.

The FINANCIAL -- ICC and the International Bar Association (IBA) will hold their first joint conference in India in December on the topic “Arbitration in the 21st century: making it work.”